Group Offerings

Dr. Warson is a trained group psychotherapist and has 20 years of experience facilitating group art psychotherapy sessions for medical centers, residential treatment facilities, educational settings, community centers, and out-patient facilities. As a group art psychotherapy instructor, Dr. Warson has explored theories belonging to Janie Rhyne’s gestalt art therapy approach, Yalom’s inpatient group psychotherapy and outpatient existential group framework, and Corey and Corey’s group counseling approaches. In addition, Daniel Spiegel’s group therapy format for cancer patients influenced the workshop approach Dr. Warson incorporates in her research on psychosocial care for American Indian cancer survivors and their family members. As a group facilitator in adolescent treatment facilities, Dr. Warson received further training in Larry Brendtro’s strengths-based Positive Peer Culture approach resulting in the development of an arts-informed curriculum for adolescent experiencing adjustment-related issues. Group offerings will change on an annual basis, please sign up for our news feeds to receive updates.

• Arts-Informed Therapeutic Groups for adults (8 weeks)

This group is for the professional person who is experiencing interpersonal difficulties with co-workers in professional environments. Emphasizing feedback, decision making, and problem solving, Therapeutic Groups or T-groups focus on enhancing organizational skills through group process.  Our model incorporates this method with directed artmaking  to provide an experiential component to externalizing feedback.

Groups goal: Group members will co-construct group goals during the first session identifying specific group process and individual outcome goals.

• Identity Groups for adolescents (4 weeks)

Conflict in relation to identity formation is often the root of adolescent cognitive dissonance, a state of disequilibrium. This group explores cultural and social factors involved in identity formation with an emphasis on peer support and “witnessing” techniques in the co-construction of healthy verbal and visual narratives of self.

Group goal: From a narrative and experiential framework, group members will deconstruct “myths” and misconceptions about self-identity to co-create healthy narratives of self.

• Grief and Loss Groups for children (4 weeks)

Nonverbal forms of communication are essential in the processing of grief and loss with young and elementary school-age children. This art-based group incorporates the creation of sculptural memorials/altars, visual legacies through phototherapy and collage techniques, box art as a form of containment and sense of safety, as well as an ongoing visual exploration of the meaning of grief and loss.

Group goal: Using gestalt art therapy techniques, group members will utilize the art process to explore “here and now experiences” to support children grieving.

Closed group sessions consist of 4 members and range from 4 to 8 weeks. The fee is $50/person/week and covers art supplies and related materials. To schedule a session, please contact Dr. Warson at 970-222-4674 or elizabeth@healingpathwaysllc.com