Drawing on Indigenous Wisdom for Art Therapies Research
Alyeska Shore has joined Te Oranganui as a new intern, bringing with her a wealth of global experience and a deep passion for holistic healing. Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Alyeska is completing her degree in Global Studies at Long Island University Global based in New York, a unique programme where students study abroad every semester for four years. Her thesis focuses on “The Effectiveness of Multimethod Art Therapies for Displaced Populations”, drawing on cultural context and symbolic iconography to support healing and reconnection.
Her journey into this field is deeply personal. Having experienced her own trauma, she discovered early that Western medicine alone could not always provide the answers. Instead, she turned to spiritual and holistic approaches, later realising that access to these forms of healing is often a privilege not available to the communities that need it most.
“I feel like as someone on the privileged end of things, it’s absolutely my priority in life to make sure that those that did not have that access can get the healing that they need in whatever way that looks like.”
Alyeska was drawn to Te Oranganui because of its ideology on holistic healing and wellbeing, also the shared philosophy: a commitment to supporting underprivileged communities mentally, physically, and culturally, and weaving those dimensions together through a holistic approach.
For Alyeska, being surrounded by those who also recognise the deep impacts of systemic oppression and who are working to transform those realities feels both inspiring and affirming. This is a foundation that aligns closely with her own research and passion.
What especially resonated with her is the way Māori culture actively uses symbology in everyday life, observed in moko (tattoos), carvings on marae, and other imagery that carries profound cultural meaning. She notes that this symbolic influence feels particularly strong in Aotearoa, even compared to other Indigenous cultures she has encountered through her global studies.
During her time here, Alyeska hopes to contribute through research and by creating spaces for art therapy, while also immersing herself in the many kaupapa Te Oranganui is leading. She is particularly inspired by the organisation’s work in connecting cultural knowledge to contemporary issues like suicide prevention.
“I was really drawn to this organisation because you have actual local effect on-the-ground community members that are taken seriously and that actually reach the parts of the community that need it the most. That’s rare.”
With a global lens and a heart committed to healing, Alyeska sees her mahi at Te Oranganui as part of a bigger vision: to see a world where healing is accessible, communities are thriving, and systems are shaped to prevent harm rather than react to it.