FAT Moon Podcast

This episode is a deep dive into the practice of Art Therapy in special schools. Rather than hearing just one persons experience, I thought it would be powerful to sit in conversation with three Art Therapists working in special schools in Narrm/Melbourne Australia. My hope is that this episode shines light on the expertise and creativity of Art Therapists practicing in this setting, and gives listeners a real sense of the complexity and richness of the work.Guests:Isabella Dinale (she/her) is an ANZACATA-registered Art Therapist with a passion for using creativity to support the emotional well-being and development of children and young people. She currently leads the Art Therapy program at Hume Valley School, a specialist setting for students with mild intellectual disabilities, where she has designed and facilitated a range of innovative therapeutic initiatives. These include group and individual art therapy sessions that foster emotional regulation, self-expression, and social connection; sensory-based art programs supporting students with complex needs; and creative wellbeing mural projects that engage the whole school community.Isabella holds a Master of Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Psychological Science from La Trobe University and has worked across diverse clinical and educational contexts. Her practice is grounded in compassion, playfulness, and trauma-informed approaches, supporting young people to express themselves, process emotions, and build resilience through art-making.Through her work, Isabella continues to advocate for the transformative role of the arts in education and mental health, helping young people to find their voice and thrive through creative expression.-Rachel Holland (she/her) is an Art Therapist working across education, justice and community settings in Victoria. Her practice spans across a specialist school, substance use recovery programs via the Magistrates' and County Courts (Vic) and private art therapy services supporting children and families impacted by mental health challenges, trauma and domestic violence. Rachel also runs creative workshops from her home studio and within community spaces, where she brings people together through artmaking, reflection and shared [email protected] Day (she/her) began her journey into the world of Art Therapy after completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, photography, and discovering that there was a way to weave together her love of creativity with her interest in humans, wellbeing, and mental health. After completing a Masters of Art Therapy, she began a professional journey at what was previously my first student placement – a school for young people with mild intellectual disabilities, where she continues to work today, while sub-contracting additional work.Tori's art therapy practice is centred around neurodiversity-aQirming principles, ensuring autonomy, self-advocacy and advocacy, and a strengths-based lens are at the fore, always. Tori's work sees her utilising interoceptive and somatic lens’ frequently, in conjunction with approaches such as DBT-informed art therapy, mindfulness-based art therapy, and both a trauma-informed and relational approach.

Dr. Annetta Mallon is a specialist grief, loss and trauma recovery psychotherapist with 35 years of experience. As a creative arts therapist Annetta engages with her textile art background a good deal in her work, especially for those in mourning and processing the grief 'afters' of a death or deaths as soft textures support us in processing all the Grief Beastie brings us. In her private practice Annetta offers secular end of life and after-death support following the deaths of both people and pets. In addition to her private services as a grief psychotherapist she runs in-person training for grief literacy for end of life workers, including creative arts therapists. When teaching grief workshops creative components of her practice inform her education and information transfer approaches, and participant input is encouraged. Annetta regularly holds online and in-person talks and education events to promote death literacy and awareness of rights, options and choices at end of [email protected]://linktr.ee/gentledeathep

Sarah Tucker has extensive experience as a prison Art Therapy facilitator and aims to foster rehabilitation, healing, reconciliation, and recidivism prevention among offenders and in society.  Sarahs unique perspective stems from 25 years of involvement in the arts and tattooing, offering her profound insights into marginalised and underground communities. Sarah has consulted and advised Correctional Services, employing various creative therapeutic interventions, particularly with prisoners. Her expertise also extends to facilitating children's group therapy art workshops, individual therapy sessions, and trauma-informed creative therapy practices. Sarah also holds multiple undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in criminology, neuroscience and arts [email protected]://www.unsw.edu.au/hdr/sarah-tucker

