Volunteer opportunity

http://www.idealist.org/view/volop/TgJZZ2PMBxjd/

Do you have a desire to use your talents to serve your community? Do you have a passion for helping others recover from disorder eating? Rock Recovery is seeking professional therapists to lead weekly therapy groups for men and women striving to overcome eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, compulsive eating, and food/exercise addiction.
Job Responsibilities:
Approximately once a month, this volunteer would be responsible for co-leading a small a therapy group (about 10 individuals). This meeting will consist of a meal prepared by a nutritionist and a therapy session. These sessions are held on Sunday evenings between 5 and 8PM in the Arlington Courthouse metro area.
Between meetings, the volunteer will be responsible for reviewing and updating client notes, contacting potential attendees, making suggestions for improvement, attending occasional treatment team meetings, and staying abreast of general communication.
Minimum Qualifications:
-LCSW, LPC, therapist, or clinical psychologist certification
-Graduate degree
-Strong facilitation skills
-At least one year working with individuals suffering from disordered eating
-Ability to support Rock Recovery's faith-based perspective
Preferred Qualifications:
- 4+years working with clients
- Experience in or working within the eating disorder community
- Excellent referrals and high performance reviews in past positions
Key Competencies:
- Communicating Effectively
- Establishing Safety and Trust
Other Desirable Characteristics:
- Commitment to Service
- Integrity
- Emotional Stability & Intelligence

September 2011 workshop

Reframing Self-Care: Refilling the Well
Suzanne Fortnum, MA RYT 200
Saturday, September 24th, 2011, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Sponsored by Potomac Art Therapy Institute (PATA) and
the George Washington University Graduate Art Therapy Program
413 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA  22314
(2 CEC’s available, free for PATA members, $10 administrative fee for non-members*)
202-483-8600
 
 “Caring for the self is not self-indulgent, it is self-preservation”
                                                                       
                                                - Audre Lord
 

Self-care can often feel like one more thing to check off the ‘to-do’ list. As art therapists we provide best for our clients when our internal wells are replenished and full, yet finding time to refill the well can be a challenge. Many of us work at least an eight-hour day seeing clients, participating in treatment team meetings, staff meetings, writing notes, in addition to attempting to maintain a personal life. In this workshop, we will explore how to integrate self-care into daily practice to continuously fill our wells. While the concept of self-care ‘on-the-go’ may seem contradictory, it has many benefits related to clinical practice. Techniques and resources for self-care ‘on-the-go’ will be discussed and attendees will be provided with the opportunity to create self-care ‘toolkits’.

Attendees are asked to bring a box for art experiential. Shoeboxes work really well!!

 
Objective 1) Attendees will be able to identify the concept of self-care ‘on-the-go’ and learn five self-care “on-the-go” resources.
Objective 2) Attendees will be able to identify how the benefits of self care ‘on-the-go’ relate to clinical practice.
Objective 3) Attendees will be able to build their own self-care “toolkit”.
 
Contact Potomac Art Therapy Association
To register or for more information call 202-483-8600 or visit
www.potomacarttherapyassociation.com
 
Held at the George Washington University Graduate Art Therapy Program, 413 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA  22314.  Facilities are handicap accessible.
 
The Potomac Art Therapy Association (PATA) is an approved NBCC provider (#6500) and co-sponsor of this event.  PATA may award NBCC approved clock hours for events or programs that meet NBCC requirements.  PATA maintains responsibility for the content of this event

Collaboration

A few weeks ago, I received an interesting e-mail from a blogger with a direct and personal appreciation for art therapy and the many ways it can (and does) help so many people all over the world. He described himself as working in affiliation with a California-based medical center with an extensive art therapy program and he sent me the following article that I thought you might find interesting:

"HS Corona Regional Medical Center: How we all can benefit from creativity

There are many reasons that art therapy is both widely used and almost universally heralded and that is simply that everyone, no matter their mental, physical, or behavioral health, can be creative in one way or another.

