<div>Inspired by the Elements, our Art Health and Wellbeing Course will provide opportunities to address unprocessed tensions held in mind & body</div><div style="margin-top: 20px"><div style="margin: 20px 10px;font-size: 15px;line-height: 22px;font-weight: 400;text-align: left;"><p>By drawing awareness toward the dynamics of somatically held memories, we will dive into the multi-layered concepts of self we all contain. Through focusing on natural elements, we will use; image making, metaphors, meditations, and gentle movements to reflect on neurological processing and how the body holds emotions. Using ways of validating lived experiences, the guided activities will provide opportunities to holistically integrate mind and body with the chance of mitigating and releasing stress.</p><p><strong>Course Outline</strong></p><p>4 Session themes for 1.5 hr each on a Wednesday from 19:00 to 20:30 on the following dates:</p><ul><li>Earth and Water - 02 February 2022</li><li>Wood and Fire - 09 February 2022</li><li>Metal and Wind - 16 February 2022</li><li>Space and Inner Witness - 23 February 2022</li></ul><p><strong>Course summary</strong></p><p>Introductions &amp; settling to comfortable seated position</p><p>Guided breathing practice &amp; meditation introducing the 7 elements; Earth &amp; Water, Wood &amp; Fire, Metal &amp; Wind and Space, continuing with awareness of an Inner Witness which sits at the centre with calm attention inner and outer phenomena. </p><p>Transition to Art Making Activity to reflect on the 2 elements of each session i.e. Earth &amp; Water. Using art materials, proceed to create expressions for how these elements are felt in the body and remembered or thought about in the mind. Using both hands in the making process, working bilaterally when possible.</p><p>Pause the art making, stand &amp; stretch, have a break.</p><p>In discussion, introduce aspects for how working bilaterally affects the brain/body connection, how the effects of meditation &amp; breathing practices work to balance the nervous systems of the body and how group sharing provides a sense of community and containment. Continue for open reflective sharing of members experience of the session.</p><p><strong>Course experts</strong></p><p><strong>Colleen Steiner Westling</strong> is an HCPC MA Art &amp; Environmental Art Psychotherapist and Supervisor. She is also a 800+hrs IAYT Yoga and Meditation Therapist specialising in physical &amp; mental wellbeing relating to various health conditions including PTSD.</p><p>Colleen enjoys teaching about the wonderful wisdom of the mind / body connection, and that trauma responses are split second biological intelligence which can take a lifetime for clients to understand.</p><p><strong>Gary Nash</strong>, Dip AT, MAAT is a HCPC registered art therapist who trained in 1989 and 1995 at both Goldsmiths’ and St Albans. He has developed a private practice since 1995 alongside his work in social services, the voluntary sector and mainstream education. Co-founder of the London Art Therapy Centre in 2009, where he is a practitioner-researcher providing individual and group art psychotherapy and delivering professional workshops and training for arts therapists and leading on arts-based research.</p><p>Gary teaches at the University of Hertfordshire on the Foundation in Arts Therapies course, Executive CPD and short course programme.</p><p>Contact us</p><p>If you wish to discuss this or any other Creative Arts short courses, please contact the short course team on 01707 285327 or ad-shortcourses@herts.ac.uk</p><p>Online access</p><ul><li>All our online courses are taught remotely using Zoom. The classes will be delivered live giving all students the opportunity to fully engage in the lessons with the tutor and other students.</li><li>You will need a pc or mac laptop.</li><li>Log in details to join the course online will be provided after enrolment.</li></ul></div></div>