ART THERAPY AS NON-VERBAL, VISUAL PROCESSING IN CLIENT WORK - Facilitating deeper client work/expression using Art as an accessible intervention.

This is a rare opportunity to develop understanding and skill in the use of art as visual processing in therapy and particularly in trauma treatment and recovery. When clients find it difficult to talk about an event, situation, relationship, feeling etc. a non-verbal expression can open up expression and make way for therapeutic work. Trauma memory can be a visual reoccurrence or recollection, that is triggered unexpectedly at times and using art becomes a relevant approach regardless of a person’s artistic ability.

Externalising visual trauma memory can be therapeutic if done so respectfully and safely, with the client’s material being monitored and paced appropriately. While a traumatic event can traumatise those not only involved but also those related to the trauma. This may be vicariously through offering treatment, or by knowing people involved or a traumatic event can cause an earlier trauma to resurface.

It can be difficult to verbally describe visual memories and experiences which can risk a re-traumatisation. Therapeutic use of art is described and demonstrated and demonstrated - drawing on recent events and media imagery, this workshop 

explores alternate ways to assist our clients who may have been exposed to traumatic situations and events. Disasters can traumatise people unexpectedly and this can be at a local, national or international level. Post-traumatic stress is considered and examined as a part of the day’s training.

In this workshop the use of art therapy approaches to counselling will be explored in the context of promoting emotional health and enhancing a sense of well-being. This workshop provides skills development to explore strategies that facilitate safe processing of recurring traumatic images and unresolved or unexpressed internal experience.

ART MATERIALS YOU MAY HAVE AT HOME THAT YOU CAN USE DURING THIS TRAINING

1.  PAPER: 

Thicker the better - an old cartridge note pad; Cardboard - old packing box cut up into sheets; photocopy paper from your printer; blank pages preferred.

Size of paper - minimum A4, but you have A3, this is also good.

2.  DRAWING MATERIALS: 

You don’t need all of the following - just one option will suffice

GRAPHITE:

A 2B pencil; any graphite sticks; piece of charcoal (can pick some up from any burnt bush)

PASTELS:

Oil pastels or chalk pastels - only if you have a packet

COLOURED PENCILS:

Any form of coloured pencils

INKS:

Coloured inks of any description

FELT PENS / HIGHLIGHTERS:

Any range of coloured pens you might have to hand

3.  PAINTS:

WATER COLOURS

A watercolour set; 

ACRYLIC:

An Acrylic  paints - tubes or coloured discs

SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR PAINT:

Paint Brushes; water jar; old toothbrush; roller

4. PRINT-MAKING POSSIBILITIES: 

Stencils; stamps; found objects

5.  OTHER OPTIONAL MATERIALS: 

Three-D Materials

Any plasticine; Clay; Air-dry clay

COLLAGE:

Magazines; photocopy images

6. OTHER SUPPORT MATERIALS:

Scissors; pencil sharpener; glue stick; cello tape; eraser/rubber; masking tape

Feedback for Annette’s recent training presentations:

“The kit is excellent with so many different things - enough to take into my practice and use for some time- thank you 😊 This seminar reminded me to stay true to my own approach and gave me confidence in my practice. It added to my skills and gave me more ideas in how to easily integrate art therapy.”

“Best investment in my professional development, and that includes my psychology degree…helped me reclaim the language of metaphor, led to a depth of emotional expression (that) has benefited myself, my wife and my clients …”

“It was wonderful to see how art and therapy can support clients so imply - Annette’s practice examples we wonderful and helpful.”

“Presenter and presentation material were just excellent- so much food for thought offered, practical and inclusive regardless of any knowledge or experience with art.”

“Annette, you’re inspirational, informative and a super creative presenter!”

“I really enjoyed this training and am encouraged to pass this information on to my colleagues. I believe we need more opportunities to support expression in our clients and this has helped with that – and I am not artistic at all!

“Valuable information, resources and professional insights…highly recommended.”

“Offers an excellent basis in understanding theory and practice from Australian and overseas perspectives.”

“Fun, informative, inspiring and I have never been good at art and it didn’t matter!”

“Made me more aware of my inner feelings and self-worth…gave words when I may not have used any.”

“A unique experience for the development of both professional skills and tapping into a personal creativity I didn’t know I had – awesome!!”

“Wonderfully organised – highly professional, great value and a great day!”

“It is so exciting to try new ways of engaging with clients in therapy and to revisit the theory underpinning the use of art and non-verbal expression. Thank you for a magical training – Art is magical!”

"The preparation was excellent and I felt a part of it even though it was remote."

“Clearly described processes in what to focus on in working with clients and the examples of different ways art directives were/are used were valuable take-aways for me.

“Excellent theory especially when Annette gave clients interpretation of artworks they had made.”

“I work with Expressive Therapies and believed the content would be interesting and helpful – it was!”

"Annette has great knowledge and expertise and I found the practical and experiential activities so useful to my learning today.”

“I really valued having the opportunity to participate in activities and looking at client works.”

“I use art already but this has greatly enhanced my understanding of the use in therapy.”

“Refreshed my understanding of art therapy and gave me new art approaches to explore.”

“Really appreciate learning how to help clients express non-verbally in a safe supportive way and techniques and media to use with them.”

“I have a new sense of appreciation for art therapy and motivation to pursue learning in this area further.”

“I am a dance therapist and believe extensions from movement to engaging in another allied art field is important and brings a new depth to the experience. I gained much information.”