2nd Qld Expressive Arts Therapists' Self Care Retreat

Welcome to the Retreat!!! We are so lucky to be on Yarun or Bribie Island, the land of the Gubbi Gubbi people. Closer to nature and our own self care! This is the second Queensland Expressive Arts Therapy Retreat created to provide an affordable, educational, expressive, relaxing self-care and CPD opportunity for busy and giving therapists. 

Why come to the retreat??

You are: Registered Expressive Arts Therapists, Creative Arts Therapists, Arts Psychotherapists, Music/Movement/Dance/Drama/Voice therapists and more. Students of any of the expressive/creative arts therapies at Bachelor or Masters level are also welcome.

What we offer: Art Therapy Academy (Founder Taraka Hart) in collaboration with other therapists present a weekend of self care activities and art making experiences for you in a very natural environment. 

Where: Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre Qld - about two hours from Brisbane's city centre. 

When: 10-12 February 2023, from lunch on Friday to 4pm on Sunday

How: Book here for an early bird at $595 or general ticket at $685. We have three spaces for payment plans. Contact for details. 

Why? You are looking for a way to connect to what is important for you as a person and professional. You might love the beach and need a great excuse to spend a few days within walking of an amazing beach and its a great time of year to swim. You might be looking to more natural ways of connecting clients to art projects or processes that don't harm the planet. You might be tired and need a few days off the day-to-day. You might ache to meet others who do what you do, or something very similar, as you work in a multi-disciplinary team who don't always understand the creative approach to therapy. You might have had an awesome time in 2022 and you want to see what's happening this time at the retreat! 

What might occur as a result of attending? 

- you ground, relax, and feel safe in your body

- you feel connected, closer to nature and go back to work refreshed and invigorated 

- you attend a peer supervision group after the retreat

- you make new friends who are creative, caring, sensitive and awesome! 

- you find professionals to refer clients to

- you find professionals to refer clients to you

- you find others to learn from about their therapy speciality or teach your speciality (CPD)

- you find an individual external supervisor with whom you click

- you contribute to the professional identity with others from the creative arts therapy field 

- you make a network of similarly trained professionals and do awesome things together 

- you participate in an exhibition or mental health week activities together 

- you get time to sit on the beach, feel the sand, eat great food 

Ready to Register already??? Read more! 

Our Facilitators 

Juliette Kalifa - Accredited Supervisor, Creative Arts Therapist and Counsellor

Amanda Hall - Supervisor, Art Therapist, Mental Health Social Worker, MMH AT lecturer 

Kassie Sofia - Registered Music Therapist & Neurologic Music Therapist

Taraka Hart - Arts Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Supervisor & Educator 

Tanya Burkhardt - Arts Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Sexologist and Pleasure Activist 

Haritha Jonnalagadda - Trauma Therapists & Trauma Trained Personal Trainer

Helen Bradshaw - Art Therapist, Diversional Therapist, Visual Artist

Bindii Thorogood - Arts Psychotherapist & Artist 

Cielle Van Vuuren - Art Therapist & Art/Craftist 

Liz Abel - Art Therapy Student & Art/Craftist & Yoga Teacher

A pristine beach lies less than a five minute saunter from the venue and will be the site of nature immersion and creativity. Our focus in 2023 is to be 'closer to nature' and we will offer a nature based arts enquiry, an immersion into ways to use plant based art materials in self care or client work AND experiencing a plant-based diet for the weekend. 

In 2022 participants experienced a variety of therapeutic activities with experienced facilitators. For example we were lucky to include an expressive dance event on Saturday night around a fierce but friendly fire, paint pouring and mandala making were offered. Over the weekend therapists had the opportunity to explore art making processes for future incorporation into their practice with clients or for their own self-care routine. In 2023 we will continue sharing skills to add to your therapy 'kit'. We have additional surprises to look forward to...

Outline of Retreat: 

Friday 10-02-23

12:30pm Enjoy a picnic lunch (provided) together at a Bribie Island beach near the Retreat and Recreation venue

3:00pm Reach the venue, relax and unload gear for the weekend.

3:45pm Welcome Event!

4:00pm- 5:30pm Activity 

6:00pm Dinner

7:00pm - 8:30 Activity 

Saturday 11-02-23

7:30am - 8:10am Morning Somatic Awareness Exercises 

Breakfast 

9:30-11:30 Activity

Lunch 

1:30 - 3:30pm Activity 

4:30 - 6:30pm Beach Activity 

Dinner 

Night Beach Time 

Sunday 12-02-23

7:30am - 8:10am Morning Somatic Awareness Exercises 

Breakfast 

9:30-11:30am Activity 

Lunch 

1:30- 3:30pm concluding activity 

3:30-4pm Photos, feedback, see you soon! 

Details of the practical kind! 

Cost: Ticket price includes plant-based meals and simple accommodation. Early Bird $595 General $685 

Payment Plan for three guests only

Venue:  Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre 

The camp has been sensitively designed to minimize its footprint on the island environment. 

This venue is simple, but quiet and serene.  The venue is clean, roomy and feels family-like and the manager is really friendly and helpful if something goes wrong. 

There is internet available at the site and you will be provided with a wifi password. 

Accommodation: 

Accommodation is in shared cabins (with bathrooms) and we are limiting the number of participants to 4/cabin for comfort and ease. If you would like to camp or glamp (tents are available on site too) or bring your camper van, you are welcome. Please indicate on ticket purchase. You can book and allocate a cabin and search for friends and add yourself to their cabin - if this messes up, please contact us and we will review the process. Fans are in each cabin.

Meals: 

All plant-based meals/snacks and accommodation is included in the ticket price. Our wonderful cook, Ruchi, and her team will be open to taking on volunteer help during some meal prep if you would like to learn more about plant based cooking. 

Special meals: please indicate if you have a food intolerance or allergy. All meals will be catered and knowing ahead helps us ensure your individual needs are met.