Integrating Body work in Counselling : SERIES- I in August & September 2020

 Integrating Body work in Counselling

East West Center for Counselling and Training  began a series with counselling and other art forms used as therapeutic tools in August & September 2020

This series was for 4 weekend “An Online Certificate course on using Dance Movement Therapy in trauma informed approach to Counselling”. 

Trauma can leave one feeling disconnected from their body, their families and the world around them (Levine, 2010). “Trauma can be  defined as a sudden and forceful event or prolonged exposure to stressful life events which overtime overwhelms a person’s ability to respond. Trauma need not always involve actual physical harm to oneself; an event can be traumatic if it  contradicts one’s worldview and overpowers one’s ability to cope  where one’s sense of safety, hope and agency have severely been compromised. “ A trauma-informed approach comes from understanding the body-mind connection and how the impact of trauma affects the nervous system ,the brain’s neurological processes  and emotional regulation. Addressing  trauma by integrating body work in counselling can facilitate resource activation and healing processes.

Inviting all mental health practitioners and counsellors who wish to integrate arts in their work.

Facilitators: 

Katia Verreault – Group facilitator, dance movement therapist, dance instructor and Founder of A Moving World-We dance

Magdalene Jeyarathnam, Founder Director of East West Center for Counselling and Training

SERIES II - Integrating Visual Arts for healing in Counselling Children, October & November 2020

 Integrating Visual Arts for Healing in Counselling

East West Center for Counselling and Training  conducted Series II- Integrating Visual Arts for Healing in Counselling

“A trauma informed approach using arts in counselling with children”

This is a 4 weekend course which was conducted in the month of October and November 2020. The course introduced skills and techniques of using visual art for healing in a trauma informed approach in counselling children. The training paves way to an experiential learning which increased practitioners tool kit for working with children. 

Visual Art and collages give way to understand and expression of the extent of emotions and feelings experienced by the individual or the creator near to perfection than in verbal expressions. Individuals having trouble verbalizing what they are feeling, can mirror their emotions through spontaneous collage. For individuals who are more visually oriented to see and perceive better. Children whose linguistic skill are still developing can use collage to express themselves better. Art is easy, quick, safe and less intimidating to the client who are new or who feel resistant toward Therapy, It does not need specific skill sets, yet tends to be very insightful. It gives the creator a sense of contentment in the end of creating something of themselves which is psychically concrete to feel and see. Facilitates catharsis and self-exploration. 

Facilitators:

Ms. Roshni Bhatia, Artist and Art Therapist (Bangalore, India)

Magdalene Jeyarathnam(Course Director) –  Expressive Arts Therapist and Certified Psychodramatist

Website: https://centerforcounselling.org/portfolio/integrating-visual-arts-for-healing-in-counselling/