HEROINES: Empowerment of women with mental illness living in rural areas through writing therapy

In 2021 the two-year project Heroines was completed. The basic aim of the programme was to empower women with mental health challenges, living in rural or isolated areas. The participants were given the chance to start a process of self-reflection through writing therapy and become inspired by other brave and determined female role models throughout history, who have talked about their lives, in order to write their personal story and become heroines of their personal journey.   

During the pilot implementation of the programme at the city of Lamia, 32 online experiential meetings were held with a group of eight women. For the participants, the meeting with their fellow travelers was valuable, as many were initially skeptical and closed to themselves. However, at the end of the journey they felt safe and secure through the experiential meetings, and they became strong and willing to share their experiences in the Anthology of New Heroines which is available online at the programme’s website (www.heroines-project.eu/) in order to inspire other women who are at the beginning of their own inner search.

The stories of the women of the therapeutic writing group were a source of inspiration for the Association of Fine Arts of Central Greece (SKETKE) whose members created artistic creations which were hosted in the exhibition “Heroines” which took place in the city of Lamia for fifteen days, within the framework of the programme’s dissemination. The positive response and the multiple benefits of therapeutic writing in the empowerment of the participants, give us the incentive to integrate it in the good practices of the SSP P. Sakellaropoulos for our members and the general public.

The Prorgamme is implemented at the Prefecture of Fthiotida

Leader: FUNDACION INTRAS, Spain.  Partners: OZARA storitveno in invalidsko podjetje d.o.o. Slovenia, SSP P. Sakellaropoulos Greece, Metanoia Institute United Kingdom, Suomen Kirjallisuusterapiayhdistys ry Finland. Duration:  11/2019 – 10/2021.  24 Months

For more information please visit: https://www.heroines-project.eu/