Sp(i)eel Arts Therapies Collective delivers a range of arts-based psychosocial programmes, primarily within rural communities across South Africa. Our team consists of skilled arts practitioners and HPCSA-registered arts therapists, working with children, their families, teachers, and the wider community.
At the heart of our approach is a commitment to building community resilience through a collectivist model of wellbeing. We support both individuals and groups in developing healthy, supportive relationships, with the intention that these connections continue to grow long after our programmes have ended.
Our work responds to the intergenerational and complex trauma shaped by South Africa’s history. We are deeply committed to providing mental healthcare that is rooted in African contexts, honours indigenous knowledge systems, and is accessible to all.
Learn more about Sp(i)eel here.
Support Our Work
If you would like to contribute to our arts therapy programmes, you can make a donation here.
“Arts-based psychosocial practices, including arts therapies, offer a unique approach to working with health change. They enable us to connect with the qualities of things, cultivating a deep awareness of our role within intricate ecological assemblages. The arts unveil the inseparability of nature and culture, revealing our place within a dynamic corporality. Eco-arts therapies, viewed from this perspective, decentres human experience, reassembling the boundaries between human and the non-human. This perspective challenges our anthropocentric worldview, motioning us to engage with other lives, other times, and other worlds. Embracing nature in this manner entails venturing into unfamiliar places, broadening our consciousness, fostering compassion, affection, and deepening our appreciation. However, such changes in action and mindset are mobilised within complex contexts.” – Dominik Havsteen-Franklin
Our Name and Meaning
Our name is derived from an Afrikaans word with dual meaning—it can translate to both “to play” and “mirror.” This duality reflects the essence of our work. Our logo embodies the transformative nature of the arts: the ability to take something simple, like a word, and reimagine it as a symbol or metaphor rich with layered meaning.
The “i” in sp(i)eel, placed in brackets, represents the therapeutic core of our organisation. It signifies our commitment to keeping the individual—and their wellbeing—at the centre of everything we do.
To “play and mirror” speaks to the role of the arts as both a reflection of society and a tool for personal exploration. Through creative expression, the arts allow us to reflect, process, and better understand our world. In a therapeutic context, they become a mirror to the self—offering a way to explore thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to articulate. At the same time, the playful nature of the arts reconnects us with our innate creativity and capacity for connection.
In South Africa, access to therapeutic arts programmes remains limited. We are committed to expanding this access—using the intentional application of diverse art forms to support health, wellbeing, personal development, and meaningful transformation for all.
Arts Therapies
Arts Therapies is an umbrella term encompassing Art, Music, Drama, and Dance/Movement Therapy. Also known as Arts Psychotherapists, these professionals are highly trained clinicians, each holding a minimum of a Master’s qualification in their respective field. They work with diverse clients across the mental health sector. All Arts Psychotherapists at Sp(i)eel are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Arts therapy involves the intentional use of creative processes within a therapeutic setting. No prior artistic experience or skill is required. Arts Psychotherapists provide a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space where individuals can explore and express thoughts, feelings, and experiences—particularly those that may be difficult to put into words.
Each person’s journey with Arts Therapies is unique, but common outcomes include developing greater self-awareness, making sense of emotions and life experiences, improving mental health and overall wellbeing, and building healthier, more positive relationships.
We work with a network of qualified and experienced Arts Psychotherapists who offer both individual and group therapy. In addition, they provide supervision and support to arts practitioners, counsellors, social workers, and community care workers.
To learn more or get in touch, please email info@spieelcollective.co.za, call us directly, or complete the online contact form—we would be happy to connect with you.
You can also explore more about Arts Therapies at www.sanata.org
To donate towards our arts therapy program you can easily do so here.
An Arts-Based Psychosocial Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing
Sp(i)eel Arts Therapies Collective delivers a range of arts-based psychosocial programmes, primarily within rural communities across South Africa. Our team consists of experienced arts practitioners and HPCSA-registered arts therapists, working with children, their families, teachers, and the broader community.
At the heart of our approach is a commitment to building community resilience through a collectivist model of wellbeing. We support both individuals and groups in developing healthy, supportive relationships, with the aim of sustaining these connections long after our programmes have concluded.
Our work responds to the intergenerational and complex trauma shaped by South Africa’s history. We are deeply committed to providing accessible mental healthcare that is rooted in African contexts, honours indigenous knowledge systems, and is available to all.
Applied Arts Programmes
Groups, such as school learners, are invited to engage in the arts—drama, dance, music, storytelling, writing, or visual arts—as a platform for self-expression. These programmes support personal growth and foster meaningful connections with others. The process often culminates in a performance or exhibition, shared with peers and the broader community. In this way, the community becomes part of the journey, while participants experience the powerful validation of having their work witnessed. All applied arts projects are facilitated by trained practitioners and art therapists.
Arts Therapy
We offer arts therapy programmes for individuals or small groups facing personal and social challenges, including bereavement, abuse, trauma, and neglect. Our qualified Drama, Art, Music, and Dance-Movement Therapists provide evidence-based, clinical interventions. Where appropriate, family members may also be included to support the healing process.
Arts-Based Psychosocial Support (APS) Workshops
These experiential workshops create a supportive space for carers—such as parents, teachers, care workers, and social workers—to restore their own wellbeing and reduce the risk of burnout and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Participants also gain practical skills they can apply in their professional environments. Each workshop includes a guided toolkit available in isiXhosa, Zulu, English, and Afrikaans.
Workshop offerings include:
Story-Making for Resilience
Introduces non-verbal storytelling tools to help identify personal and group strengths, fostering resilience.
Resilience-Focused Trauma Intervention (RFTI)
Provides a structured approach to developing a psychosocial care plan within an individual’s social context.
Arts for Hope
A gentle, creative process that supports reflection and healing around grief and loss.
One River, Many Boats
A team-building workshop designed to strengthen communication, collaboration, and cohesion in the workplace.
Support Our Work
You can support our arts therapy programmes by making a donation here.
Non-Profit Organisation:
NPO 064-942
Public Benefit Organisation:
PBO 930 035 321
Trust: IT1251/2007
