February Newsletter
Hello,
Welcome to the February edition of the ITT Newsletter. One of the aspects I love most about my work is blending Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Art Therapy. These two approaches complement each other beautifully, creating a powerful synergy that fosters effective and meaningful results in the healing process.
SE has continually reinforced for me the vital role of support. Whether in my role as an assistant during SE trainings, within the supervision groups I facilitate, or in individual sessions with clients, the importance of support is a lesson that is consistently reflected back to me. It is a fundamental cornerstone of this work—providing the right kind of support, with the right level of attunement, can lead to profound and lasting healing.
I feel deeply honoured to have had the opportunity to support so many of you, whether through supervision or personal work, as you continue to strive towards being the best version of yourselves. Equally, I am profoundly grateful for the support you’ve shown me—your engagement with my offerings and your enthusiasm for integrating aspects of the SE framework into your own practice inspire and sustain me.
Thank you for being part of this shared journey. Together, we continue to grow, learn, and create spaces where healing and transformation are possible.
Warm regards, Tania
What's Happening at ITT
Group Supervision – February & March Dates
Keep an eye on the ITT website for group supervision dates throughout 2025! The next online supervision sessions are scheduled for:
Thursday, 20th February @ 4:30pm
Thursday, 20th March @ 4:30pm
Click here for more information and registration.
Participants of the online supervision groups have shared the unique value they’ve gained from these sessions. The group dynamic fosters connection, learning, and creative exploration, which are invaluable for professional growth.
The power of art-making as a way of knowing and understanding continues to amaze practitioners. It’s easy to lose touch with its transformative potential when we’re focused on offering it to others in our work. Remember to make time for your own creative practices—they’re essential for your wellbeing and nourishment.
While there are no in-person supervision groups scheduled for 2025, in-person sessions can be arranged at The Creative Continuum in Warrandyte if you’re able to gather a group of at least four practitioners. If this is something you’re interested in, please email me at info@integratedtraumatherapy.com.au.
Professional Development Opportunities
I’m excited to share this year’s professional development workshops, designed to deepen your understanding of complex trauma and strengthen your therapeutic practice.
Online Professional Development: Understanding Complex Trauma
Applying Art Therapy, Somatic Nervous System principles, and practitioner support to work effectively with complex trauma presentations.Online Professional Development: Using Art Therapy to Explore Shame
This workshop will help you understand how shame presents in the nervous system, its role, and how to support repair. Shame and CPTSD can be incredibly challenging to work with and deeply impactful for clients. By incorporating the Somatic Experiencing and Polyvagal frameworks, we’ll explore how to work safely and effectively with these presentations.
These workshops combine theoretical insights with practical tools, using Art Therapy to support both you as the practitioner and your clients in achieving meaningful therapeutic outcomes. I’d love to have you join me for these transformative sessions.
Dates for both professional development workshops will be announced soon—stay tuned!
If you have any questions or would like to know more, feel free to reach out. Let’s make 2025 a year of growth, learning, and connection!
New ITT Offerings for 2025
1. Coming Soon: SE Skills for Life Online Course
Later this year, I’m excited to offer a brand-new 6-week SE Skills for Life online course. This course is designed to provide participants with practical tools and foundational skills from the Somatic Experiencing framework to help regulate the nervous system, build resilience, and improve overall well-being.
The course will initially be available to those on my waiting list. If you believe any of your clients might benefit from developing these valuable skills, I encourage you to share this opportunity with them.
Stay tuned for further details, including dates and registration information, which will be shared soon. Let’s continue to support healing and growth together!
2. Accelerated Trauma Recovery Mandala
Created by Lindy Bearup, the Accelerated Trauma Recovery Mandala is a therapeutic in-person group hosted at The Creative Continuum (CC). This intensive programme is for individuals currently working through their trauma, offering a supportive and focused space for deeper healing. Referrals are now open—if you have clients who may benefit, please let them know.
