Creative Care Summit
2024 Program

This page features details about the speakers and their presentations at the Creative Care Summit 2024. Learn from leading experts as they share insights and practical strategies to inspire and empower your professional journey.
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Life Enrichment Model for Self-Care

Many ethical codes admonish therapists not to practice if they know that they are impaired; better would be to encourage good self-care. Therapists need to remember that self-care is not selfish, it is self-preservation.
This presentation will improve on preservation by highlighting the importance of flourishing. It will focus on the life enrichment model that Lisa Hinz introduced in her book, “Beyond Self-Care for Helping Professionals.”
The Life Enrichment Model demonstrates that self-care involves the whole person and is about building a life that sustains positive mental health, spirituality, and physical well-being. This presentation will help you determine where your life might be out of balance. It will offer concrete recommendations for enhancing all  areas of life: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, recreational and relational.

Learning Objectives:
At the endo of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. identify at least three areas of life (physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, recreational, relational) where they might sense imbalances.
2. implement three recommendations from the Life Enrichment Model to enhance their well-being.
3. explain how the Life Enrichment Model integrates mental health, spirituality, and physical well-being.
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Lisa Hinz, Ph.D., ATR-BC

Lisa D. Hinz, Ph.D., ATR-BC is a licensed clinical psychologist and board certified art therapist.  She is an associate professor and director of the art therapy psychology doctoral program at Dominican University of California.
Dr. Hinz is the author of many professional publications and three books on art therapy. The second edition of her book, Expressive Therapies Continuum: A Framework for Using Art in Therapy was released in January 2020 and builds upon her interest in materials and methods in art therapy. 

Dr. Hinz specializes in the treatment of eating issues, substance abuse, and lifestyle medicine; she maintains a private practice in St. Helena, California.

Response Art: Exploring Horizons beyond Art Expression

Art is a universal language that can break down barriers and facilitate discovery and healing amongst many other things.
Response art is an art therapy based technique that calls upon the dynamic potential of the art process that can help not only clients but the therapist-self gain new awareness of and metabolize somatic, emotional and cognitive experiences in and out of the clinical setting.
This presentation offers a theoretical as well as a personal view into the definition, the practice, and the benefits of response art.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation the participants willbe able to:
1. identify at least 3 utilisations of the response art in therapist's practice
2. explore personal relationships with response art through experiential work
3. evaluate the importance of response art through case examples

Materials needed: art materials at participants' choice
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Catherine Emmanuelle Drapeau, PhD, RCAT, ATPQ

Art is a universal language that can break down barriers and facilitate discovery and healing amongst many other things.
Response art is an art therapy based technique that calls upon the dynamic potential of the art process that can help not only clients but the therapist-self gain new awareness of and metabolize somatic, emotional and cognitive experiences in and out of the clinical setting.
This presentation offers a theoretical as well as a personal view into the definition, the practice, and the benefits of response art.

Music for Resilience, Recovery, and Self-care

"This education session will offer specific strategies to incorporate music as a therapeutic tool for self-care. Diverse music therapy research findings and grounded theory will be shared for context and implications related to creative care for clinicians. Coping strategies presented will include supporting mood through intentional playlist creation, the benefits of identifying “theme songs”, music-assisted relaxation to support stress and reduce anxiety, and an introduction to creative music therapy techniques such as “song affirmations”. Relevant case examples, as well as personal resources for expanding self-care repertoire utilizing a variety of modalities, will be explored and expanded upon. Current research will be discussed in terms of what we can learn from it, how it has been conducted, and why it is relevant. Attendees will participate in self-reflection related to past music associations and current music experiences presented, and formulate concrete strategies for incorporating as part of their self-care routine.

References:
American Music Therapy Association. (2005). What is Music Therapy?
https://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/

Burchard, B. (2022). High performance habits: How extraordinary people become that way. Hay House, Inc.

De Witte, M., Spruit, A., van Hooren, S., Moonen, X., & Stams, G. J. (2020). Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: a systematic review and two meta-analyses. Health psychology review, 14(2), 294-324.

Dileo, C., & Bradt, J. (2007). Music therapy: applications to stress management. In: Lehrer, P., and Woolfolk, R., eds. Principles and Practice of Stress Management, 3rd ed. New York: Guilford.

Dvorak, A. (2016). A Conceptual Framework for Group Processing of Lyric Analysis Interventions in Music Therapy Mental Health Practice. Music Therapy Perspectives. 35. miw018. 10.1093/mtp/miw018

Fiore, J. (2018). A pilot study exploring the use of an online pre-composed receptive music experience for students coping with stress and anxiety. Journal of music therapy, 55(4), 383-407.

Grocke, D., & Wigram, T. (2006). Receptive methods in music therapy: Techniques and clinical applications for music therapy clinicians, educators and students. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Hanser, S. B., & Mandel, S. E. (2010). Manage your stress and pain through music. Hal Leonard Corporation.

Heiderscheit, A., & Madson, A. (2015). Use of the iso principle as a central method in mood management: A music psychotherapy clinical case study. Music therapy perspectives, 33(1), 45-52.

