Welcome to this Live Webinar Series!

Part of the Bilateral Movement Desensitization and Resensitization Certification Program --BMDR™

Polyvagal Theory is now informing the principles and practices of trauma-informed work. Stephen Porges is the researcher best known for identifying polyvagal theory; his studies and contributions have greatly expanded the understanding of how we sense and experience safety, self-regulation, attachment, and connection. As we continue to learn more about PVT, we can apply these autonomic nervous system principles to psychotherapy and particularly expressive arts therapy and sensory integration approaches.

Sensorimotor, sensory integration and body-awareness approaches are also now accepted strategies to address traumatic stress. The majority of these sensory-based approaches are derived from healing practices found in various forms of reparative and restorative expression-- often through movement, rhythm, sound, music, image making, and enactment. 

Most of the current polyvagal exercises and directives for trauma relief ask individuals to think about or imagine various vagal states or conditions for social engagement. While this may work well for some people, starting with cognition is not always the best place to begin when restoring the self, post-trauma. For neurodivergent individuals, other strategies for communication and recovery are important.  

Expressive arts therapy and expressive strategies [movement, rhythm, sound, music, enactment, and image-making] capitalize on a "bottom-up" framework that begins with the senses. These strategies gradually reintroduce the experiences of play, creativity, and aliveness necessary to reparative and restorative imagination. These sensory-based approaches also provide a foundation for the "talk" that may have been shutdown due to traumatic stress. 

We designed this course to not only highlight these principles and practices, but also to demonstrate how expressive arts therapy and expressive methods expand and enhance polyvagal-focused and sensorimotor, sensory integration, and body-awareness approaches. To help participants learn and apply this material, each session includes didactic, informational presentations and at least one hour of experiential, hands-on time with methods and strategies. These action-oriented, sensory-based methods and strategies can be applied to work with individuals of all ages as well as families, groups, and communities.

EMDR Practitioners: Please join us! This course also integrates concepts and practices found in Bilateral Stimulation and Movement and the grounding, resourcing, and orienting approaches central to EMDR-- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Expressive arts therapy is a great way to integrate these approaches and practices in your work with people of all ages. 




 

Dr. Cathy Malchiodi and Dr. Elizabeth Warson are looking forward to taking you through the integration of Polyvagal Theory. expressive arts therapy, bilateral movement (movement, rhythm, image-making, and more) and sensory processing approaches that you can immediately apply to your work. This five session Live Webinar series includes an emphasis on body-based, expressive strategies to regulate the nervous system and emotions through numerous expressive arts interventions as they apply to work with adults, children, groups, and communities. Join us to explore the following topics and enjoy a hands-on experience each week:

**Master and Apply Polyvagal-Focused Approaches: Each week you will learn to apply at least three interventions for individuals and groups. Enjoy networking with other participants and explore your experiences.

**Apply Sensory Integration and Somatic Approaches: Identify and understand how to include body-awareness and sensory integration within the context of expressive arts therapy. 

**Support and Enhance Capacities for Regulation and Resilience: Learn to work with individuals, families, groups, and communities from a "capacity-building" stance rather than a limited "window of tolerance" model. Our approaches centralize resilience and self-agency as key foundations to recovery and restoration.

**Learn to Apply the Expressive Arts Version of the Polyvagal Ladder. By using expressive arts approaches, you will learn to expand your understanding of how the autonomic nervous system functions-- and be able to support your clients in engaging, creative, and innovative (fun) ways of exploration.

**Learn to Apply the Expressive Arts Therapy Wheel: Use PVT and expressive arts approaches to identify and support individuals' restorative expreiences for health and well-being.

**Understand Sensory Processing and Polyvagal-Focused and Sensory Integration Approaches: Learn how PVT and sensory integration supports therapeutic goals, expands your practice, and provides unique experiences for personal transformation, restoration, and recuperation.

And complete the BMDR Certification, with this and four other courses. Have fun and increase your skills and expertise in this cutting edge approach to therapy, education, coaching, and facilitation.

Or apply this course to your EXAT or EXA-CE designations or the Restorative Embodiment Practitioner Program. We welcome psychotherapists, counselors, coaches, somatic educators, education professionals, and facilitators to our global community of learners.

Course Description

Replays of each session are available to registered participants 24-48 hours after each session. You also have access to the course for 120 days after the series ends.

