Last updated 12 January, 2024

Using Creative Arts in Counselling

A Series of Workshops

Who is the course for?

Rowan Consultancy are offering an exciting series of workshops for counsellors curious about discovering and developing their use of the Creative Expressive Arts within their own personal and, or professional practice. The workshops will include structured exercises as well as time for individual development of work.

The aim of the workshops are:

  • to give the participants the opportunity to experience the use of arts in counselling. During each workshop you will have the opportunity to work as therapist and client using the arts
  • to equip the participants with the skills and knowledge to use the arts safely and ethically in their practice
  • to increase self-awareness in relation to working with the arts therapeutically
  • to examine different ways that we make sense of our own emotions, those of our clients and of the world around us using images, metaphor.
The Workshops
Using Drawing, Painting & Images within a Therapeutic Setting
Through individual and small group artistic and expressive exercises the workshop will offer you the opportunity to:
  • Learn skills for working with the painting and drawing therapeutically
  • Explore responses to images
  • Investigate a variety of mark making techniques and materials
Sandtray and Small World Work in Counselling
Through individual and small group work the workshop will introduce participants to:
  • The history and theory of working with the sandtray and small world work in counselling
  • Experiential work with small figures and objects in a therapeutic setting
The Therapeutic Power of Writing and Storytelling
Through individual and small group exercises the workshop will introduce participants to:
  • the basic theoretical concepts of storytelling, creative writing and poetry skills>
  • the use of storytelling, creative writing and poetry within a therapeutic setting
  • the opportunity to practice the therapeutic use of writing and storytelling
Working with Clay and Playdough in Counselling
Through individual and small group work the workshop will introduce participants to:
  • the concept of using clay and playdough to explore feelings and issues
  • the opportunity to work with other participants therapeutically as both therapist and client using clay and playdough
Feedback about the Using the arts with your counselling clients Workshop " Julia is such a skilled trainer and facilitator and we all found the training to be very beneficial and well-tailored to the work we do. "

Rachel Macdonald, Centre Manager, Alternatives

The Trainers
Julia Brown Portrait

Julia Brown has a Masters Degree in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy. She is an experienced, qualified supervisor and has been designing and delivering counselling training courses for over a decade. Julia is an examiner for the Masters programme at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, London. Julia is passionate about using creativity to help clients and students explore their inner world.

Margaret Christison has a Diploma in Counselling, a Diploma in Art from Edinburgh College of Art, is a COSCA Accredited trainer and a COSCA registered Counsellor. Margaret is part of a team delivering the COSCA Certificate in Counselling skills course at Edinburgh College, and since 2015, has had an input on the Interface Diploma in Counselling in Edinburgh. Margaret facilitates a Creative writing course for students in recovery from addictions to drugs and alcohol on outreach from Edinburgh College in partnership with Access to Industry.

Dates & Booking

The use of Drawing, Painting and Images within a therapeutic setting May 5th 2018
Sandtray and Small World Work in Counselling May 6th 2018
The Therapeutic Power of Writing and Story Telling September 29th 2018 Booking Form
Working with Clay and Playdough in Counselling September 30th 2018

All workshops are held at Rowan's premises in Perth, Scotland. Costs are £120 + VAT for one workshop or £100 + VAT each for two or more workshops when booked together.

Register Now

If you are interested in gaining confidence in using art materials in counselling, contact Rowan now. Give Rowan a call today on 01738 562 005 or email us through our contact form.



Rowan Consultancy, 121 Burghmuir Road, Perth, PH1 1JF. +44(0)1738 562005