Welcome

Thank you for visiting. This site is to provide you with information regarding this private art psychotherapy practice. Also included in this site you will find mental health resources, examples of art creations executed during treatment sessions, a blog to provide an on-line outlet for questions and comments regarding mental health, and when you become a registered user you will receive a monthly Newsletter from Art Psychotherapy Counselling Services. Please visit us again.

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By drawing and visually expressing their feelings, even if they can't identify or label their emotions, clients have a starting point from which they can address their issues.
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The Effective Tip Corner

Autism Clusters In California

Two recent, separate publications identified regions with higher than expected numbers of autism cases - or clusters - in California. Using data collected by the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) on 2.5 million births including almost 10,000 autism cases from 1996-2000, investigators at UC Davis1 uncovered several clusters of elevated risk for autism. Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, reviewed these studies and found that the majority of these clusters were found to be strongly associated with higher parental education and, to a lesser extent, with parents of older ages. It is thought that parents with higher levels of education may have better access to the regional diagnostic and service centers in California, as the DDS relies on parents actively seeking services. Thus the distribution of cases is likely influenced by proximity to specialty research and service centers.

"Examination of clusters can help us understand the factors that have led to in increase in autism prevalence over time," said Autism Speaks' Chief Science Officer, Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.

"Our findings point strongly to the idea that a local process is associated with the increased risk of autism. Such a local process could be either an environmental factor or a social influence factor, or both," noted Bearman.

Both publications add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that the distribution of autism cases differs across different regions. While the exact causes of the clustering in California are unknown, ongoing studies exploring environmental exposures and social factors will be useful in providing answers.

Reference – Medical News Today, 25 Jan 2010 www.medicalnewstoday.com

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Art Therapy offers opportunities to access experiences in a controlled way.
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Art Therapy Update

Help for Haiti

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, a powerful earthquake caused massive damage in Haiti, in particular the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The Red Cross estimates that 3 million people have been affected by the earthquake, and Haitian President René Préval estimates that thousands have died. In an already impoverished nation, the 7.0-magnitude earthquake is expected to lead to a severe health crisis.

How can you help? The lists below are by no means exhaustive, but please consider offering your support to any of the following:

International Red Cross - The IRC is mobilizing resources and staff to respond to the earthquake, and is accepting donations to aid their efforts. The American Red Cross is also collecting donations via cell phone -- Text "Haiti" to the cell number 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. The charge will appear on your cell phone bill.

UNICEF - Along with UN partners, UNICEF has begun relief efforts, and is accepting donations.

International Medical Corp-- International Art Therapy Organization is currently working with IMC on an initiative in Africa; their work is often inspired by the use of arts in trauma relief around the world.

Doctors Without Borders - Members of Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) are already in Haiti treating the injured, and the group is collecting donations to support their work.

Partners in Health - This group is dedicated to providing the global poor with health care and is collecting donations to provide supplies to hospitals and health groups in Haiti.

Be well, and please pass this message along to your colleagues,

Art Psychotherapy Counselling Services

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Art allows us to explore our inner life and nourish our creativity.
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In the News

Madoff victim turns to Art Therapy

A New Mexico senior who lost her savings in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme says she has taken to drawing portraits of the convict as therapy.
Marcia Cohen of Santa Fe, who is in her 70s, said she lost her savings to Madoff, who pleaded guilty in March to 11 felonies, and began drawing unflattering portraits of the scammer as a form of art therapy, The (Santa Fe) New Mexican reported Friday.
Cohen said the portraits include a "hideous" drawing of Madoff with claws, a tail and a forked tongue. Another features Madoff riding a pig labeled "SEC" for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which Cohen said she blames for the loss of her money.
"They said over and over, after many people pointed out to them that this couldn't be good, they told us as little investors -- and, believe me, I'm a little investor -- that Madoff was safe and good, thereby sucking in an enormous number of people," she said. "They told The Wall Street Journal that Madoff had passed all inspections."

                                          Reference – www.upi.com
                                                                                               Santa Fe, N.M., November 13^th, 2009

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Some people find it difficult to verbalize their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
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Interesting Monthly Feature

ArteVida Program – Need for Supplies

Dear Friends:

The ArteVida program continues to be in need of art supplies for their program. They need all kinds of art supplies:
watercolors, tempera, acrylic, sketchbooks, water based paint, brushes, paper, canvas, acrylic, artists graphite pencils, prisma colour pencils, charcoal, sculpting materials, modeling clay, plasticene, modelling tools, clay, paper mache, glue sticks, spray fixative, acrylic gesso, palettes, easels, glue guns, developing solution for the pin hole camera project.

If you know of anybody who wishes to make a donation, please encourage them to do so.

If you know of anybody who is going to Havana, and who is willing to take some art supplies in their luggage, there are some art supplies that are ready to go to Havana. Anyone willing to take them can call me at (416) 690-0343, and arrangements will be made to get the supplies to them, and delivery documentation will be provided.

Regards,
Bill Polski

(416) 690-0343

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Art Therapy provides an opportunity to find insight into one's self.
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Recommended Therapeutic Resource

‘Finding Sunshine After The Storm’

When a child has experienced sexual abuse, he or she may struggle with low self-esteem and find it difficult to trust others. Though the mental damage from such abuse is significant, it can be substantially reversed if a caring adult is willing to dedicate a few minutes each day to helping the child heal. This book contains forty compassionate activities kids who have suffered abuse can do to raise their self-esteem, establish boundaries, and identify people they can trust. These simple activities drawn from a variety of therapeutic modalities are best used in combination with counseling to help kids recover from trauma and build confidence.

As children work through Finding Sunshine After the Storm, they will learn to deal with painful feelings in positive ways, reach out for support, and feel proud of themselves by taking a bow after important accomplishments. This workbook can help them reclaim the pride, joy, and security they may feel as though they have lost-the sunshine after the storm.

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Psychotherapy has a way of energizing, nurturing, teaching and mirroring our true selves.
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Inspirational Videos

Autism Clusters In California

Reference – www.upi.com Santa Fe, N.M., November 13th, 2009

Reference – www.upi.com
Santa Fe, N.M., November 13^th, 2009