This 3-hour online workshop will offer frameworks that have proven effective in working with diverse populations in group settings. In multicultural contexts, the 'how' of the relational approach is of equal importance to the 'what' of the intervention, and whereas archetypal approaches can effectively span the divides, sensitivity to the nuances of different cultural backgrounds needs to be an equally considered part.

Jungian theories will be explored from the perspective of an underlying rationale rather than an analytical lens. Contrary cultural theoretical perspectives will be considered in relationship to working with the archetypal, and solid grounds established as a platform for positive group dynamics and effective interventions. Creative and interactive responses will be an interwoven dimension of this journey of gaining experience of recommended practices.

Resources required by participants for the session

1. An object of significance: An object to share that signifies cultural identity or your personal story
   Prepare the following one-sentence answers for introductions:
   1. Your name and culture(s) of origin Your object and why chosen Your current or most recent Arts Therapies work context
   2. A range of media is advised, and particularly the preferred media of the arts therapist practitioner. The following are suggested:
      Dry media: pencils, pastels, colouring pens
      Wet media: paints, inks, and brushes
      Art papers: A4/ A3/ A2
      Optional: Glue, Items collected from nature, magazine cut-out images of interest, other mixed media/ sculptural materials and tools

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Describe 3 or more archetypal approaches which have proven effective in multicultural settings and how these have been combined with relational approaches for effective therapeutic outcomes.
2. Identify multimodal and material considerations in working with culturally diverse populations and biases which can hinder the development of effective interventions.
3. Explain why archetypal approaches need to be considered from both universal and culturally based perspectives in working cross-culturally and identify 3 or more considerations to apply in therapy.

PRESENTER BIO

Marion Gordon-Flower is a Registered Creative Arts Therapist working for Mauri Tui Tuia in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. She has a background in teaching and has also worked in youth justice and mental health youth respite. She utilises person-centred, holistic approaches which foster oranga (wellbeing), mana (self-esteem), and whakawhānaungatanga (community connection and confidence). Her primary modality is visual arts; however, she also incorporates music and aspects of drama and expressive dance movement into her practice, based on therapeutic needs and goals. She is an internationally published writer in creative arts therapies. Marion identifies as bicultural having grown up in a Tūhoe community in Te Urewera, Central North Island, and connection with Papatūānuku (nature) remains an important aspect of her lifestyle and work.

When: Saturday 31 January 2026
Time: 12pm-3pm AEST
2pm-5pm NZST (Presenter time)
9am-12pm AWST/HKT/SGT
Duration/CPD: 3 CPD hours
Where: Zoom
Cost: $40 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: Practising and On Leave members
Min/Max: 15/30
Recorded session: Yes

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

Cultural competence is a dynamic and evolving practice that empowers individuals to engage ethically and effectively across cultural differences. It begins with understanding who we are, how we're positioned in the world, and how that shapes our interactions with others. Cultural competence is a deeply personal journey that supports the creation of culturally safe spaces, enables ethical decision-making, and can enrich our work with our clients and our peers.

Led by Associate Professor Gabrielle Russell from the University of Sydney's National Centre for Cultural Competence, this interactive session invites participants to explore cultural competence as a lived, relational, and responsive practice. Participants are invited to reflect on how cultural competence emerges through personal self-reflection, responsiveness to those we work with, and the willingness to question our assumptions—both in our professional roles and personal interactions.

Through facilitated dialogue and reflective inquiry, participants will unpack what it means to embed cultural competence meaningfully within your own context. This session offers a space to reflect, connect, and act with intention supporting your development as a culturally competent individual who can make a difference in your own practice and relationships.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Understand the foundations of cultural competence - Participants will be able to describe what cultural competence means and why it is essential for ethical and effective practice.
2. Reflect on personal identity - Participants will examine how their own backgrounds and experiences, influence their interactions with clients and colleagues across cultural differences.
3. Recognise the role of self-reflection and responsiveness- Participants will identify ways in which cultural competence emerges through ongoing self-reflection, responsiveness to others, and a willingness to question assumptions in both professional and personal contexts.
4. Explore strategies for creating culturally safe spaces- Participants will discuss practical approaches to fostering culturally safe environments and making ethical decisions in diverse settings.
5. Commit to Action for Continued Development
   Participants will set personal intentions for further developing cultural competence, including identifying next steps to embed these practices meaningfully within their own work and relationships.

