Louise Weston
- CLIENT GROUPS:
- All age groups
- Experience with children & adolescents
- Lived & extensive experience with neurodiversity
- Adult mental health
- Parent and child dyads
- Community and team workshops
- Legacy and end of life care
- Community
- Team wellbeing
OFFERING:
- NDIS (Self or Plan Managed)
- Private Clients (Rebates may be available through some health insurances)
- 1:1 + Groups + Workshops
- PACFA Clinical Member 30647
- ANZACATA Professional Member 55812777
-
Private Health Funds. If you have a Private Health Insurance with extras cover, you may be eligible for rebates with: Medibank, ahm, Bupa, HCF, and ARHG (encompassing St Luke’s Health, Police Health, GMHBA, Emergency Services Health, Phoenix Health, see-u by HBF (previously CUA), AIA Health, Mildura Health, Teachers Union Health, Teachers Health, Nurses & Midwives Health and Unihealth)
THERAPY SPECIALITIES:
- Identity & Pride
- Neurodiversity
- Neurodivergence
- PDA profiles
- Disability
- Carers support
- Inner awareness & regulation
- Self-esteem & efficacy
- Mentalisation
- Polyvagal work
- Somatic healing
- Strengths based
- Trauma informed
- Humanistic
- Relational
- Client led & person centred
About me
Founder/Director. Registered Art Therapist AThR. MA AThR, BA Arts, Adv.Dip AT.
PACFA Clinical Member (30647), ANZACATA Professional Member (5581777)
Hello! I’m Louise. I am the owner and founder of Creating Insights Art Therapy and the Creating Care Studio Practice.
I am grateful to currently find myself expanding my own private practice and space for like minded others to do the same. I strive to create a neuro affirming space where a myriad of services are on offer to provide comfort and support through creative care.
My journey into Art Therapy came about in my Autumn years after a couple of decades in graphic design, and marketing. Starting as an illustrator (BC – Before computers), I have held a range of jobs working predominantly with products, however I really enjoyed the relations side of the work, creating for passionate clients and to hear their stories and make their brief come to life.
During these years I also produced 3 wonderful children whose experience of the world, was much like mine. Creating around the clock, passionate about interests, curious beyond belief and often navigating the world in a different (not less) perspective to the social constructs and neurotypical conditioning and beliefs of many.
This impacted many aspects of daily life so I jumped down the rabbit hole of finding a more suited path when I discovered Art Therapy. With that, I headed back to University and completed my Master of Art Therapy at LaTrobe University.
Having had many deficit and pathologising experiences with an effort to change, fit in, and let’s face it an exhausting list of social, medical, societal and educational expectations felt overwhelming to say the least. Finding a humanistic, person centred approach has made all the difference to not only how we traverse daily life, but in also helping others through my private practice.
Other than Art Therapy, I love the little rituals that keep me balanced and help me reset so that I can show up for my clients and provide boundaries and care for myself. These also help protect my various chronic health issues and keep me Neurobalanced! These include river and park walks with my hubby and furry friend Kiki, where I tune in to nature and find grounding and peace. I also use the running water in these spaces as a way to let go and cleanse thoughts or experiences. I live for my weekly yoga class with tranquil lake views and an instructor who leaves me feeling centred and ready to take on the week again. I also go dancing in the dark as often as I can as an energetic and somatic release and find pure joy in this. Other than that I love to collage, paint, draw, make a mess and anything that involves family and friends.
EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
- Master of Art Therapy – La Trobe University | 2020 – 2022
- Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design) – Monash University | 1991 – 1993
- Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy – Ikon Institute – 2017 – 2018
- Art Therapy Diploma – Health and Harmony – 2019
- Autism MOOC – Swinburne – 2019
- License to Think – Autism, Anxiety & the A.R.T. of Body Cognition – Holly Bridges – 2019
- Getting creative with Trauma workshop – Carla Van Laar | 2019
- Art Therapy First Aid – Carla Van Laar | 2019
- Certificate of completion | Health Records Act | 2020
- Certificate of completion | COVID-19 infection control training | 2020
- Certificate of completion | MHPOD Working with people with Borderline Personality Disorder| 2020
- Certificate of completion | MHPOD Bio-psychosocial factors | 2020
- Certificate of completion | MHPOD Recovery based practice| 2020
- Certificate of completion | MHPOD Psychosocial interventions| 2020
- Certificate of completion | Communicating with people with Aphasia in healthcare contexts | 2020
- Certificate of Competency | Australia Wide First Aid | First Aid, basic emergency life support and CPR | 2022
- Understanding PDA: Pathological Demand Avoidance | InTune Pathways – Kristy Forbes | 2022 (in progress)
- InTune with PDA: Pathological | InTune Pathways – Kristy Forbes | 2022 (in progress)
- Tools for thriving in everyday life with PDA | InTune Pathways – Kristy Forbes | 2022 (in progress)
- A closer look at Autism, anxiety and demand avoidance | InTune Pathways – Kristy Forbes | 2022 (in progress)
- Reframing Language, communication & connection for anxious, demand avoidant children | InTune Pathways – Kristy Forbes | 2022
- ADHD and Autistic minds conference | Yellow Ladybugs. | 2022
- ADHD and Autistic minds conference | Yellow Ladybugs. | 2023
- ADHD and Autistic minds conference | Yellow Ladybugs. | 2024
- Creative Mental Health & Self Care Retreat | Carla van Laar | 23
- Creative Mental Health & Collective Care Retreat | 24
WORK + EXPERIENCE:
- Creating Insights Art Therapy – Groups + 1:1 sessions + NDIS – ie kids; teens; adults; all abilities. Specialising in supporting neurodivergence across the life span | 2017- Current
- Mullum Rd Clinic – Individual Art Therapy for all ages and experiences or presentations – 2022-24
- EACH – Community health, mental health, parent/child dyads, trauma, family violence, early education | 2021-22
- Aged care – Groups of 4-10 residents – living with dementia; ABI’s depression – 2018-19
- Respite/hospice – Groups – ie all abilities; trauma, end of life care – CATA; Very Special Kids; Sony Camp; Kids in Philanthropy
- Schools – Programs + individual – ie all abilities; anxiety; trauma; bullying; self-confidence; wellness – placement
- The Austin Hospital SECU – ie Mental health, trauma, substance abuse, personality disorders – placement
- Box Hill CYMHS – ie Adolescent mental health, identity, trauma, LGBTQI+, suicidal ideation – placement
- ACA – Autism Camp Australia. Facilitating and designing workshops for school holiday groups 2021-2023
- School Guest Speaker – presenting my experience of writing and illustrating my own children’s book to primary schools
- The Song Room – Kaliedescope 10 week program as part of the Vic Gov ‘School mental health menu’ at St Peter and Pauls Primary School | 2022
- Art Therapy facilitator for EACH Community Health and Wellbeing team workshop
- Guest Speaker for Maroondah ‘Communities of Wellbeing’ | “Diversity” theme | May 2023
- Co hosting an Art Therapy and wellness group retreat | Walk With Wisdom
- Fat Moon Podcast with Kirsty Greene | Greene Moon Studios – 2023
- Guest Presenter for the ‘Maroondah City Council’ Growing Wellbeing activity day ‘Art Therapy Talk’ – 2024
- The Autistic Therapist | Therapist inclusion in book – ‘The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy’ – 2023
- Self-published children’s book ‘Dark Clouds Over Sunbeam’ – A story of acceptance and understanding – 2013
MOMENTS:
- Feature in ‘Leader’ Newspaper ‘Taking Art Therapy to Heart’ – Sessions focus on the positive impact of creative play – an article about my studio and work as an Art Therapist
- Feature in ‘Leader’ Newspaper ‘Draw for Dan’ – A family effort (utilising my very talented children) to draw to raise money for a vital operation for my nephew Dan
- Feature as Student Art Therapist in the Austin Health newsletter
- Pinch pot workshop. Helping to make 300 pots to contribute to the Edna Walling exhibition at art space//realm with Heather Hesterman Wyreena ‘bird’ clay creations as a permanent installation to the entrance to community gate.
- Raising money and awareness for Autism amongst various platforms.
- Sponsor for Variety Fox FM #200kfor200kids Luna Park Christmas event.
- Hosting “Pathways for Carers” walk – Maroondah 2019
DOCUMENTS:
- PACFA clinical member 30647
- ANZACATA professional member 55812777
- Current working with children check
- NDIS worker screening
- Police check
- Insurance
- First Aid