Hou, J., Song, B., Chen, A. C., Sun, C., Zhou, J., Zhu, H., & Beauchaine, T. P. (2017). Review on neural correlates of emotion regulation and music: implications for emotion dysregulation. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 501.

Kees, N. L., & Jacobs, E. (1990). Conducting more effective groups: How to select and process group exercises. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 15(1), 21-29.


Kerr, T., Walsh, J., & Marshall, A. (2001). Emotional change processes in music-assisted reframing. Journal of Music Therapy, 38(3), 193-211.

Koelsch, S., Boehlig, A., Hohenadel, M., Nitsche, I., Bauer, K., & Sack, U. (2016). The impact of acute stress on hormones and cytokines, and how their recovery is affected by music-evoked positive mood. Scientific reports, 6, 23008.

Lai, H. L., Liao, K. W., Huang, C. Y., Chen, P. W., & Peng, T. C. (2013). Effects of music on immunity and physiological responses in healthcare workers: A randomized controlled trial. Stress and Health, 29(2), 91-98.

Lesiuk, T. (2010). The effect of preferred music on mood and performance in a high-cognitive demand occupation. Journal of music therapy, 47(2), 137-154.

McKinney, C. H., & Honig, T. J. (2017). Health outcomes of a series of Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music sessions: A systematic review. Journal of music therapy, 54(1), 1-34.

Moraes, L. J., Miranda, M. B., Loures, L. F., Mainieri, A. G., & Mármora, C. H. C. (2018). A systematic review of psychoneuroimmunology-based interventions. Psychology, health & medicine, 23(6), 635-652.

Schuster, M. & Dwyer, P. (2020). Posttraumatic stress disorder in nurses: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing.00:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15288

Sokira, J., Allen, J., & Wagner, H. (2022). The Resilience Framework for Trauma-Informed Music Therapy. In Trauma-Informed Music Therapy (pp. 9-18). Routledge.

Spiegel, D. (2010). Music Activities & More for Teaching DBT Skills and Enhancing Any Therapy: Even for the Non-Musician. Lulu. com.

Thoma, M. V., La Marca, R., Brönnimann, R., Finkel, L., Ehlert, U., & Nater, U. M. (2013). The effect of music on the human stress response. PloS one, 8(8).


Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to :
"1. identify 3 concepts related to music-based coping skills
2. independently experience and implement music-based self-care skills when prompted, including mood playlist reflection/assessment
3. complete the music-centered personal self-care plan, integrating learned strategies and techniques from the session

Materials needed: recommended but not compulsory - headphones or earbuds
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Brian Jantz, MA, MT-BC and
Hannah Foxman, MA, MT-BC

Brian is an Associate Professor in the Music Therapy department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He has been active as a clinician, practicum site supervisor, course instructor, and researcher for over 24 years. Brian recently presented on music and health at Berklee Abu Dhabi, the International Association for Music and Medicine (IAMM) conference, Expressive Therapies Summit, and a global nursing webinar for SIGMA/ANPD. Brian is the former Assembly Speaker for the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), Past President of the New England Region of AMTA, and the New England Region Representative for the Association's Internship Approval Committee.

Hannah Foxman, MA, MT-BC is a Board-Certified Music Therapist with 6 years of experience working in pediatric music therapy at Boston Children’s Hospital. Hannah has worked with a variety of diverse patient populations in the medical setting such as; oncology hematology, bone marrow transplant, neurology, general medicine, surgical, and psychiatric care. Most recently, Hannah has primarily provided music therapy services in the medical/surgical intensive care unit focusing on regulatory care, pain reduction, family bonding, coping support, quality of life, and bereavement care.

Increasing Vicarious Resilience Through Self-Care Across the Domains of Well-Being

Therapists are touched and transformed by their client's stories and life experiences. Attunement and connection open us to feel alongside our clients, but this act of care comes with risks to our own well-being. The conceptual confusion between terms such as vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress can make it difficult for therapists to identify the ways they are impacted by their work. This presentation aims to clear that confusion using the Trauma Exposure Response Model (van Dernoot Lipsky, 2009) as an overarching framework to understand how we can be impacted by cumulative exposure to trauma through our work with clients. This model will be presented through a polyvagal perspective, alongside new understandings of vicarious resilience. Evidence-based strategies, such as the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program endorsed by Harvard University, will be presented to help therapists shift away from vicarious traumatization and towards vicarious resilience. The 8 domains of well-being will be explored and an experiential activity will guide participants in creatively exploring ways to nurture and care for themselves across all eight domains. Therapists will walk away with practical actions to sustain their work and connect to a deeper sense of purpose, reward, and satisfaction.   

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. Name three signs of Trauma Exposure Response.
2. Identify three strategies to increase resilience.
3. Define vicarious traumatization and how it differs from vicarious traumatization.
4. List the 8 domains of well-being.
5. Create a visual self-care action plan with at least one strategy in each domain of well-being to increase resilience.

