These workshops provide a sample of exercises that you can continue to explore on your own or delve into deeper in art therapy sessions. They give a sense of the various ways that art can be used in meaningful ways to explore your inner world and improve your quality of life. Get in touch to scheduled an individual workshop or to arrange group workshops for your organization. Absolutely no art experience is necessary!
These workshops are non-clinical, which means they are not treating symptoms of trauma or mental illness. They are available virtually to people around the world. Each individual workshop is $140 CAD for 50 minutes. Supplies can be mailed at an additional minimum charge of $20, depending on shipping.
For my nature-based community workshop offerings in Ottawa, ON, Canada, visit leapoffaith-artastherapy.weebly.com.
These workshops are non-clinical, which means they are not treating symptoms of trauma or mental illness. They are available virtually to people around the world. Each individual workshop is $140 CAD for 50 minutes. Supplies can be mailed at an additional minimum charge of $20, depending on shipping.
For my nature-based community workshop offerings in Ottawa, ON, Canada, visit leapoffaith-artastherapy.weebly.com.
Grounding workshops
These workshops focus on attuning to the safety around and within you to feel more grounded in the present moment. Pick and choose which workshops and in which order you want to book them.
Dropping Anchor: This drawing workshop includes:
- Acknowledging how you feel
- Connecting with your body
- Engaging with the environment
Recommended materials: mark-making materials (eg., markers, pastels, paints) and paper (eg., sketchbook, watercolour paper)
Inspired by Russ Harris' grounding exercise.
- Acknowledging how you feel
- Connecting with your body
- Engaging with the environment
Recommended materials: mark-making materials (eg., markers, pastels, paints) and paper (eg., sketchbook, watercolour paper)
Inspired by Russ Harris' grounding exercise.
Photographing colours: Use your photographic eye to explore the colours of your world, inspired by happiness and grounding practices.
Recommended materials: a way to take photos (eg a cellphone) and a way to share images (eg.,screen share or email)
Recommended materials: a way to take photos (eg a cellphone) and a way to share images (eg.,screen share or email)
Create an animal and what it needs: Imagining safety for an animal can be a playful way to explore what we might need.
Recommended materials: sculpting (eg., plasticine, polimer clay, recycled material)
Recommended materials: sculpting (eg., plasticine, polimer clay, recycled material)
Safe Space: Create an image that represents a time when you felt safe and content. Explore the senses of what that experience was like.
Recommended materials: mark-making materials (eg, tempera or acrylic paint) and a surface (eg., canvas)
Inspired by Deb Dana's Vagal Anchoring
Recommended materials: mark-making materials (eg, tempera or acrylic paint) and a surface (eg., canvas)
Inspired by Deb Dana's Vagal Anchoring
Mindfulness Workshops
These workshops focus on slowing down and noticing what is arising in the present moment. Like training a puppy to sit, we gently remind ourselves to return to the present moment when our mind inevitably wanders off. Incorporating art materials can make mindfulness feel grounded and active. Pick and choose which workshops and in which order you want to book them.
Slow Stitch: Sewing by hand is a repetitive practice that can bring to mind walking, breathing, or the heartbeat. Experiment with a simple running stitch and seed stitch.
Recommended material: two pieces of scrap fabric (eg., pieces cut from old clothing, bedding, or tea towel), thread or embroidery floss, sewing or embroidery needle (depending on what kind of thread you're using).
Recommended material: two pieces of scrap fabric (eg., pieces cut from old clothing, bedding, or tea towel), thread or embroidery floss, sewing or embroidery needle (depending on what kind of thread you're using).
Watercolour Circles: Fill in a circle of plain water on your page and watch as the applied watercolour paint takes on a life of its own.
Recommended materials: watercolour paint, watercolour paper, container of water, paint brush
Recommended materials: watercolour paint, watercolour paper, container of water, paint brush
Drawing Circles: Use repetitive patterns to fill in concentric circles one mark at a time.
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., felt-tipped pen or marker) and paper (eg., smooth cardstock or illustrator board)
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., felt-tipped pen or marker) and paper (eg., smooth cardstock or illustrator board)
Drawing the Breath: The breath is always with us, which is why it is often used in grounding and mindfulness practices. Experiment with different ways to draw the breath including repetivive wave and figure 8 patterns.
