Join Jiancong (Eric) Zhang in “Unfolding Art Therapy”

Jiancong (Eric) Zhang is from Dongguang, China. He lived in Singapore for over two decades and recently relocated to Melbourne, Australia. He obtained his MA in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2018.

As a registered art therapist (AThR), Eric is experienced in working with individuals and groups in a variety of settings. These include aged care, senior centres, disability foundations, refugee camps and other community organisations. Throughout his art therapy career to date, he has worked with mostly older adult clients and those with dementia in senior day-care and aged care facilities.

As an artist, Eric fell in love with paper folding (origami) as a form of artistic reflection. Influenced by his earliest experiences of learning origami from his mother, the medium is closely connected to this mother-child relationship. He believes that making the origami objects can have a huge self impact.

As a Private Practitioner, Eric is the founder of Unfold Art Therapy and works with the general public and NDIS clients. The definition of “Unfold” is to “explore, develop and reveal gradually” which resonates with his passion for paper folding arts (Origami). The aim of Unfold Art Therapy is to reach out to people living with mental health challenges and support them in healing and recovery. Ultimately, his goal is to build a meaningful, respectful, safe and nurturing relationship with vulnerable clients.

We welcome Eric as he brings his love of the mindful art of paper folding to share with attendees as an act of self care at the 2021 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.

We pay our deep respects to the First Peoples of Boon Wurrung Country where we will meet.

Friday 14th – Monday 17th May 2021

Inverloch RACV Resort, Bass Coast, Victoria

Your host, Dr Carla van Laar is a Professional Member and Accredited Supervisor with ANZACATA.

This training event is proudly endorsed by PACFA for 11 hours of continuing professional development.

We welcome Professor Anne (Dan) Harris, Director of Creative Agency Research Lab, ARC Future Fellow, Associate Dean, Research & Innovation, School of Education, RMIT University.

Profits from this forum/retreat will be donated to support CATA’s work employing qualified Arts Therapists to work with families of children receiving end of life care. 

$600 registration fee covers core program, Friday night Welcome Dinner, morning and afternoon teas, and is payable in 3 instalments.

Registration does not include accomodation or meals other than the Welcome Dinner.

The core program includes Welcome Dinner, morning mindful activities, 6 x keynote presentations, 6 x 1.5 hour experiential workshops and a number of optional wellness activities for self-care including dance, art making, swimming and walking. Surfing, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Snorkelling are available as optional add ons at affordable prices. 

This forum supports the goals of the ACTivate Arts Therapy campaign – to have Arts Therapists recognised as mental health professionals. For this purpose, the forum is designed to be educational in an experiential sense – by providing opportunities to participate first hand in creative and holistic workshops and activities, as well as hear from dynamic keynote presenters and a panel of lived experience experts.

The 2021 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self-care Retreat is an opportunity to look after yourself and learn while enjoying good company and restorative time in the living world.

It is hosted only two hours drive from Melbourne in the beautiful surrounds of the Bass Coast Bunurong Marine Park and township of coastal Inverloch.

This Professional Development event is suitable for Therapists  interested in understanding more about creative approaches in mental health care.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CREATIVE MENTAL HEALTH FORUM AND SELF CARE RETREAT