Amanda Scott Art Therapy

Art Therapists Gathering Northern Rivers

You are invited to a gathering for art therapists from the region to come together to connect, support, vision, share and inspire each other.  A few art therapists have came together in 2021 seeking connection, support, community, sharing and inspiration, and we invite you to join us and create this space collectively. This will be our 8th seasonal gathering since we began.

GUEST SPEAKER: Clare Jerdan

Clare will offer a session using her experience in sensorimotor art therapy.

• Please register as there are limited places.

BYO

• Own art materials for you to use
• $20 donation
• A plate of food to share as we will have a shared lunch. 
  
• a cushion to sit on (chairs can be a little hard

Sensorimotor describes psychotherapies that use a bottom-up approach. Instead of an image-based art therapy, or a cognitive top-down strategy, Guided Drawing encourages the implicit awareness of innate motor impulses in the muscles, viscera and the emotions held within these. The expression of these motor impulses through rhythmic bilateral drawing provokes sensory feedback.  

While clients initially approach the setting with learnt behaviours, motor impulses that might be inhibited, fearful or driven by hyperactive acting out, they quickly discover ways that “feel better’, and are more satisfying. Through the sensorimotor feedback loop clients discover their own potential in an embodied way that shows lasting results. We can compare such sensorimotor achievements with learning how to swim. We do not forget implicitly learnt ways of being. Such sensory perception allows the development of new neurological pathways that can deal with traumatic memories; and are capable of restoring a more authentic sense of self.  

Learning objectives for the Guided Drawing workshop:

· Psycho-education regarding Haptics and bottom ups approaches.

· To learn simple intervention tools to help clients pendulate in a therapy session.

· To introduce the experience of a ‘felt sense’.

· To empower the participants to use the learning of the sensorimotor feedback loop for their own nervous system

· The importance of titration or grading the work with trauma impacted clients