Online Training in Art Therapy

Enrollments for 2025 opening soon.

This training has been designed to offer counsellors, social workers, teachers, psychologists, medical professionals and community services practitioners a solid professional development option to integrate various art-making and therapeutic art techniques into their own scope of practice.

"Our aim is to equip participants with an assortment of therapeutic tools suitable for a range of different client groups and inner needs."

Delivered over three experiential modules, all participants will engage in a personal journey including seminars, online group work, case histories and downloadable course material. There will be ample opportunity to engage in art making, reflective discussion, small-group sharing and Q&A.

Integrate art therapy into your practice

  • For Mental Health Professionals

    Accredited professional development training for therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, educators and occupational therapists.

  • 3 Modules over 6 Months

    Learn and implement a range of art-based therapeutic exercises as you progress through the training. Tailored to suit a range of client groups and work place environments.

  • Personalized Online Training

    Join a small group of international professionals in these LIVE sessions and be supported by our highly experienced facilitators. Experiential learning.

Modules are facilitated by Institute of Sensorimotor Art Therapy faculty member Chris Storm, together with Founder and Director Cornelia Elbrecht.

This certificate program is recognised professional development with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).  The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA) accepts this course as professional development.

Students will complete a total of 56 group hours.

Training Dates – 2024

We are offering this training in two international streams.


 Stream 1
 Stream 2

Australia, USA, Canada & Americas
 Australia, UK, Europe, Middle East & Asia
Module 1
 23-25 March 2024 12-14 April 2024 
Module 2
 1-3 June 2024  7-9 June 2024
Module 3
 31 Aug – 2 Sep 2024  20-22 September 2024
Stream 1: Sat, Sun & Mon 8.30am-2.30pm*. Stream 2: Fri, Sat & Sun 4.30pm-10.30pm*.

*All dates and times are Australian (AEST/AEDT) - due to time zones this may fall one day earlier for some countries. 

Check session times for your local time zone: for Stream 1  (click here) and Stream 2 (click here).


Our 2024 groups have now commenced.

A new training will be offered in 2025, with dates announced soon.


Course Outline

For detailed information on this training please download the PDF.

This course outline includes extensive course information and what to expect from each training module.
Course Outline - PDF

Testimonials

Hear what students who completed this online training share about their experiences.

I now have bottom up and cognitive tools to help myself and my clients

Emily - USA

"All of the modalities and exercises I learned in this course helped me and can help my clients connect to our body and experiences in a way that supports deeper understanding and real shifts in perspective… I now have bottom up and cognitive tools to help myself and my clients process and transform... I highly recommended it to anyone looking for a unique and creative approach to trauma and healing."


Supported me to feel confident in the art therapy landscape

Desi - Australia

"Undertaking the Certificate in Initiatic Art Therapy has been deeply valuable and beneficial for my practice as well as being a profound experience for me personally… As well as giving me a an incredible wealth of knowledge and deepening my understanding of Art Therapy, I feel I have learnt new and significant skills and tools which will greatly benefit my practice and clients and support me to feel confident in the art therapy landscape."


I felt safe creating and presenting

Erin - USA

"This training has been outstanding. I am a mental health specialist with little artistic skills.  I felt safe creating and presenting. I learned a lot of ways to support my clients in ways that I had never considered before.


What I loved most was the immersive aspect of the course

Sarah - UK

"This training is absolutely incredible! I learnt so much personally but also learnt many skills I can utilise in my work with children. What I loved most was the immersive aspect of the course, there is theory but you also have the opportunity to practise all activities yourself and experience their transformational qualities. It makes the course quite unique, I've certainly never been on a course like it. I wish I'd done it years ago!"


The online format did not limit the depth of this course

Eliza - USA

"This training in initiatic art therapy is one of the best professional development courses I have ever completed … and I learned more about facilitating art therapy with people than any other training I’ve done. The online format did not limit the depth of this course – the training was excellently facilitated through each module."


This course has been life changing!

Melissa - Australia

"This course has changed the way I practice as a counsellor. I was trained as a talk therapist however can see how much art therapy can be used to explore deeper issues and help heal and restore. It is also an effective modality for non-verbal clients giving them the opportunity to express their inner most feelings through art... Chris and Cornelia have given me so many activities that I can incorporate in my practice for all age groups from children, youth and adults. This course has been life changing!"


Experiencing healing and self growth along the way

Chelsea - Australia

"I found the online format was conducted extremely well and almost as though you were in person face to face. I thoroughly enjoyed the hands on practical learning and way in which we were able to really collaborate and learn from one another in the online format through sharing and using break out rooms. It was as much a professional journey as it was a personal one of experiencing healing and self growth along the way as I learnt the techniques.  I loved every minute of learning all the content."


I would recommend this training in a heartbeat!

Heike - USA

"Within your course you utilized so many ways to allow awareness through symbols, creative exercises and embodiment... Your course allows to go deep within oneself (without even expecting it), finding the undiscovered treasure and bringing it into the light and into awareness. It's priceless! I always knew that there was something in my body that I couldn't access through the conventional methods and talking... I would recommend this training to anyone in a heartbeat!"


Encouragement to bring it in to client work from the first module

Rebecca - Australia

"I really enjoyed the hands on aspect of this course & the encouragement to bring it in to client work from the first module. I’m so grateful to have had this experience…it was life-changing! Thank you for the opportunity to learn from both of you Chris & Cornelia."


