LIGTH IN THE PATH

1. Basic Information

Method Title: Self-reflection: How do I know if I am going through migration grief?

Author / Organisation: Janela Das Brincadeiras (Portugal); Go and Glow (Spain); Association of Young Psychologists in Bulgaria “4th April” (Bulgaria). Developed within the Light in the Path project.

Country: Portugal / Spain / Bulgaria

Project Website: http://www.lightinthepath.org/

Relevant CIVIKI Topic(s):

Primary – inclusion of disadvantaged groups;

Secondary – civic engagement and active citizenship.

How this method fits CIVIKI topics:

Inclusion of disadvantaged groups – this method directly supports migrants and learners facing adaptation difficulties, emotional stress, isolation, or a reduced sense of belonging. Civic engagement and active citizenship – it helps participants build the emotional awareness, confidence, and sense of belonging needed before they can participate more actively in their host community. This method is not primarily focused on sustainability, entrepreneurship, or digital and innovative teaching approaches, although it can be digitally adapted for online use.

Keywords / Tags: migration grief, self-reflection, belonging, emotional wellbeing, migrant inclusion, adaptation, identity, community participation, emotional literacy, social sustainability

 

2. Overview

Short Description:

This reflective and arts-based method uses the image of a butterfly as a visual metaphor for transition, fragility, and personal growth. Participants respond to a structured set of self-reflection questions related to loss, identity, belonging, emotional wellbeing, and adaptation to a new country. They then colour parts of a butterfly according to their answers, creating a visual representation of whether they may still be experiencing migration grief or whether they are beginning to feel more settled and integrated.

Purpose of the Method

To help participants identify possible signs of migration grief, reflect on their current emotional and social adaptation process, and increase self-awareness in a safe and accessible way. The method is intended to support emotional recognition, encourage dialogue when appropriate, and strengthen the personal foundations needed for inclusion, wellbeing, and more active participation in community life.

Learning Outcomes (Skills / Knowledge / Attitudes)

Skills: self-reflection, emotional awareness, identifying personal needs, recognising signs of stress and grief, decision-making, and expressing feelings through simple visual means.
Knowledge: understanding the concept of migration grief; recognising the connection between identity, belonging, adaptation, and participation in a new social environment.
Attitudes: self-compassion, openness to support, willingness to reflect honestly, and greater readiness to reconnect with the present and with the host community.

 

3. Target Group

Target Group: Young people and adults with migrant backgrounds, especially learners experiencing adaptation difficulties, emotional stress, isolation, or a reduced sense of belonging.

Age Range: 16+

Group Size: Individual work or small groups (up to 15 participants).

Required Prior Knowledge: No prior knowledge is required. A short introductory explanation of migration grief, identity transition, and belonging can support deeper reflection and a more meaningful debrief.

 

4. Practical Details

Duration: Approximately 40 minutes.

Setting (online / offline / hybrid): Primarily offline, but adaptable to hybrid or online delivery.

Group Work / Individual: Primarily individual reflection, followed by optional pair work, small-group exchange, or facilitator-led debriefing.

Materials / Tools Needed: One sheet of paper per participant; coloured pencils, markers, crayons, or watercolours; optional printed worksheet with the reflection questions; optional projector/screen or shared link for the follow-up video.

 

5. Method Description (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Introduction

Introduce the activity briefly and create a safe atmosphere. Explain that the butterfly symbolises change, vulnerability, and transformation, and that the exercise is designed to support reflection rather than to diagnose participants.

 

Step 2: Drawing the Butterfly

Ask each participant to draw a butterfly on a sheet of paper or provide them with a pre-drawn template. Explain the colour code: blue for “yes” and yellow for “no”.

 

Step 3: Self-reflection Questions

Read or share the self-reflection questions. After each question, participants colour one section of the butterfly according to their answer.

Participants should be given sufficient time to reflect on the questions. If participants need more time because of the personal or emotional nature of the activity, the facilitator can extend the reflection period.

Questions:

  • Do I often miss my country of origin?
  • Do I have nightmares or sleep problems?
  • Do I have changes in appetite?
  • Am I constantly involved in numbing behaviours?
  • Do I feel like I have lost a part of my identity or sense of belonging?
  • Are there moments when I feel “stuck” between two cultures?
  • Do I often compare life here to life back home?
  • Do I feel disconnected from people around me?
  • Do I prefer to do things alone?
  • Do I have fatigue, muscle tension, aches, pain, or similar symptoms?
  • Am I normally detached from the reality of living here?
  • Do I have difficulties concentrating?
  • Do I feel I am passing through any of the stages of grief, except the last one?
  • Do I constantly feel myself longing for my past life?
  • Do I focus more on the negative things, having difficulty seeing the positive things I have here?
  • Do I constantly experience emotions such as anxiety, sadness, fear, or anger?
  • Do I constantly have mood swings?
  • Do I feel that my life is empty?
  • Am I constantly focused on what is happening in the previous country, without focusing on what is happening here?
  • Is it hard for me to make effective decisions?

