13. Art for Wellbeing: Integrating SPHE and Visual Arts for Student Wellbeing - 2025

Resource-Rich Toolkit including Printable Lesson Plans and Activities for Student Wellbeing

Discover the transformative power of integrating SPHE with Visual Arts in your classroom with our online course: 'Art for Wellbeing: Integrating SPHE and Visual Arts for Student Wellbeing.' Designed for educators across the primary school spectrum, this course offers a comprehensive toolkit of easy to follow printable lesson plans and resources tailored to both junior to senior levels. Elevate your teaching practice and nurture a supportive learning environment where creativity thrives and students flourish with this creative but practical course!

Module 1: Introduction to Using Art for Emotional Exploration

  • Understand how art fosters emotional expression, self-awareness, and problem-solving and can be integrated with SPHE lessons.
  • Learn to use art lessons to expand on topics such as stress, anxiety, bullying, and behavioral challenges.
  • Develop skills to create a supportive art environment and foster belonging through collaborative art projects.

Module 2: Exploring Emotions and Identity Development through Art

  • Understand how art can be used as a tool for exploring and expressing a range of emotions and exploring identity.
  • Explore a range of art-based lesson plans designed to facilitate self-expression in students.
  • Learn how to integrate art-based emotional exploration activities into SPHE curriculum, promoting emotional literacy and self-awareness.

Module 3: Art for Emotional Regulation and Behavioral Management

  • Understand how art can be used to promote emotional regulation and manage behavioral difficulties.
  • Explore a range of art-based lesson plans and resources for promoting emotional regulation and positive behavior management in the classroom.
  • Learn how to integrate art-based interventions into SPHE curriculum to support students' social-emotional development and wellbeing.

Module 4: Using Art with Students with Additional or Special Needs

  • Understand the benefits of using art to support students with additional or special needs.
  • Learn how to implement adapted art activities and interventions to address diverse learning styles and sensory needs.
  • Learn how to integrate art-based strategies into students' individualized education plans (IEPs) to support their emotional regulation, communication, and self-expression.

Module 5: Using Art for Teacher Self-Care and Reflection

  • Understand the therapeutic benefits of using art for teacher self-care and reflection.
  • Implement art-based practices and activities to promote personal well-being, stress reduction, and resilience.
  • Foster a supportive community of educators engaged in self-care and creativity through art-based sharing and reflection.

Enrol now and embark on a journey of creativity, self-discovery, and holistic wellbeing with "Art for Wellbeing"!


Your Instructor


Susan Quain
Susan Quain

Susan started her career as a Primary School Teacher and spent over 10 years working in a large urban special school, where she simultaneously completed her BSc in Psychology part-time through the Open University. In 2021, Susan changed careers, moving from education to psychology working firstly as an Assistant Psychologist on a HSE Primary Care Psychology Team, where she regularly facilitated groups for children experiencing mental health difficulties and for parents, carers and school staff supporting them. She then worked as an Assistant Psychologists on a specialist service within TUSLA that provide therapeutic interventions for young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour and their families.

Susan completed a Research Masters in 2024 related to the effective delivery of RSE to prevent incidents of inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviour by young people with intellectual disabilities. She has also tutored and taught psychology part-time in Mary Immaculate College and in the University of Limerick. Susan will be starting her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology in September 2024.



Course Curriculum


  Hello and welcome
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  Module 1: Introduction to using Art to explore emotions and wellbeing
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  Module 2: Identity Development through Art
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  Module 3: Art for Emotional Regulation and Behavioral Management
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  Module 4: Using Art with Students with Additional or Special Needs
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  Module 5: Using Art for Teacher Self-Care and Reflection
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  Final Assignment
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