Abstract
Learned helplessness is a belief in one’s own powerlessness which may develop after repeated exposure to stressful situations ranging from domestic abuse to public education. It is associated with pessimism, passivity in the face of obstacles, and depression. Pilgrimage, conversely, is associated with agency — striking out on one’s own in search of physical, emotional, cognitive, and / or spiritual transformation. Combining psychological literature with my personal experience as a pilgrim, special education student, artist, art facilitator for people with special needs, and professor, I argue that walking pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago offer a comprehensive opportunity to actively reconstruct obsolete modes of self-perception and build belief in one’s own efficacy on the journey from helplessness to self-efficacy and hope. I explore how I became mired in learned helplessness as a child, how the ensuing behavior patterns imposed a ‘low ceiling’ on what I thought I could hope for in life, and how key experiences connected with pilgrimage led me to radically reconstruct what I believe is possible for myself and others. Finally, I ask how, as a teacher and art facilitator, I and others might use pilgrimage and experiences like it to ‘punch a hole in the low ceiling’ for those we support in the special needs community and beyond.
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Recommended Citation
Soumakis, Christianna
(2025)
"Rebuilding Possible: Pilgrimage and Learned Helplessness,"
International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage:
Vol. 12:
Iss.
4, Article 3.
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol12/iss4/3