Nora Swan-Foster, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, NCPsyA is a Jungian Psychoanalyst and board certified and registered art psychotherapist in Boulder, Colorado where she has been adjunct faculty at the graduate art therapy program at Naropa University. In 1986 she completed her masters from Lesley College in Expressive Arts Therapy and several years later she completed her Jungian analytic training (a PhD level training) in 2010. She has worked with people of all ages in various settings. Nora is a senior training analyst with the Inter-regional Society of Jungian Analysts (IRSJA) and the Memphis-Atlanta Seminar MAJS. She has presented and published internationally on trauma and Jungian analysis, pregnancy, group art therapy and various issues related to Jungian psychology and art therapy, and analytic training. She has two book titles: Jungian Art Therapy and Art Therapy and Childbearing Issues and chapters focused on Jungian art therapy. She also served as a North American editor for the Journal of Analytical Psychology. [email protected]://jungchicago.org/blog/product/image-or-art-from-jungs-red-book-to-jungian-art-therapy/https://jungchicago.org/blog/jung-in-the-world-image-or-art-with-nora-swan-foster/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6N4FTIZIG0

** we experienced technical difficulties reocrding this eposide, a big thank you to Jennifer for persisting and sharing her insights with us **Jennifer Naa Ayorkor Koney is an Art Therapist, educationist, and researcher with nearly eight years of experience working with children with special needs, survivors of trafficking and vulnerable populations in Ghana. She holds an MPhil in Art Education, with a research focused on children rescued from trafficking in the fishing industry on Volta Lake in Ghana and an MSc in Creative Art Therapy, which focused on engaging young women affected by sex trafficking and street life in Kumasi. Her research and practice emphasize trauma-sensitive care, educational, special needs care and therapeutic interventions, and strategies to support the emotional and psychological recovery of survivors of trafficking, and children with special needs particularly through improving attention and executive functioning.Jennifer is married to an amazing husband, who is a medical doctor in Ghana. They are blessed three beautiful children.Please email Jennifer with any further questions or interest to collaborate: [email protected]

Jordan S. Potash, PhD, ATR-BC, REAT, LPAT (DC), LCPAT (MD) is a registered, board certified, and licensed art therapist, as well as, registered expressive arts therapist (USA). He is Associate Professor in the Art Therapy Graduate Program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. As an art therapist for 25 years, Potash has worked with clients of all ages in many settings including schools, clinics, and community art studios. He works with organizations in Washington DC focused on youth experiencing homelessness and grief. His primarily interests are in the applications of art and art therapy in the service of community development, social change, and peacebuilding. Potash has authored several articles and book chapters as well as presented at conferences, universities, and communities in the U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, and Israel. Potash supports the art therapy profession as Editor in Chief of Art Therapy (2019-2024) and lead advocate for the passage and implementation of the DC Professional Art Therapist Licensure Amendment Act. ⁠www.jordanpotash.com⁠

Judith A. Rubin, PhD, ATR-BC, HLM is a licensed psychologist, child and adult psychoanalyst, and board-certified art therapist. A past President and Honorary Life Member of the American Art Therapy Association, she has written six books and created thirteen films. For three years in the sixties she was the Art Lady on the PBS children’s program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Now retired from clinical practice and regular teaching, she served for forty years on the faculties of the Psychiatry Department at the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center. She also presented and taught at many universities and conferences in the U.S. and abroad. President and co-founder of Expressive Media, she launched an online Training Film Library in the expressive therapies. In 2024, the film library was acquired by Psychotherapy.net, a video streaming platform serving a range of mental health professionals. Judy is currently engaged in two unfinished EMI projects: an International Film Festival on the Arts in Healing and a film provisionally entitled “The Many Faces of the Creative Arts Therapies,” in process of being created. expressivemedia.org Arts In Healing International Film Festival

Moon Mail - Monthly Newsletter Collective Calm: well-being sessions (May) Kate Dempsey is the CEO of ANZACATA. She has been in the position for just on 5 years. The work has grown from 2 days a week to 4 days a week in that time. She was chosen for the role because she has significant experience as a change management and leadership development consultant and has worked with not-for-profit associations and enterprises for over 20 years. She is also an academic, teaching in MBA and other business related post graduate programs at Deakin University. She is also a business coach. She has post graduate qualifications in organisational psychology and a PhD in leadership.

