Urban Rituals – Kotryna Žilinskaitė Residency 2025 – Description of the Doctoral Research

As part of her residency at Transcultures from February to June 2025, Lithuanian artist Kotryna Žilinskaitė is also conducting doctoral research on sound and bodily practices, in connection with neurodivergent individuals, including those on the autism spectrum and/or living with mental health challenges.

As an extension of this work, between April and early July 2025, Kotryna will have led 27 one-hour sessions with residents of the “La Pommeraie” and “Opaline” centers. In addition to contributing to her research, one of the goals of these sessions will be to collaborate with the residents on a performance to be presented on June 27 during the “La Clé au Vert” festival, which will take place at La Pommeraie – Ellignies-Sainte-Anne.

A Movement and Voice workshop using the “Sfere” method developed by the artist-researcher and open to the public will also be offered on 31.05 + 01.06.2025 at “La fabrique de vêtements” in Binche or at “Chant des chevaux” in Beloeil.

Urban Rituals - Research context and presentation of the doctoral project

Applying Sound and Movement Practices with Individuals on the Autism Spectrum and with Mental Health Challenges

This preliminary study is the first step towards an interdisciplinary doctoral project titled Urban Rituals, which explores how urban ritual practices can contribute to the therapeutic relationship, emotional expression, self-reflection, and body awareness through a synthesis of sound, movement, and psychosomatic practices. The aim of the research is to test these methodologies with two distinct groups with specific neurological and psychosomatic characteristics. The study will take place in two specialized healthcare centers in Belgium: Le Pommeraie, working with individuals on the autism spectrum, and Opaline, where the focus is on those with mental health challenges. These two groups offer an opportunity to examine how different sound and movement therapy methods can be applied, taking into account neurological differences and the impact of illness on emotional, social, physical, and psychological well-being.

Research Structure and Duration

The study will span 6 weeks, with sessions held twice a week, each lasting one hour. Each session will be conducted separately at the Le Pommeraie and Opaline centers, allowing for an analysis of the methods’ application based on the differences within the patient groups. The main objective of this research is to explore various music therapy techniques targeting different aspects of the illness, based on psychosomatic principles, and to reflect on their impact on participants.

Research Objective

The goal of this study is to sensitively and systematically examine how music therapy techniques, when applied considering the physical, emotional, social, and psychological aspects of psychosomatic tension, can help individuals on the autism spectrum or those with mental health challenges learn to be with others in complex, tension-filled communication situations. The study also aims to explore how sound, movement, and safe creative expression can strengthen participants’ ability to engage in groups and, more broadly, in society.

Tolerance for Communication Conflict – What Does This Mean in This Context?

Tolerance for communication conflict in this study involves the ability to:

• Endure situations where tension or misunderstandings arise without resorting to quick withdrawal or aggressive responses.
• Remain in relationship, even when differing needs collide.
• Express emotions – through sound, voice, or movement – in a way that maintains, rather than breaks, the relationship.
• Withstand uncertainty or disagreement without retreating into defense or regression.

Social Integration – What Does This Mean in the Context of This Research?

Social integration in this research refers not only to being physically present with others but also to being heard, seen, and accepted. It encompasses the growth of one’s ability to engage in a group, as the participant gradually moves from reacting to others to initiating self-expression and building relationships:

• Creative responses to others, co-creation.
• The visibility of vocal or movement expression – when not just the voice, but also the person’s presence, is acknowledged by others.
• Strengthening intergroup connection – reducing the divide between neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals.
• Encouraging initiative – when a person begins not just to respond, but to offer, connect, and invite.

How Will This Be Observed?

Over the 6-week period, the researcher will observe changes in behavior and response, with a particular focus on how participants cope with moments of discord or tension within the group. The frequency of withdrawal, reactions to vocal or movement contact, and the growth of initiative will be documented. Non-verbal expressions will be closely observed, particularly how participants become bolder in their voice and rhythmic responses, and how they relax in their movements while being alongside others. Emotional regulation changes will also be tracked – how tension expressed through voice or movement transforms into relational maintenance. The researcher will also note micro-moments that reveal how tension arises and how it is processed. Creative outputs, such as improvisations reflecting relational dynamics or tension transformations, will be included in the analysis. The willingness to participate in public expression, even if non-verbal, will also be observed to assess a participant’s ability and desire to be seen.

Methodological Framework

This study is based on a holistic methodology developed during the researcher’s master’s thesis, which examined chronic psychosomatic pain through sound and body. This methodology was refined as a therapeutic system applied in working with individuals on the autism spectrum and with mental health challenges. The main therapeutic methods and objectives in this study relate to reducing psychosomatic tension and enhancing personal expression through sound and movement.

