Intellectual Disability: Creative Arts Approaches for Therapeutic Practice and Everyday Life
Fri 26 Jan 2024 - Fri 14 Jun 2024
Conference Centre, St. John of God, Stillorgan Rd, A94YX77
Description
This series of six experiential workshops* will introduce the Creative and Expressive Arts Therapies of Play, Art, Dance and Movement, Drama, and Music , and how a creative therapeutic approach can be built into both therapeutic practice and everyday activites.
10.00am -12.30pm Fridays
in person: Conference Centre, St. John of Gods, Stillorgan / online
*Don't worry if you have missed a workshop, you will receive a video recording of the presentation (subject to each presenter's permission to record), and the suggested readings for each workshop.
Each workshop will facilitate participants to experience the art form and to build their skills in using play, art, dance, movement and music in their interactions and activities with children and /or adults with intellectual disability. Each one will provide takeaway skills that can be used within relationships which are person centred, safe and fun. These experiential workshops may be of interest to all with a curiosity in discovering how creative and expressive arts can support children and adults with intellectual disability as well as enriching their own practice.
Who are they for? The workshops are of value to both clinicians (psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and any other clinician who works with children and adults with disabilities) and also to care staff, family members and anyone who would like to enrich their interactions in creative ways. The skills learned can be used in both therapeutic and everyday settings.
Timetable:
9.45 -10.00am Tea/Coffee Registration
10.00 -10.50am Presentation. Q and A.
10.50.- 11.10am Tea/Coffee break
11.10 - 12.05pm approx. Experiential Workshop (more info will be provided for individual workshops, no prior experience needed!)
12.05 - 12.30pm Discussion
Workshop 1: Friday 26th January 2024
Name of Presenter: Dr Eimir McGrath, Psychotherapist & Play Therapist
Presentation Title: Playful connections. Nurturing relationships through the use of therapeutic play techniques.
Play Therapy is a modality of psychotherapy that uses creative means of communication and relationship-building that does not necessarily require words. It is often misunderstood as being only for use with children, but in fact is a valuable approach to use with everyone as it engages all parts of the person in relationship, not just verbal aspects. As a modality, it is valuable where words are not always accessible, particularly with trauma and/or intellectual disability.This workshop will provide therapeutic techniques that can be applied in all situations, both clinical and non clinical, to connect, support and build empathic attunement with those with intellectual disabilities.
About the Presenter: Eimir McGrath PhD, MIAPTP, MIAHIP, ICP Reg,, MIPD(UK) is a Psychotherapist and Play Therapist who works with both children and adults with and without disabilities, and is also a specialist in working with attachment, complex trauma and dissociative disorders. Eimir is a founder member and current Convenor of Disability Psychotherapy Ireland and Secretary of the Institute of Psychotherapy and Disability, UK. As Co-Director of the Relate Ability Centre, she provides psychotherapy, supervision and consultancy to various agencies and disability services in Ireland and Europe. Eimir is a researcher, writer, lecturer and trainer both nationally and internationally in several disciplines including psychotherapy, play therapy, critical disability studies and dance.
Workshop 2: Friday 23rd February 2024
Name of Presenter: Rebecca O’Connor, Neurologic Music Therapist
Presentation Title: Identifying and experiencing the benefits of music therapy intervention
This presentation will outline the benefits and impact of music therapy in working with children and adults with intellectual disability. Music therapy theories as well as specific music-based methods that can be utilised to facilitate social interactions, communication and emotional expression will be described, explored and illustrated with clinical examples. Musical techniques and methods will be outlined to provide a music based 'tool kit' to support clinical work.
About the Presenter: Rebecca qualified as a nurse before training as a music therapist and has 33 years music therapy experience in health and education. She established the music therapy service and was Lead music therapist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. She established the music therapy service at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH), Dublin working with children and adults who have had an acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury. She is currently Service Lead of the Creative Arts Therapies Service at the NRH. Rebecca is a Senior Lecturer on a number of Master’s therapy training courses with a special interest in research, has a Masters in research methodologies, is a qualified Neurologic Music Therapist and publishes and presents regularly on her work.
Workshop 3: Friday 22nd March 2024
Name of Presenter: Annette Williams, Creative Psychotherapist.
Presentation Title: A Creative Exploration of Co-Regulation and Intersubjectivity in the Therapeutic Space.
