In the fall of 2011, I had the opportunity to present at the European Arts Therapies Conference in Italy. One of the keynote speakers for the conference was Graziella Magherini, M.D., a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. The title of her Keynote was “Aesthetic Emotion and Health: Arts Therapies in Italy”.
One of the issues that she…
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Since so many of our students come to us from out of state, many want to explore the region and there is so much here to discover and experience! Chaco Canyon is an ancient site that is popular to visit. I will share my experience here just to give you a flavor....
Chaco is only…
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In a graduate school that has a large student body studying art therapy, it is no surpise that the mandala is used both in and outside the classroom. In Archetypal Psychology the counseling and art therapy students create personal mandalas and follow their progress in the class visually.
In a mindfulness practice, when it is…
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It is “Day of the Dead” as I write this. Gifted by a strong Mexican community, Santa Fe has access to the traditions surrounding this holiday.
With roots in ancient Aztec traditions, this holiday invites us to welcome back the spirits of those who have departed. At the very least. we have the opportunity to…
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I once painted an image of a tree when I had more paint on my brush than I thought I had and created a big purple splash in the middle of the tree branches. I played with it a while and came to appreciate the shapes that emerged as the paint flowed and eventually dried.
…
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In the last two weeks I lost my iPod, my apple’s hard-drive, my printer/fax followed by light flashes in my left eye, and my dog’s life.
The road has been bumpy, but I have strength garnered from the wilderness. There is a message: If I can learn to detach from the technology and embrace the…
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When I entered the second year of my counseling program, I immediately felt the shift of focus from myself to the client. Going to Tierra Nueva, Southwestern College's Counseling Center, for Practicum concretized the transition. Tierra Nueva used to sit in a small shopping mall surrounded by fun businesses such as the cycling shop, an…
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We have time during the week where students can participate in open art studio for artmaking and in addition we have a time around the noon hour where students can participate in a mindfulness practice in our spiritual practice room. These sessions may look different depending upon who is involved. Those who participate help to create…
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Helping comes in many ways here at Tierra Nueva, Southwestern College's Counseling Center, magic comes in many ways too. We see so many people in so many different situations looking for help, support, caring and love. In addition to our human clients, we were able to help two little beings that were in desperate need,…
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Since 2006, Ecotherapy students at SWC have been reconnecting to Mother Earth by going on Wilderness Fasts, praying in sweat lodges, practicing Andean energy healing techniques, and participating in other indigenous healing ceremonies.
But how have these folks been applying what they learn, once they are out in the professional world of mental health? Here…
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Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM