“Post-traumatic play – children speaking the unspeakable through play.” There are often no words to describe the terrifying events, nor the words to express the deep sense of loss – the multitude of losses – that result from childhood … Read More
#arttherapyPD
SEVEN LIVED EXPERIENCE STORIES of making meaning using art therapy
Seven lived experience stories of making meaning using art therapy – three years later, a creative follow up The international journal of art therapy published our article ‘Seven lived experience stories of making meaning using art therapy’ in … Read More
LEADING IN SONG: Playful ways to create community with Michelle Morgan
Have you ever wanted to include sound or song in your work, but just haven’t quite felt confident enough? In this experiential workshop, we’ll explore what helps people to feel safe to make sound together. We’ll engage in some playful … Read More
EARTH ART OFFERING with Melissa McDevitt Weston
Earth Art Offering – introducing Ochre Image: “Earth’s Flow” 2022 by Melissa McDevitt Weston. This piece was inspired by how Mother Earth creates such beautiful images in the shapes, colours and textures of the land and waterways. The … Read More
STITCHING OUR STRENGTHS – with Kerri Weymouth & Carla van Laar
Kerri and Carla are teaming up and taking on ‘imposter syndrome’ in this fire side exposé. Lets de-pathologise ‘imposter syndrome’ together, and expose it as a story that serves a particular system of power – the “internalised patriarchy”. … Read More
COCOON IN SOUND: a Journey into Connection with Minky van der Walt
To cocoon: “to envelop in a protective or comforting way” (Oxford languages). Music offers a natural cocoon of comfort, predictability and containment. With its multifaceted and endless permutations of moving forward, slowing down, resting, stretching, expressing, and connecting … Read More
EMBODIED IMPULSE – theatre inspired practice with Henry de Oleveira and Sarah Culy
Henry and Sarah draw on their experience as theatre makers to bring you an exploration of embodied impulse. In this experiential workshop, you are invited to participate in a number of theatre informed practices that emphasise listening to, and expressing, … Read More
THIS ONE’S FOR EVERYONE! COMMUNITY MARKET and PICNIC DINNER
It’s the final night of our 2023 Creative Mental Health Forum and we have been out and about during the day choosing our own creative self care adventures… so, let’s re-group in community, and share our stories, along with … Read More
VERY CASUAL CAMP FIRE TUNES with Jenny Taylor
Round off the day together on Sunday with a rollicking fire side sing-a-long led by local Jumbunna based musician and choir leader Jenny Taylor Jenny is a performer, songwriter teacher and choir leader who has made music her life for … Read More
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 apply to the role. We can help fill gaps in … Read More
“INNER WORK FOR THE WORKER” – Miranda Madgwick of PACFA’s College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Practices joins the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.
Inner Work for the Worker Inner Work is process of understanding yourself, the environment around you and the elements that have shaped your life. Then working them into a strength that you can use in your day to day life. … Read More
“PLAYFUL SPACES: Creative Arts Therapy in Schools” – with Gerry Katz PhD, Melissa Nelson-Campbell and Dr Carla van Laar at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.
Possibilities are opening up for creative arts therapists to work with kids in school communities. In this workshop, we invite the exploration of: possibilities for how we respond, recognising what we bring, connecting our work with our values. We share … Read More
“CONNECTING WITH NATURE” – Alana Stewart combines Nature-Based and Expressive Arts Therapies at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.
Alana presents a self care experiential using nature-based expressive arts therapy. Alana will guide you through a process of exploring your senses and connecting to yourself through nature. Alana Stewart is an Art Therapist and Counsellor working in private practice. … Read More
PROGRAM – 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat
We pay our respects to the Boon Wurrung People, the Traditional Owners of this place in which we meet. We honour them, their elders and their ancestors. We thank them for Welcoming us here to this meeting place in their … 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
“SONGWRITING FOR THE SOUL” – With Singer/Songwriter and Creative Arts Therapist Brodie Caporn at the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat.
Songwriting for the Soul Workshop Brodie Caporn brings her gift for collaborative music making to the 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat: an invitation to join a group songwriting workshop that culminates in a co-created composition, … 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
Daring Mel Knight brings DR SKETCHY’S ANTI-ART SCHOOL to the Welcome Dinner 2022 Creative Mental Health Forum and Self Care Retreat
Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Tired of lifeless life drawing classes? Fancy a scribble but not sure where to start? Suffering creative inertia and looking to stoke your lost muse? … Dr Sketchy’s is the world’s premier alternative life … 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
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
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