Dear Gestalt Art Therapy Centre clients
Information related to our services and COVID-19
Dear Gestalt Art Therapy Centre clients,
We inform you about the situation of our Centre in relation to the Covid-19
We are taking the threat of COVID-19 very seriously, and have implemented a number of precautionary measures including cancelling face to face workshops, Art Therapy Retreats and Therapy Sessions/ Supervision and providing the opportunity to participate in our events in an online format (we are working on that, available very soon) and/or reschedule workshops/ Retreats.
We hope we will be able to re-open our centre, once we will receive the information from government letting us know when it will be safe running groups again and sharing common spaces and Art materials, as is our case in Art therapy practice.
It’s important that you take care of yourself. During this time, you may feel anxious or stressed.
If you would like to make an appointment with us, for an online session, please contact us by email: gestaltarttherapycentre@gmail.com. We are offering to Gestalt Art Therapy members, and people in need, and Art Therapy session free (duration of 30 minutes by Skype, dates availability depending on the number of appointments/times)
If you are a member of the Gestalt Art Therapy Centre, we are still offering you discounts, in online workshops and you will receive our newsletter. (We had the newsletter already to be sent, but now we need to re-adjusts the content to the delicate global situation "Here and now")
if you paid your participation in an upcoming workshop, please contact us to arrange an optional online training or reschedule the workshop. If you booked our Art Therapy Retreats, please contact us, we arranged the new dates to July 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2020 (These dates may change again later, due government information).
We apologize that this inconvenience may cause to you, as you know, it is outside of everybody control, and we are doing these "temporal adjustments" in relation to support the objective of minimizing the infections and taking care of Gestalt Art Therapy Centre participants and members.
Here you can see some helpful information from the government:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) – What you need to know
Below is some important information about how to protect yourself against infection and prevent the virus from spreading.
Keeping Australians safe from the coronavirus is the Government’s number one priority. This will be a challenging time but it will be temporary. By working together, practising good hygiene and maintaining appropriate social distancing, Australia will overcome this public health challenge.
PLEASE NOTE: because the situation is rapidly evolving, it is important to always check the most up-to-date medical information at health.gov.au.
Protecting yourself and others
It’s important to practice good hygiene and social distancing to protect against infection and to prevent the virus from spreading. You can prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections by making sure you:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
Cover your cough/sneeze and dispose of tissues
Avoid contact with others if you’re feeling unwell
Avoid large gatherings if they’re not essential
Keep a distance of 1.5 meters between you and other people whenever possible
Minimize unnecessary physical contact with others, especially those at higher risk, such as older people and people with existing health conditions
Read the Department of Health’s guidance on social distancing attached in this email.
Staying informed
It’s important to keep up-to-date with accurate and reliable information about coronavirus as the situation develops. The best place to find the latest information is at health.gov.au
Additional resources, including specific fact sheets and guidelines for parents, older Australians and international travellers, can be found at https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-resources
Should I get tested?
You should be tested for COVID-19 if:
you are experiencing cold and flu symptoms and have recently returned from overseas; or
you have been in direct contact with someone who is known to have contracted coronavirus.
Additional testing may also be appropriate for healthcare workers.
Mass gatherings and social distancing
From Monday 16 March, the National Cabinet agreed that non-essential organised mass gatherings of more than 500 people should not occur.
These measures should not prevent the operation of essential functions including schools, universities and workplaces, or prevent the operation of public transport.
However, the principle of social distancing should still apply in these settings.
Read the Department of Health’s guidance on social distancing attached in this email
Travelling overseas?
Regardless of your destination, age or health, if your overseas travel is not essential, you should consider carefully whether now is the right time.
This is because the health risks from the global COVID-19 pandemic are increasing, you may be more exposed to contracting COVID-19 overseas, and overseas travel has become more complex and unpredictable.
The Government has upgraded its Smartraveller travel advice for all Australians travelling overseas to level 3 - ‘reconsider your need for overseas travel at this time.’
For more information, visit the Smartraveller website.
Support available for households and businesses
The Government has recently announced a $17.6 billion economic stimulus package to keep Australians in jobs, keep businesses in business and support households and the Australian economy.
This package has four parts:
Cash flow assistance to help the small and medium-sized business to stay in business and keep their employees in jobs;
Support for business investment;
Targeted support for the most severely affected sectors, regions and communities; and
Household stimulus payments to strengthen the broader economy. The Government will provide a one-off $750 payment to age pensioners and other social security, veteran and other income support recipients and eligible concession cardholders. This will be paid automatically from 31 March 2020.
For more information on the Government’s Economic Response to the Coronavirus visit treasury.gov.au/coronavirus.
Other key contacts:
If you’re unsure about what to do, call the Coronavirus Health Information Line (operating 24/7) on 1800 020 080.
For travel advice visit https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/
Please contact us if you have any questions,
Take care, think positive, write your feelings in an Art Journal, contact us if you need support, contact with family and friends, support others.
"We will overcome this health challenge, working in the community for the good of the community"
WE ARE ALL ONE!
Gemma & Yaro
Directors
Yaro Starak
B.A., M.S.W, Adv.Dip.SW, Dip.GT.
Former Lecturer at the University of Queensland
Gestalt Psychotherapist.
Gestalt Art Therapist CAT®
Men leadership training
Author of books on Gestalt Psychotherapy & Group facilitation
Co-Director Gestalt Art Therapy Centre-Australia
Gemma Garcia
Dip GT. Dip Ericksonian Hypnosis. Aura-Soma Therapist L2. Dip.Visual Arts
Gestalt Therapist
Gestalt Art Therapist CAT®
Co-Director Gestalt Art Therapy Centre - Australia
Visual Artist. Art Instructor. Freelance Book Editor
Freelance Curator, Coordinator Art Group Exhibitions.
Director of APE Brisbane (Art Performances and Exhibitions)
More Information:
English Training:
https://www.arttherapygestalt.com/
www.gestaltarttherapycentre.blogspot.com
Contact:
gestaltarttherapycentre@gmail.com
Spanish Training:
Contact:
arteterapiagestalt@gmail.com
http://www.arteterapiagestalt.es
http://www.arteterapiagestalt.blogspot.com
Gestalt Art Therapy centre acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Peoples of Australia, and we pay our respects to their Elders past and present with whom we share this great country.
