BEYOND THE WALLS

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to describe the strengthening of the deinstitutionalization of collective mental health care through Physical Education interventions at the Psychosocial Care Centers in Uruguaiana (southern Brazil). Methods: Throughout public spaces (e.g., squares and parks), body practices were employed as therapeutic strategies from March 2022 to February 2023, within the context of the Integrated Residency Program in Collective Mental Health at the Federal University of Pampa. These actions were intended to promote users’ social inclusion and disrupt the institutionalized logic of care. Results: The interventions created new meanings for care in freedom, consistent with the principles of the Psychosocial Care Network and the anti-asylum model, thereby contributing to the strengthening of social bonds, community belonging, and the confrontation of social stigma. Conclusions: This experience underscores the role of Physical Education in promoting collective mental health and expanding community-based care strategies beyond institutional confines.