Course started 10 October 2021. Enrollments are now closed - new term dates will be announced soon.

Seven weeks of training with Cornelia Elbrecht

Learn the fundamentals of healing trauma using the unique Sensorimotor Art Therapy® approach of Guided Drawing®. Presented by Cornelia Elbrecht, this course provides both practical expertise and a theoretical basis to trauma exploration. High quality video lessons are complemented by round table discussions with Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy faculty, filmed therapy sessions and supported by our Moderated Student Forum.

Professional Development

  • For Mental Health Professionals

    Receive a 'Certificate of Completion' from the Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy and earn up to 28 Professional Development Points.

  • 7 Week Training

    Learn the fundamentals of Healing Trauma with Guided Drawing and master new therapeutic skills. Integrate Guided Drawing® into your practice.

  • Interactive Group Forum

    Be actively supported through our Online Student Forum - ask questions, share drawings and engage with our faculty and your fellow students.

"Sessions unfold like a quest towards healing, creativity, meaning and love.”

Cornelia Elbrecht

This certified training course has been tailored to a global, online audience. The professionally filmed video lessons that form the basis of the curriculum are pre-recorded and accessible to students to complete in your own time. New content is released weekly - over the seven weeks of the course - and students will have an additional three weeks of access to review the entire course. That equates to ten weeks of access to the full course, from 10 October 2021.

Each week of training comprises around 3 hours of video lessons - including a weekly filmed therapy session and Practitioner Round Table discussions on a featured topic. Reading lists are provided and all students are actively encouraged to complete personal Guided Drawing® exercises. Students will receive a Certificate of Completion for 28 hours of Online Professional Development Training upon successful completion of the course.

All students will benefit from our Moderated Online Forum - where comments, observations and experiences can be shared. Cornelia Elbrecht will be available to answer questions and provide individual guidance in this space. Students are encouraged to engage in this interactive forum, and benefit from the experiences of the cohort as you move through the curriculum together.

Course Overview

A summary of the main course themes:

  • Week 1: An Introduction to Guided Drawing

    - What is Guided Drawing - Art Materials In Guided Drawing - Archetypes - Inner Guidance - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 2: The Female Yin Shapes

    - The Language of Guided Drawing - Introduction to the Female Shapes - The Female Yin Shapes - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 3: The Male Yang Shapes

    - Introduction to the Male Shapes - The Male Yang Shapes - Trauma Responses - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 4: Neuroscience in Art Therapy

    - Understanding Neuroscience in Art Therapy - The Triune Brain - The Expressive Therapies Continuum - Body Focused Trauma Healing - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 5: Trauma and Stabilization

    - Trauma and Stabilization - Stabilization and Building Resources - Haptic Perception and The Sensorimotor Base - Stabilization with the Shapes - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 6: Trauma Exploration

    - Pendulation - Activation States of the ANS - Line Quality as a Diagnostic Tool - Shapes of Trauma Exploration - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

  • Week 7: Integration and Trusting the Process

    - Integration - The SIBAM Model - Trusting the Process - The Healing Journey of Guided Drawing - Faculty Round Table - Case Study

Outstanding - Donna

★★★★★

"This online course in Guided Drawing was just outstanding - beautifully designed and presented with substantial and in-depth content and valuable opportunities to interact. Honestly, I cannot recommend it highly enough - I feel enriched personally and professionally. Thank you!"

More of this - Els

★★★★★

Spontaneous, alive, good tempo, generous with showing the real stuff through videos with clients. Really much info and insights in a short and dense time. Good support through sharing the drawings and answering questions. [...] A very generous and useful and grounded course. I feel able to try out with own clients."

A great balance of theory & practice - Pat

★★★★★

"It is a clearly presented course with a great balance of theory and practice. Cornelia is a warm and knowledgeable presenter and I am enjoying every element of the course [...] This is probably one of the best professional development courses I have ever attended."

A Journey of Creative Discovery and Healing - Lisa

★★★★★

"I loved this course. The pace, alongside Cornelia's way of teaching was totally immersive and engaging. [...] For me, Guided Drawing was the missing piece within my training as an art psychotherapist."

Comprehensive, enlightening course - Alison

★★★★★

"The field of mental health care would be much richer and more effective if this course was built into all training programs for mental health professionals. I cannot think of a way to improve it in any way."