I get to step into the clients shoes

Niamh - Australia

"I got so much out of this course. I am not the same person now as I was when I started… I have grown in more ways than I could ever imagine. Not only did I get to step into the clients shoes and receive all the therapy, I also got to learn everything from the therapists perspective. I would recommend this course to anyone, whether you want to do it for personal reasons or as part of your career. It is life changing."

Our 2024 training has now commenced.

Dates for 2025 will be available soon.

Course Overview

  • 1

    Module 1 – Family Art Therapy

    • Art therapy as a non-verbal medium of communication

    • Communication in groups with the assistance of art therapy

    • Exploring one's identity through visual expression

    • Visualizing the roles and dynamics of relationships within families and other groups

    • Working with crayons and plasticine

    • Collage as a means of “piecing myself together”

    • Creating a ‘Self Box’

    • Beginning to create 'Soul Cards'
  • 2

    Module 2 – Symbols & Guided Imagery

    • Ways to inspire dreams, the imagination, a sense of an inner path and meaning

    • Working with given objects to stimulate and evoke a symbolic story

    • Aspects of Sand Play Therapy in combination with a multimedia art therapy approach

    • Creating stories through narrating, writing, drawing, painting

    • Working with sensory body perception and symbols

    • Creating a totem, a sacred object of power

    • Symbolic meaning of animals, plants and landscapes in the Jungian and transpersonal context

    • Gestalt therapy approach to dreams and images

    • Intervention skills through the use of symbolic objects and images

    • Sensory body-focused perception and art therapy
  • 3

    Module 3 – Mandalas & Building Resources for Crisis Management

    • Stabilization techniques, resource building and client safety

    • Nervous system regulation

    • Mindfulness

    • Various approaches to Mandalas, including;

    • - Group Mandala

    • - Mandala Meditations

    • - Movement-based Mandalas

    • - Creation of Individual Mandalas

    • Mandalas as a tool for crisis intervention

    • Introduction to Guided Drawing; trauma-informed nervous system regulation with a body focus

Facilitators

The training will be facilitated by Chris Storm and Cornelia Elbrecht

Faculty

Chris Storm

AThR, SEP, M.Ed., CCPT, IEATA, MACA, PACFA Reg Clinical. In addition to facilitating the Certificate in Initiatic Art Therapy training, Chris teaches Guided Drawing and specializes in Clay Field Therapy. In private practice she utilises Sensorimotor Art Therapy techniques to support children, women, men and families. Chris has completed her training as a trauma therapist with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute (SETI). Areas of specialty include sexual assault, addiction issues, family violence, grief and loss. She is a registered supervisor with ANZACATA; registered with ACA for professional/clinical supervision and a registered clinical member of PACFA.

Founder & Director

Cornelia Elbrecht

BA. MA. (Art Ed), AThR; IEATA; IACAET; SEP. Cornelia is the Founder and Director of the Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy. She has over 45 years of experience as an art therapist and has been conducting professional certified training in Initiatic Art Therapy, Clay Field Therapy and Guided Drawing for nearly two decades. She has studied at the School of Initiatic Art Therapy in Germany, is trained in Jungian and Gestalt therapy, Bioenergetics, Shiatsu and Naturopathy. More recently Cornelia has completed her trauma therapy training with the Somatic Experiencing Training Institute (SETI). She has published four books on Sensorimotor Art Therapy. Cornelia works in private practice and conducts training throughout Australia, internationally and online. She is an accredited supervisor with ANZACATA.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How is the training delivered?

    All sessions for this training are online and hosted live through Zoom.

  • How much time does each module take to complete?

    Each module consists of three sessions of six hours each. Consider this to be like a weekend workshop format. There are also plenty of breaks factored in!

  • How do I source the art materials?

    We will send out a detailed list of the materials you will need prior to each module. All the materials will be easy for you to source. For example this will include crayons, paper, collage materials etc.

  • What if I miss a session / part of a session?

    We can accommodate anyone who misses parts of the training. This may be through watching the recording of a session or by joining another stream.

  • I don't have any art therapy or creative experience. Can I join the training?

    Yes, absolutely. You don't need to have any creative skills to join, and we will support you throughout the exercises. We are more focused on the process and giving you the skills to be able to safely offer this to clients.

  • How much does the training cost?

    The cost of the training is US$450 per module, so US$1350 in total. We require a deposit of US$450, which will be credited for Module 3. Module 1 and 2 require a separate payment to attend.

  • Is there anyone I can contact for more information or if I have technical issues?

    Please contact [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

  • What will this training qualify me for?

    This course is certified as professional development training by our Australian registering bodies ANZACATA and ACA. Our training is widely recognized internationally, although we recommend you check with your local registering body as this may vary. We encourage all participants to actively integrate the exercises we teach into their field of practice. This training is not the equivalent to a formal tertiary qualification to become a registered Art Therapist, which here in Australia required a masters-level degree.

  • I am nervous about studying online. How is the training supported?

    All sessions of the training will be closely supported by our facilitators, who all have extensive experience as therapists. The group sizes will be limited in numbers to accommodate everyone and facilitate a safe experience. We will be together in the main Zoom room for the discussions, presentations and exercises. Participants will then join smaller break-out rooms with a facilitator to discuss individual processes and insights. We have received a lot of positive feedback for this model of delivering the training, and we have designed it to be engaging, inclusive and fun!

Also available from our Online School