PRESENTER BIO

Associate Professor Gabrielle Russell is the Academic Director at the University of Sydney's National Centre for Cultural Competence. Her multidisciplinary research explores cultural competence at the intersection of cultural studies, Indigenous methodologies, health and wellbeing, Whiteness, critical race theory, and organisational change. Gabrielle's work focuses on developing ethical and responsive leadership capabilities, challenging systemic inequities, and embedding cultural competence across higher education and other sectors.

When: Friday 6 February 2026
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm AEDT (Presenter time)
4 pm – 6 pm NZDT
11 am – 1 pm AWST/SGT/HKT
Duration/CPD: 2hrs
Where: Zoom
Cost: $40 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: ANZACATA Practising/On Leave/Student members
Max: 30 participants
Recorded session: Yes

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

Play is key in clowning and therapy. It is only in play can the adult or child be creative and use their whole personality to discover the self (Winnicott, 2005). This event explores the world of the clown and the importance of play in developing relationship. Nine core principles developed from clowning, are used to inform creative arts therapies facilitation practice. The unsocialized self, openness, vulnerability, emotion, play, speed of fun, honesty, spontaneity and failure are key to the clown's ability to build a relationship with the audience. In this event the speaker explores how these same attributes can also be harnessed in therapy to develop the therapeutic relationship and bring the client into a playful encounter to discover their own creative and playful potential. This event will be a presentation with some experiential activities.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Appraise clowning as a facilitator of play
• Reflect on your personal responses to the clowning
• Identify and analyse how you can develop your skills as a facilitator of play in therapy.

PRESENTER BIO

Drew Bird is an Associate Professor and head of Creative Arts Therapies at the University of Melbourne. He has been a social worker and drama therapist for over 20 years working with trauma in children, young people and adults and palliative care and community work settings. He was editor of the Dramatherapy Journal from 2021 to 2023. His doctorate explored the therapeutic relationship and how this has the potential to mirror the dynamic between audience and actor. He is widely published and presents internationally. Current research interest explores how clowning can inform the playful relationship in therapy.

When: Sunday 8 February 2026
Time: 11 am to 1pm AEDT
(1 pm NZDT, 8 am AWST/HKT/SGT)
Duration/CPD: 2hrs
Where: Zoom
Cost: $50 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: Practising and On Leave members
Min/Max: 15/30 participants
Recorded session: Yes

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

This training will contain theory, experiential learning, and opportunities for supervision practice, and can be used as either an arts-therapy based PD opportunity, or towards registration as an approved supervisor with ANZACATA.

It is best suited to experienced professional members, as it assumes a working clinical knowledge and experience in arts therapy.

The training will cover:

1. Definitions of supervision
2. A variety of models and approaches to supervision
3. Arts-based integration
4. Clinical practice
5. Ethics and Contracts

The course will be 40 hours over 5 sessions (including 15 hours of experiential practice) in keeping with ANZACATA policy requirements of Approved Supervisors. Participants will be expected to engage in supervision practice with other participants between the online sessions in order to complete the required number of hours to register as an ANZACATA supervisor.

Please note only Professional Members can be on the ANZACATA Approved Supervisor listing and completion of this training course does not constitute an application to become an ANZACATA Approved Supervisor.

PRESENTER BIO

Tilly Dawson (she/her) is a professional member, practicing art therapist, and ANZACATA-approved supervisor. Tilly specialises in clinical art therapy within healthcare and oncology settings. She is a passionate clinician with experience in providing individual and group sessions for patients and their families across the lifespan. Throughout her career, Tilly has supervised numerous students and has work as a casual Academic at La Trobe University within the Master of Art Therapy program. Her areas of interest and application in art therapy include medical art therapy, palliative care, trauma-informed practices, and supervision.

