Natalia Ford

Project title: How can art therapists maximize the creation and use of Mandala in therapeutic settings.

Natalia Sarantopoulou Ford is a Greek-born visual artist (MFA) and an emerging Art Therapist (MMH-Art Therapy AThR), currently living and working in Margaret River, Western Australia’s beautiful Southwest region. She holds an MA in Fine Arts from the Athens School of Fine Arts, an institution established as part of the Polytechnic School with over 185 years of history. Natalia also has a background in prime-time news production for Greek television, a career that ended when she moved to Australia with her young family.

In Australia, Natalia worked in the disability sector, providing art-making experiences for NDIS clients. Her interest in the impact of art on individuals' health and well-being led her to reassess her approach to art, particularly moving away from commercial aspects that never appealed to her. She views art as a medium for communication, expression, self-reflection and self-actualisation.

Natalia was accepted into the Master of Mental Health Art Therapy program at UQ, where she received a Commonwealth allocation to support her studies. During her training, she practiced art therapy in challenging clinical environments, including alcohol and other drug (AOD) recovery communities and residential psychiatric settings. Her interventions were tailored to support recovery goals and adhere to the clinical guidelines of these organizations. She continues to collaborate with these organizations while developing her private practice.

Natalia is passionate about combining classical mindfulness practices with the benefits of art therapy. In her interventions, Natalia often uses the mandala structure to help clients focus on their current state. She occasionally incorporates bilateral art interventions and body scanning directives to achieve a holistic approach and offer clients various perspectives. She works with dualistic and often opposing ideations and uses art language to revile the aspect of integrating different perspectives within the individual. Natalia’s research project explores the use and maximization of mandala elements in art therapy settings.

In her personal art practice, Natalia finds meaning in using mythical symbolism, nature elements, human proportions, and the abstraction of colour. She is also a Mahayana Karma Kayu lineage mindfulness practitioner and a Chinese Neigong (contemporary Qigong) martial artist. Both these ancient practices are secular, nature aware and humancentric and are holding health and well-being objectives.

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