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., pen) and paper (eg., sketchbook or A4 computer paper)
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., pen) and paper (eg., sketchbook or A4 computer paper)
Blind Contour Drawing: This is a very slow drawing exercise that helps you connect to the element of nature you're drawing in a mindful way. Your pen follows the movment of your eye which never leaves the subject you're drawing, which means you won't see your drawing until it is finished.
Recommended materials: ballpoint pen, paper, natural materials (eg., clouds or tree visible from a window, house plant, fruit or vegetable).
Recommended materials: ballpoint pen, paper, natural materials (eg., clouds or tree visible from a window, house plant, fruit or vegetable).
Intuitive art making
Follow your creative intuition by listening to your inner spark or pull. It doesn’t have to make sense and it’s not planned out ahead of time. Trust that the pieces will come together as they are meant to. Pick and choose which workshops and in which order you want to book them. These workshops can be done over and over again as the same process will lead to a different experience each time.
Intuitive drawing: Create a scribble and then transform it into an image. Explore how that image may have meaning for you.
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
Intuitive watercolour painting: Review some watercolour techniques as a warm up and then follow your creative spark to make an experimental image. Is there a story you might create from the image created?
Recommended materials: watercolours, watercolour paper, container of water, paint brush
Recommended materials: watercolours, watercolour paper, container of water, paint brush
Intuitive collage: Select images from magazines that create a spark within. Arrange the images and explore the final image through writing dialogue.
Recommended materials: collage material (eg., old magazines, coffee table books that can be ripped up), glue stick, scissors, base for collage (eg, sketchbook, cardstock).
Recommended materials: collage material (eg., old magazines, coffee table books that can be ripped up), glue stick, scissors, base for collage (eg, sketchbook, cardstock).
Contemplative photography: Explore the space around you through your camera lens and take photos when you feel an inner spark. Expand on the significance of your photos through poetry writing.
Recommended materials: digital camera (eg., cellphone), way to share the images with instructor (eg., email, screen share)
Recommended materials: digital camera (eg., cellphone), way to share the images with instructor (eg., email, screen share)
Contemplative Photography Workshop
CA$20.00
Briefly learn about the origins of contemplative photography and some of the ways contemporary photographers are using the practice. Then, try it out yourself through three main activities designed to help you use photography as a tool to mindfully notice what connects to your heart. Many examples of the presenter's photographs are included.
Additional resources are provided at the end of the video to continue your exploration of the practice. A PDF handout with an overview of the activities is also provided.
This workshop is 50 minutes recorded presentation, plus another 90 minutes of recommended practice time is suggested. The presenter will invite you to pause the video and set a timer to complete three 10 minute activities before venturing out on your own independent hour long contemplative photography journey.
note: This is an arts-based workshop. The presenter is an artist, teacher, art therapist, and registered psychotherapist. The presenter is not offering art therapy or psychotherapy within this workshop.
Happiness workshops
This series of 7 workshops explores what may lead to a more fulfilling life inspired by various sources including Martin Seligman’s theory of wellbeing that emphasizes Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments (known as PERMA).
1. Values: Focus on your values as a guiding light for your journey through making value cards inspired by Russ Harris' list of values.
Recommended materials to make values cards: index cards, black marker, plus option of collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
Recommended materials to make values cards: index cards, black marker, plus option of collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
2. Ideal life: Create an image or vision board of your ideal or meaningful life you'd like to continue travelling towards through collage.
Recommended materials to make vision board: Bristol Board or cardstock, collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick)
Recommended materials to make vision board: Bristol Board or cardstock, collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick)
3. One step at a time: Map out some practical steps that can help you move in your desired direction through an image of a pathway inspired by a brief solution focused therapy scale.
Recommended materials to make image of pathway: drawing materials (eg., markers, pastel) and drawing paper (eg., a sketchbook)
Recommended materials to make image of pathway: drawing materials (eg., markers, pastel) and drawing paper (eg., a sketchbook)
4. Recognizing strength: Explore your strengths that can help you overcome challenges that will naturally arise through affirmation cards.
