Art Heals
Narrative art tells a story.
Narrative Arts Therapy offers us the tools to create healing narratives.
The process centers you as the expert of your own life, acknowledging that you have many skills, abilities and values to reduce the influence of the challenges you face.
Through guided arts activities such as drawing, journalling, painting, clay modeling, videos, writing, reading, music and other forms of artistic expressions, you are encouraged to connect with your stories in new ways, gaining insight, self awareness, compassion and emotional release. This creative process offers people tools to reframe difficult experiences, find new perspectives and reconstruct stronger life narratives.
From a scientific perspective, the process results in your brain growing new networks and connections that can change your interpretation of the events of your life.
ABOUT
About Dr Marlene Winberg
Dr Marlene Winberg holds a Doctor of Philosophy with a specialisation in the narrative arts from the Faculty of Science at the University of Cape Town, a Masters of Arts in Fine Art (UCT) and BA in Drama and Literature (UCT). She holds certificates in a range of healing modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from the Applied College of Psychology in the UK, Clinical Hypnosis and Narrative Therapy from the Dulwich Centre in Australia.
Dr Winberg has served as co-ordinator, teacher and trauma counsellor to the international children's rights organisation, The World's Children's Prize, since its inception in 2000. In this capacity she has listened to thousands of vulnerable women and children all over the globe tell their stories.
As an oral history facilitator for San communities in southern Africa, she has witnessed how indigenous healing practices, including storytelling, support communities' health and well-being. She brought this experience to her post-doctoral research to establish an inter-disciplinary framework for linking traditional healing practices with the arts and sciences in the creation of the Narrative Arts Therapy (NAT) programme.
She is the author of several books on the integration of the narrative arts, healing and indigenous knowledge.
One On One Sessions
A 90-minute in-person session provides an in-depth experience with narrative arts therapy. It includes the course guide book for continued self-guided healing, and digital resources for further exploration of narrative arts therapy.
Online Sessions
Online therapy is increasingly popular due to its privacy, autonomy, and the ability to choose a preferred environment. Teenagers find it effective and less stigmatising, as they can do therapy in their own home. It is also more affordable.
Courses
An introductory session followed by six sessions includes the course workbook, The Story of You. The course is beneficial for women and teens facing life challenges, including grief, trauma, anxiety, loss, menopause, puberty or chronic illness.
Podcast
Dr Winberg discusses the history of healing through the arts, focusing on loss, life transitions, and recovery. The podcast includes adapted stories of her students and clients, along with book reviews on the science of healing through the arts.
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