In Person In Singapore

We have expanded the options for the Certificate in Expressive Therapies with Children, Adolescents and Teens. There are now 7 modules. Choose a minimum of 5 Modules from these 7 to shape your pathway to receiving ETA’s Certificate.

Whilst it is possible to join the cohort at Module 2, we HIGHLY recommend starting with Module 1.

Somatically Engaged, Emotion Focused,
Creative Arts-based Counselling for Emotional Integration

Expressive Therapy is an invitation to self-discovery through integrative, activity-based methods that foster insights and internal change within the client. Embracing a client-centered and multi-modal approach, this approach to therapy acknowledges and values the personal interpretations and meanings attributed by the client.

In each of these immersive in-person workshops, participants delve into emotionally expressive techniques and inner-life skills grounded in creative arts with the aim of learning how to cultivate emotional integration, self-awareness, and resilience in their clients. The exercises included in each of the workshops are primarily designed for use with both individual children and groups from the age of 6-19, and provide creative formats for repairing the hurts of the past and for opening our younger clientele to the full potential of their inner world. 

Each 3-day workshop is an installment of a five-part series constituting the Certificate in Expressive Therapy, presented by Expressive Therapies Australia (“ETA”). The comprehensive 15-Day certificate course introduces a range of activities and experiential exercises to assist the development of emotional literacy, using emotion-focused and resilience-building processes, Symbol Work (developed by Pearson & Wilson) for enhanced communication, developing somatic awareness through body focused movement, self-expression using art, music, therapeutic writing, visualisation, role-play, relaxation and mindfulness-based tools that can be effectively used to address a wide-range of presenting issues. 

This approach stems from the work of Dr Mark Pearson and Dr Helen Wilson of ETA who have been pioneers in the field of expressive therapies. The Certificate workshops have been delivered for over 30 years in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. It is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic methods, and based on Mark and Helen’s ongoing research (as well as the work of others in this field) highlighting the substantial long-term benefits of Expressive Therapy, which include increased resilience, self-motivation, improved attention span, self-awareness and self-regulation among clients. Each Workshop in Certificate course draws material from books published by the course creators. 

Facilitated by ETA Trainer Paula Huggins

Paula is based in Singapore and available for on-going support during the trainings and clinical supervision post-course.

When and Where?

Each 3-day workshop will usually be held in-person at
Gentle Art of Expressive Therapy’s office at
50b Smith Street (Chinatown).

Each MODULE is limited to 12 people (max) to ensure there is plenty of opportunity to explore and discuss concepts, ideas and application in a small group setting.

Module One: 21 – 23 January 2027
Foundations of Expressive Therapies: Theory, Emotional Integration and Applied Practice
(Required Foundational Training)

This required module provides an introduction to the theoretical foundations of Expressive Therapies. It introduces a wide range of creative arts practical skills and child-friendly therapeutic activities suitable for engaging new clients. We strongly recommend this as your first module of the five required for the Certificate.

TOPICS COVERED:

• The evolution of Expressive Therapies (ET)
• Introduction to the ET modalities
• Applying the theoretical foundations of ET
• Key implications of client-centred and child-friendly therapy
• Principles, practices and theory of change in ET
• Introduction to emotion-focused and somatic-focused approaches
• Collaborating with clients to develop engagement and therapeutic direction
• Conceptualisation and planning with the ET Five-Stage Model
• Multiple Intelligences theory: A framework for responding to client preferences
• Review of the evidence base for ET
• Contraindications for emotionally activating activities
• Ethical requirements for conducting an ET-focused practice
• Enhancing attitudes and ‘ways of being’ for an effective therapeutic alliance
  

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE ONE

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the principles and practices of expressive therapies and how they support growth, change, and emotional integration.
• Describe basic concepts of emotion-focused and somatic-focused processes;
• Apply the ET 5-stage model to structure and guide counselling sessions.
• Use creative modalities (writing, role-play, symbol work, art, movement, bioenergetics, mindfulness) to enhance self-expression and therapeutic process.
• Facilitate first-session and rapport-building activities that foster safety, engagement, and trust with clients.
• Integrate worksheets and structured activities into sessions with clients to support reflection, emotional processing, and self-discovery.
• Incorporate multiple intelligences theory to adapt therapeutic approaches to individual client strengths.
• Recognise contraindications and limits of emotion-focused processes to ensure safe, trauma-informed practice.
• Support children, adolescents and teens within a pluralistic, client-centred framework, including engaging parents and caregivers.
• Reflect on essential therapist self-awareness and professional traits needed to practice ET effectively and ethically.
• Draw on the evidence base to articulate the effectiveness of expressive therapies in practice.