When: 20, 21, 22 February and 7, 8 March 2026
Time: 12–5 pm AEDT (2-7 pm NZDT, 9am–2pm AWST/HKT/SGT)
Duration/CPD: 40 hours
Where: Zoom
Cost: $500 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: Experienced Professional Members
Min/Max: 8/16 participants
Recorded session: No (Privacy Reasons)

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

This workshop covers the requirements you need to know to register to provide arts  therapy for clients impacted by sexual abuse funded by ACC. The workshop will cover ACC's requirements relating to qualifications and clinical experience,  and ongoing requirements from ACC post registration. The registration process will be covered, and how to go about finding a supplier.  

This is open to anyone who is located in New Zealand and interested in registering to do this work, from experienced professionals, to students who are looking at this as a future revenue source once they have sufficient experience. The workshop will consist of a presentation, and will include time for questions. There is no experiential component in this workshop.

PRESENTER:

Tania is a professional Arts Therapist, and holds a supplier contract with ACC for sensitive claims (sexual abuse). She graduated Whitecliffe in 2013, and has specialised in working with trauma for most of her career. Tania has a special interest in working with shame, and has also done extensive training in working with dissociation and eating disorders. She is the director of choose2change, and has approximately 80 therapists subcontracting for ACC work across NZ.

When: Sunday 22 February 2026
Time: 10am-11.30am NZDT
Duration/CPD: 1.5 hrs
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Open to: Practising and Student Members in New Zealand only
Max: 30 participants
Recorded session: No (Privacy Reasons)

Cancellation Policy
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

How can I tell what I think till I see what I say? (often attributed to E. M. Forster). Whether it's a time of fracture or of flow in your work world, let's access the joy, depth and insight of authentic creative writing.

Let's tap into writing's riches to strengthen and evolve professional identity and practice. The act of writing need not be hum or drum. It can be playful, grounding, life-giving. It can facilitate embodied, integrated understanding and problem-solving.

In this two-part experiential workshop, Sally will gently guide you through a series of writing practices that can serve any of the following functions:

• supporting your professional creative self-care and sustenance
• assisting you internally in your work with clients e.g. writing to prepare, affirm intentions, attune to the other, manage self-doubt, critically reflect, clarify areas for further investigation
• providing tools to adapt and offer directly to clients e.g. for self-regulation, creative expression, self-knowledge or empowerment.

The writing practices include creative list-making, free writing with a guiding phrase, sensory object wisdom and postcard poetry portrait. Practitioners at any level of membership or experience are welcome. Numbers are limited, to foster safety, connection and community-building.

Participants can expect to:

• Enliven your relationship with writing as an embodied vehicle of exploration, expression and creative self-reflection
• Augment your practitioner creative self-care and self-regulation toolkit
• Utilise creative reflective writing to strengthen your arts therapist identity and professional practice
• Gather experiential writing tools to use directly with clients, in conjunction with arts therapy processes
• Validate shared and diverse experience in a group of connected peers.

PRESENTER:

Sally Swain (AThR, ANZACATA-approved supervisor) has been running her Art and Soul Creativity Coaching practice for more than thirty years. This includes Write for Wellbeing workshops in contexts such as Carer Gateway and Blue Knot Foundation. Embodied creativity is at the core of all she offers. Sally's internationally bestselling books include Great Housewives of Art. Her initiatives supporting arts therapists include Art Heart Action bushfire recovery program, ANZACATA-sponsored Creative Sustenance in Troubled Times series, Draw (your art) and Pour (your tea) for Arts Therapists monthly online gatherings and Arty Hearty Therapist e-newsletter artandsoul.cc.

When: Friday 27 February 2026 (Part 1) and Friday 6 March 2026 (Part 2)
Time: 11 am to 1.30pm AEDT
(8 am HKT/SGT/AWST, 10 am AEST/QLD, 1 pm NZDT)
Duration/CPD: 2 x 2.5 hrs
Where: Zoom
Cost: $150 (+GST for Aust. Members)
Open to: All members except subscription only
Min/Max: 6-8 participants
Recorded session: No (privacy reasons)

This training will contain theory, experiential learning, and opportunities for supervision practice, and can be used as either an arts-therapy based PD opportunity, or towards registration as an approved supervisor with ANZACATA.

