Join Tania for an Afternoon of Active Music Making and Group Performance Hosts of the 2024 Creative Mental Health Forum are delighted to be joined by Tania Balil musician and music therapist, with over two decades experience in … Read More
Dr Carla van Laar
Artist | Art Therapist
Master of Creative Arts Therapy
Doctor of Therapeutic Arts Practice
PACFA Reg. Clinical and Accredited Supervisor – PACFA
Carla van Laar is a painter and therapeutic arts practitioner from Australia. Born in Brisbane, Carla is first generation Australian on her Dutch grandparents side, and 7th generation through her maternal bloodline who were mostly English and came to Australia in the early colonisation of the 1800s. Her mother grew up in remote North Queensland and most of her extended family still live up North.
Carla currently lives and works in Boon Wurrung Country in the South Eastern coastal town of Inverloch, paying deep respects to the First Peoples of the Kulin Nations whose land was never ceded and will always be Aboriginal land.
Identifying as a cisgender woman, Carla is passionately disinterested in socially constructed identities that disempower anyone. Carla has over 25 years’ experience working with people and the arts for health and well-being in community organisations, justice, health and education contexts.
Carla’s first book “Bereaved Mother’s Heart” was published in 2007 and broke social taboos about maternal grief. From 2008-18 she established and ran an independent art therapy studio and gallery in Melbourne. Her Doctoral research “Seeing Her Stories” continues the mission to make women’s stories visible, through art.
Carla has worked as an Art Therapy educator at a number of training institutions since 2001. She is a practicing artist and in 2018 received an Artist Fellowship at RMIT’s creative research lab, “Creative Agency”. She insists on being part of a creative revolution in which art re-embodies lived experience, brings us to our senses, makes us aware of the interconnectedness of all life and is an agent of social change.
Carla’s book “Seeing her stories” presents her Doctoral research into making unseen stories visible through art. It was published in 2020 and is available to read for free on this website under the Seeing Her Stories menu.
CLICK HERE to Listen to Dr Carla interviewed on the FAT MOON Podcast
FAT MOON Podcast, created by Kirsty Greene, is a platform for creative therapists to connect and learn from each other.
In each FAT Moon episode, Kirsty interviews a creative therapist from around the globe.
Watch this short clip filmed at Carla’s “Unsung Spaces” exhibition during her fellowship at RMIT University’s “Creative Agency”.
Anna Kellerman of “Mama Creatives” invited Carla as a special guest. In this interview, Carla talks about being a woman, creative and therapist, being a bereaved mother, her journey into creative arts therapy, radical research and the art of activism and social change.
Kim McDonald – Visual and Performing Artist, Experimenter
Feature image photo credit: Karli MichelleArtist’s StatementKim is a practicing interdisciplinary artist with a background in printmaking, drawing and performance. Working across disciplines her art practice is experiential and experimental
Alisoun Neville – Expressive Arts Therapist
Artist Statement I moved to Milowl in 2022, responding to a lifelong call to live near the ocean coupled with a completely awestruck love of the island waters here. In recognition
Annette Spinks: Artist, Inspired by Water.
Artist’s BiographyAnnette Spinks is a popular exhibiting artist whose works are held in private and corporate collections throughout Australia and Internationally.Two paintings from Annette's latest "Waterfalls" series are featured in
HADASSAH LILY – Expressive Therapist & Educator
Hadassah Lily works in independent practice as an Expressive Therapist & Educator. She provides therapeutic companionship and guidance for couples, children, families and schools. Facilitator’s Statement I have over 20
PLAYBACK THEATRE LIVE AND REAL with A/Prof Drew Bird
Playback Theatre - Live and Real The Creative Mental Health Forum and Collective Care Retreat is delighted to welcome Associate Professor, Dramatherapist Drew Bird as a specialist workshop presenter
COnnect in a CO-creative space in one of our workshops – something for everyone
Inverloch's new Pop-Up ART CO is providing plenty of opportunity to get your creative holiday juices flowing with a range of creative workshops suitable for adults, teens and children this
COme on in and enjoy Inverloch’s pop-up ART exhibition featuring local artists
The former accountants offices in the heart of Inverloch are being re-invented as a colourful, vibrant, artist-led space for local artists to exhibit their art work and connect with visitors
CO-llaborate on our CO-mmunity installations at ART CO
Our reception area is set to be transformed by collaborative community installations and you are invited to participate!Pom-pom Bomb the driftwood sculpture with up-cycled wool and yarnChatterbox Corner - fold
Mandy Gunn – Eco-Artist and Craftswoman
Artist’s Statement I have a long history of working with a variety of recycled materials e.g. printed papers such as shop bags, wrappings, music sheets, cardboard and books; burnt out inner
Martha Silver Breninger – Sculptor and Painter
Artist’s Statement"I express my life's journey through my creativity, using paint, felt, clay and other mediums. I have a deep connection with the healing powers of art and doll making"
Experience the Practice-led, Creative Approach to Supervision with Dr Carla van Laar’s “Supervision Studio”
Art is a Way of Knowing There is a difference between making art to "express something", and making art as a form of inquiry, using creative process as a means
BIRTHING THE NEW PARADIGM, TOGETHER with Marianne Wobcke
Birthing the new paradigm, together. Hosts of the 2024 Creative Mental Health Forum are honoured to be joined by Indigenous Midwife, award wining Arts and Health Practitioner and PhD
Experience the Creative Mental Health Forum and Collective Care Retreat with Dr Carla van Laar in 2024
We've done it! Changed the name of our forum to better reflect the true nature of this event - "collective care".Are you a mental health professional looking to explore the
IMAGES OF MATTER AND WHAT MATTERS TO YOU with Anja Zimmermann
Images of matter and what matters to you? Historically, people labeled with intellectual disabilities (ID) have experienced stigma, discrimination, segregation, social isolation, and violence. Until today, social justice in
RECRUITING A CREATIVE OR EXPERIENTIAL THERAPIST TO YOUR TEAM?
