Boon Wurrung Country: Inverloch, Victoria, Australia.

PROGRAM 

Proudly endorsed by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) for 13 hours of Class A Continuing Professional Development.

 
Please click on the underlined text to learn more about each facilitator and their workshop or presentation.

FRIDAY 3rd May

10am Optional Swim.

Start your journey by immersing, literally! Meet at the OffShore Surf School at 8 Ramsey Boulevard and pick up your FREE wetsuit to have a cleansing swim in the healing waters of Anderson’s Inlet. 

1pm – Welcome to Country and Cultural Workshop with Traditional Owner Sonia Weston, Yalluk Bulluk.

Sonia welcomes our participants and generously shares her rich and deep Cultural knowledge of BoonWurrung Country, People and Culture. Details about where to meet will be published soon.

4pm – Install our Improvised Exhibition.

Bring a piece of your creative work to install in our function room at the Inlet Hotel, 3-5 The Esplanade, Inverloch.

6 – 8.30pm “Colours of the Rainbow”, Welcome Cocktail Party 

Come dressed from head to toe in one of the colours of the rainbow. 

“Binibiyal” is the BoonWurrung / Bunurong name for “rainbow”. In Autumn, the coastal town of Inverloch is indeed the land of rainbows.
 
There is a very good chance that we will be visited by Binibiyal during our time together. What more appropriate theme for this year’s Welcome Cocktail and Canapés Party on Friday evening?
 
Together, we will make a rainbow and honour Binibiyal.
 
Free cocktail on arrival and delicious canapes are provided, along with opportunities to play and participate.
 

SATURDAY 4th May

Enjoy your breakfast and/or a walk on the beach before gathering together in the beautiful “Panorama Room” for a day of creative workshops and presentations at the Inverloch RACV resort.

9.30am  –  Welcome and warm up with Dr Carla van Laar

“Weaving the web of meaning together”

10am – 11.30am  – Workshop with Anja Zimmermann

“Images of matter and what matters to you”

11.30 – 11.45 am – Morning tea

Enjoy delicious catering and hot drinks with your friends and colleagues

11.50am– 12.20pm – Presentation with Chanudi Wickramasinha

“Exploring the Role of Art Therapy in Post-Conflict Reconciliation and Detainee Rehabilitation”

12.20 – 12.50pm – Presentation with Bree Till

“Textural Trueness: Authenticity, Preservation and Permeable Boundaries of Lived and Living Experiences as Sustainable Resources to Support Diverse Populations.”

1 – 2pm – Lunch time

Enjoy a wholesome fully catered lunch, beautiful views and great company.

2 – 4pm – Experiential workshop with  Marianne Wobcke

“Birthing the New Paradigm, Together”.

4 – 4.30pm – Afternoon Tea

Be nurtured with refreshments and some time to reflect.

4.30 – 5.30pm – Yarning Circle with Marianne Wobcke

SUNDAY 5th May 

Choose your own self care adventure.

A diverse range of smaller group creative workshops in venues around Inverloch’s town centre.

 

10am – 12pm

“Rhythm in Flow, Dance Meditation” with Jodie Rahda Lynch.

Venue: Saltwater House

39 Abeckett St, Inverloch 

2 – 4pm

“Singing Your True Nature” with Nicky DeGruchy

Venue:

Saltwater House

39 Abeckett St, Inverloch 

10am – 12pm

“Give Voice: Check-in, Connect, Release” with Joanna Brooke.

Venue: Inlet Hotel Function Room

3-5 The Esplanade, Inverloch

2 – 4pm

“Strengthening the Vessel” with Ann Soo Lawrence

Venue: Inlet Hotel Function Room

3-5 The Esplanade, Inverloch

10am – 12pm

“Crafting Identity: A Barbie Art Therapy Workshop” with Michelle Morgan and Alana Stewart.

Venue: Inverloch Community Hub Meeting Room

16 Abeckett St, Inverloch

2-4pm

“Felting Fibres into Being” with Megan Fromholtz

Venue: Inverloch Community Hub Meeting Room

16 Abeckett St, Inverloch

10am – 12pm

“Radical Creativity: Resisting Clinification” with Dr Carla van Laar and Melanie Knight.

Venue: Warrawee Club

22 Abeckett St, Inverloch 

1 – 5pm

“Playback Theatre: Live and Real” with A/Prof Drew Bird

Venue: Inverloch Community Hub Main Hall

16 Abeckett St, Inverloch

SUNDAY 5th May 6.30 – 8.30pm

“An evening at the theatre”

Join together again in the evening to share a catered Indian feast and our stories from across the weekend.

We will be treated to a Playback Theatre performance directed by A/Prof Drew Bird, with members of the SERV Creative MHPN (pictured here having a dip in the ocean after a rehearsal – image credit Maya Fraser).

