What is your own special SUPER POWER? Remember! Art Therapy is a time to relax, enjoy yourself, focus on your strengths express your personality and how you like to make art there is no right or wrong way, no good … Read More
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FOUNDATIONS OF CREATIVE WELLBEING – online course with Dr Carla van Laar
Watch the overview OPENING SPECIAL 67% DISCOUNT – THE FULL COURSE FOR ONLY $99 PURCHASE NOW – CLICK HERE What to expect from this refreshing new course by leading Art Therapist Dr Carla van Laar? … This highly experiential course … Read More
The Hero’s Journey goes Bollywood!! – with Anjali Sengupta at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.
The Hero’s Journey meets Bollywood dance in this unique, multi-modal, expressive arts workshop based on the work of Joseph Campbell and Anjali’s own explorations of the psycho-technologies of Bollywood dance, music and performance arts as portals that allow us to … Read More
Creative Self Care: Choosing, changing and continuing Part 2 “Seeing Differently – Noticing Change””
With Dr Carla van Laar Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share a personal story about how what we see can change, and then I invite you to reflect on how you have changed since you … Read More
Dr. Raj Ramanathapillai and Dr. Lisa (O’Beirne) Moseley – “RESPONDING TO DRAWN IMAGES OF WAR” at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat
Responding to Drawn Images of War: A Trauma-informed discussion. Dr. Raj Ramanathapillai and Dr. Lisa (O’Beirne) Moseley are counsellor-advocates with survivors of torture and war trauma with Foundation House, one of Australia’s eight states/territories affiliated FASSTT NFP organisations. In this … Read More
Creative Self Care: Choosing, changing and continuing Part 1 “Materials and moving – my choices today”
With Dr Carla van Laar Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I introduce some ideas about change as an inevitable part of life, and invite you to observe the changes and choices you make through exploring an … Read More
Creative Self Care: Tuning in to our Environment part 3 “Making a creative space”
With Dr Carla van Laar MCAT DThAP Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share some of the research into creative spaces, and invite you to make a creative space for yourself, a space to continue your … Read More
HEALING THE TRAUMATISED SPIRIT THROUGH CREATIVE EXPERIENCE – Michael Burge OAM, Keynote Presenter at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat
“Experiential methods with the power of spontaneity and creativity, such as psychodrama, can help the traumatized client develop better relationships with the self, rediscover lost roles and reconnect with humanity’ – Michael Burge OAM … The 2022 Creative Mental … Read More
Creative Self Care: Tuning in to our Environment part 2 “Notice what Nurtures”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share about my own personal process of painting from life, and invite you to notice what nurtures you in the environment, and to slow … Read More
KIM BILLINGTON – “Stories of Transformation” at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat
Narratively inspired author of “A Counsellor’s Companion” and “Counselling Conversations”, Kim Billington, joins the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat to share an experiential folk tale work shop. … … STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION: DREAMING OFF INTO … Read More
“MATERNAL HOLDING” – Dr Ariel Moy contributes new understandings through Arts Based Research findings
“the creative exploration of holding is a simple, everyday way of accessing significant relational stories, purpose and loving connection or what I call, the mother/child ‘us’” … I was delighted last year when Routledge Publishers invited me to review a … Read More
CREATIVE MENTAL HEALTH – FILM LAUNCH
“2021 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat” is a twelve minute documentary filmed on location in Boon Wurrung Country, South Eastern Victoria, at the event of the same name. This short film features footage and interviews … Read More
Creative Self Care: Tuning in to our Environment part 1 “See a Rainbow”
With Dr Carla van Laar Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share some of my research into how the environments that we live and work in affect us – or our contexts – and I invite … Read More
Victorian State Government agrees to fund Arts Therapy in schools – success for the ACTivate Arts Therapy campaign.
