Suzanne Pata

Suzanne (she/her) is a Registered Art Therapist working at Yellow Gum Art Therapy Studio on Saturdays and is also available for outreach. Suzanne works with people of all ages, from children and teens through to adults.

Suzanne is a creative arts therapist with a background of 20 years nursing experience and a practice informed by her own lived experience. Suzanne is particularly skilled in supporting clients with trauma and complex mental health, grief and loss, and has a specialised interest in working with victim/survivors of family and sexual violence (both adults and children). She also has an interest in supporting families with young children navigating challenges related to disability and neurodivergence, drawing on recent experience as an infant and child practitioner in family services.

Suzanne’s therapeutic approach focuses on her clients’ inherent strengths and empowers them in their journey toward healing through creative self-expression and self-discovery. She highly values building genuine and respectful relationships and possesses a natural curiosity and ability to build rapport quickly. She embraces each person’s uniqueness and provides individualised and holistic care, respecting their internal world and personal journey.

Qualifications

• Master of Therapeutic Arts Practice (MIECAT)

• Professional Membership of ANZACATA (2024-present)

• Therapeutic Arts Practitioner Internship at Doncare Community Services

• (2023-2024)

• Graduate Diploma of Advanced Nursing (Deakin University)

• Bachelor of Nursing (Monash University)

Specialised Training

• Extensive MARAM Training (2023-2025). Comprehensive training in risk

assessment and management framework crucial for working with vulnerable

clients, particularly in family violence and mental health contexts.

- MARAM Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Management

- MARAM Victim Survivor Intermediate Training

- MARAM Working with Adults who Use Violence

- MARAM Brief and Intermediate Risk Assessment and Management

- MARAM Collaborative Practice

• Promoting First Relationships Level 1 Training (University of Washington).

Focuses on infant and early childhood attachment

• Tuning Into Kids Facilitator Training (University of Melbourne) Parenting

program focusing on emotion coaching.