Materials needed: pen or pencil; markers and/or coloured pencils.
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Jennifer Marchand, MA, CCC, CCTP-II, RCAT

Jennifer Marchand, MA, CCC, RCAT, is a Canadian trauma therapist and EMDRIA-approved consultant with over 10 years of clinical experience in a diverse range of settings and cultural contexts. She currently lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia specializing in work with conflict-affected populations, complex trauma and dissociation, and the impacts of vicarious trauma (such as with humanitarian aid workers, health professionals, journalists, and activists). She integrates the creative arts into her trauma recovery work and has a special interest in the benefits of the Zentangle drawing method, leading her to become a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CTZ).

As a trauma trainer and technical advisor to Medica Mondiale, e.V., an international women’s rights organization based in Germany, she develops and delivers training on trauma sensitivity for health professionals in conflict-affected settings—such as Kurdistan, Afghanistan, and Southeast Europe, with a focus on self-care and burnout prevention. She has also worked with Blue Dragon, an organization in Hanoi, Vietnam supporting a team of psychologists working with survivors of human trafficking.

She is also an editor and author in the exciting new publication on combining EMDR and Creative Arts Therapies for the treatment of complex trauma with diverse populations across a range of cultural contexts: EMDR and Creative Arts Therapies."

Micro Changes and Self-Care BDM©

In the demanding landscape of mental health and art therapy, self-care often takes a backseat. This presentation, "The Power of Micro Changes in Self-Care: Integrating Body, Mind, and
Spirit through Gestalt Art Therapy, invites professionals to reflect on the transformative potential of small, mindful actions. By acknowledging our limitations, time constraints, and unique necessities, we can cultivate a holistic self-care practice that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit.

Through the lens of Gestalt Art Therapy, participants will explore practical strategies for being present and attentive to their own needs. We will delve into the interconnectedness of physical
movements, dietary habits, and breathing (Body); co
gnitive patterns and thinking styles (Mind); and spiritual connections and practices (Spirit). This integrative approach emphasizes the importance of micro changes—small, deliberate acts of self-care that accumulate to create significant positive shifts in our overall well-being.

Attendees will engage in reflective and experiential activities designed to heighten self-awareness and foster a balanced self-care routine. By the end of the session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how to implement micro changes in their daily lives, ultimately enhancing their capacity to support others more effectively. Join us in this journey of self-discovery and empowerment and learn how to prioritise your well-being as a foundation for professional and personal growth.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. identify at least three specific micro-changes related to physical movements, dietary habits, or breathing techniques and implement them in their daily self-care routine to improve their physical well-being.
2. create a personalized self-care plan that includes at least two cognitive strategies (e.g. mindfulness practices, cognitive restructuring) and two spiritual practices (e.g. meditation, connection with nature) aimed at enhancing mental and spiritual health.
3. complete a self-assessment and reflective journal documenting the impact of their implemented micro changes on their overall well-being, demonstrating an increased self-awareness
and understanding of the relationship between small, deliberate self-care actions and their professional efficacy.
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Yaro Starak, B.A., M.S.W and Gemma Garcia, MA

Yaro's journey into Gestalt therapy began at the Toronto Gestalt Institute in Canada, where he completed his training and graduated. He then joined the faculty at the Institute, teaching there for four years. In 1978, he immigrated to Australia and lectured at the University of Queensland.
For over twenty-five years, Yaro has been dedicated to teaching and training professionals and Gestalt groups across various regions, including Brisbane, Tasmani a, Sydney, and
international locations such as Sweden, Denmark, Mexico, Germany, and Spain. During this time, he has published and co-edited four books on Gestalt therapy and group processes, as
well as three training manuals. His extensive body of work also includes numerous articles in international journals on topics such as group work, Gestalt therapy, family therapy, alternative
living, men’s issues, and deep psychology.
In 2010, Yaro and his wife Gemma Garcia founded the first Gestalt Art Therapy Centre in Australia. For almost sixteen years, they have offered Gestalt Art Therapy CAT© training. Yaroalso maintains a private practice in Gestalt Art Therapy and Counseling, working with the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs to support individuals with PTSD. He is the author of books on Gestalt Psychotherapy & Group facilitation Co-Director Gestalt Art Therapy Centre-Australia.

Gemma Garcia is a Gestalt therapist, Ericksonian hypnotist, and visual artist. She studied Gestalt Therapy at the Gestalt Institute of Valencia and Ericksonian Hypnosis at the University of Valencia. She also holds an Aura-Soma Therapist Level 2 certification from Australia.
With 15 years of experience in emergency services for the Spanish government, Gemma conducted research with firefighters on the emotional impact of high-stress situations andapplied Gestalt Art Therapy to support them. As a visual artist, she studied classical art in Spain and was influenced by master sculptor Augustin Ahis. In 2010 Gemma co-founded the Gestalt Art Therapy Centre in Australia with Yaro Starak, the only such centre in the country. They organized the first Art Therapy Conferences in Bali and continue to develop Art Therapy Retreats in Australia and Spain, offering Gestalt Art Therapy CAT© training in Spanish and English. Her artistic journey and passion for personal growth
blend art and therapy to foster healing and self-discovery.
Gemma is curating annual Art Group Exhibitions in Australia from 2016. This year 2024, is Curating in Brisbane-Australia, the exhibition: “I See You. Joan Miro”, with seven more Australian Artists.

