Animal-Assisted Art Therapy: Find Wellness
What you'll learn
- How animals assist in Art Therapy
- How to use pets in Art Therapy
- How to use animals found in the countryside for Art Therapy
- Specific art therapy techniques using animals
- How humour, a duck and art therapy can go together!
Requirements
- Art materials
- A willingness to do exercises and then participate in the Q/A
Description
This is a course about using animals to assist in art therapy.
But why use animals?
There are many reasons and these are discussed in the course. They include:
Non-Judgmental Presence: Animals provide a non-judgmental and accepting presence, which can create a safe and supportive environment for clients to express themselves creatively without fear of criticism.
Stress Reduction: Interacting with animals has been shown to reduce stress levels. The presence of an animal during art therapy can help clients feel more relaxed and calm, which can facilitate the therapeutic process.
Enhanced Engagement: Animals can help to engage clients who might otherwise be reluctant to participate in therapy. The presence of an animal can be a motivating factor that encourages clients to attend sessions and engage with the therapeutic process.
Increased Comfort: For individuals who struggle with social interactions, animals can serve as social lubricants, making it easier for them to open up and communicate with the therapist.
Emotional Support: Animals can provide emotional support and companionship, which can be particularly beneficial for clients dealing with emotional trauma, depression, or anxiety.
Improved Mood: Interacting with animals can increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with happiness and bonding. This can help lift a client's mood and create a more positive atmosphere for art therapy.
And there are more.
But that doesn't tell you why to enrol. Anyone can just google 'AAAT' and get similar reasons to those.
This course (shot in beautiful countryside) uses LOCAL animals to prompt you to carry out animal art therapy exercises. These are animals you most probably see every day such as:
pigeons
hares
birds
mice
magpies
cats
dogs
stoat
robins
OK maybe not all of them but as the course uses footage of such animals shot locally, you'll be able to use these videos and exercises in art therapy for yourself or for others.
A new section was added in April 2024 where we show how to use VIDEOS of animals (i.e. from Youtube) in Art Therapy. This section includes:
Art Therapy Exercises
The clips (very short) from Youtube
Case Studies
Reflective questions
The lectures are serious - but do have their funny bits!
Who this course is for:
- Pet owners interested in Art Therapy
- Animal lovers wanting to learn about art therapy
- Therapists who use pets in art therapy
- Nature lovers who wish to apply what they see to art therapy
- Anyone with a sense of humour
Instructors
- 4.5 Instructor Rating
- 10,371 Reviews
- 252,065 Students
- 144 Courses
Studied at:
· University of Oxford (Philosophy and Economics)
· Oxford Brookes (Teacher training)
· University of Glamorgan (Business and Economics)
Qualifications
· Professional qualifications at Masters level
· Business and Economics degree
· Examiner for four major examining boards, at ‘O’ and ‘A’ level.
· Three teaching diplomas plus CELTA
· Qualified fitness trainer
Key academic positions held:
· Principal Oxford School of Learning
· Director of Studies: St Joseph’s Hall, Oxford
· Head of Economics: Cherwell Tutors
· Head of Business and Economics: Pipers Corner School, Buckingham
· Founder: Almost Random Theatre
I have experience in four main areas:
a. Teaching (40+ years of face-to-face experience)
b. Running businesses and conferences
c. Acting in films and theatre
d. Volunteering for a number of charities
Teaching/Instructor experience
Face-to-face: MBA students on a 1-1 basis; at University; Grammar, Comprehensive and F.E. College. This has included being Principal, Director of Studies; Head of Business and Head of Economics at various times in the past 40 years!
I have taught: Economics, Business, Sociology, Politics, English Literature and Psychology.
I have also run seminars for Teachers of |Psychology, Sociology, Businessman Economics.
I have run Therapeutic Art groups at Care Homes.
The success of my Business and Economics students has been featured in several newspapers plus I have appeared on BBC.
Running businesses and conferences.
I started Oxford School of Learning in the 1980s. From the college came Marketing Education Services, OSL Training and Saturday tutors.
In 201 I started Almost Random Theatre and have taken actors to Poland and the Czech Republic as well as running Drama days at schools.
Writing: my plays are sold to schools; I have 100+ books on Amazon; I used to write a regular column for The Guardian and BBC Bitesize.
