Arts Therapy Definition
Australian and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association (ANZATA) describes the arts therapies as “a form of psychotherapy utilising creative modalities… within a therapeutic relationship to improve and inform physical, mental and emotional well-being”. There are four core modalities: Art, Drama, Dance/Movement, and Music. Multimodal arts therapy combines two or more modalities within the individual or group sessions to maximise opportunities for creative expression and therapeutic integration. Arts Therapy qualifications include a Masters Degree with internship practice.
Marion Gordon-Flower, BMA, Dip. T, MAAT (Clinical) Hons, Cert Supervision, AThR
Qualified and established multimodal Arts Therapist with a Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical) degree and background in teaching. Member of Australia and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association (ANZATA), Creative Therapies Association of Aotearoa (CTAA) and American Art Therapy Association (AATA).
Roderick Flower, BHB, MBChB. qualified MD and Mental Health Specialist, and Manager in a Mental Health NGO. Qualifications include Family Medicine Training Course, Royal College of G.P.'s, WRAP Facilitator, Certificate for Mentorship in Supported Employment.
Marion and Rod co-authors of the 5-Pt Star Arts Therapy Model (2008), which was devised as a visual means to understanding the approaches and potentiality for participants attending multimodal arts therapy groups within a community context. This model has been developed further within a health and disability organization to provide an outcomes assessment tool, which has been implemented within other contexts. The 5-Pt Star Arts Therapy Assessment (Gordon-Flower, M. & Flower, R. 2011) has also been the subject of an international research project into broader applicability of the model and assessment process, establishing usefulness to arts therapists in a range of different settings. Marion was a contributing author for “Assessments and Outcomes in the Arts Therapies: A Person-Centred Approach” edited by Caroline Miller, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, in which the 5-Pt Star Assessment Model and Tool was reviewed. Also “Arts Therapists in Multidisciplinary Settings: Working Together for Better Outcomes” (C. Miller, Ed), where the role in the development of an arts therapy service is discussed.
Arts Therapy Conference and Symposium Presentations – Marion & Rod
Oct/Nov 2014 Singapore – Presenter at LASALLE/ANZATA Conference - Embracing Ripples of Growth: An International Critical Reflection on the Discourses of Contemporary. “Research and assessment in person-centred arts therapy” Marion Gordon-Flower
Oct 2013 Auckland – Presenter at ANZATA/CTAA Symposium - Exploring New Pathways: ANZATA/CTAA Creative Arts Therapy Symposium. “Assessment and outcomes in the arts therapies Caroline Miller et al” (in group of 5 contributing authors) and “Dancing with the Archetypes” Marion Gordon-Flower
Nov 2011 Brisbane – Presenter at ANZATA Conference – Rivers to Recovery Paper & Workshop: “Symbols of Hope for Christchurch: Response to Devastation’, and “Poster presentation: Arts Therapy 5-Pt Star Research Project” Marion Gordon-Flower. Also contributing artist in conference exhibition.
Sept 2010 Auckland – Co-Presenters ANZATA/CTAA Symposium - Interwoven: Weaving Together the Creative Arts and Well-being “Making their own mark: Arts therapy within client centred multidiscipline models” Marion Gordon-Flower and Rod Flower
Mar 2009 Auckland – Contributing Artist ANZATA/CTAA Symposium – Embodied Sensation: Sustaining ourselves, our clients and the profession. “Sustenance Exhibition” - A Discussion led by Sally Legg
