Master Mindfulness and Art Therapy | Lojong Center Course

CCT Foundation - Course 2

Mindfulness & Creative Arts Therapy: Applied Clinical Practice

This six-week virtual training offers an introduction to the integration of mindfulness and creative arts therapy in contemporary clinical practice. Designed for mental health professionals and advanced trainees, the course combines foundational knowledge with experiential learning to support the development of embodied, process-oriented therapeutic skills.

Participants will explore the evolution of creative arts therapy, from its early use in ritual and symbolic healing practices to its development within modern psychotherapy. The course also introduces the foundations of mindfulness and meditation, tracing their origins in Buddhist traditions and their adaptation into Western psychological and clinical frameworks.

Building on this foundation, the training focuses on how mindfulness and creative processes can be integrated in a structured and clinically meaningful way. Participants will be introduced to mindfulness-based approaches such as MBSR and MBCT, as well as to emerging integrative frameworks, including Contemplative Creative Therapy (CCT). The course also incorporates elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to support emotional awareness, regulation, and work with identity and narrative.

Through guided practices, reflective inquiry, and clinical application, participants will develop tools to work with the embodied mind, supporting awareness, emotional processing, and integration in therapeutic settings.

Note: This course builds on earlier versions of this training developed and taught through the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and has since been refined and expanded within the Lojong Center, integrating a more explicit contemplative creative and clinical framework.

What You Will Learn

Module 1 - Introduction to Creative Arts Therapy in Clinical Practice

This module introduces the foundations of creative arts therapy in clinical practice. It explores the evolution of creative expression as a healing modality, clarifies key approaches within the field, and outlines the role of the clinician and therapeutic framework. The integration of mindfulness is introduced as a foundation for the work developed throughout the course.

Module 2 - The Embodied Mind: Foundations of Meditation and Mindfulness

This module explores the foundations of mindfulness and meditation through the embodied mind. It introduces the origins of mindfulness (sati) within Buddhist traditions, including the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, and examines how these practices have been adapted and integrated into contemporary clinical and therapeutic contexts.

Module 3 - Mindfulness-Based Clinical Approaches and Interventions

This module examines the integration of mindfulness in psychotherapy, including key approaches such as MBSR and MBCT. It also introduces the role of neuroscience in understanding how meditation supports brain function, nervous system regulation, and the clinical application of mindfulness and creative arts therapy.

Module 4 - Mindfulness-Based Art & Expressive Therapies: Process, Integration, and the Introduction to CCT

This module explores the integration of mindfulness and creative arts therapies in clinical practice. Participants are introduced to approaches such as MBAT and MBET, and engage in experiential practices combining mindfulness and creative process.

It also introduces the Contemplative Creative Therapy (CCT) framework, using the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to explore the relationship between mind, body, and creative expression.

Module 5 — Working with Emotions in Practice: Integrating CCT and DBT

This module explores emotional awareness and regulation through the integration of Contemplative Creative Therapy (CCT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Participants are introduced to core DBT principles and methods, and engage in practices that support the observation, recognition, and expression of emotions through creative processes. The module highlights how mindfulness-based art therapy can complement DBT by offering a structured and embodied approach to working with emotional experience.

Module 6 — Self, Identity, and Narrative: A Contemplative Creative Clinical Approach

This module explores self, identity, and the narrative mind, and how these shape perception and mental health. Building on CCT and DBT, participants learn to observe and transform inner dialogue through mindfulness and creative practice, supporting greater awareness and integration in clinical work.

Key Themes:

Foundations of creative arts therapy and its role in clinical practice
The embodied mind: mindfulness, perception, and therapeutic presence
Integration of mindfulness-based approaches (MBSR, MBCT) in psychotherapy
The relationship between internal experience and creative expression
Introduction to Contemplative Creative Therapy (CCT) as an integrative framework
Emotional awareness and regulation through CCT and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Working with self, identity, and narrative in therapeutic contexts
Process-oriented and non-interpretive approaches to creative work
The role of neuroscience in understanding mindfulness and regulation

Designed for:

This course is intended for psychotherapists, art therapists, mindfulness facilitators, somatic practitioners, educators, and mental health professionals who are interested in integrating Buddhist psychology, contemplative science, and creative expression into their clinical or teaching practice. It is also relevant for contemplative practitioners seeking to bridge personal insight with professional application.

While prior experience with meditation or creative arts therapy is not required, familiarity with basic contemplative or therapeutic frameworks is recommended.