Introducing PACFA’s College of Creative and Experiential Therapies Dear Employer, Team Leader, or Manager,Introducing PACFA’s College of Creative and Experiential Therapies I am pleased to inform you of the establishment
FELTING FIBRES INTO BEING with Megan Fromholtz
Felting Fibres into Being The sensory nature of felting has many appeals to all ages, abilities and situations. Whether you are creating felt yourself, to use in imaginative
ARE YOU A WONDER WORKER?
Feature image above published by the Inverloch RSL:Members of the Inverloch RSL participating in the new"Ocean /Art Mindfulness" wellbeing program for veterans,proudly funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Are
SUPERVISION STUDIO – Online Creative Practice with Dr Carla van Laar
WATCH MY 2 MINUTE INTRO TO SUPER VISION STUDIO https://vimeo.com/811512264?share=copySUPERVISION STUDIOwith Dr Carla van Laar is an online, small group supervision session where we focus on using creative and collaborative
WHAT’S BENEATH OUR FEET? with Melissa McDevitt Weston and Carla van Laar
What’s beneath our feet? Cultural awareness in Australian Nature-based Arts Therapy For Arts Therapists wishing to practice Nature-based Arts Therapy in Australia, Cultural awareness is essential, and can become a
EMPLOYING THE ARTS FOR EXCELLENCE AND ENGAGEMENT IN RURAL AND REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
CALL TO ACTION: RURAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Next time your service is advertising a position, add "suitably qualified Creative Arts Therapist" to the list of allied health professionals that can
PACFA’s College of Creative and Experiential Therapies submission to the new National Cultural Policy
Image credit: “Gooloo’s Scar Tree” by Gooloo (100com x 120cm; multimedia on canvas) Finalist in Brisbane Portrait Prize - 2021 This submission has been prepared on behalf of the Psychotherapy
Henry De Oleveira – Actor and Theatre Maker
Introducing Henry Meet Henry De Oleveira, a dedicated actor and theatremaker based in Naarm / Melbourne. He graduated from Federation University’s Arts Academy in 2021 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts. Henry is inspired by the world of immersive theatre … Read More
ADAPTABLE DRAMA FOR ARTS THERAPY with Steve Wiegerink & Rebecca Vandyk-Hamilton
“The Magic If” – What if a drama teacher and arts and health practitioner joined forces to co-create together? Meet Steve Wiegerink and Rebecca Vandyk-Hamilton Rebecca and Steve are the current creative directors of the ‘Over the Top … Read More
Nicky De Gruchy – Musician, Artist, Voice Sound Therapist
Introducing Nicky Meet Nicky De Gruchy, an artist, musician and sound therapist who draws inspiration from nature for her creativity and healing. With over thirty years of experience in teaching singing and working as a musician, Nicky now works as … Read More
STRENGTHENING THE VESSEL with Ann Soo Lawrence
Strengthening the Vessel in the Ebb and Flow: Creative approaches in working with refugees and asylum seeker experiences. Hosts of the 2024 Creative Mental Health Forum are delighted to be joined byAnn Soo Lawrence Social Worker, Creative Arts … Read More
Jess Edwards – Nature Based Health and Wellbeing
Introducing Jess Jess Edwards (she/her) is a social worker and nature therapist. Jess is the founder and therapist at Flourish: Health and Wellbeing in Nature. She is also currently studying a Diploma in Creative Arts and Health and is a Victorian Representative for Outdoor Healthcare Australia. Jess is … Read More
Publications & Resources
SNAPSHOTS OF A BEREAVED MOTHER’S HEART – RESEARCH In Carla’s 2001 Master’s research project, she investigated her own lived experience of being a bereaved Mother using arts based and narrative methods. Through this research, findings were generated that illuminated aspects … Read More
Curriculum Vitae
Dr Carla van Laar MCAT Prof Doc ThAP PACFA reg. Clinical 27769 PACFA accredited supervisor Arts Practitioner, Educator, Researcher and Therapist “With over 25 years experience working with people to enhance life through art, I am committed to creativity and … Read More
