About Art Therapy
Images come in many forms— via dreams, paintings, poetry, songs that get stuck in our heads, scribbles we make, pages we leave blank, etc. By bringing awareness to our inner imagery, and by cultivating a relationship with these places in ourselves, we become deeply connected with our innate wisdom, intuition, and ability to heal. Art work is soul work, and having a witness (art therapist) to our creative unfolding is deeply nourishing and helps make transformation possible.
According to the American Art Therapy Association, Art Therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. An Art Therapist is trained in all the same skills as a psychotherapist with additional training in Art Therapy. Therefore, a session will involve regular talk therapy and, if the client is interested, use of art materials to explore ideas or relationships that have come up. Alison offers art therapy in both individual and group settings. Let's connect.
Group Art Therapy Opportunities with Alison McQueen, MA
MYTH, ART AND MOVEMENT PART 2: THE GODDESSES OF SPRING
WITH ALISON MCQUEEN, MA, LPC AND KARINA TIBBLE, MA, LPC
Registration is now CLOSED
Are you fascinated by the Feminine face of God? Does your heart long for deep contact with the Divine Feminine and her teachings? Are you working to dismantle internalized patriarchy and reclaim the nourishing feminine ways? Us too. You are not alone.
Join a sacred circle of women for goddess mythology and storytelling, as well as intentional movement and art practices designed to activate the Goddess wisdom already within you. Experience nourishing and supportive touch, deep listening between sisters, chanting, and much more. Having completed our deep winter Goddess series, we will continue to deepen our exploration of the Hindu pantheon, working with Lalita Tripura Sundari: Goddess of Erotic Spirituality, Bhuvaneshwari: Goddess of Infinite Space, Parvati: Goddess of the Sacred Marriage and Radha: Goddess of Romantic Longing.
Group size is limited to the first ten women who sign up. Pre-registration is required; email alison@aspenroots.org. Boulder location provided upon registration.
Saturdays from 10am-noon, April 29-May 27 2017
$225/series. 15% off early bird discount if purchased by April 5. Limited scholarships available. Join with a friend and receive the BFF discount (additional 10% off each).
MYTH, ART & MOVEMENT: A DEEP WINTER GODDESS SERIES FOR WOMEN with Alison McQueen & Karina Tibble
REGISTRATION CLOSED
The Goddess is here. Can you feel her? Are you longing for more connection with the Deep Feminine? Are you struggling with empowerment or recovering from patriarchy?
Us too. You are not alone.
Spend deep winter by the fire with Karina Maria and Alison McQueen as they facilitate encounters with Durga, Saraswati, Kali and Lakshmi of the Hindu tradition. Through exploring myth, art and movement with other women you are invited to embody the wise and powerful places in yourself that these goddesses inspire.
5 Saturdays 10am-12noon, February 4-March 4, 2017. $225/series. Limited scholarships available. Makes a great holiday gift for your favorite goddess. Location provided upon registration. Boulder, CO. Contact me to register.
WELL-TIED KNOTS: A PARENT CHILD SEWING CIRCLE SUPPORTING HEALTHY ATTACHMENT
REGISTRATION CLOSED
Sewing is an ancient, sacred and fun art form, and it runs deep through our ancestries. From quilt-making to pants-mending, sewing slows us down and requires and inspires mindfulness. And sewing is all about attachment— repairing what’s torn or broken, strengthening bonds, connecting this piece to that piece, connecting me to you. The art of sewing is rich with metaphor and symbolism, and it has much to teach us if we slow down and listen. This sewing circle will support you in attuning with your child. Focused time, after all, is the gift our children want most of all.
Join Alison McQueen for a 6-session sewing circle for all ages. Age-appropriate sewing and pre-sewing activities will be available for even the smallest of children. Babies will be safely introduced on a sensory level to soft fabrics and yarns, toddlers will explore pre-sewing activities designed for developing fine motor skills, and preschoolers will be invited into healthy risk-taking by using real needles and scissors if they are ready. Elementary schoolers and older will be supported in learning different sewing skills and applying their own ideas to their creative processes. Hand sewing is the focus of the circle, although machine sewing, knitting, crocheting, and other fiber arts are welcome as well. We value process as much as product. The focus of this circle is allowing creative processes to support healthy connection between loved ones. The final product, although it is valuable, is not the primary focus of the group. Previous experience with sewing is not necessary.
SCHEDULE: 6 Thursdays from 4-515pm, January 5- February 9, 2017. South Boulder location provided to participants.
REGISTRATION: $180/series per parent/child pair. $40 per additional sibling. Class size is limited. Non-refundable payments due by December 27. To register contact alison@aspenroots.org
ADDITIONAL INFO:
To honor our commitment to supporting local economy, all materials purchased will come from Art Parts Boulder Creative Reuse Center rather than any larger chain craft stores. Our art space is a sacred screen-free zone; please no iPad use, texting, etc. while group is in session. All ages, genders and gender identities, spiritual and ethnic backgrounds, and abilities are welcome. This is an open and affirming space. Facility is not licensed for child drop-offs; parent must remain with child the entire time. If parent is not available to attend the circle, grandparents and other caregivers are certainly welcome.
Art-Based Women’s Group: Using Art to Explore Femininity, Vulnerability, and Power
REGISTRATION CLOSED
This experience will involve sewing prayers into our underwear, process painting, altering bras, creative writing, goddess work, and more… The fall 2016 group meets on Tuesdays from 6:15pm-8:15pm (9/20, 10/4, 10/18, 11/1, 11/15, 11/29, 12/6, and 12/13 in Boulder, CO. 8-session series for $345, includes the price of materials. Registration required; no drop-ins. Email alison@aspenroots.org.
Altered Book Group:
REGISTRATION CLOSED
Is there a dominant belief running through you that just doesn’t fit anymore? A story you heard growing up? A story you’ve told yourself, about yourself, about the world, that just isn’t true? Altering a book is a great way to untangle ourselves from outdated belief systems that are no longer serving us. What story needs to be rewritten for you? Is there a belief you’ve had about yourself, others, or the world, that needs to be torn out, painted over, rearranged, or even burned? What would be different in your life if you were the one writing the story.
In this 8-session art process group with art therapist Alison McQueen, MA you will be supported in using creativity to update/alter a book so that the story resonates more deeply with who you are now and who you are becoming. Materials will be provided- you bring the book.
Pricing $295/8-session series. Limited sliding scale. Registration required, no drop-ins.
Schedule and Location Every other Saturday from 1030am-1230pm at the Aspenroots Counseling office (directions here http://www.alison-mcqueen.com/contact/). January 23, February 6, February 20, March 5, March 19, April 2, April 16, April 30.
Inspiration For an example of an altered book experience, read Alison’s blog titled Assessment, Sitting Beside Someone, and Altering the DSM into a 3-Dimensional Sculpture (http://www.alison-mcqueen.com/blog/). Also I highly recommend checking out https://www.pinterest.com/skrush/altered-book-ideas/ for some great ideas.
Toddler Art Exploration Groups
REGISTRATION CLOSED
Alison offers sensory-based art exploration groups for toddlers in the Boulder area. These groups support toddlers in expressing themselves with a variety of art materials and processes tailored specifically to their developmental and social needs. Emotional and somatic intelligence teaching/modeling, as well as quarterly art shows, are woven into the curriculum as well. This is a closed group. Contact alison@aspenroots.org for more information.
