The use of narratives as a therapeutic tool in Latin American immigrant women: processes of reconstruction and empowerment in contexts of vulnerability

Abstract

This study explores how narratives can act as therapeutic tools for Latin American immigrant women residing in the Region of Murcia, Spain. The objective is to analyse how the act of narrating their migratory experiences contributes to emotional relief, the re-signification of their trajectories, and the construction of resilience, while strengthening identity and fostering a sense of belonging in contexts marked by exclusion and inequalities in gender and class. Methods: A qualitative methodology was used with a narrative and gender approach. The field work was carried out between 2022 and 2023, with a sample of 20 women selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysed through an inductive approach using MAXQDA 24.5 software. The emerging categories reflected the emotional experience and meanings constructed during the migration process. Results: The narratives revealed five key categories: emotional relief of social suffering through expression, reconstruction of identity and re-signification of experiences, emotional validation and strengthening of identity, empowerment and symbolic resistance, and sense of belonging and connection. Likewise, it was observed that the interviews created therapeutic spaces that strengthened the bond between researcher and participant. Conclusions: The narratives contribute to processing emotions and redefining traumatic experiences, while also allowing greater agency in the participating women. This approach highlights the transformative potential of narrative research to generate situated knowledge and promote inclusive practices in contexts of vulnerability.