Soearth Projects are running a prenatal parenting course facilitated by experienced mental health practitioners in the field. This bespoke six week course will provide prospective parents an opportunity to gain important insights and tools when embarking on parenthood.
Facilitators
Heidi Morrison - Art Psychotherapist & Founder of Soearth Projects
Dr Cliona Cosgrove - Senior Clinical Psychologist
Vicky Linnane - Art Psychotherapist
Course overview:
When we are preparing to have a child we tend to focus on the practical and material elements for the baby. This course aims to offer an alternative focus. Our aim is to provide a programme that supports prospective parents from a psychological perspective.
This blended experiential and taught programme is specifically designed and facilitated by experienced clinicians in the field. The programme aims to enhance and promote parental awareness and creative and focused learning for a more sensitive and ‘conscious’ approach to parenting.
Who can attend this course?
This course is available for a wide spectrum of people. It is aimed at prenatal parents (any gestation period) or for those planning on having children in the future. The course is also available for parents who already have children but are due/hoping to have another child.
Due to the design of the course we request that two parents / primary caregivers of the forecoming infant attend. (please note the ticket price is for one person).
We also recommend consistent attendence and for each workshop . If there is an anvoidable absence of one parent on one of the weeks we recommend another primary carer plan to attend.
What to expect ?
This programme will run consecutively over a six week period, each workshop is 1.5hrs in duration (Friday’s from 7.30 to 9pm). The course will include experiential and learning components throughout. This will involve focused learning and easy to access ‘hands on’ exercises using visual, discussional/reflective elements.
This course will be exploring the relevance of creative parenting, the importance of self care and self awareness and reflective qualities for more ‘conscious parenting’. We will be considering how these components positively impact our parenting. We will also overview the basic components of early infant mental health. We will be exploring questions such as ‘What are we bringing to parenting ? What are our expectations? What does it mean to be a ‘good enough parent’.
This programme will facilitate a supportive rather than an instructive or intrusive process. The group will preserve a non judgemental approach and shared information in the group will be confidential.
Please note : The numbers of participants will be kept at a minimum to ensure full benefit.
Why attend this course ?
Offer support provided by professional practitioners for prospective parents
To share insights and instill sensitive and insightful approaches to parenting
Opportunity to gain self awareness for more ‘conscious parenting’
Provides experience and learn creative approaches to enhance parental engagement with your infant.
Provides helpful tools in parenting and will learn basic components of infant mental health (useful take home resources will be provided)
Biography's of Facilitators:
Heidi Morrison BA (hons).,MA (Art Thearpy)., MSc(Psychoanayltic Psychothearpy) MIACAT
Heidi manages designs and delivers wellbeing and therapeutic programmes running in Soearth. She actively supports community initiatives and enjoys collaboration with Arts/health Facilitators and Mental Health Practitioners.
Heidi works as a professionally IACAT accredited Art Psychotherapist and manages a Creative Arts Therapy Practice in the space hosting a provision of Child/Adolescent and Adult services in Art Psychotherapy, Music Therapy and Drama Therapy from independent Creative arts therapy practitioners.
Heidi is knowledgable in child development and related theories of infant mental health. She has previously undergone (within her MSc TCD masters studies) a weekly two year infant observation process and researched the dynamics/outcomes of early infant attachment and development. She has experience supporting couples with the complexities of parenting.
Heidi is also experienced with a range of complex mental health illnesses and difficulties. She has worked in a number of Private and Public mental health settings, these include St Patrick’s University Hospital, Kildare & West Wicklow mental health HSE services (inpatient and day hospitals) and Linn Dara CAMHS.
Dr Cliona Cosgrove BA(hons)., MPsych Sc., DClinPsch.
Dr. Cliona Cosgrove, is a clinical child psychologist with expertise in health psychology, meditation teaching, and sound healing.
Her qualifications extend to specialised areas such as parental attachment, infant & early childhood development, and child mental health, reflecting a profound commitment to understanding and nurturing the psychological well-being of individuals across the lifespan.
Cliona has worked in CAMH's Mental health for a number of years and is excited to embark on a programme that will support and encorage positive partental engagment
Cliona has a passion for holistic approaches, and works to integrate a variety of therapeutic modalities, fostering a unique and comprehensive approach to mental health care.
Vicky Linnane BA(Hons)., MA., MIACAT
Creative expression within a therapeutic relationship can have a powerful impact on maintaining good mental health, and this is something that Vicky, IACAT accreditated Art Psychothearpist, has dedicated her working life to. Art Psychotherapy can help to resolve conflicts and problems for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and genders.
Vicky completed her masters level training as an Art Psychotherapist and has specialised experience with children with anxiety and provides avenues for children dealing with bullying and assists in building resilience with those affected by these behaviours. She has extensive experience supporting couples with the complexities of parenting.
Vicky also has experience working with adults in mental health, substance misuse, suicidal ideation and recovery. Other areas of Vicky’s experience include autistic spectrum disorders, sensory impairments, as well as emotional and behavioural disorders.