Arts-Based Well-Being/Arts-Based Well-Being for Self-Care (2024 Spring)

  • $450

Arts-Based Creative Self Care Practice

  • Closed
  • Course

Regular price: $550 + HST
SPECIAL SPRING DISCOUNT: $450.00
STUDENT OFFER: additional $100 discount on special discount price. Please email info@isabelfryszberg.com for discount code.

Welcome!

I am Isabel Fryszberg, founder of Arts-Based Well-Being, a practice and program to nourish one's capacity for wellness through the arts. I am an inter-disciplinary professional artist and certified/registered Occupational Therapist, residing in Toronto. I am passionate about innovating healthcare through the arts with over thirty years of experience developing arts-based programming and online resources for diverse communities, individuals, students and health practitioners. I have witnessed first-hand how the arts can be transformative and bring out the best in people, especially their sense of vitality and resilience.

I have received requests from others wanting to develop their own self care practice through the arts as a way to discover and bring back their own muse, develop a creative practice and find a new sense of wellness. Tapping into a daily arts practice is liberating and frees you from the barriers that can hold you back. I am looking forward to supporting you on your creative journey as I provide the tools and resources you need to take your self-care  to the next level!

Arts-Based Creative Self-Care Practice Overview

The Arts-Based Creative Self-Care Practice is a 5-week practical and engaging online program that is an outgrowth from the success of my signature 8-week training program. The difference is that this program is designed to support you in your arts practice and help free you from your barriers (inner critic/perfectionist/negative self judgement). I do not proclaim to be free of my own judgement, perfectionism or self doubt. This is an area that I work on daily and am eager to work with each other in community. I will guide you through the steps needed to learn to nourish your own creativity and support your well-being.  No matter how you approach this toolbox, you will find it timely and restorative!

In this new course I provide collaborative hands-on art making webinars/zooms where we meet weekly and create. I will provide a demonstration of how to use  different materials and approaches to enrich your practice from mindful watercolours, mixed media painting, smash booking, and collaborative writing/songwriting. 

I have also adapted 4 of the key tools from my tool box training program. They are accompanied by helpful downloadable resources, creative activities, guided exercises, reflections, prompts and videos. Each tool requires approximately 1-2 hours per week to read through the lessons and work on the interactive exercises. In addition, I will  provide 1-to-1 arts-based coaching sessions to work with you on your personal art practice.


The toolbox has been developed using key applications from an occupational science and therapy framework, scientific principles and practices that have been thoughtfully integrated with arts and creative-based approaches that are all supported by evidence-based methodology. By enrolling in this course, you are taking the first important steps to finding your own authentic path so you can:

  • Build creative environments for your own art practice

  • Learn how to create a safe space for yourself

  • Develop more passionate and harmonized engagement toward your art practice.

  • Bring more play and delight into your work and personal life

  • Learn how to ‘tenderize’ your inner critic to enable you to create

  • Connect with other like minded creatives working to carve and strengthen their creative practice

  • Develop a compassionate approach for your self-care and creative practice

Topics

The modules can be completed at your own pace and include a rich resource of materials to guide you through the lessons and beyond. The program covers 4 essential tools that are necessary to create a thriving and resilient arts-based practice.

TOOL 1 | BE YOUR OWN HERO:
I will share my own personal story as I provide ways for you to think about your dreams and begin to put them into action. You will learn about your own personal leadership style and start to develop a vision for your ideas

TOOL 2 | COMPASSION & CARE:
Over the years I have come to realize that compassion is central to unleashing one’s own creativity and others. In this tool I will be sharing key work and personal experiences that helped me open up and make room for artistic expression in a transformative way; I will show you how you can integrate this with your own creative practice.

TOOL 3 | ENGAGEMENT & ENJOYMENT:
I will be sharing evidence of how being engaged in something satisfying can benefit our well-being. I will also provide some fun exercises and a number of prompts that you can experience for yourself.

TOOL 4 | CREATIVITY THROUGH THE ARTS:
This tool offers a variety of dynamic and accessible step- by-step creative exercises, resources and examples for you to practice and learn from. You can use these techniques to nourish yourself and to apply for your own wellness, art, and  work practices. 

Additional Perks

RESOURCES:
This bonus section is filled with invaluable downloadable resources, creative activities, guided exercises, reflections, prompts and videos. You will also find a list of reading material, podcasts, playlists and more!

SUPPORT:
Isabel will be available to answer all your questions throughout the 5-week session.

ACCESS:
You will have access to all the online lessons for 5 years from your purchase date and lifetime access to the videos and documents you have downloaded.

Testimonials

Health practitioners, who have taken Isabel's previous online courses, are saying the following:

Online Course Participant, 2020

“I previously felt alone in the pursuit of [an] arts-based program but now I have a passionate group to share ideas with and support one another.”

Online Course Participant, 2021

"As I engage more with the course and hear & see the impact of arts-based occupations on our health, I can’t believe we don’t live in a world where there’s an arts based program around every corner!!"

Calgary CAOT Workshop Participant, 2019

“Clearly very knowledgeable & spent so much care in crafting this course; it was perfect for my learning needs and I think, that of the group.”

Online Workshop Participant, 2021

“One of the most valuable takeaways of this workshop for me is that it has inspired me to prioritize time and opportunities for focusing on my own creativity, something that I haven’t done in a long time.”

Online CAOT 7-Week Course Participant, 2021

“Definitely have found a lot of inspiration through this course, which has reminded me to take a little time everyday to create without pressure of a particular outcome and to lean into the process and presence of doing something creative and learning something new.”

 

Why Occupational Therapy and the Arts?

Arts-based occupational therapy is a way of bringing more play and creativity into your everyday life in order to gain a more restorative life balance.

Recent research indicates that the increase of technology in our lives can cause isolation and loneliness, with predictable negative effects on our health.

A new wave of arts-based research tells a more hopeful story, showing how creative expression in the form of visual arts, music, dance, or writing can generate resilience and new social supports. The emergence of communities based on these shared passions supports the health and well-being of the participants.

This is the essence of an arts-based approach to occupational therapy.

Are you ready?

If you have ever felt stuck, have difficulty getting started or become paralyzed by your negative self-talk, this 5-week course will provide the tools to give you the confidence to begin a sustainable creative art practice. 

Together we will find simple and effective ways of overcoming resistance, that can impact other areas of your life and provide you with a new sense of resilience and energy. 

FAQ

Do I have to be an artist or have experience in the arts to take this course?

No, this course is designed to bring out the creativity in you at whatever stage of development you are at.

Who is this course most suited for?

This course is for anyone; novices who have been wanting to develop an art practice but haven't been able to find the time, seasoned artists who may be blocked, those who would like to create and connect with others or are dealing with anxiety, stress or trauma and are looking for new approaches and tools for self-regulation.

Can I work on this course at my own pace?

Most definitely. There will be scheduled live art-making sessions that you will want to join. But, if you can't make them live, the recordings will be available to you.

Is the course live?

The course is an 8-week online program with 6 live sessions hosted through zoom.

How many hours a week should I expect to put into the course?

It's up to you! We will be meeting live each week for 1.5 hours and I encourage you to join us for those sessions. Like anything else, the more you put into the weekly tools, the more you will get out of the program!

What kind of support can I expect to have?

You can email me anytime. We will also have 5 live art-making sessions where questions can be raised. I will also be providing 1/2 hour individual coaching sessions for your art-making practice.

How long do I have access to the course?

The online course will be available to you for five years. However, you have lifetime access to all the resources and worksheets that you will be able to download throughout the course.