19-21 May 2023 | Weekend retreat in the woods | Intro to Environmental Arts Therapy | Oaks Wood, Derbyshire

This is a unique opportunity to experience a training weekend delivered in the context of an off-grid camping retreat in private woodland in the Derbyshire Peak District.

In these challenging times many professionals are looking for alternatives to working face-to-face in enclosed environments and the outdoors offers many benefits which the training will explore. This weekend is suitable for practitioners at all levels of experience, serving both as personal and professional development as well as positive self-care in the midst of the hustle and bustle of contemporary life. It will also give a good introduction to the field for those considering taking their therapy work outside. This event is suitable for arts therapists and others in the caring professions (please contact us on the email below if you are unsure about suitability). Maximum group size 12.

There will be a mix of activities over the weekend with an emphasis on experiential workshops which encourage a deeper personal connection with the natural world and its inhabitants. You can expect:

• A warm welcome with hot drinks and delicious vegetarian meals.
• Ritual opening and closing to hold the sacred space of the retreat.
• An introduction to the ideas behind Environmental Arts Therapy and eco-therapy.
• Practical and creative workshops which will include a combination of mindfulness in nature, journeying, art-making using natural materials in the environment, reflection and sharing.
• Discussion of issues around working therapeutically in the natural world.
• Fireside sharings – bring songs, instruments, stories, poems.

Please note: This is an off-grid experience. We have a compost toilet but no running water and very limited phone signal. We encourage participants to see this as an opportunity to experience a simpler way of living, close to nature.

Food and camping: All meals and hot drinks are included in the fee. Food will be vegetarian/vegan and comprised of hot home-cooked meals Friday and Saturday evening; soup, salad and bread for Saturday and Sunday lunch and a choice of porridge, muesli, fruit, yogurt, bread and spreads for breakfast. There will be breaks for hot drinks and cake or biscuits. If you have any dietary requirements, let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate. We have tents for those unable to bring their own, available on a first-come-first-served basis. No large tents please, due to limited pitch sizes. Please bring your own sleeping bag and mat if you can, as well as warm clothes, waterproofs and sturdy shoes.

Transport: Oaks Wood is 10 miles outside Sheffield and accessible by car. There is a train station at Hathersage 2 miles from the wood, and we can arrange pick-up for an additional fee at agreed times. Sheffield is 2 hours from London by direct train: change here for Hathersage.

Access: The camp is a ten minute walk up a steep hill and the ground around the camp can be uneven. We can take camping gear and offer lifts to the camp at the top for those that need it. Please get in touch for further queries about accessibility.

For more information please do not hesitate to contact Cecilia on ceciliebrowne@yahoo.co.uk or call 07504 696926.

Facilitator/s:

Cecilia Browne, MA Art Psychotherapy, Environmental Art Therapy Cert. Cecilia has worked in arts and mental health as a community artist and art psychotherapist for 20 years, running workshops and developing projects with diverse community groups. She currently works in mainstream school as an art psychotherapist and have a private practice using integrative arts-based approaches with adults. Over the last few years she has been co-developing eco-therapy workshops and retreats in a co-owned piece of woodland.

Hannah Monteiro, HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist, Environmental Art Therapy Cert. Hannah has worked as an art psychotherapist with adults, children and young people within a variety of NHS, forensic, charity and educational settings. She currently works in an NHS adult secondary mental health service. Having been inspired by the role of nature and fairy tale in art therapy she went on to study Environmental Arts Therapy at The London Art Therapy Centre. This training has been the catalyst to her delivering various series of Environmental Art Therapy workshops to improve the wellbeing of staff and patients.