Christine Strauss Art Therapy
& Wellbeing Services
Based in Bateau Bay, NSW

My Qualifications:

I am a fully Qualified Art Therapist with a Masters of Art  - Art Therapy degree from the University of Western Sydney, and a Diploma of Applied Psychology Counselling and Communication, From the Australian College of Applied Psychology ACAP,  amongst many other trainings and professional development.

I am a Professional Registered Member of ANZACATA (Australia, New Zealand & Asia Creative Arts Therapy Association).

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How my journey began: 

My journey to becoming an Art Therapist, Counsellor & Creative Resilience Based Emotional Coach, sprang from a deep sense of wanting find an effective range of therapeutic methods of support/interventions that would enable each individual seeking help to find their unique voice.

 

That in offering a range of Therapies it would enable inclusion & invite diversity in a safe and secure environment including diversity of culture, nationality, gender, of ability and age. 

 

That through their engagement with this service those participating would be enabled to effect positive change in their lives, allowing them to increase their a sense of wellbeing.

 

That through offering a variety of helping modalities such as:

• Art Therapy (Children, Young People, Adults & the Elderly)

• Generalised Counselling (Young People & Adults)

• Creative Resilience Based Emotional Coaching (for children/young people)

that each individual seeking support at this Service would have the opportunity to find their own "best fit" therapeutic intervention.

 

I've found through my journey, that some people cannot find the words to express what is going on for them, often becoming stuck in emotion and therefore may require more expressive/creative forms of therapy to find their voice & work through what may be occurring for them. Others may have have been silenced in the past and now have the need to be heard in a safe and secure environment. And again others may quite naturally feel the need to be heard orally ie to talk things through, tell their story - to feel heard, listened to and understood, in order to gain a new perspective on their lives.

 

As a child I naturally gravitated towards art making which was an important form of  expression for me.  When I left school I gravitated towards becoming a Graphic Designer, and later an exhibiting Artist prior to my training as an Art Therapist. I had also worked for many years as a Production Manager for both print media and visual media - i.e. Television. 

Later, my path led me towards wanting to create a more in-depth understanding of myself & us all as human-beings.

 

I wanted to understand what makes us tick, what makes us happy or sad and how, when we become derailed emotionally through the circumstances of our lives - that we might regain our sense of Wellbeing. These pondering led me to initially explore Philosophy then moving to a more grounded understanding of how I might best offer support to others through Applied Psychology Counselling and Art Psychotherapy - known more commonly as Art Therapy.

 

Experience in the Sector: My journey of Professional Learning & Experience has spanned 21 years in the field of Social Welfare/Therapy -  having worked as an Art Therapist/Counsellor, Support Worker, Family Support Worker, Support Facilitator, Child Development Worker, Children's Resilience Coach and having Coordinated both a Family Support Service and a Combined Family Support & Family Homelessness Service. I have worked across diverse client groups & ages i.e. from Children, & Adolescents to Adults & the Elderly, supporting their Mental Health to assist them to regain a sense Wellbeing and or supporting their continued sense of Wellbeing.

 

I have worked with Children who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence & physical abuse and neglect, as well as the siblings of children with a disability -  who have often witnessed/ been impacted by the ill health & at times dramatic symptoms of their physically disabled brothers or sisters.

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I have worked with Families who have experienced the extreme loses that family breakdown brings - including Single Mums or Dads with children - trying to begin again after becoming homeless. I have worked with Women & their Children, traumatised, frightened & injured on many levels i.e. whether psychologically, emotionally, financially, spiritually and physically - who have fled Domestic Violence.  

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Special Projects:

I have also been privileged to have worked on some very special projects - such as:

• Community Art therapy with the aim of connecting the community i.e. "Past & Present Art Exhibition" in Aged Care - involving Elderly Residents, their families and staff all exhibiting together & seeing each other in a new light as equals, ie as contributing Artists ,with other Aged Care facilities coming to visit/ view the Exhibition - to be inspired and connect with their peers.

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• Collaborated with talented colleagues -  through the ongoing Brackets & Jam community of volunteers on the Central Coast to bring together children from primary schools across one of the largest Local Government Areas ie The Central Coast so that Children could be empowered to create their own Art Exhibition & Exhibition Space engendering in them a sense of pride and agency for the future. This Community exhibition was called "Fireworks" with prizes donated by local businesses/colleges to  foster ongoing skill development.

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• I was engaged to Facilitate Staff Development Days for Teachers around what sustains them to continue to offer their best in a rewarding as well as increasingly challenging high school environment.

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• I facilitated workshop for those with early onset dementia & their carers for the Living with Memory Loss Program involving image making with the goal of focusing on people's strengths around what they contribute to their world which was combined to create a large Mandala (representing unification of the self) which was displayed at the International Dementia Conference - Powerhouse Museum 2002.

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• I was privileged to be asked to offer a workshop for Indigenous women who had fled domestic violence, from various areas of Australia and were now living on the Central Coast - searching for connection, safety & recognition and valuing of identity & culture.

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• I have offered Art Therapy Workshops in the Local Community  called "Express to Destress" offering & Art Therapy and Meditation as means to release and express emotions to enable a sense of calm and wellbeing.

 

• Supported Children with Juvenile Arthritis & their Siblings through offering an Art Therapy Workshop at Camp Twinkletoes - A yearly camp offered by Arthritis NSW, celebrating the children's Strengths & acknowledging their Super Powers!

    Click the link to check it out!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe9_L1mX7ec&t=134s

 

• Supported Grandparent - Carers of School Aged Children offering an Art Therapy Workshop entitled "Art Express" at a Pamper and Appreciation Day held at the Bamboo Buddha, Holgate.The day - organised by Central Coast Family Support.​​

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