Music program helps women transition out of homelessness in Brisbane

When Kateryna Kozlovska arrived at a women's shelter in Brisbane in 2024, she felt weak, vulnerable and uncertain.

She had left her war-torn home country of Ukraine behind two years prior, hoping to rebuild her life in Australia.

But after her relationship with her partner became emotionally unsafe, she turned to Peggy's Place, a Brisbane shelter for women and children, for support.

"It was an extremely difficult period, especially when I [didn't] feel the ground under my feet," Ms Kozlovska said.

"At the same time, [grieving] the losses, the family, friends and the balance of life I once had."

Ms Kozlovska was offered to participate in Creative Transitions, a Griffith University music program designed to support women transitioning out of homelessness.

During the 12-month pilot project, researchers, led by a registered music therapist, worked with 32 women and 20 children across two shelters and two community groups in south-east Queensland.

The groups took part in collaborative songwriting, singing, drumming and music-making as a way to rebuild identity, confidence and social connection.

'Important part of healing'

Micah Project's Brisbane domestic violence service lead Ria Wong, who was not involved in the program, agreed creative arts projects provided an essential service for women who have escaped unsafe situations.

"Being able to participate in anything or follow interests that are core to them are really important ways to be able to regain that sense of agency and choice," Ms Wong said.

"Often these programs provide people an opportunity, a sense of connection with others who've had similar experiences and sometimes different experiences, but people being able to find themselves in a community is a really important part of their recovery and healing."

University of Queensland research expert and senior music therapist, Dr Kate Aitchison, said music therapy can foster social connection and hope while strengthening personal identity.

But she noted it was important for programs to be led by a registered and qualified music therapist.

"Those counselling micro skills that you might need to respond to someone if they are in crisis or if they do become distressed, that's where our music therapists can be really useful in this space," Dr Aitchison said.

Project leader and Deputy Director of Research at the Queensland Conservatorium, Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, said women moving from crisis accommodation to permanent housing were often "particularly fragile".

She said arts programs played a "vital role" during this transitional period.

"When people think about homelessness, they start to think about the housing crisis," she said.

"But of course, we find that people become very isolated, and there's a really strong need for people to also rebuild their sense of selves, rebuild their sense of social connection."

Professor Bartleet said it was "awe-inspiring" to see women progressively gain confidence and make social connections throughout the program.

"Some of these women have really been silenced, and they used their voices to tell their stories, to write song lyrics, to be creative, to draw."

"The most powerful things we saw was the women were starting to talk about their lives with hope and starting to talk about their dreams for the future."

Processing trauma through music

Each Creative Transitions session began with a talking circle, followed by a breathing exercise or drumming, then songwriting or instrument-learning.

Lead program facilitator and music therapist Sarah Dunstan said trauma could put the brain into a constant fear response, making it harder to connect with people and the present.

"What you can do with something like music, with something like drumming, is allow that part of the brain to be regulated," Ms Dunstan said.

"From there, you can move on to doing things like songwriting, where then you can learn to process your emotions in another way."

For Ms Kozlovska, the sessions helped her realise she could "create something meaningful even after difficult experiences".

"Music and art help people express what is difficult to put into words," she said.

"We focus more on how [to] find money for bread and milk, but we also need [to] find that space and time for music and art."

"When you do something with your hands and with your brain, it can change you inside, [make you] feel alive."