Key Factors and Applicable Methodologies:

• Physical Aspects: Vibroacoustic therapy, rhythmic play – activating body sensations, relaxation, regulating the nervous system.
• Psychological Aspects: Voice Movement Therapy (P. Newham) – self-expression, releasing internal tensions through sound and movement.
• Emotional Aspects: Vocal sound therapy (M. Gaynor) – the voice as an emotional channel; releasing unconscious feelings.
• Trauma Aspects: GIM (Helen Bonny) – using imagery, music, and safe visualizations to reduce stress and pain memory.
• Social Aspects: Performative music therapy – group expression rituals, exploring social expectations.

Social Aspects Through “Urban Ritual” Performance:

Public spaces become places of social empowerment, where individuals can be seen and heard. This type of ritual performance will allow both individuals with autism spectrum disorders and mental health challenges to reveal their capacities for engaging in the city.

Trauma as a Call to Action

Trauma does not have to be a burden or a final destination. When approached through creative expression in urban rituals, trauma becomes a call to action. It is no longer something to hide from, but rather something that compels the individual to respond, to move, to sound, to express. This is particularly important for those whose trauma has made them feel disconnected from society. Rather than seeing their trauma as a barrier to social integration, participants are encouraged to see it as a source of strength—a mission to speak, move, and be seen in public spaces, creating connections not only with themselves but also with others around them.

In the urban ritual framework, trauma is reframed as an active pursuit of self-expression in the collective. The goal is not to eliminate the trauma but to recontextualize it—to recognize it as a dynamic force that can be used to enhance the connection with others. This reframing process can be therapeutic because it allows individuals to express complex, often overwhelming emotions in a form that is non-verbal yet meaningful. By doing so, participants create a new sense of social identity—one that is grounded in the performance of their lived experience rather than defined by it as a static condition of being. They are no longer passive victims of trauma but active participants in creating meaning from their pain.

From Isolation to Social Connection

One of the most difficult challenges for individuals with autism or mental health challenges is the sense of isolation that often accompanies their conditions. Trauma exacerbates this isolation by creating emotional and psychological barriers to connection with others. However, urban rituals in public spaces provide a platform for individuals to step into their vulnerability and perform it in a way that is acknowledged by others. This shared experience of vulnerability becomes a form of connection—not through traditional forms of verbal or social communication, but through a unique and powerful performance that speaks to others in a language of movement and sound.

This connection is not about assimilating into societal norms or meeting external expectations. Instead, it is about finding a communal space where everyone’s unique expressions of self, including trauma, can be witnessed, respected, and heard. In this way, trauma is no longer something to be hidden or suppressed—it is part of the narrative of the collective urban ritual, contributing to a shared understanding of human complexity.

Trauma as a Catalyst for Change and Transformation

As individuals perform these urban rituals, the process of expression becomes one of transformation. Through sound and movement, they reshape their traumatic experiences into narratives of agency and growth. In doing so, they challenge the societal stigma that often surrounds trauma and mental health conditions, transforming these experiences into missions of strength and purpose. This act of transformation is critical because it allows individuals to take ownership of their experiences, turning their trauma into a source of empowerment.

Moreover, when trauma becomes a mission, it can inspire social change. Participants in the ritual can serve as examples of resilience, showing others that trauma does not have to define or limit one’s capacity for self-expression and connection. By embodying their trauma and performing it in the public sphere, they challenge societal norms around vulnerability, mental health, and disability, contributing to a broader cultural shift that acknowledges the value of diverse ways of being.

Urban Ritual as a Safe Space for Engagement

Importantly, these urban rituals occur in safe spaces where the participants feel supported. The act of performing trauma in a public space requires a context in which safety and acceptance are guaranteed. The participants know that the urban ritual is designed to honor their presence, regardless of their ability to conform to typical social expectations. This context provides a secure environment where the trauma can be exposed, processed, and eventually integrated into a new sense of self and agency.

In conclusion, this research places the re-signification of trauma at the heart of its approach, reversing the dominant narrative of suffering and isolation into one of active engagement and collective transformation. Through the practice of urban rituals, autistic individuals or those affected by mental health challenges can embody their wounds within a shared creative space, transforming them into a collective quest — a vital force that connects them to others and empowers them to engage with the world. This process paves the way for healing that is not only individual but also societal.

Ultimately, Transcultures plays a significant role in bridging the gap between trauma, art, and societal healing, creating platforms where trauma is no longer an isolating force but instead becomes a catalyst for social change and individual transformation. Through collaborations with artists exploring these themes, they contribute to a wider cultural dialogue on how performance, sound, and urban rituals can become tools for overcoming personal and collective challenges—highlighting the mission of trauma as a transformative journey rather than a static condition of suffering.