Eliza Gibbons

Arts Therapist

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Eliza’s approach is person centred, trauma informed and draws strongly on somatic approaches. She works from a client led perspective, honouring clients as experts in their own experiences. Her intention for working with clients is to create spaces where aspects of clients lives and emotional experiencing can be attended to gently and creatively. Eliza encourages and works alongside clients to find ways to express themselves in their own way, at their own pace. She uses a variety of creative arts modalities and materials to enable her to respond flexibly to what is occurring in the moment, making sure she is always attuned and sensitive to what is brought to the session.

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After gaining a degree in Dance from The University of Auckland, Eliza undertook a graduate diploma in teaching and practised as a primary and secondary school teacher. She was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to develop arts-based programmes focusing on student and community engagement as well as dance-based professional development for teachers and support staff. This led her to pursue a Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical) from Whitecliffe College of Art and Design. As an Arts Therapist, Eliza has experience creating and facilitating treatment plans for groups as well as individual clients using a variety of arts modalities. She has worked with clients in schools, community settings and care facilities providing a variety of therapeutic interventions.

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Eliza has experience and enjoys working with the following client populations:

• Children and adolescents: autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, physical disabilities, developmental delay.

• Adults: trauma, sexual abuse, family violence, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, isolation.

• Older Adults: dementia, grief and loss, isolation, depression, anxiety.

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Professional Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical)

• Graduate Diploma in Teaching (secondary)

• Bachelor of Performing Arts (Dance)

• Diploma of Dance/Movement Therapy

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Membership to Professional Colleges/ Boards

• Professional Member of Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA)

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