Acting in films and theatre
My plays are sold to schools. I have performed at Oxford and Brighton Fringes as well as appearing in 100+ films, national TV advertising campaigns and role-played a hospital patient for Buckingham University’s medical degree students.
Volunteering
I have worked/am still working for Care Homes, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Dystonia Society, Stroke Association, Stroke Club, Talkback, Oxford Recovery College, Tandem, Age UK and Sport in Mind. I’ve given my tutorial fees to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Dystonia Society. I currently have a GoFundMe page to help lonely elderly people.
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 5,506 Reviews
- 143,963 Students
- 85 Courses
Almost Random Theatre is a theatre company started in 2012. After putting on plays at Oxford and Brighton fringes, taking actors to Poland and Czech Republic, selling plays to schools, putting on many short plays in Oxford, visiting 60+ schools and running 'drama days' it was decided to...slow down.
The theatre's main contribution now is helping with numerous Art Therapy courses.
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 1,066 Reviews
- 61,626 Students
- 37 Courses
Elina Ghanbari is an Iranian professional Intuitive artist with the artistic name: "Elinart". She believes that in art you should set yourself free. She uses her emotions to express herself through her art. She finds an awesome connection between mind & heart that turns emotions into art. She has pursued her goals & dreams as a professional artist from 2013 until now.
Her art activities :
- Published some of the artworks in the Ojalart 2018
- Cover artist in the Internetvoid 2018,2020
-The internetvoid in the Fifth Collection- 2018
-The internetvoid in the Seventh Collection - 2018
-SonderMidwest issue 2 2018
- Montana Mouthful - MM Issue 3 - "Haunted" 2018
- Openartsforum 2018-2024
-Abstractmagazinetv 2019
- Obraartifact - issue 6 2019
- Sink Hollow -issue 7 2019
- Weaselpress - madness. vol 2 2019
- Virtual reality exhibition - Lilit Gallery 2018
- Charity works - Fibromyalgia Association - Spain - Since 2020
- Member of OAF - Openartsforum Journal - Since 2018
- Member of Frontrunner Magazine - Since 2020
- Designing a character for a children's book: "Boris, der Blubberblasenfisch" by Franco B & Artists United – Germany 2020
- Painting two artworks in Chris Bankes Sivewright’s lecture about Stress Management (lecture 29/p2 & 114) – Oxford - UK 2020
- Cover artist in the Art Therapy courses from Chris Bankes Sivewright – Oxford - UK 2020
- Presentation of my paintings in Chris Bankes Sivewright’s lectures about Art Therapy in the Art Therapy Course – Oxford - UK 2020
- Oxford Diploma in Art Therapy from OSL – Oxford - UK 2020
- Oxford Diploma in Hygge; positive psychology from OSL - UK 2020
- Oxford Diploma in Orthorexia from OSL- UK 2020
- Oxford Diploma in Art Therapy: Create a book; Run a workshop! from OSL - UK 2021
- Publication in many various Courses of Chris Bankes Sivewright.– Oxford - UK 2020,2021,2022,2023
- Author of the book "Crystal raindrops falling from black clouds." – 2020
- Different Strokes Charity - Published 4 Artworks - England, Wales, Scotland 2021
- Exposition Alma & Soul - Spain 2021
- Co-produced & Instructor a course in the Udemy - Art Therapy & Psychology- 2022
- Co-produced & Instructor a course in Udemy - Creating an Art Therapy workshop – 2022
- Co-Instructor a course in Udemy - The Tools of Art Therapy – 2023
- Co-produced & Instructor a course in Udemy - Practising Art Therapy - actually DOING it – 2023
- Award winner and selected to be published in Blue Mesa Review Lit Magazine- Issue 47 – New Mexico - 2023
- Modern Art & Idea - MoMA Certificate - 2023
- Certified by OSL (Oxford School Of Learning) as a Co-instructor on;
1. (Oxford) Diploma: Creating an Art Therapy Workshop
2. (Oxford) Diploma: Art Therapy (Abstract Art option)
3. (Oxford) Combined Diploma: Art Therapy and Psychology
4. (Oxford) Diploma Practising Art Therapy - actually DOING it
5. (Oxford) Diploma in the Tools of Art Therapy
6. (Oxford) Diploma in Art Therapy and Depression Relief
The Udemy platform is currently used to host them - UK 2023 - Present