Beyond the Product: The Clinical Use of Art Materials

Professional development for Creative Arts Therapists

Art materials are much more than creative tools—they influence how clients think, feel, regulate, express themselves, and engage in the therapeutic process. This experiential workshop by Glenda Needs invites participants to look beyond the finished artwork and explore the clinical qualities of different art materials, including their sensory properties, structure, flexibility, resistance, and physical demands. Through hands-on experimentation, reflective discussion, and practical application, participants will develop a deeper understanding of how intentional material selection can support therapeutic goals across a wide range of clients and practice settings.

Glenda Needs is a distinguished Arts Psychotherapist whose extensive expertise spans counselling, neuroscience, theatre, art, and paediatric psycho-social palliative care.

Glenda provides consultations through her private practice, InsideArts, which includes NDIS-eligible and organization-funded services, while also offering clinical supervision and professional development for therapists.

A dedicated educator, she teaches in postgraduate programs on counselling, disability, and arts psychotherapy. Her contributions to committees and reference groups further strengthen the credibility of Art Therapies in Australian mental health and well-being services.

Cost: $15 Bookings via Humanitix preferred prior to the event so numbers known. Cash can be paid at the door.

Please bring your sketch book. Other art materials provided.

This workshop is for creative arts practitioners and therapists and 2 hrs CPD applies.