Following the announcement of the new State budget on 20th May, Acting Premier James Merlino announced on breakfast radio that the State Government will be creating a new $200,000 fund to support extra mental health initiatives in schools. He stated … Read More
Creative Self Care: Coming to our Senses Part 3 – Mapping the Territory of your Body
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit: Carla van Laar In this article, I share a description of my personal experience of art making to highlight the inter-relationship between art making and sensory awareness. I then invite you … Read More
Creative Self Care: Co-creating – the Art of Living Part 3 “Creative Integration – The Big Picture”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article, I invite you to reflect on your journey of self care, and create a “big picture” of you in your life, surrounded by the things … Read More
Creative Self Care: Co-creating – the Art of Living Part 2 “Knowing yourself and what enhances your life”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Image credits Carla van Laar In this article, I introduce some of the ways that “life enhancement” has been understood and written about in art therapy literature, and what I discovered about “life enhancement” … Read More
Creative Self Care: Co-creating – the Art of Living Part 1, “Reviewing your Journey of Creative Self Care”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share some stories from my Doctoral research that illustrate how we reflected on our creative journeys together, and the ways that these were life … Read More
Creative Self Care: Relating and Connecting Part 3 “Mindful making in relationship”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share an extract form my Doctoral research that illustrates how art helps us to connect with our own values and strengths, and that this … Read More
Creative Self Care: Relating and Connecting Part 2 “Creating a Response”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share some of my findings about how art can facilitate feelings of deep connection, I then invite you to find an artwork that reaches … Read More
Creative Self Care: Relating and Connecting Part 1 “Connecting through art”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I introduce the themes of relationship, connection and co-creation as I investigated them in my Doctoral research. I invite you to engage in a “Self-Collage” … Read More
Creative Self Care: Choosing, changing and continuing Part 3 “Continuing – what am I bringing forward?”
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I share some insights from my Doctoral research about bringing things forward as an act of self-continuity. I invite you to engage in a creative … Read More
2021 Creative Mental Health Forum brings 60 Arts Therapists to Boon Wurrung country, South Gippsland, Australia
Sixty Creative Arts Therapists from all over Victoria and interstate gathered on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung People in Inverloch for the first Australian summit of its kind from 14th – 17th May 2021. “We want more people … Read More
Creative Self Care: Coming to our Senses Part 2 – Drawing Breath
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit Carla van Laar In this article I introduce the links between creative practices, mindful approaches, and traditional healing practices. I then invite you to use the process of drawing your breath … Read More
Creative Self Care: Coming to our Senses Part 1 – relaxation
With Dr Carla van Laar AThR Feature image credit: Carla van Laar In this series of articles, I invite you to embark on a creative journey of self care. I include gentle experiential and arts based processes and activities that … Read More
‘The Artist’ or ‘The Critic’ – the Judged or the Judge; why we need more roles in our repertoire when it comes to art.
Dr Carla van Laar AThR most of us have been socialised from a very early age to develop only two roles in our repertoire when it comes to art – “The Artist” or “The Critic”… The result can be that … Read More
Healing the core wound through the arts – with Jemima Beaumont-Robberds AThR
Imagine… what would it feel like if you could accept more of yourself and live life with greater ease and confidence? Do you struggle to with low self-worth, lack of confidence or showing up authentically? Is it difficult for you … Read More
Arts Therapists Recognised by Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System
Our voices are part of a chorus who want greater choice for people in managing their own mental health care, and greater inclusion for Arts Therapists as highly skilled and valued members of Victoria’s Mental Health Workforce. Tuesday the 2nd … Read More
Here’s the Evidence: Employing Arts Therapists in Schools is Good for Student Mental Health.
Prepared by Dr Carla van Laar and Dr Lisa Mosely for the ACTivate Arts Therapy Campaign Evidence for the efficacy of Arts Therapy in mental health and wellbeing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the effectiveness of the arts … Read More
New Publication “The Balancing Act” – Co-authored by Dr Alisoun Neville and Dr Carla van Laar
Feature Image: “Looking up”, Carla van Laar. Congratulations to the Editors, designer and contributors of the first edition of our new Australian publication, the “Journal of Creative Arts Therapies” – JoCAT. Alisoun Neville and I have coauthored an article for … Read More