It is best suited to experienced professional members, as it assumes a working clinical knowledge and experience in arts therapy.

The training will cover:

1. Definitions of supervision
2. A variety of models and approaches to supervision
3. Arts-based integration
4. Clinical practice
5. Ethics and Contracts

The course will be 40 hours over 5 sessions (including 15 hours of experiential practice) in keeping with ANZACATA policy requirements of Approved Supervisors. Participants will be expected to engage in supervision practice with other participants between the online sessions in order to complete the required number of hours to register as an ANZACATA supervisor.

Please note only Professional Members can be on the ANZACATA Approved Supervisor listing and completion of this training course does not constitute an application to become an ANZACATA Approved Supervisor.

PRESENTER BIO

Tilly Dawson (she/her) is a professional member, practicing art therapist, and ANZACATA-approved supervisor. Tilly specialises in clinical art therapy within healthcare and oncology settings. She is a passionate clinician with experience in providing individual and group sessions for patients and their families across the lifespan. Throughout her career, Tilly has supervised numerous students and has work as a casual Academic at La Trobe University within the Master of Art Therapy program. Her areas of interest and application in art therapy include medical art therapy, palliative care, trauma-informed practices, and supervision.

When: 26, 27, 28 June and 11, 12 July 2026
Time: 12–5 pm AEST (2–7 pm NZST, 10 am–3 pm AWST/HKT/SGT)
Duration/CPD: 40 hours
Where: Zoom
Cost: $500 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: Experienced Professional Members
Min/Max: 8/16 participants
Recorded session: No (Privacy Reasons)

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.

This training will contain theory, experiential learning, and opportunities for supervision practice, and can be used as either an arts-therapy based PD opportunity, or towards registration as an approved supervisor with ANZACATA.

It is best suited to experienced professional members, as it assumes a working clinical knowledge and experience in arts therapy.

The training will cover:

1. Definitions of supervision
2. A variety of models and approaches to supervision
3. Arts-based integration
4. Clinical practice
5. Ethics and Contracts

The course will be 40 hours over 5 sessions (including 15 hours of experiential practice) in keeping with ANZACATA policy requirements of Approved Supervisors. Participants will be expected to engage in supervision practice with other participants between the online sessions in order to complete the required number of hours to register as an ANZACATA supervisor.

Please note only Professional Members can be on the ANZACATA Approved Supervisor listing and completion of this training course does not constitute an application to become an ANZACATA Approved Supervisor.

PRESENTER BIO

Tilly Dawson (she/her) is a professional member, practicing art therapist, and ANZACATA-approved supervisor. Tilly specialises in clinical art therapy within healthcare and oncology settings. She is a passionate clinician with experience in providing individual and group sessions for patients and their families across the lifespan. Throughout her career, Tilly has supervised numerous students and has work as a casual Academic at La Trobe University within the Master of Art Therapy program. Her areas of interest and application in art therapy include medical art therapy, palliative care, trauma-informed practices, and supervision.

When: 30, 31 October and 1, 14, 15 November 2026
Time: 12–5 pm AEDT (11am – 4 pm QLD, 2–7 pm NZDT, 9 am–2 pm AWST/HKT/SGT)
Duration/CPD: 40 hours
Where: Zoom
Cost: $500 (+GST for Aust. members)
Open to: Experienced Professional Members
Min/Max: 8/16 participants
Recorded session: No (Privacy Reasons)

Cancellation Policy:
When you register and pay to attend one of our events, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to other members. In order to be respectful of your fellow members and the presenter, please email us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend the event. We keep our events as affordable as possible and need to pay presenters the fee they request. While we understand sometimes urgent matters come up, if registrants cancel at the last minute, we struggle to pay presenters. A full refund will be given if the cancellation occurs more than 24 hours before the event. If the cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the event, 50% of your registration fee will be refunded only to defray our costs.