Social Work and Art Therapy

 

To become a professionally registered Art Therapist one must complete a post graduate Masters Degree in Art Therapy. This means, in order to study art therapy at an industry recognised level one needs to have first completed a Bachelor Degree in a related profession. All professionally registered art therapists have experience and qualifications in another profession prior to becoming an Art Therapist.

Kate Cotching is also a Social Worker (BSW) and an Artist (MFA). This background is what Pelican Arts is built upon. Kate regularly brings social work knowledge and skill base into her practice by working with the client on interpersonal or social issues.

Social workers have a crucial part to play in improving mental health services and mental health outcomes for participants. They bring a distinctive social and rights-based perspective to their work. Their advanced relationship-based skills, and their focus on personalisation and recovery, can support people to make positive, self-directed change.

As well as her membership with the Australian, New Zealand, Asia Creative Arts Therapist Association (ANZACATA),  she holds a membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

Social Workers and Art Therapists have so much in common, both take a psychosocial approach to their practice and both are concerned with social justice and equality.

“Social workers are trained to understand and assess that the mental illnesses experienced by individuals, families, groups and communities are not caused or determined by a single factor.”

“Social workers maintain a dual focus in both assisting with and improving human wellbeing; and addressing any external issues (known as systemic or structural issues) that may impact on wellbeing, such as inequality, injustice and discrimination.” (AASW, Scope of social work practice)

Telephone Interpreting Service (TIS National)

Language is no longer a barrier to accessing art therapy.  Pelican Arts now has access to telephone interpreters.

We welcome non-English speakers to contact us to find out more about art therapy.

If you need an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and ask them to call Pelican Arts on 0410772058.

You can also visit the TIS National website for translated information about the service TIS National provides. Visit: www.tisnational.gov.au

 

COVID 19 Statement

Pelican Arts is taking reasonable measures to provide continuity of service during the pandemic while maintaining client and staff safety. We recognise that some clients may be especially vulnerable to infection during the pandemic and that some clients may be unable to engage in Telehealth.

Clients may express a preference for one service over another, Pelican Arts will consider transition to-from Telehealth on a case by case basis. Fees for Telehealth services will be the same as their in-person equivalent.

Pelican Arts will always follow government advice. 

These are some of the things we are doing to help keep visitors safe During the COVID 19 Pandemic.

  • We are keeping up to date with government regulations and advice in Victoria and NSW.
  • We have hand sanitiser at the entry of the building, as well as inside the studio, and of course soap and water. All visitors must clean their hands when they enter.
  • We have increased our routine cleaning regime, in addition to this we and clean frequently used surfaces and equipment after each use. We also have a HEPPA air filter in the studio.
  • We have configured furniture in a way that makes it easy to stay 1.5 meters away from each other.
  • We have put signs on the door and walls to remind everyone of what they need to do to help stop the spread.

Please pay attention to these signs and use the QR code to check in.

  • If we are sick we will cancel our appointments at no charge to you, we use routine Rapid Antigen testing when it is available.
  •  Please don’t come if you feel sick, if you have had contact with a person with COVID 19, or if you have travelled to a COVID 19 Hotspot in the past 14 days.

If you have any COVID 19 Symptoms please get tested and stay home, we will be happy to reschedule your appointment when you are feeling better. If you have minor symptoms and would still like art therapy we can organise an appointment via telehealth.

Staff

Profile picture of Kate Cotching

Kate Cotching has completed a Masters in Mental Health (Art Therapy) from the School of Medicine at University of Queensland, a Bachelor of Social Work at La Trobe University and a Masters in Art (Visual Art) at RMIT University. She has a passion for bringing visual arts to the community. Kate has been privileged to work with people from a diverse range of backgrounds in the Mildura area, including newly arrived refugees, young families, people recovering from mental illness, students of all ages, and people with disabilities. She has exhibited her artwork throughout Australia and internationally and was a founding member of Gallery F and whitecubemildura.

Kate is a professional member of the Australian, New Zealand, Asia Creative Arts Therapist Association (ANZACATA), the peak professional body for the creative arts therapies in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia/Pacific region. She is also a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).