Inspiring - Clare

★★★★★

"I have studied Guided Drawing many years ago. I was keen to refresh my knowledge. I enjoyed the fact that Cornelia has integrated Guided Drawing within contemporary trauma theory using the SIBAM framework. I feel inspired to offer it to my current clients."

Outstanding Online Training! A must for all Creative Arts Therapists - Helen

★★★★★

This training has been remarkable [...] I would highly recommend this training to all Creative Arts Therapists, especially if you're considering specific work with trauma clients. This is the best course I have experienced, which explains Polyvagal Theory and it's relevance to treating trauma effectively. Just brilliant!

This cohort training opportunity has started. Enrollments are now closed.

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Course Curriculum

See the detailed course structure and find free preview videos inside!

  • 1

    An Introduction to Guided Drawing

  • 2

    Week 1 - Module 1: Welcome to the course

    • Welcome to the Course!

    • Introductory Survey

    • Medical Disclaimer

    • Supervision Sessions

    • A Guide to using the Moderated Student Forum

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 1
  • 3

    Week 1 - Module 2: Art Materials in Guided Drawing

    • Introduction to Art Materials in Guided Drawing

    • List of Art Materials for Guided Drawing - PDF Download

    • The Paper, Crayons and Chalk

    • Paints and Haptic Perception

    • Hand Reflexology Diagram - Optional PDF Download

    • Art Materials as Intervention Tools

    • Art Materials in a Group Setting
  • 4

    Week 1 - Module 3: Archetypes, The Body Focus & Inner Guidance

    • Archetypes

    • Instincts as Archetypes

    • Directive and Non-Directive Inner Guidance

    • Case Study - Directive Intervention

    • Case Study - Non-Directive Inner Guidance

    • Practitioner Round Table - Inner Guidance

    • Test your Learning - Week 1

    • Homework - Week 1
  • 5

    Week 1 - Module 4: Case Study 1

    • Therapy Session - Week 1: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 1: Lee's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 1: Review
  • 6

    Week 2 - Module 1: The Language of Guided Drawing

    • The Language of Guided Drawing - Part 1

    • The Language of Guided Drawing - Part 2

    • Introduction to The Shapes

    • Recommended Reading - Week 2

  • 7

    Week 2 - Module 2: The Bowl

    • The Bowl - Part 1

    • The Bowl - Part 2

    • The Bowl - Part 3

    • The Bowl - Part 4

    • Test your Learning - The Bowl
  • 8

    Week 2 - Module 3: The Arch

    • The Arch - Part 1

    • The Arch - Part 2

    • The Arch - Part 3

    • The Arch - Part 4

    • Test your Learning - The Arch
  • 9

    Week 2 - Module 4: The Circle

    • The Circle - Part 1

    • The Circle - Part 2

    • The Circle - Part 3

    • The Circle - Part 4

    • The Circle - Part 5

    • Test your Learning - The Circle
  • 10

    Week 2 - Module 5: The Spiral

    • The Spiral - Part 1

    • The Spiral - Part 2

    • The Spiral - Part 3
  • 11

    Week 2 - Module 6: The Lemniscate, Figure Eight and Wave

    • The Lemniscate

    • The Figure Eight

    • The Wave

    • Test your Learning - The Female Yin Shapes
  • 12

    Week 2 - Module 7: Practitioner Round Table

    • Practitioner Round Table: The Female Yin Shapes

    • Conclusion to the Female Yin Shapes

    • Homework - Week 2
  • 13

    Week 2 - Module 8: Case Study 2

    • Therapy Session - Week 2: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 2: Vita's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 2: Review
  • 14

