Expressive Arts & Trauma Therapy Group
The next session is in planning and we are raising funds to be able to extend the program to all youth
You will have an opportunity to learn about the impact of trauma, develop healthy coping strategies and begin to process your traumatic experience through art in a small group of people. Led by a trauma therapist and a visual arts educator.
Week 1: Understand the effects of trauma on your body and nervous system
Week 2: Understand your emotional experience in response to your trauma
Week 3: Recognize the effect of trauma on your mind and brain
Week 4: Rediscover a connection with yourself
Week 5: Consider how we relate to others in our relationships post trauma
Week 6: Explore the connections between body, mind, self and others as you heal from trauma
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Who are these groups designed for?
Women's adult group, Men's adult group and youth
Trauma survivors impacted by childhood traumas, traumatic grief, trauma in the line of duty and any other traumatic experiences
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Who are the facilitators?
Julia Lippert - Director Creative Journey, Andrea Foster - Lead Therapist and Michelle Markson - Visual Artist
Cost $240
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To register email info@blueoaks.ca or call 705-444-0381
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There is a waiting list so do register (especially youth) and you will be informed of the various sessions.
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My name is Julia Lippert and I am a Counsellor and Registered Psychotherapist. I have been working in the mental health field since 2001, supporting families, couples and individuals. I now work together with my husband Kyle Lippert, in our multi-disciplinary clinic in Collingwood, Ontario. I have been privileged to support people in overcoming just about anything – with compassion and empathy.
I have supported clients to move from depression and anxiety to greater hope, strength and joy in their lives. I have guided clients in their healing from trauma and towards a path of hope and peace. And I have seen families rebuild relationships marked by loving communication and a sense of fun. Working together through hard times can truly grow a sense of closeness and trust.
In my free time, you will find me out in nature, enjoying life with my husband and kids or spending time at a local horse barn. My love for horses and the developing research into the effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Therapy has led me to become trained in this wonderful modality of therapy. I am currently training to become certified as an Equine Assisted Psychotherapist.
My name is Andrea Foster, and I am a counsellor at Blue Oaks Counselling and Wellness with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) from Yorkville University. I joined the Blue Oaks team as an intern in 2021. My educational journey also includes an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology from Wilfrid Laurier University and a diploma in paramedicine from Conestoga College.
In my career as a paramedic, I have had the privilege of walking alongside people during some of life’s most challenging and intimate moments. I have witnessed the transformative power of courage, inner strength, resiliency, and community support. My goal is to cultivate an inclusive environment, foster self-discovery, and nurture clients’ strengths to expand their inner resources. I believe in a holistic, individually tailored, and evidence-based approach.
My name is Michelle Markson, a Visual Art educator. I have worked in education since 2005, teaching youth multiple art disciplines in the private and public sectors. I hold a BFA from OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning from Christchurch College of Education,
Christchurch, New Zealand. For my undergraduate study, I majored in multiple specialties; life drawing, oil painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. I utilize my skills and talents in art and child development to better serve my students. Having taught in New Zealand, South Korea, and Ontario, I bring a variety of learned techniques from travel experience to educating youth in painting, illustration, printmaking, and sculpting. I have facilitated student development of strong art portfolios, showcasing their creativity and achievements and helping multiple Universities accept them in Ontario, Canada. As a contemporary realist artist, my mediums include acrylic, oils, spray paint, and portraits. My work hangs in many private and corporate collections in Ontario and New Zealand. I love all
creative endeavours and constantly explore new media and working methods.
In my free time, you will find me practicing and teaching yoga, painting, paddle boarding, and walking my dogs along the water.
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