Module Two: To be confirmed
Supporting Emotional Empowerment through Applying Art, Symbols, Music and Movement

(Can be taken as a standalone module)

Module Two provides knowledge and skills to support somatic grounding for clients, to enhance their sense of self, and their ability to recognise and express emotions. The range of activities enhances clients’ emotional literacy, and enables them to become more fully engaged in their therapeutic journey.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Multi-modal ways for clients to express their life narratives and distress
• Introduction to developing emotional literacy
• Encouraging trust and safety within therapy
• Symbol Work for non-threatening communication
• Role-play with miniatures for a more stable sense of self
• Multiple forms of therapeutic writing
• Application and exploration of visual and written metaphor
• Use of visual arts for processing and integration
• Introducing emotion processing methods
• Somatic expression through bioenergetic games
• Working with the ET 5-Stage Model for session planning

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE TWO:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Understand the principles of developing emotional literacy;
• Apply strategies to engage with clients’ emotional distress;
• Implement appropriate therapeutic arts activities to support safe expression and resolution of difficult emotions;
• Demonstrate proficiency in applying Symbol Work activities; and
• Create a plan to apply ET strategies for young individuals

Module Three: 12 – 14 March 2026
Family Dynamics: Grief, Loss and Reactivity & Processing Difficult Emotions

(Must have attended Module 1 or 2)

This module provides a deeper exploration of Expressive Therapies modalities that support clients to communicate experiences of loss and grief. In addition, this module addresses working with challenges that arise from family dynamics. This module provides a unique combination of emotion-focused processes enhanced through creative arts for working through difficult emotions.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Exploring family of origin issues using art and Symbol Work
• ET principles and practices for engaging with grief and loss
• Steps in resolving reactivity
• Emotion-focused processes that support integration and resolution of grief
• Emotion-focused processes for working through anger and frustration
• Focus on integration strategies post emotional expression
• Bioenergetics and somatic-self-expression
• Therapeutic writing and self-discovery worksheets: tools for expression and integration
  
  LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE THREE:
  
  On completion of this module, students will be able to:
  
  • Understand the principles for supporting emotional expression;
  • Implement family of origin therapeutic activities;
  • Demonstrate proficiency in applying activities for integration of loss and grief;
  • Create a plan to use movement strategies for young individuals;
  • Apply the use of music as an aid to emotion-focused processes.
    

Module Four: 23 – 25 April 2026
Transforming Trauma Through Expressive Therapies

(Must have attended Module 1 or 2)

This module provides both an overview of trauma-focused counselling, and a staged plan for using Expressive Therapies with distressed young clients. You will explore activities that help establish safety for clients in recovery from trauma, as well as activities to begin to process constricted emotion. This module provides practical ways to support clients to recognise and consolidate their resilience, re-connect and re-build their self-reliance and then turn their creative focus to the future.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Working with a three-phase trauma recovery model (Hermann, 2015)
• ET activities for stabilisation, grounding and safety
• The value of playfulness within Expressive Therapies
• Trauma-informed Expressive Therapies activities
• Safe ways to express reactivity and release stress
• Ethics for working with different types of trauma
• ET for building resilience
• Therapist self-care through ET
  
  LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE FOUR:
  
  On completion of this module, students will be able to:
  
  • Understand the principles of trauma-informed care;
  • Create a plan to apply stabilisation strategies for young clients.
  • Implement resilience-building, restorative therapeutic activities;
  • Demonstrate proficiency in applying a phased model for clients who have experienced trauma;

Module Five: 4 – 6 June 2026
Balancing Emotional, Cognitive and Somatic Processes: Integrative Expressive Therapy Practice

(Must have attended Module 1 or 2)