MONDAY 6th May 11am – 1pm

Closing Ritual at the Beach

After checking out of your accommodation and having some quiet time to yourself, we meet once more to reflect on our transformational time together, and prepare ourselves to return home.

Meet 11am at OffShore Surf School

8 Ramsey Boulevard Inverloch

“This has hands down been the best PD retreat I have experienced in my 39 year career – testimonial from 2023
What’s the investment?

4 x $200 payments spread over the coming months. =$800

Includes: 

Friday: Welcome to Country followed by cocktail party with food and drinks.

Saturday: lunch, morning and afternoon teas and all core workshops at the RACV Resort.

Sunday: your choice of self care workshops offered in various locations around the town.

Monday: Closing large group ritual at the beach.

*Does not include accomodation – please book your own.

Book your place here

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RICH OFFERINGS FROM OUR INSPIRING 2024 PRESENTERS. WE WILL CONTINUE ANNOUNCING THE 2024 WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTERS OVER THE COMING MONTHS.

RADICAL CREATIVITY with Dr Carla van Laar and Melanie Knight

RADICAL CREATIVITY with Dr Carla van Laar and Melanie Knight

Rhythm in Flow - Dance Meditation   Dancing is a way of knowing ourselves beyond the physical. Dancing is a way of processing what is stored in the body Dancing is a way of integrating change Dancing is

RHYTHM IN FLOW with Jodie Rahda Lynch

RHYTHM IN FLOW with Jodie Rahda Lynch

Rhythm in Flow - Dance Meditation   Dancing is a way of knowing ourselves beyond the physical. Dancing is a way of processing what is stored in the body Dancing is a way of integrating change Dancing is

CRAFTING IDENTITY – A BARBIE ART THERAPY WORKSHOP with Michelle Morgan and Alana Stewart

CRAFTING IDENTITY – A BARBIE ART THERAPY WORKSHOP with Michelle Morgan and Alana Stewart

Crafting Identities - a Barbie Art Therapy Workshop   Recently, Mattel released Art Therapist Barbie. She’s the first Barbie in a mental health profession. She’s young, light-skinned, casually dressed, sits on the floor, works with a child, and

TEXTURAL TRUENESS: LIVED AND LIVING EXPERIENCE with Bree Till

TEXTURAL TRUENESS: LIVED AND LIVING EXPERIENCE with Bree Till

Textural Trueness: Authenticity, Preservation and Permeable Boundaries of Lived and Living Experiences as Sustainable Resources to Support Diverse Populations.    Bree Till is a carer and art therapist with training and experience in advocacy, governance, neurodiversity, and systemic

ART THERAPY IN POST-CONFLICT RECONCILIATION AND DETAINEE REHABILITATION with Chanudi Wickramasinha

ART THERAPY IN POST-CONFLICT RECONCILIATION AND DETAINEE REHABILITATION with Chanudi Wickramasinha

Exploring the Role of Art Therapy in Post-Conflict Reconciliation and Detainee Rehabilitation    Art Therapist, Chanudi Wickramasinha is joining us in May 2024 to share learnings from her fascinating work with ex-militants. Chanudi is a well-respected practitioner in

GOOD OLD TAVERN CHOIR with Tania Balil

GOOD OLD TAVERN CHOIR with Tania Balil

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 Balilmusician and music therapist, with over two decades experience in

ADAPTABLE DRAMA FOR ARTS THERAPY with Steve Wiegerink & Rebecca Vandyk-Hamilton

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

STRENGTHENING THE VESSEL with Ann Soo Lawrence

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 LawrenceSocial Worker, Creative Arts

PLAYBACK THEATRE LIVE AND REAL with A/Prof Drew Bird

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 at our 2024 event in Boon Wurrung Country,

BIRTHING THE NEW PARADIGM, TOGETHER with Marianne Wobcke

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 Researcher, Marianne Wobcke, as a special guest facilitator.

Experience the Creative Mental Health Forum and Collective Care Retreat with Dr Carla van Laar in 2024

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 power of creative approaches in your practice? Do

IMAGES OF MATTER AND WHAT MATTERS TO YOU with Anja Zimmermann

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 a sense of barrier free possibilities for belonging

WELCOME TO COUNTRY with Yowengerra / Yalluk Bulluk

WELCOME TO COUNTRY with Yowengerra / Yalluk Bulluk

   Yowenjerra/Yalluk Bulluk Consultants provide a very open look into the culture of the Boon Wurrung.Yowengerra/Yalluk Bulluk would like to invite you to attend a traditional Welcome to Country so that you can walk with ease on these

FELTING FIBRES INTO BEING with Megan Fromholtz

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 play, or guiding clients through the felting journey