Serbian Society for Integrative Art Psychotherapy

Education in Integrative Art Psychotherapy

PROGRAMME

The study programme of Integrative Art Psychotherapy has been designed in accordance with the standards of the European Association for Psychotherapy and Strasbourg Declaration on Psychotherapy, as well as in keeping with the criteria of the Union of Serbian Associations of Psychotherapists (Savez društava psihoterapeuta Srbije - SDPS) which includes the Serbian Society for Integrative Art Psychotherapy (SDIAP) established in 1999.
It allows for attaining the National Certificate for Psychotherapy and the European Certificate for Psychotherapy (ECP).

The complete programme, aimed at acquiring knowledge, adopting skills and gaining experience in the field of Integrative Art Psychotherapy, lasts for a minimum of four years and is divided in three parts:

1st. year of education (Basic Course)
2nd. year of education (Advanced Course - the degree of Integrative Art Counselor)
3rd. year of education (Supervision - the degree of Integrative Art Psychotherapist)
4th. year of education (Supervision - the degree of Integrative Art Psychotherapist)

Upon completing the second year of education, a candidate is issued a certificate on having acquired knowledge and skills of counseling in Integrative Art Psychotherapy (the level of Integrative Art Counselor), and upon completion of the entire four-year programme, the candidate attains the title of an Integrative Art Psychotherapist.

Admission Requirements: A university degree in social or humanistic studies – psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, educators, teachers, pedagogues, special education professionals, and other related health professions working on the protection of mental health and its improvement.

Other professions are also taken into consideration, e.g. students graduating from the faculties of fine arts (with additional learning and general knowledge in psychotherapy propaedeutic). All candidates pass the selection procedure to enter the training programme.

The head of the educational programme is Professor Snežana Milenković, PhD. , full professor at the University of Novi Sad, psychologist, integrative art psychotherapist, honorary president and one of the founders of the Serbian Union of Associations for Psychotherapy, EAP Board member, member of the EAP Scientific Research Committee (SARS), member of the publishing board of the International Journal for Psychotherapy (IJP), member of the publishing board of the journal EC Psychology and Psychiatry and a licenced psychotherapist with the National and European certificates in the field of psychotherapy.-->

Trainers and supervisors who take part in the education are psychotherapists with national, European and world certificates in the field of psychotherapy.

- Jelena Šakotić Kurbalija (Serbia)
- Davorka Marović Johnson (USA)
- Erik Tveit (Norway)

The education programme is conducted through 20 one-day workshops during one academic year (two semesters), for at least four years, plus topic-specific two-day workshops, one per each academic year.

Six-day summer schools of psychotherapy are also organized, focusing on various topics relevant for education in Integrative Art Psychotherapy, with participation of foreign psychotherapists.

TRAINING PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Basic Course lasts one academic year (250 hours).
Advanced (Counseling) Course lasts one academic year (250 hours).
Supervised (Psychotherapeutic) level lasts for a minimum of two academic years (500 hours).

Final examination – Written and Spoken exams (assessment of theoretical and practical knowledge of Integrative Art Psychotherapy); Three session transcripts are required for taking the final exam!

The education organized by the Society offers 4 years of training in Integrative Art Psychotherapy with over 2500 hours. It consists of the following:

1. PERSONAL THERAPY (400 hoursof individual and group work)

2. THEORETICAL STUDIES IN INTEGRATIVE ART PSYCHOTHERAPY (800 hours, 400 hours of active theoretical study plus 400 hours of preparation, reading relevant literature, writing research papers, transcripts). The programme of theoretical education has been harmonized with the standards of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) and the Serbian Union of Associations for Psychotherapy (Savez društava psihoterapeuta Srbije - SDPS).

3. PRACTICAL TRAINING (500 hours, exercises, experimenting, experience of working in a group, managing individual and group art therapy-oriented counseling/psychotherapy).

4. SUPERVISION of clinical practice of the candidates(150 hours):
-Direct,, which involves leading a group, and
-Indirect, which involves the transcripts of sessions with clients.

5. PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC PRACTICE with clients/patients in mental and social healthcare settings or work with individual clients/patients, families or groups, under constant supervision by the educator/mentor (such as appropriate and in keeping with the theory and methods of Integrative Art Psychotherapy) for a period of at least two consecutive years (600 hours).

6. FOUR OUTDOOR WORKSHOPS (4 x 20 hours = 80 hours)

Upon completing education, candidates obtain the licence valid in Serbia and become Certified Integrative Art Psychotherapists, which further leads to the National Certificate of Psychotherapy (issued by the Union of Associations for Psychotherapists) and to the European Certificate for Psychotherapy issued by the EAP.

