BIOGRAPHY

About Claire Osborne

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Claire has a Masters in Art therapy from MTU, and is a member of IACAT (the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists).

She has an extensive background in group facilitation, and therapeutic work with individuals and groups, and has worked with a diverse range of ages and social groups for the past 30 years. Her placement work during her Masters enabled her to bring art therapy to primary school children, teens in CAMHS, and adults with sensory needs, brain injury and mental health difficulties in REHAB care.

Claire has a passion for embodied therapeutic work, informed by mindful presence, trauma-informed protocols and person-centred therapeutic support. Her work is humanistic, client led and adheres to the IACAT code of ethics.

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BACKGROUND

Following an honours degree in art, design and community art, Claire worked as a community artist and craft person from 1997-2004. This included community art projects and yoga in residential psychiatric units and with adults with disabilities in Cork city and Youghal.

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Claire has a passionate interest in body-based therapies and practices, leading to over 25 years of training and professional work in the fields of Massage Therapy, Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Dance and Amerta Movement. She works presently as a teacher of Yoga and Amerta Movement, as well as being an experienced yoga Therapist. She continues to train and mentor yoga teachers, run professional development workshops and retreats.

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From 2012  Claire's work as a yoga therapist, included many private clients and specialist groups (with Co-action, ARC cancer support group, and with active retirement groups). For 7 years she supervised trainee yoga therapists for Yoga Campus in London, and also acted as a trainer and advisor for the Yoga Mandala Project, which runs trauma informed yoga trainings for yoga teachers and humanitarian workers as well as working in the field providing classes to refugees and support workers. This ongoing body-based work has informed her Art Therapy practice. She has also lectured in the school of medicine at UCC.

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Claire  has a strong interest in community and environmental work,  spending 8 years working with community groups to create award-winning community garden projects in Cork city and County, which often included arts based elements, and in addition she supervised school garden projects across Cork county. Claire continues to include nature-based Movement and art-making in her personal and professional practice.

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