Contact: info@integratedtraumatherapy.com.au
3. Art Therapy Offerings at The Creative C
Explore the range of creative offerings at The Creative C, ideal for practitioners and clients alike. These workshops combine art-making, creative expression, and skill development with therapeutic insights for reflection and personal growth. The workshops scheduled for February and March 2025 include:
Art n Soul – February 8th & 22nd; March dates TBC
Mandala Meditations - Online Saturday 1st Feb
These sessions provide opportunities for participants to engage in meaningful self-expression and creative exploration.
4. Art Therapy Studio Hire
Looking for a space to host your own workshops or events? The Creative C offers studio hire for Thursdays, weeknights, and evenings, with options for full or half-day rentals.
The space includes:
A waiting room, kitchenette, and toilets
Extensive art equipment
Capacity for up to 20 participants
Whether you’re planning a one-off workshop or ongoing sessions, this versatile and well-equipped space is ideal. For more information, visit Creative C Studio Hire.
If you’d like to learn more about these exciting new offerings, feel free to reach out. Let’s make 2025 a year filled with creativity, connection, and healing!
Therapy Insights: Exploring Dynamics in Trauma Therapy
One of the key concepts in Somatic Experiencing (SE) when working with trauma is Coupling Dynamics, a term developed by Peter Levine and expanded upon by expert somatic practitioner Kathy Kain, who delivers specialised training in this area. This concept describes how, during a traumatic event, associations and experiences become tightly linked or disconnected as a protective mechanism. While this helps us survive in the moment, it can later create amplified or disorganised experiences that affect how we process and respond to the world.
Understanding Coupling Dynamics:
Undercoupling: When experiences feel disconnected or disorganised. For example, Kathy Kain describes this as, “The keys are in the fridge, and the socks are hanging from the ceiling light. I’ve got a suitcase under the bed, but it’s full of zucchini.” This disconnection can leave clients feeling scattered, disjointed, or vague.
Overcoupling: When everything becomes tightly bound together. Using Kain’s metaphor, “The keys, socks, and zucchini are bound together by twine and locked in a case in the closet, which is also locked.” This overcoupling often presents as anxiety, with many thoughts, feelings, and memories tangled together, creating confusion or emotional overwhelm.
Art Therapy and Coupling Dynamics:
Art therapy provides a powerful medium for exploring and untangling these dynamics. The creative process offers a visual and experiential way to separate and understand what might feel overwhelming or disconnected.
For example, a client working in an art therapy session began layering patterns on top of each other in their artwork. As they described the process, they compared it to their mental illness, observing how the layers reflected their diagnosis. This was a clear representation of overcoupled dynamics, where thoughts, feelings, and experiences were tightly bound together. By encouraging the client to explore each layer as a separate artwork, the therapist could help “uncouple” these dynamics, offering a clearer and more manageable perspective.
The Benefits of Art Therapy in Uncoupling Dynamics:
Mapping and Separating Experiences: Art provides a way to hold and examine each experience individually. This can be crucial for clients who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their emotions and thoughts.
Externalising the Internal: The process of creating allows clients to see their experiences visually. This externalisation can offer relief, as the artwork holds the emotions, giving the client space to process without being consumed by them.
Uncovering Associations and Meaning: Through creative expression, clients often uncover hidden memories, associations, and insights that were previously inaccessible.
Validating and Reflecting: The artwork mirrors back the client’s internal world, validating their experiences in a way that feels tangible and affirming.
Processing Overcoupled Emotions Like Shame: Shame, a common overcoupled experience, can be explored and separated through art. The process enables clients to unpack the layers of shame, understand its roots, and begin to release its hold.
As practitioners, witnessing the relief and clarity that clients experience through this process is deeply rewarding. When clients can see their emotions and experiences outside of themselves—contained in the artwork—it becomes easier for them to understand, process, and heal. Art therapy not only helps untangle these dynamics but also empowers clients to navigate their trauma with renewed confidence and self-awareness.
Check out the ITT Resource Page
There is a selection of resources on the ITT resource page that maybe useful to you or your clients:
https://www.integratedtraumatherapy.com.au/resources
Have a look at the Creative C too:
https://www.creativec.com.au
The CC has studio hire for events on the weekends or evenings during the week.
Thank you for reading.
Take care,
Tania
