Looking forward to integrating expressive arts therapy for our June 23 & 24 training

Healing Pathways is pleased to be hosting a community event:

Honoring Vernal Spring Equinox with Tai Chi-Inspired Herd Meditation led by Sifu Kurtis Tilley, LMT. Come join us on the Spring Equinox, March 20th, 3:24 pm MST and meditate through movement in the presence of horses. Restore balance during this time of equal day to equal night. Suggested donation: $20.

RSVP for additional information and Fort Collins barn location elizabeth@healingpathwaysllc.com.

In terms of my educational background, I graduated from Front Range Community College (FRCC) with an Associates of Arts Degree–that opened the door to my academic journey of pursuing psychology. In August of 2022, I started at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) to work on my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, successfully completing a capstone research paper on Euthanasia, which was submitted to UNC’s Spring Research Day. I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from UNC in the summer of 2023, and then in the fall of 2023, I will be starting a Master’s Degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 

Personally, I have experienced and seen how powerful and amazing horses are with helping individuals cope with stress in their lives. Along with receiving my master’s degree, I will also be getting certified in equine-assisted EMDR and equine assisted psychotherapy. My goal is to have my own private practice in clinical mental health counseling for children and adolescents integrating both equine-assisted EMDR and equine assisted psychotherapy. In the meantime, I am really enjoying doing my internship with Dr. Elizabeth Warson assisting with evaluative data for the Visual Journaling Project, through Dr. Cathy Malchiodi’s Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute

Coco Chanel in her warm, heavy weight blanket

An Expressive Arts Therapy Practice to Embrace the Wisdom of Winter

Representation of my inner wise self: Clay, painting, magazine photo collage, mixed media collage, altered image, copies of personal photographs.

Bilateral dialogue: Fold a piece of paper in half. Select two colors (writing medium) to represent your image (wise self; interviewee) and one to represent yourself (interviewer). Your image responds with your non-dominant hand while you respond with your dominant hand.

Questions you can ask your image: (examples)

What needs releasing (myths, negative beliefs)?

What needs (re)claiming and embracing (gifts, strengths, passions)?

What’s next for me?

What is your gift to me?

Fold your paper to show how your wise self responded–read aloud to yourself or to a trusted person

Is there a message or metaphor that stands out?

(Please note the above practice does not constitute therapy.)

Copyright 2022 Elizabeth Warson

Stand, take your shoes off (optional), sense the contact points (tripod), envision a root emanating from the center part of your feet. Your legs may feel heavy—“melt” into this.  Push palms out to center and envision a root in the center of the palm.

Hold, touch, caress a rock, shell or natural object that may have a symbolic meaning to you or has a tactile quality that complements sitting on the ground (you can move from standing to sitting on the ground). Allow a gesture or moment to emerge from this experience. Express this movement unilaterally or bilaterally in the air; transfer this experience to a response painting using a painting medium of choice (vertical or horizontal surface).

10 butterfly taps or long slow exhale while looking at your response painting. Write down 4 gerunds (“ing” words) about this experience.

Using clay or comparable medium, explore the movement/gesture/rhythm that emerged from your drawing/painting process, consider a sound or vocalization that may be connected with this experience. Notice any body sensations and be curious with it. While moving your hands across your clay piece verbally express the properties or characteristics that stand out to you–write these down. Combine one word from your clay response with one gerund from your list of 4. End with 10 butterfly taps or a long slow exhale.

Ó 2021-2022 Elizabeth Warson

Preview of Feb. 18 conference presentation