Professor, School of Social Work., Laurentian University
I obtained my Ph.D. at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia (2002), and my M.S.W. degree at the University of Toronto (1991). I am a practicing clinical social worker with 25 years of experience. At Laurentian University, I am a core member of the research centre ECHO - Evaluating Children's Health Outcomes, and the SSHRC Leader (3-year term).
My research investigates the effectiveness of arts-based mindfulness group work for the improvement of resilience and self-concept particularly in marginalized children and youth. The 12-week arts-based mindfulness group program we have developed is called Holistic Arts-Based Program (HAP). Currently, we are studying HAP with youth aged 11-17 years old who are experiencing challenges with schooling. HAP helps youth improve their mood and self-esteem, and develop better coping skills and relationships through the enjoyable experience of creative group work. A session-by-session outline of HAP can be found in my recent book: Facilitating Mindfulness - A Guide for Human Service Professionals.
Visual arts help marginalized youth learn mindfulness and self-compassion
Jan 14, 2020 00:42 am UTC| Life
How do girls feel before and after learning mindfulness? The six girls in our program, aged 11 and 12, drew pictures showing that learning and practising mindfulness helped them feel more in control and compassionate, less...
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