We continually update our live webinar course content with readings, resources and links to relevant material. This curriculum will be open for participation by September 19, 2024 and if you register by then, you will have access to Session One and additional materials as we get closer to our first meeting. 

This live webinar course is given in a "drip format"-- each week you will have access to a new set of materials as we proceed through the topic, session by session. 

This course includes a Certificate of Completion for Polyvagal-Focused and Sensorimotor Expressive Arts Therapy for 15 hours of Continuing Education/Professional Development-- see information below. You can apply these hours to your completion of the EXAT or EXA-CE designations.

Webinars meet from 12 noon-3 pm On Thursdays,  Eastern US Time/New York Time-- Please note first two session are EDT time zone and next 3 are EST time zone!

Course Meeting Dates:

October 24 (EDT)

October 31 (EDT)

November 7th (EST)

November 14th (EST)

November 21st (EST)


Because we have participants from around the world, please be sure to check your time zones and note if you do not change time clocks as we do in our area your live meeting time may also shift!


Continuing Education Information

Counselors/National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6557. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

EMDRIA: Elizabeth Warson, PhD, Institute Faculty is an EC Provider #23047 and this program #23047-04 is approved for 15 EMDRIA Credits. Eligibility for EMDRIA Credits is restricted to those who have completed an EMDRIA-Approved Basic EMDR Training. 

Art Therapy Credentials Board [ATCB]. The ATCB recognizes a variety of CEC activities, including those in the areas of professional and mental health counseling. These activities are clearly outlined in their recertification standards provided to all ATR-BCs in their recertification year and on their website. A minimum of six CECs must be earned in the area of ethics each cycle. If you are licensed as an art therapist in your state, please check with your state board to verify what types of CEC activities are acceptable for license renewal.

California Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers and Professional Counselors. As of July 1, 2015, the State of California /Board of Behavioral Sciences [BBS] amended its regulations for continuing education providers to include National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as a "board-recognized approval agency." If you are licensed as a marriage and family therapist, social worker, educational psychologist or professional clinical counselor in California, NBCC Approved Continuing Education Providers are recognized by the BBS to fulfill continuing education requirements. As of July 1, 2015, required CE hours can be accumulated through self-study and distance learning. 

International Expressive Arts Therapy Association [IEATA]. Many participants go on to apply for the REAT or REACE credential with IEATA and use our expressive arts therapy coursework to do so. Please check with IEATA to make sure you are meeting their current requirements for registration and let us know if you need additional information to help you qualify.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Federation of Australia [PACFA]. Many of our Australian participants indicate that these hours are accepted by PACFA---Psychotherapy and Counseling Federation of Australia. Please check with PACFA to verify this and let us know if you require any additional information for this organization to qualify your professional development hours.

Canadian Counseling and Psychotherapy Association [CCPA]. Many of our Canadian participants indicate that these hours are accepted by CCPA for certain professional development requirements. Please check with CCPA to verify this and let us know if you require any additional information for this organization to qualify your professional development hours.

CPD hours [Professional Development] are currently in the application stage. We also welcome teachers to this course; please contact us for additional information.

Credentialing boards in Canada, Europe, and Australia accept our courses for professional development. Please check with them to verify that this course applies to your goals for credentialing or renewal of registration, certification, or licensing.

Polyvagal Theory and Expressive Arts Therapy

A Work in Progress by Dr. Cathy Malchiodi

Many practitioners resonate with the Polyvagal Theory (Porges). It's a way of framing autonomic nervous system responses. This framework is a work in progress! But it is part of our thinking when it comes to expressive arts therapy and sensory integration approaches to health and wellbeing.
A Polyvagal Model for Expressive Arts Therapy by Cathy Malchiodi PhD
  • Polyvagal Ladder Art
  • Polyvagal Ladder Art Cathy Malchiodi PhD

Institute Faculty

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC, REAT holds a doctorate in psychology and is a licensed and board-certified art therapist and mental health counselor and has published numerous books, chapters, and articles in the field of art therapy including, Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process, Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children, Breaking the Silence: Working With Traumatized Children, and Understanding Children's Drawings, which are standards in the field. She has trained counselors, therapists, and teachers throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. In 2011, Cathy founded the Trauma-Informed Practices Institute to meet the need for professional education in the use of arts therapies, expressive therapies, mind-body approaches and resilience-building in trauma integration and recovery for children, adults and families. You can learn more about Dr. Malchiodi at her website https://www.cathymalchiodi.com/

