About

An Expressive Art Experiential: Discovery of Strengths through Artmaking

Art Directive/Activity & Purpose: 

Participants will be facilitated through an art making process to explore their inner strengths.

Through symbols and metaphors, novel materials/methods, their imagination will be activated, to get in touch with their creative self and produce an image that describes their strength. The experiential will simulate some “characteristics of playful learning”*. They will “learn through play” and discover new, meaningful perspectives about themselves as they undertake art medium/processes and articulation that is unfamiliar.

Objectives of Learning:
Art making led by an art therapist emphasizes psychological safety and positive regard, providing a space for reconnection with the inner being/child. The inner realm is receptive to play through multi-sensory stimulation. Participants are free to direct and structure their process. It sets the condition for joyful* play. And encourages surprises, novelty and risk taking (with materials/methods).

Art media/image-making naturally elicit imaginative play and storytelling, connecting multiple parts of the brain, including emotions, memories, and intuition. This creates an opportunity for meaning making*. Images help express complex personal ideas and thoughts. 

Therapeutic art making helps participants to be present with the self and being mindful. Like play, it can regulate emotions through sensory expression/immersion/flow and actively engage* participants, leading to deeper reflection about the self. 

At the end of the session, participants are given a choice to share their artworks if they wish. Witnessing and sharing artworks in a group is not only a self-validating experience but also facilitates empathy for others’ stories/ideas. The sharing and witnessing is a collective strength building process and can be socially interactive* and inclusive. In this case, it can be affirming to share not only the strengths but also the collective experience. 

Application to Teaching/Personal Growth:
Before conclusion of session Teachers will be guided to share:

• Their “playful learning” personal experience, new discoveries about self and others
• Reinforce the hidden strengths they have uncovered and how that can be useful for them in teaching and in life.
  
• Reflect on conditions they can recreate in classroom to enable playful learning for their students.
  
• How can they use art making to get in touch with their creative self/to engage in re-learning/self-renewal?
  

*Zosh, J. N., Hopkins, E. J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Whitebread, D. (2017). Learning through play: a review of the evidence. Billund, Denmark: LEGO Fonden.  

Target Audience: Educators/ Practitioners

Main Presenter

Ms Han Li June

Han Li June is a registered Art Therapist at the SUSS Counseling & Life Coaching Centre. She runs individual art therapy sessions and group therapeutic art workshops for students and staff at SUSS. Concurrently, she is an Artist cum Art Therapist at A Little Blue Studio. She actively collaborates with artists and mental health professionals to bring art to the community, fostering creative expression, emotional growth and social diversity. 

After graduating with BS(Hons) Psychology from University of Nottingham, she practiced psychology at the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office and the State Courts. Li June was later a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry Advisory Services before pursuing art therapy, attaining a Masters with Distinction at LASALLE College of the Arts.

Co-presenter

Ms Audrey Lum 

Audrey Lum is a counsellor with the SUSS Counseling & Life Coaching Centre. She works with adults and children to tend to all parts of themselves holistically. She uses creativity and neuroscience, to activate the imagination and body in the processes of discovery, healing and growth.

She has previous experiences in strategic planning, organizational development and clinical practice in the Counselling and Psychological Services of Family Justice Courts and Youth Court, as well as State Courts of Singapore. Audrey graduated with BA(Hons) Psychology from University of Queensland, and is a candidate for Masters of Counselling.