As we work closely with others, particularly in a helping role it elicits patterns held in our Automatic Nervous System (ANS) which shape our perceptions, reactions and behaviours, often on an unconscious level. Knowing our own selves and bringing our typical ANS patterns into greater conscious awareness gives us huge insight into both their trauma and therapeutic needs. This session will introduce a Polyvagal approach to creating an Autonomic Map, both for ourselves and with our clients. This mapping provides insight into interpersonal dynamics and how they play out in the clinical, educational or therapeutic environment. The non-verbal aspects of this process are accessed by the creative therapies, using shape, colour and symbol. The map can become something we can live with and add to as we continue to develop awareness and skills in our lives and work.
About the Presenter: Annette worked as part of the Síolta initiative (National Framework for Quality in Early Childhood Development and Education) being responsible for co-ordinating the strand of research pertaining to children with additional support needs. Using an integration of qualifications in Psychology, Integrative Psychotherapy, Therapeutic Play and Art Therapy, she has provided a private Creative Psychotherapy practice for over a decade. She has also worked developing, accrediting and delivering training (level 8) within the Counselling and Creative Psychotherapy field.
Workshop 4: Friday 19th April 2024
Name of Presenter: Bernadette Kenny
Presentation Title: Kids beyond limits. The use of drama and movement as an expression of awakening the brain and transforming the life of your/a child to unlock creative potential.
About the Presenter: Bernadette is a qualified Laban Movement, dance and drama specialist and educator, and holds a 4-year qualification in the Feldenkrais Method®. She is qualified in The Embodied Life (a synthesis of the Feldenkrais Method, Zen meditation and Focusing); The Anat Baniel Method in Process Oriented Psychology and is also a qualified play therapist and child psychotherapist. Bernadette has synthesized her training and experience into a somatic therapy that addresses the whole self through integrating the perceived split of the body & mind. She uses deeply rooted mindfulness and body awareness to enhance the full potential of each person, regardless of perceived abilities or function. She invites the body, through awareness, to become the immensely powerful and intelligent ally it was meant to be. |
Workshop 5: Friday 24th May, '24
Name of Presenter: Linda Higgins, Dance Specialist.
Presentation Title: Shadow Dance: Moving in someone else’s shoes
Every person moves in their own distinctive way. In this workshop we will step into another person's way of moving to experience how they move through our own bodies. The workshop starts together with some breathing exercises and then moves into a gentle whole body warm up. I will then lead a mirrored movement session with the group before everyone pairs up and does some of their own shadow/mirror movement work. The movement is all everyday actions...no formal dance experience is necessary. Just bring yourself, your curiosity, and easy clothes and shoes to move in.
About the Presenter: Linda studied and qualified as a teacher of dance at the College of the Royal Academy of Dance in London. She is a certified personal trainer, advanced Pilates mat-work instructor, neuromuscular therapist, and sports massage therapist. Each of these elements, alongside a long-term practice in yoga, somatic movement, and Feldenkrais, influences her teaching ethos and practice.
Linda was the principal of Dublin Ballet School from 2003-2016 and is currently the fundamental and creative movement dance teacher for St. John of God Special School in Islandbridge. She also teaches on the dance course and teaches disability studies on the health care courses in Inchicore College of Further Education where she is also the Director of Adult Education.
Workshop 6: Friday 14th june 2024
Name of Presenter: Sorca McGrath, Psychotherapist and Play Therapist
Presentation Title: Sharing Space, Techniques for Creative Groupwork.
This presentation will look at the use of collaborative, creative storytelling with children and adults who share space together. Groups are led through an autonomic nervous system adventure using movement, sound, voice, and shared attention, facilitating a reflective space where individuals begin to see each other as co-regulating partners and allies in a shared world. Focus is on relationship building, self and co-regulation, right brain connection, and enriching emotional expression through creative group collaboration.
About the Presenter: Sorca McGrath MA, MIAPTP (Supervisor) MIPD (UK) MEAIP (EU) is a psychotherapist, play therapist and supervisor accredited by The Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP), holds certification with The European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (EAIP) and is a member of The Institute of Disability Psychotherapy (IPD) She is a board member for the IAPTP National Executive Committee and currently serves as vice Chairperson. Sorca is also a member of Disability Psychotherapy Ireland (DPI) and has presented her work nationally, focussing on the use of creative psychotherapy approaches with neurodiverse people. Sorca specialises in attachment and trauma work and has extensive experience working with people, young and old, living in care. She has created the Every Body Moves™ range of therapeutic programmes for groups, based on an embodied approach to relationship and emotional regulation. Sorca has a special interest in working with organisations who provide residential care in Ireland, developing ways of sharing psychotherapeutic, language, theory and therapeutic thinking from the top down.
Location
Conference Centre, St. John of God, Stillorgan Rd, A94YX77