Institute Faculty | Supervisor

Elizabeth Warson, PhD

Elizabeth Warson, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, NCC, EMDR III, EXAT, EAP II, is a trailblazing force in the integration of equine-assisted therapy and expressive arts. As the founder of American Indian Art Therapy, her work stems from extensive faculty research at George Washington University and Eastern Virginia Medical School. Currently based in northern Colorado, Elizabeth operates Healing Pathways LLC, where she combines EMDR with art and horses, drawing on her expertise as a certified EMDR practitioner and consultant, Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified, certified Eagala professional and an EquiLateral trained equine-assisted EMDR therapist. As a faculty member at the Trauma-Informed Practices & Expressive Arts Therapy Institute, Elizabeth teaches both in-person and online courses focused on polyvagal-informed, equine-assisted, nature-based, bilateral stimulation, and sensorimotor-informed expressive arts therapy. Her research interests span stress and pain reduction interventions for Native American cancer survivors, culturally responsive practices, and trauma-informed methods. Her significant contributions include receiving a 2010 National Endowment for the Arts grant for her community-driven Coharie Heritage Empowerment Project, emphasizing cultural preservation. Elizabeth’s academic journey includes a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, an MA in Art Therapy from Vermont College, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from Colorado State University. She has presented extensively at regional and national conferences, focusing on medical art therapy and culturally-responsive interventions, and has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Recently, she co-authored E.Qi: Equine & Expressive Arts Inspired Qigong with collaborator Sifu Kurtis Tilley. In addition to her therapeutic work, Elizabeth is a professional artist whose sculptural pieces have been exhibited both nationally and internationally, earning her an Ohio Arts Council fellowship award. Her multifaceted approach bridges art, counseling, and equine therapy, creating impactful experiences for individuals and communities alike.

Course curriculum

Participation in the Curriculum opens September 19th if registered ahead of time!

  1. 1

    • Why Polyvagal-Focused and Sensorimotor Expressive Arts Therapy?

    • Syllabus, Goals and Objectives of this Course

    • Walkthrough this Live Webinar Site and Its Features

    • Special Note About Materials and Expressive Arts Assignments

    • What is Expressive Arts Therapy?

    • Disclaimer

    • About the Content of this Course
  2. 2

    • ▶️ ZOOM Link and Supplies!

    • The MSSS Model of Expressive Arts

    • Bottom Up or Top Down? An Expressive Arts Therapy Perspective

    • Bilateral Work and Self-Regulation

    • Window of Tolerance: Charts and Graphics

    • Circle of Capacity-- the Alternative to a Window of Tolerance

    • The Six Substages of Sensorimotor Activity | A Developmental Perspective

    • Experiences with Bilateral Art: A Retrospective Study

    • Butterfly Hug Chart | An Infographic

    • Antonio Damasio

    • Florence Cane and Bilateral Movement

    • Bilateral Movement and Artmaking: Hemispheric Integration Across The Midline

    • Polyvagal Summary Slides

    • The Circle Model for Polyvagal Theory and Expressive Arts Therapy

    • Replay Session One Part One

    • Replay Session One Part Two

    • Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!

    • Gallery Photo of Ladders!

    • Warson | PPT 1 | Oct. 24, 2024
  3. 3

    • ▶️ ZOOM Link and Supplies!

    • Your Downloads for Session Two!

    • Beginners Guide to Polyvagal Theory

    • The Traffic Light Model and Polyvagal-Focused Expressive Arts Therapy

    • Visit this Website for the Traffic Light Model

    • Resensitizing the Body Through Expressive Arts

    • Sensory-Based Interventions for Adult and Adolescent Trauma Survivors

    • A Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Approach to Trauma and Dissociation

    • Trauma Tapping Song as Sensorimotor Expression and Healing

    • For Fun: Your Brain on Drumming

    • A Short Term Approach to Trauma Processing: Honoring Tally Tripp LCSW, Art Therapist

    • Art Therapy Meets EMDR

    • The 5Rhythms® Chart

    • Making a Felted Stone

    • Trauma-Informed Yoga Holds

    • Ruth Lanius: A Video Presentation

    • Making a Foil Ladder

    • Replay Session Two Part One

    • Replay Session Two Part Two

    • Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!

    • Class Photos!

    • Warson | PPT 2 | Oct. 31, 2024
  4. 4

    • ▶️ ZOOM Link and Supplies!