Recommended materials to make affirmation cards: index cards, black marker, plus option of collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
Recommended materials to make affirmation cards: index cards, black marker, plus option of collage materials (eg., magazine or book images, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
5. Gratitude: Stop and smell the roses along the way through a gratitude practice of filling a page with doodles and text of what you are grateful to have in your life.
Recommended materials to make gratitude page: paper (eg., sketchbook, card stock), writing materials (eg., pen), drawing materials (eg., markers)
Recommended materials to make gratitude page: paper (eg., sketchbook, card stock), writing materials (eg., pen), drawing materials (eg., markers)
6. Connecting with others: Savour the impact of your fellow travellers who have made your journey more meaningful through hand-made greeting cards.
Recommended materials to make gratitude page: paper for card (eg., blank card or a piece of cardstock or watercolour paper folded in half), plus option of patterened collage materials (eg., origami paper, scrapbook paper, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint, marker), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
Recommended materials to make gratitude page: paper for card (eg., blank card or a piece of cardstock or watercolour paper folded in half), plus option of patterened collage materials (eg., origami paper, scrapbook paper, scissors, glue stick), mark-making materials (eg., pastel, paint, marker), other optional materials such as stickers or stamps.
7. Congratulating yourself: Take some time to acknowledge your accomplishments and how far you've come in a response artwork inspired by the artwork you've made in the previous sessions.
Recommended materials: All of the artwork you've made in the sessions (except for the card if you've already given it away)
Recommended materials: All of the artwork you've made in the sessions (except for the card if you've already given it away)
Self-coMPassion Workshops
This series of three workshops focus on Kristin Neff's elements of self-compassion: mindfulness, kindness, and universality.
1. Cultivating Kindness: Create an image of loving-kindness that resonates with you, such as the care you feel for a pet, what you would imagine from a famous or spiritual figure like the Dali Lama or an angel, or how someone in your life has treated you, such as a best friend.
Recommended materials: your choice with some options being collage materials (magazine or book images, glue, scissors, paper), sculptural materials (eg., clay or plasticine), or mark-making materials (eg., acrylic paint and canvas, markers and paper).
Recommended materials: your choice with some options being collage materials (magazine or book images, glue, scissors, paper), sculptural materials (eg., clay or plasticine), or mark-making materials (eg., acrylic paint and canvas, markers and paper).
2. Language of Emotions: experiment with making different kinds of lines and explore how they can communicate different emotions.
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
3. Energy Sketch: use lines, shapes, and colours to express how you’re feeling in the present moment. Then add new lines, colours, and shapes that contribute kindness to the image.
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
Recommended materials: drawing materials (eg., markers, pencil crayons), paper (eg., sketchbook, A4 computer paper), writing materials (eg, pen., pencil) and paper (eg., notebook, lined paper)
Collage Card WORKSHOPS
These workshops are tailored to your interest and needs. It is recommended (but not required) to book a minimum of three workshops to allow the process to unfold. What do you want to attract into your life? Some themes you may want to explore are:
- Your intentions: What are you wanting to move towards or have more of in your life?
- Love: Identify which qualities you would like to experience in your love life, perhaps taking inspiration from a crush. From a Jungian perspective, a crush can be seen as a placeholder for parts of ourselves we have yet to consciously access or integrate. How can you embody some of these qualities more fully yourself?
- Strengths and supports: Create cards that can remind you of your ability to get through hard times.
Recommended materials: index cards at least 5x7 in size or cardstock 8.5x11, cellophane sleeves to fit the index cards or cardstock, collage materials (eg, magazine or book images, glue stick, scissors), material for backing such as wrapping paper), post-it notes, writing materials (eg., pen)
- Your intentions: What are you wanting to move towards or have more of in your life?
- Love: Identify which qualities you would like to experience in your love life, perhaps taking inspiration from a crush. From a Jungian perspective, a crush can be seen as a placeholder for parts of ourselves we have yet to consciously access or integrate. How can you embody some of these qualities more fully yourself?
- Strengths and supports: Create cards that can remind you of your ability to get through hard times.
Recommended materials: index cards at least 5x7 in size or cardstock 8.5x11, cellophane sleeves to fit the index cards or cardstock, collage materials (eg, magazine or book images, glue stick, scissors), material for backing such as wrapping paper), post-it notes, writing materials (eg., pen)
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." -Picasso