I currently hold the role of Course Coordinator for the Master and Graduate Diploma of Art Therapy. Upon completion of my PhD, I took up a tenure-track position at Florida State University where amongst other activities I had the key responsibility for coordinating clinical placements. I continued my research in the area of art therapy and mental health recovery, as well as investigations on research and professional issues in art therapy. I have been the Principal Investigator on several research projects including: Group art therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, early intervention art therapy with Latinx farmworker children, as well as mindfulness-based art therapy, and technology-assisted approaches to dealing with anxiety and stress in university students. I continue to play an active role in the American Art Therapy Association including as Associate Editor of the highly regarded professional academic journal. I currently serve as a Board Member for the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA) and External Member for the MIECAT Academic Board. I have been the recipient of numerous awards including the American Art Therapy Association Seed Grant (2021); National Endowment for the Arts Research Award (2020); Department of Art Education Faculty Teaching Award (2019); the Rawley Silver Research Award from the American Art Therapy Association (2017); and the Transformation Through Teaching Award from Florida State University - Spiritual Life Project (2016). www.artthxresearch.com

Louise Weston had an urge to change directions in her Autumn years, after her children were diagnosed Autistic. This period of time proved to be particularly traumatic for both herself and her children in navigating a somewhat deficit, ableist- based, clinical and educational system, not particularly supportive or even aware of neuro-affirming practice. After a long career in design, Louise decided to pivot and focus on working with people rather than products and found that art therapy provided an opportunity for self-healing, reflection, growth and meaning making as well as using her lived experience to pay it forward. Louise has experience in a range of environments including her private practice Creating Insights Art Therapy, as well as EACH Community Health, Austin Health (SECU), Box Hill CHYMS, CATA (Creative Art Therapy Australia), Very Special Kids, Primary Schools, and Aged Care. Louise loves working with all ages, needs, and presentations. My experience range is in disability (and associated co-morbidities), aged care, family violence, acute and chronic mental health, pain management, LGBTQI+, eating disorders, children, youth, and adult mental health, and palliative care. Louise also developed an 8–10-week School Mental Health and Wellbeing Art Therapy Program in response to the Victorian Schools Mental Health Menu, which has been piloted successfully through ‘The Song Room’ and hopes to continue offering. The program is a strengths-based, person-centred approach designed to create awareness and support mental health and wellbeing in school-aged children. Art Therapy gives Louise the capacity to work with a range of clients to help them gain insight into improving their daily life to manage their emotions and psychosocial needs as well as social and sensory challenges or anxiety. This in turn helps them gain the ability to assist with self-awareness, self-efficacy, or self-regulation. Louise truly believes that finding a modality to suit everyone gives them the opportunity to learn and grow at their own pace to set them up for success. Louise followed this fulfilling path to support her own family’s neurodivergent needs and in turn, support others’. Louise has been able to provide insight into possible challenges with regard to avoiding or seeking certain sensory needs as well as increasing mentalization in a neuro-affirming way. Using her own lived experience, to establish connections, helps build upon their strengths as well as advocate for their needs where necessary. Louise believes strongly in radical acceptance, unconditional positive regard, and working within a safe, person-centred, and neuro-affirming way. Working collaboratively with clients with a strengths-based approach, together they build on their interests to create tools and techniques to help them navigate their day, make connections, manage emotions, celebrate successes, and nurture pride and identity. Louise works from her studio space as well a clinical day in the somewhat leafy outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne and can be contacted at: www.creatinginsights.com.au