BASIC PROGRAMME

The first year is focused mainly on the activities carried our within the Basic Course in order to create a climate for learning through experience, getting acquainted with art therapeutic methodology and an introduction to the principles of art therapy. It includes training in active emphatic listening (Rogers’ non-directive client-oriented counseling) and its application in art therapy work with clients.
It also includes other psychotherapeutic approaches – psychoanalysis and psychodynamic processes in art therapy (transfer, countertransference, resistance, defence mechanisms), as well as basic concepts of Transactional analysis, which are suitable for understanding not only intrasubjective realities and dynamics, but also intersubjective, social events (ego states, transactions, games, scripts).

In the second year, within the Advanced (Counselling) Course, the trainees advance towards a more complex level of work. The experience is expanded and enriched by introducing contents from other psychotherapeutic schools (adopting advanced knowledge of Transactional Analysis and basic knowledge of Systemic Family Therapy, which serves to understand both family and individual personality dynamics) in the context of art therapy work. The knowledge of Body Psychotherapy is also included, as the body is inevitably involved in deeper and integrative psychotherapeutic work, as it constitutes the pivot of expressive art-therapy work, as well as the latest findings in the field of neuroscience and non-dual mindfulness psychotherapy.

At the end of this process, candidates receive a certificate on having mastered the knowledge and skills of art therapy counselling (completed introductory and advanced levels of education).

In the third and fourth year, within the Supervised Psychotherapy Practice (supervision + thematic orientation + personal work + experience through exercises), the focus of the training is on supervised practice of the candidates. At the same time, learning continues in the context of the training group in the field of psychotherapeutic work for which the participants of the training programme have defined the thematic orientation (focus on specific topics and work with different categories of clients). In addition to the physical and mental aspects, the programme also includes the spiritual aspect of work (theoretical and practical), in accordance with the latest scientific knowledge of quantum healing and neuroscience.

This is of particular importance given the approach of IAP (Integrative Art Psychotherapy) is fundamentally holistic, integrative and creative. It allows for bridging the gap between and a better synthesis of the verbal and non-verbal, conscious and unconscious, external and internal, speaking and doing, reality and fantasy, rationality and intuition, all of which helps and allows the unity of the soul, spirit and body.

At the end of this supervisory psychotherapeutic stage and passing the final examination, the candidates receive a certificate confirming their successful completion of training in Integrative Art Psychotherapy.

CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING A DIPLOMA OF AN INTEGRATIVE ART PSYCHOTHERAPIST

PERSONAL PSYCHOTERAPY (400 hours). Individual personal psychotherapy is a prerequisite for future work of an Integrative Art Psychotherapist and it ensures that the candidate has been exposed to the method and has experienced its effect as a client, and at the same time gained an insight into the existence of their own ‘blind spots’ that may hinder their work as psychotherapists.

THEORY OF INTEGRATIVE ART PSYCHOTHERAPY (800 hours), which includes the theory of human development during the life cycle, including sexual development, understanding of other psychotherapeutic approaches, the theory of change, understanding social moments in relation to psychotherapy, psychopathology theory, theory of diagnostics and intervention, etc.

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF WORK IN A GROUP (500 hours) includes practical training (exercises and experiments, experience in managing individual and group art therapy oriented counseling / psychotherapy).

PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE UNDER PERMANENT SUPERVISION - at least two years continuously (or 600 hours) of professional practice which is supervised.

SUPERVISED PRACTICE (150 hours) of continued supervision of psychotherapeutic work in clinical and extra-clinical working conditions in the course of the third and fourth years of education in Integrative Art Psychotherapy, individually and in group (direct and indirect supervision).

In addition to this, there are four compulsory two-day outdoor workshops of Integrative Art Psychotherapy and optional summer schools that are organized for all the candidates and psychotherapists of other psychotherapeutic modalities, as well as for other healthcare professionals.

FINAL EXAMINATION consists of a written test and an oral exam, plus the recordings (audio, video) or transcripts of three sessions.

THEORY PROGRAMME

- History of Art Psychotherapy
- The basic principles of Art Psychotherapy
- Psychopathology of Expression and Art Psychotherapy
- Creative Development – from blocked energy (physical and mental blockades) to creativity (Arttherapeutic theory of development)
- Art Psychotherapy Techniques – Multimodality Approach
- Materials (shape, texture, colour, volume, space, movement, etc.)
- Different Media of Artistic Expression (visual arts, drama, movement and sound, music, storytelling, video, film, photograph, combined art)
- The Impact of Psychoanalysis on the Development of Art Psychotherapy
- Primary and Secondary Processes in Art Psychotherapy
- Resistance and Work with Resistance in Art Psychotherapy
- Transfer and Counter-Transfer in Art Psychotherapy
- Mirroring Transference and Idealising Transference
- Diagnostic Indicators in Artistic Production
- Body Work in Art Psychotherapy
- Burnout