    Week 3 - Module 1: The Male Yang Shapes

    • Introduction to Week 3

    • The Early Development of Linear Shapes

    • The Significance of Male Yang Shapes

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 3
  • 15

    Week 3 - Module 2: The Vertical

    • The Vertical as a Diagnostic Tool

    • The Vertical: Transcendence of the Ego

    • The Vertical as an Archetype
  • 16

    Week 3 - Module 3: Drawing the Vertical

    • The Vertical - Part 1

    • The Vertical - Part 2

    • The Vertical - Part 3

    • The Vertical - Part 4

    • The Vertical - Part 5

    • The Vertical - Part 6

    • Test your Learning - The Vertical
  • 17

    Week 3 - Module 4: The Horizontal,Cross and Trauma Responses

    • The Horizontal

    • The Cross: Introduction

    • The Cross: Trauma Responses

    • The Cross: The Fight Response

    • The Cross: The Flight Response

    • The Cross: Conclusion

    • Test your Learning - The Cross
  • 18

    Week 3 - Module 5: The Triangle, Rectangle and Dot

    • The Triangle: As Higher Consciousness

    • The Triangle: Part 2

    • The Rectangle

    • The Rectangle: Interpersonal Boundary Violations

    • The Dot

    • Test your Learning - The Male Yang Shapes
  • 19

    Week 3 - Module 6: Practitioner Round Table

    • Practitioner Round Table: The Male Yang Shapes

    • Conclusion to the Male Yang Shapes

    • Guided Drawing with Children

    • Homework - Week 3
  • 20

    Week 3 - Module 7: Case Study 3

    • Therapy Sessions - Week 3: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 3: Maria's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 3: Review
  • 21

    Week 4 - Module 1: Neuroscience in Art Therapy

    • Guided Drawing: The Bottom-Up Approach

    • Understanding Neuroscience in Art Therapy

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 4 // Downloadable PDF
  • 22

    Week 4 - Module 2: The Triune Brain

    • The Triune Brain

    • The Brain Stem - Part 1

    • The Brain Stem - Part 2

    • The Limbic System

    • The Neocortex

    • Test your Learning - The Triune Brain
  • 23

    Week 4 - Module 3: The Expressive Therapies Continuum

    • The Expressive Therapies Continuum

    • The Kinesthetic-Sensory Level

    • The Perceptual-Affective Level

    • The Cognitive-Symbolic Level

    • Test your Learning - Guided Drawing and The Expressive Therapies Continuum
  • 24

    Week 4 - Module 4: Body Focused Trauma Healing

    • The Bottom-up vs Top-Down Approach

    • Body Focused Trauma Healing

    • The "Flow" Phase: Kinesthetic/ Sensory Level

    • The "How" Phase: Kinesthetic / Sensory Level

    • The "How" Phase: Perceptual/ Affective Level

    • The "How" Phase: Somatic Experiencing

    • The "What" Phase: Cognitive/ Symbolic Level

    • The "What" Phase: Modulating Emotional Experiences

    • The Bottom-Up Approach
  • 25

    Week 4 - Module 5: Line Quality

    • Introduction to Line Quality

    • Disconnected Line Quality

    • Dense Line Quality

    • Subtle Line Quality

    • Transparent Line Quality

    • Conclusion to Line Quality

    • Test your Learning - Line Quality
  • 26

    Week 4 - Module 6: Practitioner Round Table

    • Practitioner Round Table - How to Accompany a Client

    • Homework - Week 4
  • 27

    Week 4 - Module 7: Case Study 4

    • Therapy Session - Week 4: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 4: Fiona's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 4: Review
  • 28

    Week 5 - Module 1: Trauma and Stabilization

    • Introduction to Week 5

    • The Incomplete Fight Flight Response

    • Map of the Central Nervous System

    • Trauma and the "Sensory" Brain Division

    • Trauma and the "Motor" Brain Division

    • Applying the Brakes

    • Trauma Healing and Stabilization

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 5 // Downloadable PDF
  • 29

    Week 5 - Module 2: Stabilization with Body-Focused Tools

    • Stabilization with Traditional AT Tools 1

    • Stabilization with Traditional AT Tools 2

    • Mandala Templates

    • Stabilization with Body-Focused Tools 1

    • Stabilization with Body-Focused Tools 2

    • Stabilization with Body-Focused Tools 3

    • Stabilization with Body-Focused Tools 4

    • Test your Learning - Stabilization and Building Resources
  • 30

    Week 5 - Module 3: Stabilization Through Strengthening the Sensorimotor Base

    • Haptic Perception and the Sensorimotor Base

    • The Sensorimotor Base: Skin Sense

    • Optional Case Study: Skin Sense

    • The Sensorimotor Base: Balance

    • Optional Case Study: Balance

    • The Sensorimotor Base: Depth Sensibility

    • Optional Case Study: Depth Sensibility

    • Test your Learning - The Sensorimotor Base
  • 31

    Week 5 - Module 4: Stabilization with Guided Drawing Shapes

    • Supporting Clients Using Shapes

    • Stabilization using the 'Bowl'