Supervision and Expressive Therapies Continuum for Art-Care

Maria Riccardi proposes an integrative supervision approach rooted in Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) concepts, emphasizing humility, role dynamics, and holistic practices. This supervision model highlights the significance of art materials in sessions, encouraging supervisees to explore their preferences, aversions, and projections through experiential learning.

Riccardi underscores the importance of the supervisor-supervisee bond, particularly in art therapy, where a secondary connection is formed through the shared use of art materials. This dual connection aims to align goals and foster mutual growth, enabling both the supervisor and supervisee to develop a stronger sense of self. By integrating these elements, the supervision process not only enhances professional competence but also nurtures personal and artistic growth.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. gain insight into the foundational concepts of integrative supervision, including Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC)
2. identify the importance of art materials in supervision sessions, recognizing how preferences, aversions, and projections influence the therapeutic process.
3. engage in experiential activities to understand and embody the roles of both supervisee and supervisor, enhancing their practical application of supervision concepts.
4. learn techniques to strengthen the supervisor-supervisee relationship, focusing on the dual connection formed through art materials and shared goals.
5. acquire strategies to build a stronger sense of self, not only as therapists but also as individuals and artists, through integrative supervision practices.

Materials needed: various art materials and at least 3 pages of paper.
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Maria Riccardi Ph.D.(c), M.A., M.Ed., ATR-BC, OPQ

Maria is a registered art therapist, a career counselor, a licensed clinical psychotherapist and the former president of the Quebec Art Therapy Association. She is an adjunct professor of art therapy at Concordia University and at l’Université du Québec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as a faculty member at Winnipeg Holistic Expressive Arts Therapy Institute. 

She collaborates with local non-profit organizations and mental health institutions, developing community-based art studio programs for adolescents and adults who are marginalized due to mental and physical health issues, immigration issues, and poverty. 

She has expertise with veterans living with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder within the context of trauma intervention as well as in the evaluation of art processes and products during treatment.  She has founded a clinic in Montreal based on the Expressive Therapies Continuum, providing educational and emotional support to children and families. 
Her current research interests include media properties and their role in assessment.
Presenter's site: www.imagesetc.ca

Supervision Series: An Art and Community Based Approach

This presentation introduces a novel approach to community-based supervision that shifts the focus from evaluating therapist skills and session details to a holistic support system. The goal is to help therapists reconnect with their strengths and identify areas for growth in both their professional and personal lives. Utilizing art-based exploration, participants engage with powerful metaphors from nature and the environment, allowing them to reflect on their values, goals, and progress toward their dreams. The presenters, seasoned supervisors, believe that therapists who remain attuned to their values, creativity, and curiosity can bring these qualities into their sessions. This strength-based approach uniquely features exploration in dyads and groups, fostering strong bonds among supervisees and creating a safe space for exploring and connecting with one's professional vision.

Learning Objectives:
At this end of this presentation, the participants will be able to: 1. Gain insight into the principles and concepts of community and art-based supervision, focusing on holistic support rather than traditional skills and session evaluation.
2. Assess how art-based exploration can be used as a tool for reflecting on personal and professional values, goals, and progress, enhancing self-awareness and understanding.
3. Evaluate the role of dyadic and group exploration in building strong professional relationships and creating a supportive environment for connecting with and articulating one's professional vision.
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Lindsay Clarke, MA, ATR, RCAT, CCC

Lindsay believes in the importance of nurturing community and creativity. For the past 10 years she has provided art therapy at a women’s shelter, schools, and art hives. She has enjoyed developing and facilitating community art exhibitions to support the voices of those who have survived violence, the impacts of suicide, and living through homelessness and mental illness.

She now offers art therapy to people of all ages at her Montreal studio, atelier lanterne. Her practice is with a focus on art making and creative process as a catalyst towards change, health, and empowerment. Her work is guided by principles of trauma-informed, attachment-based, and strength-based art therapy practices.
Lindsay provides supervision to individual art therapists and also within a community context, in order to facilitate ongoing growth, curiosity, and support.

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Carmen Oprea, MA, MFA, ATR-BC, RCAT

Carmen is a registered art therapist with post-graduate training in sandplay therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Holding master's degrees in art therapy and fine arts, she is currently a doctoral candidate in psychology.

Her professional career includes art therapy services for individuals and groups of all ages with various life challenges, at her clinic, Accès Art. She deeply resonates with Indigenous wisdom and strives to provide culturally sensitive art therapy to Inuit and First Nations adolescents.

Carmen is fortunate to be part of a dedicated team at Concordia University, engAGE Living Lab project and she is co-investigator in a research projects related to art therapy and depression at the same university.
She provides supervision to creative art therapists in person and online.