Noula is an Australian clinical psychotherapist, artist, and author, and the founding director of the BeCause Movement. Across all her expressions, she is deeply passionate about removing the affect of developmental neglect and not belonging on human lives.    She is a Brainspotting Trainer and Consultant, and also trained in Somatic Experiencing (SE) levels 1 and 2, Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP) level 1& 2 and trained in Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR, full member EMDRAA), and with Frank Corrigan in Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) and trained in trauma therapy and parts work. Noula also uses a range of mediums to open new conversations and perspectives on mental health issues. She is represented by Artereal Gallery, Australia, was the Founder and Director of MAANZ, and also hosts a variety of art & well-being focused workshops. Noula was selected as the therapist in a six-part observational documentary - called Space 22 - which explores the impact of creativity on our mental wellbeing.    https://iview.abc.net.au/show/space-22  See more about Noula here:  www.nouladiamantopoulos.com www.becausemovement.org  Or follow Noula on Instagram @nouladiamantopoulos

Daphna Arbell Kehila has over 20 years of experience as an Expressive Arts Therapist, cultivating inner strength and well-being through creative arts. Based on a client-based approach, Daphna creates, develops, and conducts programs and workshops for various populations in Singapore and globally. Living and working in the Asia Pacific region for more than three decades Daphna has a deep understanding of multicultural experiences. She is the owner and director at West East Pte. Ltd, where she practices Expressive Arts Therapy and Yoga Therapy. Currently, Daphna focuses on mentoring caregivers and young therapists, providing supervision for individuals, and capacity-building programs for organisations. Daphna has experience in conducting research for various institutions and organisations including the National Institution of Education (NIE); James Cook University; The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME); Active Global; and The Red Pencil. Her work has been published in various professional journals. www.arbellkehila.com [email protected] Dr. Daphna Arbell Kehila (RAET) PhD in Adult Education Master of Arts (MA) in Expressive Therapies Masters in Space Design Masters in Theatre Arts Certified Yoga Therapy practitioner You can support the show via a monthly membership at ⁠⁠patreon.com/GreeneMoonStudios⁠

Hi, I'm Claire.  I am a registered art therapist for aged care in Melbourne. I’ve had the opportunity to work with youth in recovery, palliative care patients, and residential aged care. My enriching experience working with older people inspired me to establish a practice that engages and empowers the aged care community.      I completed my Masters in Art Therapy in La Trobe University. My placement experience in the palliative care setting motivated me to develop a new approach to art therapy that accommodates the physical limitations of patients often caused by fatigue. This approach is called Art on Behalf wherein the art therapist assists in the co-creation of the artwork. It makes art therapy more accessibly to people with limited mobility.    Working in aged care, I witnessed the transformative potential of art therapy with older people living with dementia. I believe that making art can be a nurturing and healing experience when you are with someone who is fully present. My mission is to improve the well-being of the aged care community by promoting arts engagement with older people living with dementia.  www.engagedarttherapy.comaccessible You can support the show via a monthly membership at ⁠⁠patreon.com/GreeneMoonStudios⁠

You can support the show via a monthly membership at ⁠patreon.com/GreeneMoonStudios Carla is an Artist and Creative Arts Therapist based in Boon Wurrung Country, Inverloch, Victoria. She brings decades of experience working with people and the arts for well-being in community, justice, health, education, and private practice contexts. Experiential ways of knowing underpin Carla’s therapeutic work, including embodied attunement and arts-based responding, informed by trauma-centered, strengths-based, existential, and narrative approaches. She loves to share creative practices as ways of knowing and being. Carla’s book Bereaved Mother’s Heart (2007) broke social taboos about maternal grief. Seeing Her Stories (2020) presents Carla’s research into making Women’s stories visible through art. Her most recent publication is “Art Therapy First Aid: Growing Capacity with Art Therapists in Communities Affected by Australian Bushfires”(in Scarce, J. (Ed.) 2022). An educator in the field of Creative Art Therapy since 2001, Carla received an Artist Fellowship at RMIT’s creative research lab, “Creative Agency” in 2018. She is a lead campaigner in the ACTivate Arts Therapy collective, and Founding Director of the Creative Mental Health Forum. Carla insists on being part of a creative revolution in which art re-embodies lived experience, brings us to our senses, makes us aware of the interconnectedness of all life, and is an agent of social change.  Carla is the Convenor of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)’s College of Creative and Experiential Therapies, and in this role, she is dedicated to working for access to creative therapies for everyone. carlavanlaar.com