Introduction to Expressive Arts Therapy: Solutions for Trauma-Focused Care

At this engaging and practically oriented seminar with Dr Jamie Marich, our learning objectives are:

• Describe the origins of expressive arts therapy (e.g., indigenous traditions, historical threads in Jungian analysis, person-centered psychotherapy, and Gestalt psychotherapy)
• Define expressive arts therapy and explain its nature as a multi-modal, multi-art process
• Explain the concept of grounding and why teaching it to clients is relevant in trauma-focused care
• Implement an expressive arts process to teach grounding in a clinical setting (individual or group), using at least three creative art forms

Seminar Schedule:

Session 1: Fundamentals of Expressive Arts Therapy in Healing Trauma

• Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy
  • History & Definitions
  • Principles of Expressive Arts Therapy (Natalie Rogers)
  • Expressive vs. creative
• Expressive arts and trauma-informed care
• The neuroscience of creativity and expression
• Enhancing possibilities in trauma-treatment
• Case examples and discussion

Session 2: Applications in Teaching the Skill of Grounding

• Defining grounding
  • Importance as a trauma-informed skill/intervention
  • Perspectives
• Experiential expressive arts process
  • Visualization
  • Dance/movement
  • Visual Art
  • Writing
• Implementing expressive arts interventions
  • Ideas for bolstering trauma-focused treatment plans
  • Exploring options for further training and study

About the Speaker

Jamie Marich, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LICDC-CS, REAT, RYT-200, RMT

Dr Jamie Marich began her career working for humanitarian aid in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 2000-2003. As the founder of the Institute for Creative Mindfulness, she travels internationally, speaking on topics related to EMDR therapy, trauma, addiction, expressive arts therapy, mindfulness, and yoga while maintaining a private practice in her home town of Warren, OH. She is the developer of the Dancing Mindfulness practice and regularly trains facilitators to take this unique practice into both clinical and community settings.

Dr Marich is the author of several books on trauma recovery: Process Not Perfection: Expressive Arts Solutions for Trauma Recovery (2019), EMDR Therapy & Mindfulness for Trauma-Focused Care (2018, with Dr Stephen Dansiger), Dancing Mindfulness: A Creative Path to Healing and Transformation (2015), Trauma Made Simple (2014), Creative Mindfulness (2013), Trauma and the Twelve Steps (2012), and EMDR Made Simple (2011). She is also an outspoken, freely sharing on her own experiences in recovery from dissociative disorder.