This module provides multiple opportunities to learn how an integrative and multi-modal approach to counselling is essential in meeting the needs of individual clients. Module Five takes students deeper into the scaffolding techniques that enable clients to participate in emotion-focused processes. It further develops your skills in using music in therapy and deepening body-focused awareness for clients.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Integrating modalities in a wholistic practice
• ET perspectives on therapeutic relating
• Outcomes and guidelines for dealing with emotions
• Emotion-focused processes: resolving reactivity
• Body Focus – enhancing somatic sensitivity and resolution
• Music as a therapeutic tool
• Using breath as an aid to client awareness and engagement
• Consolidating cognitive clarity through ET
  
  LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE FIVE:
  
  On completion of this module, students will be able to:
  
  • Differentiate and integrate cognitive, emotional and somatic approaches;
  • Understand the principles of emotion-focused processing;
  • Understand and implement the multi-modal approach;
  • Implement music and rhythm-based therapeutic activities;
  • Create a plan to apply multi-modal strategies for young clients.

Module Six: Self-management, Inner-life Skills and Mindfulness for Resilience
8 – 10 October 2026

TOPICS COVERED:

• Approaches for developing clients’ relaxation and mindfulness skills
• Interoception: Understanding the “inner-life skills” developed through ET and how to engage your client in building these up for themselves.
• Enhancing clients’ self-esteem and emotional resilience
• Engaging clients self-awareness through visualisation and imagination
• Somatic self-expression: Body focus and bioenergetics
• Enhancing emotional stability through a range of steps for integration and closure
• Setting up effective child-friendly consulting rooms
• ET in the final stages of therapy
• Therapeutic planning and record-keeping with the ET 5-Stage Model.

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE SIX:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Apply session planning skills to create a multi-modal intervention for clients with a range of presenting issues
• Use the principles of ET to create relaxation sequences for specific clients;
• Apply mindfulness and relaxation strategies in session planning;
• Utilise a range of ET techniques for somatic self-awareness;
• Understand how self-management skills are developed through ET;
• Formulate plans for a final stage (future-focused) ET session;

MODULE SEVEN: Using Expressive Therapies in Groupwork: Exploring Innerspace
19 – 21 November 2026

Module Seven provides clear guidelines for constructing and presenting groupwork programs based on ET activities introduced through this course. The evidence-based ET group-work program Innerspace is introduced, as a recommended template for groupwork. This module also introduces many new activities that have been found to be highly effective in supporting group rapport and cohesion. Responding to interpersonal dynamics within groupwork is addressed, along with guidelines for groupwork program structure and evaluation. Students will gain practice and feedback as presenters.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Examples of formats from the ET Innerpace Program are provided.
• Advantages of, and outcomes from, groupwork
• Group leadership principles and skills
• The practice of presenting to a group and providing supportive feedback
• Planning for groupwork with multiple intelligence theory and the ET 5-stage Model
• Creative arts activities for social skills development
• Establishing group rapport and coherence
• Managing group dynamics
• Energetic expression and stabilisation games
• Evaluating groupwork programs

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MODULE SEVEN:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Present activities to a group, and formulate productive feedback for peers;
• Understand the application of multiple intelligence theory to groupwork planning;
• Apply the ET 5-Stage Model to group session planning;
• Implement rapport-building strategies within ET focused groupwork;
• Utilise energetic release activities for enhancing group cohesion;
• Identify and respond to potential challenges in group dynamics;
• Assemble a plan for effective ET groupwork sessions and evaluate these.

What people are saying about the Expressive Therapies with Children, adolescents and Teens Certificate Course

Requirements for Participation and award of ETA’s Certificate in Expressive Therapies with Children, and Adolescents

Registration Options

To be awarded ETA’s Certificate in Expressive Therapies participants MUST attend five modules and complete the required assignments. However, participants are welcome to choose their pathway from any of the following:

1. Register for Module One as a stand-alone option(s). Once complete either you are eligible to join any of Workshops Three, Four, Five or Six in the order you prefer; or
   
2. Register for five workshops as a complete 15-day Certificate course.

Your Investment
(Singapore $)

	Early Bird Pricing	Full Price
1 Module	$1265	$1365
2 Modules	$2480	$2680
3 Modules	$3645	$3945
4 Modules	$4760	$5160
5 Modules	$5825	$6325
6 Modules	$6840	$7440

To qualify for Early Bird Pricing full payment must be received at least ONE MONTH prior to the first module you plan to join.

Instalment plans are available – please ask me for details.