Resilient Roots - Discovering the Indigenous Soul of Wellbeing

This presentation underscores the significance of creativity as a vital conduit to accessing our resourceful and self-regenerative capacities. Through my journey, I have collaborated with mental health professionals and individuals from war-torn countries, highlighting burnout prevention strategies that focus on connecting with one's heart, needs, and goals. Additionally, my project in Cambodia empowered individuals to explore personal expression through music, allowing them to record their songs and voice their experiences uniquely. As a trained Life-cycle Celebrant, I will explain the importance of ceremonies and memorials for significant life events. A forotten practice in our current Western world, rituals and ceremonies to celebrate individual passages in and with the community, enabling both communities and individuals to navigate transitions, crises, and emergencies through engaging in healing, cultural rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations. This holistic approach aims to foster resilience and emotional well-being, demonstrating the profound impact of creativity and community ritual on mental health and personal fulfillment. The presentation will end with a brief experiential.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the presentation, the participants will be able to:
1. learn about the significance of creativity as a vital tool for accessing resourceful and self-regenerative capacities, and its application in preventing burnout by connecting with one's heart, needs, and goals.
2. discover the impact of musical expression on personal well-being, as demonstrated by the project in Cambodia, where individuals recorded their songs to uniquely voice their experiences.
3. gain insights into the role of ceremonies, memorials, and cultural rituals.

Materials needed: colours and paper
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Carolina Herbert, Ph.D., UKCP

Carolina Herbert is a musician, songwriter and therapist with a PHD in music and therapeutic songwriting in times of global crisis and transition. She weaves the worlds of sound, song and music with therapy and cultural diversity.
She is an arts psychotherapist, educator, clinical supervisor, and consultant. Founder and Director of Alkimia (CIC) Therapeutic Wellbeing Services,
Carolina has over 20 years experience working in conflict and post-conflict environments around the world. Her passion is the wellbeing of frontline practitioners and organisations that she serves.

Self-Care Practices in Times of Crisis

We are all weary of the dreaded burnout, yet sometimes we are caught off guard, or can simply see it coming but stand helpless, especially in times of crisis... this has been the case with us here in Lebanon, with the ongoing crisis (since October 2019) and it seems we wake up every day to a new low.
So how do we, as therapists, take care of ourselves?  How do we make sure to practice what we preach, especially when we know the ins and outs of our own practices, and whether we do them or not, we are always at the rest of a fall...
By practising simple AND fun multimodal activities that do not take much time, but yet keep us afloat and give us enough space to breathe and let go, we can make sure to remain one step ahead of a burnout.
I will present such activities as well as invite you practicing a couple of them in a workshop format.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. re-learn to remember to listen to their own rhythm.
2. experience re-appreciation of their input and work.
3. clear strategies to take care of themselves with simple, fun exercises.

Materials needed: any art materials, e.g. pens/pencils, a sharpie.
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Mike Ayvazian, MA

After finishing his BA and Masters in Theatre studies, Mike Haroutioun Ayvazian decided to take his inclinations towards social work with vulnerable populations a step further and studied expressive arts therapy (and social change) psychodrama, clay field therapy and dance movement therapy all around Europe and the Mediterranean.

He has co-founded two NGOs in Lebanon, HeLeM, (1999) the first LGBTQIA+ NGO in the middle east, where he has also provided art/drama therapy sessions and staged plays with LGBTQIA+ beneficiaries, and Astharté (2016) an NGO that provides art therapies, trainings, coaching and community art to beneficiaries in Lebanon, Syria and Armenia. He also co-founded ‘For the Art’ therapy centre in 2020, where he has been providing free art therapies for victims of the Beirut blast and beyond.

He has also been teaching acting and cultural subjects in schools (between 2001 and 2023) and private universities since 2015.

Self-Care through Celebration of Beauty and Meaning-Making: Morning Altars

We are in a time of massive cultural change and upheaval. Our families are stretched too thin, too many of us feel isolated and all of us, bombarded by constant distractions. We are groping for normal but normal seems nowhere to be found.
But even so, life still happens: Babies are born, people die, couples divorce, kids leave home for college. Big and small moments that make life life. But they need something more from us. They always have. They need us to make them meaningful.
Meaning-making is what restores our humanity and is my life’s purpose.
After spending the past 20-years empowering tens of thousands of people in 5-continents to make their lives more meaningful while connecting them to the moments that matter, Day presents his work that transcends borders and cultures. He presents important concepts that help us make sense of life, especially as it changes, by returning to the fundamentals: Nature, art, and meaning.
Through connecting us to his own journey of grief and healing through trusting the process and connecting to nature, he invites us to discover our own healthy rituals. They are sources to celebrate successes and failures, allow acceptance and reinforce identity, stimulate emotional connection, build a sense of belonging.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. explore the three key concepts that contribute to well-being and healing: nature, beauty, and meaning-making
2. explore the personal story with creating morning altars
3. identify at least two roles of rituals in processing grief and healing
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Day Schildkret

Day Schildkret is internationally renowned as the author, artist and teacher behind the Morning Altars movement, inspiring tens of thousands of people to make life more beautiful and meaningful through ritual, nature and art.
With nearly 100K followers on social media and sold-out workshops, installations, trainings, and public speaking events worldwide, BuzzFeed calls Day’s work, “a celebration of nature and life.” Day has worked for close to two decades with thousands of individuals, communities and organizations to help heal the culture through a meaningful and creative response to marking personal and collective change.

Day is the author of Hello, Goodbye: 75 Rituals for Times of Loss, Celebration and Change (Simon Element/Simon & Schuster) which hit Amazon’s #1 book in three categories, as well as, Morning Altars: A 7-Step Practice to Nourish Your Spirit through Nature, Art and Ritual (The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton). He is also the founder and principal instructor of the Morning Altars Practitioner & Teacher Training.

