In May 12, 2012, IATA hosted a CEU training event with Judy Sutherland
on Adlerian Art Therapy to about 20 participants. The focus of the
workshop was on art therapy as related to Adlerian theory. The three
hours included creating two drawings--what frustrates you, and what
fulfills you--that were then explored by sharing and processing the
images created with the group. Judy reflected that you can see through
the artwork what is going on in your life at the moment and how the
art-making process taps into who you are and what you believe. For
those willing to volunteer, we looked at how we each heard the
instructions, where we placed our images in relation to one another,
and what that might say about how we move through life and the
relationship between frustration and fulfillment. Judy emphasized how
we have choice in what we are telling ourselves and offered
encouragement for participants to change something about their image
if they wanted. Participants included some people new to Adlerian
concepts as well as some more well-versed, and several people
attending an IATA event for the first time.
 One participant had even taken a course many years ago with Tee Dreikurs, Judy's mentor and
author of Cows Can Be Purple: My Life and Art Therapy, and was able to
share her experience of that with the group. A student visitor from
Northwestern University was also in attendance and commented on the
rich sharing and openness of the group and process, which was very
moving for her.

May 11, 2012

SPEAK PEACE is an exhibit of 34 selected artworks on themes of peace and war on loan from the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam paired with response poems to the images by American children, veterans and established poets. Suellen Semekoski led a discussion on the condition of people who were affected by bio-weapon and other after-mass of the war in Vietnam. 

On May 5th, the Illinois Art Therapy Association partnered with Equestrian Connection's community art group and art therapy program in Lake Forest, IL to integrate "hopeful resilience" within Equestrian Connection's community.  The "Tree of Hope" tied into Children Mental Health Awareness Day's theme "Heroes of Hope".  A 7 week project, community art group gave new life to a dead tree on the property naming it "Tree of Hope."  The group debarked the tree, showing its inner beauty and then added bird houses and symbols of hope.  The group also planted corn flowers around the tree as an organic fence.  The community members of Equestrian Connection are "Heroes of Hope."  Thank you IATA for helping paint bird houses and symbols of hope!

On April 21st, the Outreach Committee held a workshop at Fulton Collective entitled Expose Yourself: Move past the fear and learn to create connectivity as an Art Therapist. The workshop covered methods of exposure and awareness for art therapists, including: how to run an in-service within a community or organization, resources for grant writing and building a website, making yourself marketable as an art therapist, and how to network with other professionals. During the three-hour experiential, participants received hands-on training in delivering their elevator spiel, promoting their profession and their art therapy identity, developing plans for future in-services, and brainstorming and connecting with peers. To receive your own Expose Yourself Learning Kit, please contact amysmethurst@gmail.com.

This spring IATA was involved in the Cupcakes and a Cause event in Highland Park.  This enjoyable event was hosted at Hoffman High School and raised community awareness for autism. Thousands of cupcakes donated by local bakers and families were sold to raise money for programs, such as Autism Speaks, that support individuals with autism. There was a large turnout to the event, along with an exciting interest in the art making and information provided by IATA. Many families within the Chicagoland school districts traveled to support this cause and participate in the event. In addition to the wide selection of cupcakes, artistic performances by children’s dance teams and choirs provided entertainment. Two IATA student representatives provided the event attendees with the opportunity to engage in an art making activity, that included mandala making, and with information about art therapy and the IATA chapter. The IATA table was a hit among the families. Hoffman High allowed the artwork that was created at the event to remain displayed in the school cafeteria. 

Feb 28 12-1:30pm

Jenifer Korotko LCPC, ATR and Cherie Lusky LCPC, ATR  Of Create Counseling Center LLC  presented to a room of about 20 University of Illinois at Chicago hospital staff.   The audience was nurses and social workers.  The title of the talk was “Express yourself: Art therapy in the medical setting.”  Jenifer and Cherie discussed a few major points in their presentation which included the Definition of art therapy, where they work and have worked/volunteered, The expressive therapies continuum and importance of knowledge of material,  two art experiential (one with clay and a group discussion on how playing with clay makes you feel, and one directive with pastels and paper),  examples of art in the medical environment, examples of art and healing of the body/brain during physical therapy rehabilitation after a stroke,  art in the VA and the benefits of art therapy with veterans,  art therapy in crisis intervention in a hospital setting,  title protection and how we obtain our credentials, advice as to where to gain more information when choosing to use art in therapy and inpatient psychiatric hospital art therapy examples of utilizing art therapy.  

On Friday, February 24th, 2012, IATA held a special program with Bruce Moon, For the Love of Resistance: Why Art Therapy is Essential for Adolescents. The program was held from 1pm-4pm at our partner organization, The Fulton Street Collective, in Chicago, IL.   Attendees included art therapists, students and allied professionals, who explored responsive art making in adolescent art therapy (Moon, 1998), typical metaphoric themes adolescents embody (Moon, 2007; Rinsley, 1980) and the process of reframing therapeutic quandaries as performance artworks (Moon, 1998). Continuing Education units were offered from the Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association for LPCs and LCPCs. Additionally, the workshop was captured on film which will become a part of IATA Archives. It was a beautiful workshop and very well received.

 Prepared by: Melissa Hedlund, MCAT, LCPC, ATR-BC