The Art of Good Health and Wellbeing International Arts and Health Conference, Melbourne November 2010

I'm presenting a workshop at Arts and Health Conference in Melbourne next Thursday at 4pm.  I am passionate about the use of art psychotherapy as an adjunct to psychoeducation programs and the 3 week program I am discussing could be used in any hospital as a brief introduction to Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.  I think this is a great way to help people in the mental health arena with strategies and skills to manage distress.  The Art Psychotherapy component has a dual purpose, firstly, to record skills in a visual way and secondly,to give patients a deeper look at what could be underlying in the areas of blocks and defenses in their ability to take in psycho-education material.  It is a great start to begin to work with a Registered Art Psychotherapist and give insight into many areas of a patients wellness.  Please check out the gallery on the webpage http://www.expressivetherapyclinic.com.au/ to see how art psychotherapy offers a deeper understanding for patients.  If information put out there is re-integrated in a safe contained way, the opportunity to gain insight and reflection is a helpful way for patients to recover from illness and progress in their growth and understanding of what may be holding them back.