with
Laura O'Brien and Claire Osborne
July 4th-5th / September 26th-27th / November 28th-29th
Informed by Somatics, Body-Mind Centering, Amerta Movement and Art Therapy, and shaped as a space for being, making and reflecting. This three-weekend course offers participants an immersive exploration of movement and art-making as embodied and relational practice, to support both personal and professional development.
The course is intended for therapists, movement practitioners, artists and creatives, and those engaged in personal, spiritual or creative development wishing to deepen their connection with body, presence and creative expression.
Held at the beautiful An Sanctoir in West Cork: a purpose built, wooden-floored building, surrounded by a 28 acre private nature reserve. We will work both indoors in the bright and warm studio, and outdoors in a variety of landscape settings (meadow, rock, woodland, river).
COURSE CONTENT
Across the three weekends, participants will be guided to explore the body and creative process through elemental and anatomical themes:
July — Cell, Breath & Air
Cultivating presence and inner listening through subtle movement, breath, sound and creative response.
September — Fluids, Blood & Water
Exploring flow, rhythm and relationship through movement and making, including attention to emotional tone and connection with others and the wider environment.
November — Bone, Muscle & Earth
Working with structure, support and form to integrate experience through grounded movement and embodied expression.
This course offers time for both guided and self-led practice, including:
Somatics (inspired by experiential anatomy and Body Mind Centering)
Amerta movement
2-D and 3-D embodied art-making processes inspired by art therapy
Reflective practice
Shared dialogue
Periods of outdoor work, supporting connection with the natural environment to embody our deep, reciprocal relationship with the natural world.
Between weekends participants are supported through personal movement and art journaling and an optional buddy system for reflection and continuity.
DETAILS
Fees
280 euros per weekend
780 euros for the full course / Early bird 720 euros (paid in full before June 10th )
Deposit: 150 euros for full course (non-refundable) / 60 euros for a weekend.
Final payment due in full before first weekend. Fee includes art materials, teas, snacks. Lunch: 15euros per day (optional)
Venue
An Sanctóir, Bawnaknockane, Ballydehob, West Cork P81XF34
Accomodation
A limited number of spaces are available at Dan Gray’s house, which is on the land at An Sanctoir and within 5 minutes walking distance of the studio: single, double and dorm rooms available. Dan’s contact details available on request if you wish to book.
Bookings
Bookings are made through an application process using the following link : https://forms.gle/iMmS4yG9qBrEoTcP6
Applicants for the full course will need some grounding in either personal or creative process, personal personal development or body-based/movement work. Newcomers to this type of work are welcome to the first weekend. Participants may attend the full three-weekend series or join individual weekends as standalone experiences.
COURSE AIMS
The core intention of the course is to cultivate a deeper relationship with the body as a source of perception, connection, expression, containment, response-ability and creative intelligence, within a carefully held and supportive space.
You will be facilitated to explore and develop your movement vocabulary and creativity as tools for listening, assimilating and responding to our life experience in each moment.
You will be invited into sensory experiencing, bodily connection, embodied expression, curiosity, play.
Attention is given not only to practice, but to how we listen, witness, respond and facilitate — offering a context of presence, relationship and belonging. It is a process of being attuned to our bodily experience (of self, others and environment) and tracking and trusting that experience.
This is a time of slowing down and experiencing our own BE-ing, and the BE-ing of others.
Your facilitators
Claire Osborne
Claire Osborne BA, MA, YTT, YTA, IACAT
https://www.yogaandmovement.com/
Claire is a group facilitator of Amerta movement, yoga and women’s groups, as well as an accredited Art therapist and yoga therapist.
Her movement practice is based primarily on Amerta movement, having studied with Prapto for 23 years. Accredited with IACAT (the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists) and the YTA (Yoga Therapy Association, UK), Claire has 30 years experience of facilitating groups, and has worked for 14 years as a therapist.
The natural world is an important part of her life and work: running community gardening projects for many years, growing her own garden and teaching nature-based movement workshops.
She works privately and within community groups and health organisations, and whenever possible in and with the landscape West Cork.
Claire weaves together the sacred arts of Yoga, Art and Movement to create a unique multi-disciplinary, somatically informed approach to creativity, personal exploration, transformation and healing. Yogic philosophy and the Buddhist principles that underpin Amerta guide her work.
Laura O'Brien
Laura O’Brien, B.A ,M.A, S.M.T, ISMETA
https://embodiedlifesomatics.com/
Laura O’Brien is a registered Somatic Movement Therapist, an ISMETA-accredited practitioner, and a movement facilitator with over 18 years of dedicated study and practice in the field of embodiment.
Her background includes extensive training in Amerta Movement with Suprapto Suryadarmo across Europe and Asia, as well as a three-year professional training with Joan Davis (Origins). Laura is also completing further training as a MindBody Somatic Coach, expanding her interdisciplinary approach.
Her work supports individuals and groups in developing deeper body awareness, nervous system regulation, creativity, and presence.
Laura’s approach is grounded, inclusive, and relational — offering a safe and attuned space for exploration, healing, expression, and transformation through embodied practice.
What previous participants are saying
“I found the two day movement and art-making workshop to be an enriching experience. Being in a beautiful space surrounded by peaceful nature provided a backdrop ripe for exploration. I found the facilitators approach to mindful, art-movement to be enlivening and challenging … they guided gently through each workshop, creating opportunity for self-exploration both inward and outward. Interacting within the creative prompts with other participants added a depth of experience that was both expansive and inspiring. I left feeling supported and refreshed with new insights to bring into my personal and professional practice.”
Emilie, Art Therapist
“Mark-making in a group of three was exhilarating. I felt a great sense of movement and connection both in the space and on the paper”
Simon, Movement Practitioner
"What a beautiful workshop weaving in the body sense of creating art with self and community. I especially enjoyed the sharing of an art piece in a small group; so fluid, seamless and sensual with the most randomly wonderful and alive artwork creation!!”
Sian, Yoga Teacher
“I would highly recommend this workshop with Clare and Laura. The combination of their skills creates a space that is not only safe but provides the freedom to fly creatively while also touching inner depths that are difficult to access in daily life. Hence the space is both inspiring and deeply nourishing at the same time.
The structure they had created for the weekend enabled a creative journey to unfold that bypassed any ‘artistic’ blocks and was always supported and grounded by the carpet of somatic experience.
I loved the whole workshop, found it extremely enjoyable and would definitely participate again should the opportunity arise.”
Sarah, Movement Teacher