Creative Mental Health Forum 2024
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.
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.
Inverloch Community Hub Meeting Room
16 Abeckett St, 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: Inlet Hotel Function Room
3-5 The Esplanade, 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
1.30 – 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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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,
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
SINGING YOUR TRUE NATURE with Nicky De Gruchy
Singing Your True Nature Join Nicky, a professional singer, musician and sound healer with over thirty years of experience, for a unique and transformative journey through the world of sound therapy.With a Diploma in Voice Sound Therapy
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
GIVE VOICE : CHECK IN, CONNECT, RELEASE with Joanna Brooke
Give Voice : Check in, Connect, Release A morning of sharing our voices in communal song. This workshop flows on from the Saturday evening yarning circle led by Marianne Wobcke, to check in and reflect on our
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
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 to
