Donna
Director, Senior Arts Therapist (AThR), Play Therapist (APTA-RPT), Arts Based Supervisor (ANZACATA and SPTI)
Welcome to Arts Therapy Spectrum and Play Therapy Spectrum.
I'm Donna, Director, Senior Arts Therapist, Play Therapist, and Supervisor.
I am a Master's qualified, registered Arts Therapist (AThR) and a registered certified Synergetic Play Therapist (APTA-RPT). I am also an ANZACATA approved Supervisor and Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor. I have been working as an arts therapist for over a decade, and a tertiary educator for over 15 years. I completed my study in Melbourne and was the arts therapist at the Monash Children's Hospital before relocating home to Adelaide. I worked on the academic team in the School of Creative Arts Therapies at the Ikon Institute and taught on the Bachelor of Arts Psychotherapy. I am a professional member of ANZACATA and the APTA. I currently hold the role of President of the Australian Play Therapists Association (APTA).
Arts therapy and play therapy are my passion and I love exploring new art materials, mediums and toys. I enjoy the challenge of finding a medium that really speaks to my client. While the goal of art therapy is not to become good at art, I get excited when clients fall in love with making art and start to utilise this for health, wellbeing and fun outside of our sessions.
Liz
Senior Arts Therapist and Play Therapist
Long childhood illness led Liz to use art to express herself as a teenager. As an adult, she studied Art Therapy at La Trobe University in 2009. Liz is a dancer, and loves using movement in a therapeutic setting where relevant also. Liz is also a certified Synergetic Play Therapist and uses a multi modal approach to supporting others.
Liz has a special passion for using art therapy in an aged care setting, having worked for many years with aged care residents experiencing Alzheimer's and Dementia. She has also worked extensively with aged care residents with long term Deafness and Blindness.
Liz's brother is Autistic and has complex disabilities, and this has led her to work with other Autistic young people and youth with other disabilities through dance and visual arts.
As a dress maker, she loves using fabrics, sewing and needlework alongside traditional visual arts media in self expression.
Jess
Early Childhood Educator, Provisional Play Therapist
Jess is a registered teacher in South Australia and is currently finalising her Synergetic Play Therapy training.
For the last 12 years Jess has been supporting and teaching a diverse range of wonderful children. These roles include coordinating a life skill program for children in out of home care and delivering play-based programs to school aged children in community centres. Jess has experience teaching and supporting educators on child development. Jess enjoys teaching regulation, emotional literacy and understanding behaviours. Jess is passionate about ensuring all children have the opportunity to thrive and learn.
Jess values a trauma-informed, relational approach in life and believes in the powers of play. Play is where we experiment, create and develop a deep understanding of ourselves, our experiences and build a connection to the world around us.