Transforming Trauma through Art: A Comprehensive Introduction to Art Therapy

INTRODUCTION

This course is intended to introduce professionals working with children and adolescents to trauma-informed art interventions as understood from a psychotherapeutic framework. The construct of trauma will be explored from a developmental perspective, and the role of art therapy interventions will be based on neurobiological and psychodynamic understanding. It will combine experiential components with lectures, to introduce participants to principles and practices of art therapy.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Participants will gain understanding of the roles both process and product in image-making play in art therapy, and ways to develop art themes for therapeutic interventions based on nature of their care-giving roles.

COURSE CONTENT

Day 1

Introduction to Art Therapy
• Defining art therapy through a historical lens
• Art therapy as a profession
• Ethics and professional issues
• Attachment theory and art therapy as a relational intervention

Understanding Trauma
• Childhood traumatic stress, bereavement and grief
• Impact of trauma on children
• Trauma and the mind-body connection
• Vicarious trauma

Day 2

Therapeutic use of Art
• Art and the mind-body connection
• Tenets of art therapy
• Understand why art enhances trauma intervention
• Provide safety, support and coping skills

Art Experiential
• Develop art themes built on trauma-informed strategies
• Understand potentials and limitations of art media
• How to guide clients/ supervisees to find expressive language through art

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Social workers, psychologists, counsellors, teachers, professional caregivers, clinical supervisors and other social service practitioners, especially those with experience working with children and adolescents. 

AWARD

Participants who meet 75% class attendance will be awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment by the Academy of Human Development.

COURSE FEES

TRAINER

Ms Jolene Chiang is a registered Art Psychotherapist with ANZACATA. Jolene practices in both community and hospital settings. She specialises in the areas of grief and bereavement, trauma, and mental health conditions. Her therapeutic approach is psychodynamic-oriented and integrative to provide compassionate care for clitens navigating challenges and life's transitions. 

She is the Project Lead of Community Art Exhibition, Tapestries of Grief. She coceptualised and implemented Witnessing through Art Therapy, held at Plaza Singapura which garnered more than 450 artworks from bereaved persons and helping professionals.

She is also a conference presenter at Together Against Stigma, Grief and Bereavement Conference, CNA Live 93.8, and UFM100.3 on mental health, grief and loss. She was an invited speaker at the Esplanade - Studios companion programme, Performing Grief to speak about suicide loss and grief.

She was the guest lecturer and group workshop facilitatir for students at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).

APPLICATION and ENQUIRIES

Ms Alicia Loy

6593 5287

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