An Art Therapy Community

What is Communitas of Art Therapy?

Communitas of Art Therapy (CAT) is an international art therapy education and community platform grounded in arts-based, resource-oriented practice. CAT offers learning experiences (trainings, seminars, and retreats) that support psychological well-being, creative resilience, and community connection through reflective art-making.
Alongside in-person programming, CAT also offers selected online meetings and trainings to make learning accessible across geographies.
CAT is designed as a community-of-practice. Participants learn through ongoing engagement, shared reflection, and applied methods. Programs are delivered primarily in English and Turkish.

Communitas of Art Therapy is a member of The International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy (IACAET).

Our Vision
As an art therapy community, Communitas of Art Therapy ackowledges the healing importance of belonging and creativity. By embodying an eco-friendly, arts-centered explorative approach, CAT highlights the necessity to establish creativity-based and community-centered gatherings and trainings to develop a compassionate curiosity and loving kindness toward all beings.

Our Mission
Communitas of Art Therapy (CAT) is an international art therapy community. CAT aims at creating access for art therapy resources, materials, training and knowledge for the community of artists, psychologists, counselors, and individuals working in a variety of fields. CAT highlights and works on the development of a genuine understanding of art therapy and opportunities to experience, learn and internalize how art therapy works.
CAT promotes an eco-friendly, multidisciplinary, diversity and inclusion oriented approach to art therapy practice and training. In the pursuit of solidarity, CAT collaborates with other local associations and organizations to co-organize art therapy trainings and workshops.
CAT strives to fulfill its purpose by organizing gatherings, trainings and workshops in various locations in various locations at Europe, Turkey and online. CAT diligently works on making art therapy resources and trainings available to all interestes parties, such as translating books and other art therapy materials such as articles and art therapy cards, inviting trainers from other countries to create an international network, providing participants with simultaneous translation, and organizing online workshops to make the knowledge more accessible.

Communitas of Art Therapy is a member of the International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy.

Upcoming Programs:

Creating with the Inner Self: An Art-Led Equanimity Workshop
with Seyma Cavusoglu, Ph.D. / TBA

Art Therapy Seminars V / July 19th, 2026, on Zoom

Soror Mystica©: Images That Awaken the Imagination in Expressive Therapies
with Abbe Miller, Ph.D. / TBA

El Duende One Canvas Method Training
with Abbe Miller, Ph.D. / May 22nd-23rd, 2027 in Lisbon, Portugal

Communitas Art Therapy Training Program, Registration begins in August 2026 for the class of 2027-2028.

What Awaits You at Communitas of Art Therapy

If you’d like to receive details about a specific training, workshop, or meeting, you’re welcome to email us.

Communitas Art Therapy Practitioner Program 2027-2028

The Communitas Art Therapy Program is designed for individuals who wish to learn how to practice art therapy and who have a background in, or are currently working in, related fields.

The program is offered in English. This page is intended to inform our English-speaking community about the upcoming program.

The program unfolds over two years. In the first year, from January to November 2027, participants gain foundational theoretical knowledge and develop a personal art practice that supports the use of art as a tool for awareness. In the second year, from January to November 2028, participants are introduced to a more in-depth art therapy approach and receive supervision for the individual or group processes they begin to facilitate.

Throughout the program, participants are expected to engage in at least 20 hours of visual arts practice in the first year and at least 20 additional hours in the second year. In the second year, participants also complete at least 40 hours of supervised art therapy practice as art therapy practitioner candidates.

Participants also take part in regular intervision groups in both years. These peer-support groups are designed to strengthen participants’ support systems throughout the program.

Most modules and weekday meetings take place online via Zoom. Two modules are held in person in Lisbon, Portugal: the El Duende One Canvas Method Module in Year 1 and the Eco-Art Therapy Module in Year 2.

The program is limited to 12 participants. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.

Faculty members include Abbe Miller, Ph.D.; Şeyma Çavuşoğlu, Ph.D.; Begüm Akçınar, M.A.; Gizem Biçen Doğan, Ph.D. (Ca); Assoc. Prof. Selen Korad Birkiye; Dilara Karşıdağ Altıkardeş, Ph.D. (Ca); Seren Pehlivanoğlu İlkdoğan, Ph.D. (Ca); and Sindy Şulam Irgaz, M.A.

The program is shaped in collaboration with Curative Arts, Laya Danışmanlık, and 3 Oda Danışmanlık.

What is El Duende One Canvas Method?
by Abbe Miller, Ph.D.

Art Therapy Workshops

These workshops are designed to create safe, supportive spaces for self-exploration and skill-building through art therapy methods. We offer both in-person and online workshops. Please see the list below for our current offerings.

Art Therapy Seminars

Our seminars are designed to help you expand your knowledge and perspective on a range of concepts and approaches in the field of art therapy, while also giving you the opportunity to experience sample practices through small, hands-on exercises. If you find yourself wondering, “What kind of field is art therapy?”, we warmly invite you to join our seminars. Our seminars are open to participants from all backgrounds.