This incredible versatility and accessibility makes art therapy a viable tool for anyone who chooses it as a way to health or well being. Expressing yourself, your thoughts, or feelings through creativity can often be a far less daunting prospect for those that have difficulty putting words to those emotions, particularly children who may not yet even possess the language skills to express what they are experiencing.

Whether painting, molding, drawing, dancing, or coloring, art therapy enables people to face and eventually overcome their difficulties while allowing them to feel very much in control of their feelings and ability to let them out. It also has the benefit of letting people explore themselves in a non threatening manner, often bringing to light issues long buried or unconsciously ignored.

Art therapy is not just for those suffering mental or behavioral health issues. It can also be an incredibly useful tool for those with physical disabilities. The creative process, regardless of the medium used, can help strengthen the physical body through hand-eye coordination and a better sense of body awareness. When used in conjunction with other methods of physical therapy patients are given more tools and more avenues to increase their physical control over their body and body movements. Depending on the individual situation, muscle strength, balance, and coordination can be vastly improved.

Art is an exciting and effective method of therapy for a host of different circumstances which is one of the reasons that it remains so popular and so productive. The creative process can be tailored fit almost any environment or individual regardless of physical or mental struggle.

It is truly a universal therapy as we humans are intrinsically creative even if we are unaware of it. Art therapy simply draws on this fact by not requiring the participant to consciously “become” creative in order to experience its benefits."

Gem of a Farewell....

I always like it when the kids I work with graduate from our program. However, some leave gems behind with their words of wisdom and their compliments, which we don't often hear from our clients. Below are the parting words from a graduating client, along with the individual brownie made for me (with my initials)...I hope this encourages the work of you other art therapists out there!

"Mrs. Mucklow. You are such an amazing art therapist. You're so funny and kind. I've learned to love art again. And I thank you. When I was little, I was always interested in art, but soon after my depression hit, I lost interest. I thought I would never be able to find pleasure in art again. But who would've thought coming here would help? I sure didn't. You definitely boosted my self-confidence toward my art. I can't thank you enough. I hope to visit you in the near future. Take care of yourself!"

Art aids WTB Soldiers

Art aids WTB Soldiers
Charmain Z. Brackett
Special to the Signal

The entryway of the Warrior Transition Battalion Building 329 has become an art gallery.

It all started with one idea.

Daryl Walker, who works in with the WTB, noticed one of the WTB Soldiers, Spc. Jose Hernandez bring in a model of a motorcycle for one of the noncommissioned officers who was leaving. He mentioned to Hernandez he would like one.

Hernandez made him one, and when Walker started to take it home, he had second thoughts.

“If I put it here, all the other Soldiers could enjoy it so I’ll go ahead and display it,” he said.

That was only about a month ago. Since then, other Soldiers have brought in paintings and other types of art work, which has transformed the building’s lobby. Now, Walker is looking for other Soldiers with artistic talent and more places to display their work.

Hernandez has spent 19 months with the WTB, and during that time, he turned to art to help him on his road to recovery.

“I didn’t paint since the sixth grade,” he said. “ I thought that skill was gone.”

He often gives his paintings to other Soldiers. One of his paintings hanging in Building 329 is of a Soldier kneeling in honor of a fallen comrade; another shows a warrior in transition from the battlefield to a future in college.

The art has provided a form of therapy, he said.

“It helps me to be relaxed and comfortable,” he said. “My condition has gotten better, and it’s kept me busy.”

Another Soldier who paints for therapy is Staff Sgt. Sonia Coleman. Her artwork is on the other end of the spectrum from Hernandez; she does abstract paintings.

“It allows you to go and experience your emotions on canvas,” she said. “You can release your frustration and depression. My paintings are different depending on the emotion.”

Walker said he not only wants WTB Soldiers’ artwork displayed around post and in the community, but Soldiers from other units as well.

Not only can art be therapeutic for those creating, but it can help those who see it as well. Walker wants to highlight the benefits of it.

“I think it’s a good thing,” he said.

To learn more about the art project, contact Walker or occupational therapist, Sterlyn Frazier, at daryl.k.walker@us.army.mil or sterlyn.d.frazier@us.army.