 

Step 4: Reviewing the Butterfly

Invite participants to review their coloured butterfly. A butterfly that is mostly blue may suggest that the participant is still going through a difficult phase of migration grief. A butterfly that is mostly yellow may suggest that the participant is moving through the most difficult stages and feels more connected to the present and to their current environment.

 

Step 5: Reflection

Facilitate an optional reflection on living in the present. Use individual journalling, pair discussion, or group conversation to explore what helps participants feel grounded, what brings small moments of joy, and what could strengthen their sense of belonging in the new country.

Allow additional reflection time when participants need it.

 

Step 6: Follow-up

Optionally use the follow-up video “Why It Is So Hard to Live in the Present” to deepen reflection and support a constructive discussion about presence, adaptation, and reconnecting with daily life.

Guidance for Facilitators on Emotional Reactions

Because the activity addresses personal experiences of loss, belonging and adaptation, some participants may experience strong emotional reactions.

If this happens, the facilitator should:

  • remain calm and respond with empathy;
  • give the participant time and space;
  • not pressure the participant to explain or share personal experiences;
  • allow the participant to pause or stop the activity;
  • remind participants that sharing is voluntary;
  • offer information about appropriate support services if further support is needed.

The facilitator should not interpret the butterfly as a clinical diagnosis. The activity is intended as a self-reflection exercise.

 

Support Services

Before implementing the activity, facilitators should identify appropriate local support services that participants can contact if they would like additional support.

Depending on the local context, these may include counselling services, migrant support organisations, psychosocial support services, community organisations, or other appropriate professional support services.

Contact information for relevant local services can be provided to participants at the end of the activity if needed.

 

6. Pedagogical Approach

Methods used

Guided self-reflection; visual metaphor; arts-based learning; emotional check-in; non-formal learning; optional video-based reflection.

Why this approach is effective

The method is simple, low-cost, and non-threatening. It allows participants to explore difficult emotions without immediately requiring verbal disclosure. The butterfly metaphor makes reflection more accessible, while the colour-coding process translates emotions into a concrete, visible form. This can increase emotional literacy, support trust-building, and create a useful bridge between inner reflection and later dialogue, inclusion work, or community participation activities.

 

7. Inclusion & Accessibility

How inclusion is ensured

The activity uses simple language, basic materials, and a flexible pace. It allows participants to reflect privately before any sharing takes place, which is important for people who may feel vulnerable, isolated, or unsure in group situations. It respects emotional boundaries and gives participants control over how much they wish to disclose.

Adaptations for disadvantaged groups

Questions can be translated, simplified, shortened, or read aloud. Participants with low literacy can answer orally, through symbols, or with support from a facilitator. The method can be delivered one-to-one for learners with trauma, anxiety, or limited confidence in group settings. In online contexts, digital drawing tools or simple forms can replace paper-based work.

Additional reflection time can be provided when needed.

 

8. Sustainability Aspect

Relevance to sustainability

The method contributes mainly to social sustainability. By promoting emotional wellbeing, belonging, inclusion, and self-awareness among migrant learners, it helps strengthen the human and relational conditions needed for social cohesion and long-term participation in communities. In this sense, it supports the social foundations of active citizenship and inclusive community development.

 

9. Evaluation & Feedback

Evaluation methods

Observation of participation and emotional engagement; self-evaluation through the coloured butterfly; reflective debriefing at the end of the session; optional written or oral follow-up on what participants discovered about themselves.

Tools used (self / peer / teacher)

Self-assessment tool (butterfly colour balance); facilitator observation; optional peer discussion in pairs or small groups; optional reflective notes or exit question.

 

10. Output / Result

Final outcome

A personalised butterfly visual showing the participant’s self-assessment, together with increased awareness of migration grief, stronger emotional recognition, and a clearer understanding of their current adaptation process.

 

11. Transferability

How can this method be adapted

The method can be adapted for online use through digital worksheets, collaborative whiteboards, or simple presentation tools. It can also be integrated into broader programmes focused on inclusion, wellbeing, intercultural dialogue, life transitions, or active citizenship. In other contexts, the questions can be reframed around belonging, participation, identity change, or adaptation to new educational or social environments.

 

12. Additional Resources

Links / files / tools