Day has taught workshops and created installations at Google, The 9/11 Memorial Plaza, The Hammerstein Ballroom, The Andy Warhol Foundation, California Academy of Sciences, Esalen, and many others.  His work has been featured on NBC, CBS, Buzzfeed, Vice, Well+Good, My Modern Met and four times in Spirituality & Health Magazine.

More about Day at morningaltars.com and dayschildkret.com and @morningaltars on Instagram / Facebook.

Using Joy as a Metric for Self and Collective Care and Liberation

“Mental health is everywhere, which means the possibility for joy is also everywhere.” - Thea Monyeé

Oppressive structures and systems are the root of most dis-ease/suffering, and the system of mental health is no exception. By removing ourselves from participating in these harmful systems and placing ourselves in a context that supports our knowing and thriving, we may allow ourselves to reimagine mental health care as a joy-centered experience.

Founded by Thea Monyeé, the Blacker the Brain (TBTB) is an interdisciplinary collective committed to healing and uplifting marginalized/colonized spirits, minds, and bodies and sustainably shifting systems and culture through ancestrally supported and joy-centered practices. This conversational presentation introduces the TBTB Joy Metric as a self and collective care resource.

The TBTB Joy Metric was created to humanize both clients/patients/students/etc. and practitioners/educators/etc. by exemplifying the purpose of joy in their interactions and choices. It is intended to shift culture and systems towards interconnected, effective and sustainable practices rooted in decolonized praxis, and away from violent white supremacist, capitalist policies and values that harm all forms of life within our society.

In this learning experience, we enliven self-discovery and inquiry by centering joy. How may we be better resourced while caring for ourselves, each other, and the world? How may you begin to use the joy metric as an essential tool to reclaim agency? Can we more deeply root ourselves in wholeness through joy praxis?

You will be guided on an embodied inquiry into how to discover where joy lives inside of you, the places where there is a loss of joy, your relationship with joy as a metric, and how to bring joy praxis into being.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, the participants will be able to:
1. Identify the Impact of Oppressive Systems on Mental Health
2. Explore the TBTB Joy Metric as a resource for self and collective care
3. Implement Joy Praxis in Daily Life
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Susannah Horwitz, MA, LPC, LMHC

Susannah is a trauma-informed, nature based expressive arts therapist and licensed professional counselor, with dual licensure in Massachusetts and Colorado. She received her Masters degree in Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapies from Lesley University in 2003. She was an expressive arts therapist and director of the Project Launch college and career access program at RAW Art Works from 2004-2013. 
Susannah is a Certified EMDR Therapist, Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional, Certified Level II Clinical Trauma Professional, Skylight Psychedelics Certified KA Therapist, and has also recently completed a year-long intensive training with Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI) to become a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist.
In her private practice, she loves to bring therapy clients "off the couch" and into the outdoors for therapy retreat intensives to help them connect with the multifaceted powers of imagination, sense of humor, playfulness, and creativity to heal trauma and thrive. In addition to her practice, she is the founder of the Well-Connected Therapist coaching program, which she created to support introverted private practice therapists to build community through embodied, authentic connection.
Susannah has been a member of The Blacker The Brain cohort and community since 2022.
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Marcela Washington

Marcela Washington is a Los Angeles-based mindful professional, holistic fitness coach, womxn’s well-being advocate, and celebrity personal trainer. She is a gentle spirit yet powerfully activated by the desire to heal and compassionately care for self and collective.  With over 20 years in the wellness industry, Marcela’s balanced approach, motivational techniques, and mindfulness only add to the effectiveness of the experience her clients enjoy. She has gracefully guided womxn through fitness and life journeys which have earned her the reputation of being a “fitness empowerment coach” who empathetically reconditions the body mindful of spirit.

International Meditation Teacher Association and MNDFL certified, Marcela brings her expertise to individuals, organization members, and communities to facilitate  integrating mindful habits into their work/life culture.   As co-director of outreach & a contributing faculty member at The Lab of Meditation, She supports health services, social counselors, and frontline workers’ core well being and complements organization’s wellness programs. Her teaching area of focus is on the development of active meditation practices as a way for individuals and communities to replenish energy, access resourcefulness, reclaim agency, and uplift joy. She thematically teaches on engaging social justice through an alchemy of Love, Joy, and meditation.
Currently, her work includes the cultivation of collective practice spaces in workplaces, positive emotions in mindfulness, and enlivening embodied practices..