    • Stabilization using 'Sorting the Seeds'

    • Stabilization using the 'Rectangle'

    • Stabilization using the 'Lemniscate'

    • Stabilization using the 'Mandala'

    • Test your Learning - Stabilization and Guided Drawing Shapes
  • 32

    Week 5 - Module 5: Practitioner Round Table

    • Practitioner Round Table: Stabilization

    • Conclusion to Week 5

    • Homework - Week 5
  • 33

    Week 5 - Module 6: Case Study 5

    • Therapy Session - Week 5: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 5: Beth's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 5: Review
  • 34

    Week 6 - Module 1: Pendulation

    • Introduction to Week 6

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 6 // Downloadable PDF

    • Flight or Freeze - Body Responses to Trauma

    • Pendulation: A Graphic Representation

    • Pendulation

    • Pendulation: In More Detail

    • Pendulation and Inner Guidance

    • Practitioner Round Table: Pendulation

    • Test your Learning - Pendulation
  • 35

    Week 6 - Module 2: Activation States of the ANS

    • Chart: Activation States of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

    • Introducing the ANS Chart

    • The Activation States of the ANS: Green

    • The Activation States of the ANS: Orange and Red

    • Clients in Shut Down: Red

    • Deactivation of the Nervous System: Orange

    • Conclusion: ANS Activation States
  • 36

    Week 6 - Module 3: Line Quality as a Diagnostic Tool

    • Line Quality in the "Red"

    • Line Quality in the "Orange"

    • Line Quality as a Diagnostic Tool

    • Test your Learning - Line Quality as a Diagnostic Tool
  • 37

    Week 6 - Module 4: Shapes for Trauma Exploration

    • Shapes for Trauma Exploration: Part 1

    • Shapes for Trauma Exploration: Part 2

    • Titration and Pendulation

    • Client Safety in Trauma Exploration
  • 38

    Week 6 - Module 5: Shapes for Trauma Exploration 2

    • Practitioner Round Table: Trauma Exploration

    • Conclusion to Trauma Exploration

    • Test your Learning - Shapes for Trauma Exploration

    • Homework - Week 6
  • 39

    Week 6 - Module 6: Case Study 6

    • Therapy Session - Week 6: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 6: Kaye's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 6: Review
  • 40

    Week 7 - Module 1: Integration

    • Introduction to Integration

    • Recommended Reading List - Week 7 // Downloadable PDF

    • Integration in a GD Session

    • Integration Case Study 1

    • Integration Case Study 2
  • 41

    Week 7 - Module 2: Integration - Case Examples

    • Integration in GD Group Sessions

    • Integrations in a Group Session: Case Example 1

    • Integrations in a Group Session: Case Example 2

    • Integrations in a Group Session: Case Example 3
  • 42

    Week 7 - Module 3: Practitioner Round Table

    • Practitioner Round Table: Cognitive Integration
  • 43

    Week 7 - Module 4: The SIBAM Model

    • Introduction to the SIBAM Model

    • The 5 Elements of the SIBAM Model

    • The SIBAM Model: Download the Diagram

    • SIBAM and Guided Drawing: Part 1

    • SIBAM and Guided Drawing: Part 2

    • Practitioner Round Table: The SIBAM Model

    • Test your Learning - The SIBAM Model
  • 44

    Week 7 - Module 5: Trusting the Process

    • Mindfulness In Guided Drawing

    • Being Comfortable with what "Is"

    • From Fragmentation to Wholeness: A Case Example

    • The "Higher Self": Part 1

    • The "Higher Self": Part 2
  • 45

    Week 7 - Module 6: Week 7 Therapy Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 7: Introduction

    • Therapy Session - Week 7: Shelly's Session

    • Therapy Session - Week 7: Review

    • Homework - Week 7
  • 46

    Week 7 - Module 7: The Healing Journey of Guided Drawing

    • The Healing Journey of GD

    • Conclusion to the Course

    • What Next...

    • Course Completion Survey

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