A Fruitful Summer

Happy fall!

While many students returned to school this past week, our art therapy and expressive arts therapy diploma students have wrapped up their summer intensives and are moving forward with their practicum placements and online coursework.

The summer started with our second year diploma students learning how to work with groups, youth and seniors. They also completed classes on using art therapy to address addictions and spent two days immersed in the world of business, learning basic skills to help establish their own private practices.

Students were invited to a series of experimental learning classes - including drama therapy and modalities in the expressive arts.

"Principles of Drama Therapy with Csilla Przibislawsky was such a nourishing experience, where I completed the course with an abundance of tools and knowledge that can be integrated into my practice. Csilla taught beautifully and seamlessly in way that allowed for easy understanding of the material through a very experiential way of learning. I'm very grateful for this experience!"

Students explored the use of poetry with Di Brandt (Winnipeg's first Poet Laureate) and embraced their inner clowns with our first Therapeutic Clowning class!

Students sit outside the St. Norbert Arts Centre with Di Brandt (pictured on far right)

Red noses on! Students participating in the first Therapeutic Clowning class offered by WHEAT Institute

"Not only was the clowning course fun and interactive, but I gained so much knowledge in the wonderful, powerful healing world of therapeutic clowning. We need more clowns!"

These were followed by our much-loved movement (Butoh dance) class, where students explore the beauty, expression and freedom of moving! Expressive arts therapy students spent five days with Kathleen Horne, an instructor seen as an "asset to the expressive arts therapy field" by our students. First and second-year students also explored Indigenous woodland style art with Victoria McIntosh. Be sure to check out our last blog post for photos of their beautiful art work!

Our summer intensives concluded with our first year art therapy students spending 10 days with Karen Wallace, where they looked at the different research, skills and techniques of art therapy and were introduced to working with trauma.

Art work created by our first year Art Therapy students during Karen's classes

During our last week of art therapy classes WHEAT had a surprise visitor! John Reyes, MLA for St. Norbert, was at the St. Norbert Arts Centre (SNAC) to announce the government’s commitment to local investments by awarding a community places grant of $35,554 to help support SNAC’s Accessibility Upgrade Project. While he was there he dropped in to say hello to our students.

Twitter post from John Reyes, MLA for St. Norbert, on August 30, 2018. John is pictured speaking to students on the far left and is with WHEAT Director Darci Adam on the top right.

John Reyes, MLA for St. Norbert (far left) presenting SNAC with a community places grant. WHEAT Director Darci Adam was present (far right).

As the summer wraps up WHEAT is looking ahead to our fall and winter classes. We will soon be announcing all the final workshop dates for the Expressive Arts Therapy Certificate program which begins in November. There are also a couple of spots left in our popular Focus Centred Art Therapy class with Karen Wallace November 9-12.

If you are interested in registering for any of our classes or programs please contact us info@wheatinstitute.com

September 6, 2018