- Body Therapy and Art-Therapy Approach
- Physical and mental blockades – Diagnostics and their treatment in Art Therapy
- Connecting body, mind and soul
- Bibliotherapy and Art Therapy
- Working with dreams, using fantasy, metaphors, stories and various creative products
- Connection of images and words in a therapeutic relation
- Photo Therapy and Art Therapy
- Individual and group work with images
- Generating a holding environment by means of empathy, transitional space and games
- The artistic-therapeutic process: from imagination, through the translation of images into visible artistic forms (the process of externalization) towards revealing the meaning of the image assisted by the therapist and work on its de-construction and re-construction
- Reflection – mirroring of both words and images
- Art psychotherapist as a client’s assistant (co-creator) in recognizing the projected material, a ’bridge’ from the image to the client
- Secondary traumatization

- The image as an extension of the self in a symbolic form
- Art Therapy and its relation with formal and diagnostic systems (DSM V i ICD-10)
- Group Art Therapy
- Group Work Conditions
- External and Internal Factors which influence the Group
- Objectives and Purposes of Group Work
- Limits and Rules in a Group
- Open and Closed Groups
- The Role of Group Management
- Introduction and Warming Up
- Selection of Activities and Topics
- Interpretation
- Completion of Group Work
- Keeping Record and Evaluation of Group Work
- Problems and Difficulties in Work
- Family Art Therapy and Art Genogram
- Working with Couples and Families in Art Therapy
- Work with Sexual Problems and Sexual/Gender Identity Issues in Art Therapy
- Vicarious traumatization

- The Theory of Human Development through Life Cycles
- TA and Art Therapeutic Approach
- Art Therapeutic Analysis of the life script
- Basic concepts and techniques of TA
- Social Function of Art Therapy
- Political Function of Art Therapy
- Humanistic Function of Art Therapy
- Spiritual Function of Art Therapy
- Theories of Psychopathology and Art Diagnosis
- Theories of Assessment and Intervention
- Personality Theories: The Theory of Personality Adaptations
- Post-modern topics in Art Therapy
- Art Therapy as Spiritual Psychotherapy
- The Values of Contemporary Psychotherapy
- Research in Art Therapy and Psychotherapy
- The Identity of an Art Psychotherapist
- Possibilities of Development and Limitations of Art Therapy
- Non-dual Mindfulness of Psychotherapy
- Neuroscience – the latest research and findings
- Integral theory (Ken Wilber)
- Empathic fatigue

EDUCATORS

SNEŽANA D. MILENKOVIĆ, (born 12 December 1950), Distinguished Professor of psychology and psychotherapy at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, received her MA in psychology (1981) and doctorate in medicine (1992) from Belgrade University.

She has devoted her professional career to the teaching, practice, and study of psychotherapy. Prof. Milenković is the author or co-author more than 200 articles on the theory and practice of psychotherapy published in various psychological, psychiatric, and psychotherapeutic scientific journals, published both in the country and abroad and three books including: Values in Contemporary Psychotherapy (1997), Psychotherapy and Spirituality (2002), and Soul Thinks in Images – Integrative Art Psychotherapy (2017). The new book The Book of Silence – Phenomenology of Silence is in press.

Prof. Milenković has participated in more than ten scientific-research projects at the University and she has worked with traumatized refugee adolescents and the elderly, working as a project coordinator, supervisor, educator, methodologist, and workshop leader, with IOCC, ECHO, IASC, IOM and ACT, in Belgrade. She is a holder of the European Certificate for Psychotherapy and the Serbian Certificate for Psychotherapy. She is a member of numerous professional organizations including the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), EAP Science and Research Commitee (SARC), EAP Editorial Board member for International Journal of Psychotherapy(IJP) and the Editorial Board member for EC Psychology and Psychiatry (ECPP). Prof. Milenković is a co-founder, ex-president (1997-2009) and now Honorary President of the Serbian Union of Associations for Psychotherapy.

She is a co-founder and president of the Serbian Society for Integrative Art Psychotherapy (1999-present). Her current focus is on founding the International Holistic Health Center (combining integral psychology, medicine and psychotherapy) dedicated to the integral humankind health (body, soul & spirit). Her main interest is a study of values in psychology and psychotherapy, and nowdays, nondual mindful psychotherapy and holistic health.

Her personal interests include arts, philosophy, religion and love for nature and traveling.

Jelena Šakotić-Kurbalija is a psychologist and psychotherapist. She is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, and teaches courses in the field of Psychotherapy, Psychological Counseling and Psychology of Close Relationships. In addition, she is also teaching at the Department of Dramatic Arts, the Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad (Master Studies, Study Programmes: Applied Theatre, Acting in Serbian and Acting in Hungarian).