Marcela is an active co-heart member & Joy Metric Fire Steward for The Blacker The Brain, where “being” a non-clinician, she  harmoniously reminds us of “our humanistic and holistic existence.” She is the co-creator of The Embodied Pause Method, a Body of Culture centered methodology and guided practice rooted in somatic awareness, dynamic inquiry, embodied social justice, and collective care. She is also the founder of Melanin Workouts, an exercise community that supports Black Women’s health and fitness. 
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Kristina Esopo

Kristina Esopo (she/they/we) is a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, located on the unceded lands of the Chumash people. Through their teaching, mentorship, therapeutic work, and research, Kristina is passionate about weaving together intersectional, relational-cultural, and liberatory social justice approaches to resist and dismantle systems of oppression, heal ancestral and intergenerational trauma, and enhance joy and thriving, especially within the queer and trans community. She is a member and steward of The Blacker the Brain, and her dissertation research focuses on exploring the use and impact of the Joy Metric as an anti-colonial, joy-centered approach to therapy. As a white-bodied, queer, nonbinary person, Kristina finds her own joy as a student of nature and the decolonial movement, committed to the lifelong work of unlearning and divesting from the white colonial mind to restore harmony and balance and co-create a more loving, liberatory, and joy centered world.

Building Resilience through Humor

In recent years, Sandy El Bitar have developed a unique therapy intervention aimed at building resilience by enhancing our sense of humor. This intervention focuses on cultivating five key humor habits: developing a playful attitude, feeling and expressing emotions, finding humor in everyday life, learning to laugh at oneself, and discovering humor amidst stress.

During the pandemic, she successfully applied this intervention with four groups of frontline workers at two different CLSCs in Montreal, addressing high stress and burnout. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Encouraged by these results, she is now extending this intervention to government workers.

This presentation and workshop will explore the transformative power of humor in reshaping our narratives and enhancing our quality of life, emphasizing its role as a key element in the art of living.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:
1. identify the five key humor habits
2. apply humor techniques in high-stress environments and burnout-prone environments.
3. assess the transformative power of humor in improving mental health and quality of life, based on case studies presented.
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Sandy El Bitar, MA

Sandy El Bitar is a Lebanese Canadian multidisciplinary artist, producer, drama therapist, and researcher based in Montreal. Born in Lebanon at the end of the civil war and witnessing subsequent conflicts, she immigrated to Canada in 2010. Sandy's upbringing amidst adversity sparked her fascination with the absurd, people's imaginations, their inner wisdom, and the healing power of humor. Academically diverse, Sandy holds degrees in theater, recreation and leisure studies, psychology, and drama therapy.

Her professional journey with humor began in 2008 when she started working as a clown doctor in healthcare facilities across Lebanon and later in Canada, where she witnessed firsthand its positive impact on resilience in diverse settings such as hospitals, retirement homes, and palliative care.

Developing a heightened sensitivity to the use of good-natured humor in delicate situations, Sandy integrates humor into her therapeutic practice to ease tension, build connections, and provide emotional relief. Her approach incorporates tools from expressive arts therapies, play, and trauma-informed techniques, aimed at facilitating healing and personal growth. In recognition of her dedication to advancing therapeutic practices, in 2019, Sandy received the Student Award in Preventive Health Research from Concordia's Perform Centre. This prestigious grant supported her ongoing research to develop her therapeutic intervention aimed at bolstering resilience, through humour and play, among individuals facing high stress and burnout. Her work exemplifies a commitment to bridging academic research with practical, impactful strategies that empower individuals to navigate and overcome adversity.

Outside her therapeutic work, Sandy is deeply engaged in a creative journey that merges personal experiences with imaginative playful exploration. Co-founding Abjad Howse upon relocating to Montreal in late 2018, she has ventured into Arabic stand-up comedy within the collective, amplifying Arab voices in the arts. Sandy's return to Lebanon in 2022 for six months immersed her in the country's burgeoning stand-up scene, culminating in her English stand-up debut with "They go Low, We go Laugh" in September 2022. Since then, she has established herself as a regular performer in local clubs and producer of her own shows.

Beyond traditional comedy, Sandy produces "Not for Laughs," a distinctive show that transcends mere entertainment. It serves as a carefully curated journey through stand-up comedy, storytelling and interactive experiences, delving into serious and thought-provoking topics. This platform invites the community to come together, share stories, and challenge conventional comedic norms. It aims to spark meaningful conversations and promote social impact, redefining the role of humor in fostering deeper connections, resilience and understanding among audiences.

Sandy's core ethos centers around creativity, playfulness and humour, evident in her artistic, therapeutic, and personal pursuits, as she uses them to foster connection, healing, and personal transformation in diverse communities and contexts.