    • Visit the Polyvagal Institute Site

    • Francine Shapiro: Where EMDR Began

    • Interoception and Exteroception: Knowing the Senses

    • The Science of Interoception

    • The Vast Influence of Interoception: A Sensory Integration Perspective

    • Vagus Nerve Infographic

    • What is Vagal Tone?

    • Autonomic Nervous System | Polyvagal Theory | Infographic

    • Ventral Vagal Anchors

    • Dysautonomia Infographic 1

    • Dysautonomia Infographic 2

    • Fatigue Scale Infographic

    • Autonomic Shaping through Expressive Arts

    • Soundscapes

    • A Literature Review Supporting Body-Based Interventions in the Treatment of Trauma

    • Maps of Subjective Feelings

    • Diaphragmatic Breathing Script

    • Embodied Self-Care and Polyvagal Theory

    • Expressive Arts Therapy as Neuro-Affirming Practice

    • Expressive Arts are Neuro-Affirming Practices

    • Arts-Based Research Form and Polyvagal Graphics | Malchiodi

    • Replay Session Three Part One: Cathy Malchiodi Film: "Collage" of Polyvagal Presentations

    • Replay | Session 3 | Part 2

    • Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!

    • Warson | Session 3 | PPT

    • Sarah Newton Penston | Response

  5. 5

    • ▶️ ZOOM Link and Supplies!

    • Download and Print Here!

    • Polyvagal Theory: Conflicting Views

    • Polyvagal Theory Criticism

    • Polyvagal Theory and Neurodiversity

    • Equine Facilitated Trauma Therapy and the Role of Polyvagal Theory

    • The Polyvagal Theory and Horses: An Introduction

    • The Rat Tickler: Play and Social Engagement

    • Warson and Lawrence on Physiological Measures and Cortisol | Art Therapy and Healthcare

    • Felt Sense Polyvagal Model

    • Felt Sense Polyvagal Model of Addiction | Link to Podcast

    • Double Rainbow Image (neuroception experiential)

    • New Neuroception Scale

    • Sigh Slides

    • Meandering Journal Tutorial

    • Replay Session Four Part One

    • Replay Session Four Part Two

    • Replay Session Four Part Three (Just a Little Bit More)

    • Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!

    • Warson PPT | Nov. 14, 2024
  6. 6

    • ▶️ ZOOM Link and Supplies!

    • Water and Waves: Inspirational Nature Images

    • The Mystery and Inspiration of Spirals

    • A White Paper on the Experience of Awe

    • Film Presentation: The Art and Science of Awe and How Culture Shapes It

    • The Proxemics of Awe | A Little Bit of Science

    • What Awe Looks Like in the Brain

    • How Gratitude Changes the Brain

    • Making or Breaking Compassion | A Polyvagal Perspective

    • Porges on Compassion

    • Nummenmaa Lab and the Bodily Feelings Maps Study

    • Words of Inspiration | Spread the Good Words

    • Some of Cathy's "Word Exercises"

    • Download the Gratitude Film for Use with Individuals and Groups

    • Epigenetics | Rachel Yehuda

    • Historical Trauma | Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart

    • Cathy's Experiential Slides

    • Replay Session Five Part One

    • Replay Session Five Part Two

    • Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
  7. 7

    • Bonus: Pandemic Paradox and Polyvagal Theory-- a Perspective from Stephen Porges

    • Gratitude Movie for Download

    • Polyvagal Institute

    • Steven Porges

    • Warson | PPT 5 | Nov. 11, 2024
  8. 8

    • Final Steps to Your Certificate

    • Course Evaluation

    • Regarding the Use of Material in this Course

    • Final Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About This Live Webinar Series

  • Will there be recordings that I can watch after the Live Webinar Sessions?

    Yes-- we record the lecture portions of the events for replay and you can watch them for 120 days after the event. We do not post the experiential portions of the event where participants are sharing experiences to protect participants' confidentiality.

  • Will I receive a Certificate of Completion?

    Once you complete all the required sections of the course site, you will automatically receive a Certificate of Completion for "Polyvagal-Focused and Sensorimotor Expressive Arts Therapy Live Webinar Series."

  • Does this course count toward the EXAT and EXA-CE designations?

    Yes, of course! This is great opportunity to add to your knowledge of how expressive work can be integrated with nature-based work and understand the principles that support this integration.

  • Does this course qualify as part of the Nature-Based Expressive Arts Practitioner Certificate Program!

    Yes!

Don't Miss This Chance!

Part of the BMDR™ Certification Program