Since graduation in 1996 she has been actively involved in the scientific research projects of the Department of Psychology. She studied the personality of psychotherapists and their potential clients, as well as the implications for providing professional psychological help. Her bibliography contains over one hundred references, including two monographs: "Psychotherapists - personality and professional development" and "Marital relations in Serbia: Relationships between marital quality, potential for divorce and psychological help seeking".

Since 1997 she has been actively engaged in the provision of professional psychological help, through workshops, counseling and psychotherapy with groups and individuals.

Davorka Marovic-Johnson M.Ed., NCC, LPC is a licensed psychotherapist in St. Louis, US. She studied psychology at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida and received Masters of Education degree in Community Counseling from University of Missouri - St. Louis in 2001 (CACREP accredited). She has also completed a twoyear Advanced Psychodynamic Program at the Psychoanalytic Institute in St. Louis.

She completed her specialization related to traumatic disorders and post-traumatic stress in the Center for Trauma Recovery in St. Louis). She has worked as a clinical supervisor at the Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma and as a manager of the Bilingual International Assistant Services. Currently engaged in private practice in St Louis which involves individual therapy, marriage counseling, clinical supervision, consultations and workshops. Regularly presents and teaches workshops at Washington University, Saint Louis University, where she is also a member of community advisory board for the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, as well as at the Institute for Public Health. She also a regular clinical supervisor at all the local universities in St. Louis. The areas of interest in her research include transgeneration patterns, affective bonding, interpersonal relations, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and neuroscience. She has given presentations and workshops in many national and international conferences and published work on posttraumatic stress disorder.

Erik Tveit is a certified Norwegian integrative psychotherapist, supervisor and coach with longstanding experience working with individuals, families and groups.

Upon graduation from the University of Trondheim, he became a Certified Social Worker and continued his professional development through five years of study in Integrative Therapy (Fritz Perls Institut für Integrative Terapie) and two and half years of supervision.
He is the holder of NFIT (Norsk Forening for Integrativ Terapi) and EAP (The European Association for Psychotherapy) certificates.
Highly experienced in working with patients in psychiatric institutions, as well as with prison officers and inmates, which he has written about.

Certified supervisor, coach, and organization consultant with NFIT and NOSCO (Norsk Organisasjon for Supervisijon, Coaching og Organisasjonsutvikling).

In addition to his membership in the abovementioned professional organizations, it is important to point out to his cooperation with a number of associations (International InterVision Group, IIG, ANSE), as well as the fact that he is a board member in the Centre for Voluntary Work and Council for the Elderly.

Practices Tai Chi daily.

Marija Adzic is the director and founder of the Integrative Family Center in Podgorica. She is a Specialist and an Assistant Educator in Integrative Art Psychotherapy, Specialist in Preschool Education and a pedagogue with 15 years of experience in working with children and parents. She attended many educations and seminars from the areas of Sensory-Integrative Pedagogy, Marta Meo therapy, EMDR therapy, the Son-Rise method, as well as seminars for inclusive teaching as well as assistance in teaching in inclusive education.

She was a participant and coordinator on many projects: training and employment of people with disabilities, education for parents for providing support and assistance to children in households, providing psychotherapy for children with physical disabilities with preserved cognitive potential, etc. She is also doing humanitarian work through projects which aim to provide free therapeutic support to families, and she’s also organized humanitarian events and concerts.

Her field of specialty is working with children with disabilities. She has been actively working as a therapist for 7 years, focusing on children up to 14 years of age, as well as counseling work with parents.

She is also interested in providing full support to families and children of typical development and developing healthy relations and behavior patterns through individual and group psychotherapy for children as well as counseling work and educations for parents.

Since recently, she has expanded focus of her work on psychotherapeutic work with adults as well.

She participated in several international congresses of psychotherapists, where she presented innovative approaches and methods within Integrative Art Psychotherapy in working with children and parents. She published her works in collections Integrative Art Psychotherapy in practice (2020, 2022).

Julija Vukašinović is a psychologist and an integrative art psychotherapist. She graduated from the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy. After master academic studies, she specialized in psychotherapy and possesses the National Certificate for Psychotherapy. She is an active member of the Serbian Society for Integrative Art Psychotherapy and the Serbian Union of Associations for Psychotherapy.

For the past few years she has actively been practicing psychotherapy through individual work with clients. Alongside that, she took part in several projects aimed at youth, students and different groups of vulnerable categories of citizens, applying her own art therapy psychological workshops.

She participated in a lot of seminars and conferences, and since 2014 she is a regular participant at congresses of the Serbian Union of Associations for Psychotherapy, where she presents her research and practice work. She is constantly working on her professional improvement. Her biggest field of interest is psychosomatics. She passed the international specialized training in psychosomatics and epigenetics at the Institute of Body Psychotherapy in Lisbon (CPSB - Centro de Psicoterapia Somática em Biossíntese).