Exploring Psychic Hazards in the Therapist Profession

Introduction
The therapist profession is often enveloped in mystery, discovery, and grandeur. Its most romantic and noble image is that of powerful magic, idolisation, and admiration, where the pain is transcended, and wounds are transformed into health. However, while transference and countertransference are periodically referenced in therapy literature, particularly in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic traditions, the psychic hazards and vulnerabilities that therapists face are seldom discussed in contemporary therapy literature. This presentation will explore these psychic hazards, exploring their nature, status, and presentation.
Psychic Hazards in Therapy
Psychic hazards in therapy can range from projections and transferential material to conscious and unconscious provocations of unresolved, unmetabolised, non-symbolized, and underdeveloped material for both the therapist and the service user. These hazards can be elicited by exposure to behaviours and thoughts that awaken the therapist's slumbering, ungrieved, and unlived lives.
Behaviours such as abruptly discontinuing therapy can provoke doubts about the therapist's competencies and unprocessed abandonment issues. Working with service users who excel in areas where the therapist has unfulfilled desires can provoke envy and competition, reflecting unmet desires or goals. Extended training can lead to beliefs of omnipotence and invincibility. When these are challenged—such as when clients do not improve or drop out of therapy—therapists' wounds can be exposed, contributing to professional burnout.
Impact of Psychic Hazards
Exposure to psychic hazards can diminish a therapist's capacity to support service users effectively and impact their overall emotional well-being. The cumulative effect of these hazards can lead to therapist attrition, reducing the workforce and quality of care available to service users.
Mitigating Psychic Hazards
To promote well-being and mitigate psychic hazards, therapists can employ a tripartite approach involving supervision, personal therapeutic work, and participation in a learning and growth community. Supervision provides a professional reflection on the therapist's effectiveness in service-user interactions and offers a space for addressing and processing transferential material and other psychic hazards. Personal therapeutic work allows therapists to attend to their growth issues and unresolved material, supporting continuous personal development and resilience. A learning and growth community creates a supportive environment for therapists to explore their growth needs and fosters a foundational and unwavering commitment to personal and professional development.
Conclusion
The tripartite approach of supervision, personal therapy, and participation in a learning and growth community enhances resilience against psychic hazards and promotes continuous personal and professional development.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
1.    Recognise and understand the concept of psychic hazards in therapy.
2.    Implement a tripartite approach to care and growth, including supervision, personal therapy engagement, and cultivating learning and growth communities.
3.    Develop strategies for fostering continuous personal and professional growth by integrating reflective practices, addressing individual issues, and tending to their wounds in supportive environments.

References
Buie, D. H. (1982). The abandoned therapist. International Journal of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 9, 227-231.
Ehrmann, M. (1948). Desiderata: A Poem for a Way of Life. Crown Publishing Group.
Houston, J. (2006). Midwife of souls. cpossible.be/downloads/edge_life.pdf
McBeath, A.G. (2019). The motivations of psychotherapists: An in‐depth survey. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.
Sussman, M. B. (Ed.). (1995). A perilous calling: The hazards of psychotherapy practice. John Wiley & Sons.
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Nsamu Moonga, MA

Nsamu Moonga is a Zambian-born, classically trained singer and licensed music therapist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and as a professional psychotherapist with the Zambia Counselling Council. Nsamu holds a BA in Psychology and an MMT. He has served on the World Federation of Music Therapy, the International Association for Music and Medicine, the International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapies, and the South African National Arts Therapies Association. Nsamu, a PhD candidate at the University of Pretoria, is a lecturer at the University of Pretoria and the University of Johannesburg. Nsamu’s PhD research explores how people with cancer can utilise the indigenous musical arts to manage anxiety and distress. He has multiple publications, including book chapters and journal articles, and is a regular speaker at conferences. He also serves on the editorial boards of two journals, Voices and the South African Journal of the Arts Therapies. His work explores health, lifestyle choices, medical complications, human sexualities, gender, spiritual experiences, and psychosocial support, focusing on anti-oppressive practices and non-interventionist practices.

Healing and Self-Care Through Nature-Based Therapy Techniques

This presentation addresses the unique challenges creative therapists face in staying true to themselves amidst the social, political, environmental, and economic crises surrounding us. As therapists, we cannot ignore these realities, as clients often bring them into the therapeutic space. However, it is crucial to have strategies to avoid becoming overwhelmed or feeling hopeless. This presentation explores how therapists can find their path as activists and change-makers within their communities, leveraging their strengths.
Through an anthropological lens, we will examine how humans have historically lived in communion with nature, recognizing our interconnectedness. The presentation critiques the inflated ego and belief in human dominance over the planet, which have led to environmental degradation. It advocates for a return to a more harmonious coexistence with nature and one another. The session concludes by encouraging therapists to connect with their hearts and become advocates within their capacities, promoting change and healing.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, the participants will be able to:
1. Explore the influence of social, political, environmental, and economic crises on therapeutic work
2. Explore the importance of addressing current world issues realistically within the therapeutic space.
3. Develop strategies to manage feelings of overwhelm and hopelessness, enabling therapists to maintain their well-being and effectiveness in challenging times.
4. Investigate the historical and anthropological perspectives on human-nature relationships, understanding the shift from a communion-based existence to one of dominance and control. 5. Emphasize the importance of connecting with one's heart and values in therapeutic work, fostering a compassionate and engaged approach that inspires clients and therapists to be agents of change.
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Jeannette Fiott, MA

Jeannette Fiott is an accomplished art psychotherapist and contemporary artist, holding an MSc in Art Psychotherapy from Queen Margaret University, Scotland. As Founder, Managing Director, and Chief Visionary of eArtH Projects Limited, she champions the intersection of arts and health. She chairs the Creative Women Platform in Malta, fostering networking, innovation, and mentorship among influential women.

Jeannette also advises the Global Youth Development and Empowerment Council and co-directs the GSAH Collaborative for Global North Arts & Health.

With nearly a decade of experience, she has developed and implemented art psychotherapy programs across diverse settings.
Additionally, she coordinates the EFAT Eco Art Therapy Special Interest Group in Europe and serves as Country Chair for G100 Arts Leadership and Films.
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