Curriculum Vitae
Theresa Van Lith
Education
May 2009-Nov 2012
Doctor of Philosophy- School of Public Health
Department of Counselling and Psychological Health
La Trobe University
Thesis Title- When Change is the Only Constant: The Role of Art Making
in Mental Health Recovery
Feb 2004 – Nov 2005
Masters in Art Therapy
La Trobe University
Thesis Title- Utilising Art Therapy Processes to Assist a Young Person
with Mental Illness Through their Transition from a Long-term Inpatient
Stay into a Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Setting.
Feb 2000 - Nov 2003
Bachelor of Psychology
Australian National University
Conference Presentations
Van Lith, T. (2012). Understanding the potential functions and uses of art making as a companion for
the mental health recovery journey. Paper presented at the American Art Therapy Association 43rd
Annual Conference, Savannah, 9-13 July.
Van Lith, T. (2012). Recovery Through Art: Exploring the various roles of art making throughout the
mental health recovery journey. Paper presented at the VICSERV Conference, Melbourne, 24-25 May.
Rankin, B., Rumbold, J., & Van Lith, T. (2010). Enjoying creative health in tertiary academic
environments. Workshop presented at the 2nd Annual International Arts and Health Conference,
Melbourne, 16-19 November.
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2010). Art making and mental health recovery: Staff and
consumer experiences. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual International Arts and Health Conference,
Melbourne, 16-19 November.
Fenner, P., Van Lith, T., & Schofield, M.J. (2009). Art facilitators’ perspectives on the role of art making
in mental health recovery. Paper presented at the Arts/Health Conference, Newcastle, 7-9 October.
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2009). Understanding Consumers’ Experiences of Art Making
and its Role in their Mental Health Recovery. Paper presented at the Arts/Health Conference, Newcastle,
7-9 October.
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Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2009). Exploring the role of art making in mental health
recovery. Paper presented at the Australian and New Zealand Art Therapy Association (ANZATA)
Conference, Geelong, 30-31 October.
Van Lith, T. & Lawrence, C. (2007). Art Escape: Providing a haven for self-expression, empowerment
and creativity for people with severe mental health issues. Paper presented at The Mental Health
Services Conference, Melbourne, August.
Van Lith T. (2007). Art therapy assisting through the transition process - A secure long-term inpatient
setting to a community setting. Presented at National Australian and New Zealand Art Therapy
Association Annual Conference, Melbourne, August.
Publications
Van Lith, T., Schofield, M., & Fenner, P. (Early Online). Identifying the evidence-base for art-based
practices and their potential benefit for mental health recovery: A critical review. Disability and
Rehabilitation, 1-15.
Varney, H., Van Lith., T., Rumbold, J., Morris, D., Fegan, S., Rankin, B. Horsford, R., & Brophy-Dixon, J.
(Early Online). Losing, and finding, spaces to learn in the university. Emotion, Space and Society, 1-7.
Van Lith, T., & Fenner, P., (2011). The Practice Continuum: Conceptualising a person-centred
approach to art therapy. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art Therapy, 6(1), 17-22.
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P. & Schofield, M. J. (2011). The lived experience of art making as a companion to
the mental health recovery process. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33(8), 652-660.
Van Lith T, Fenner P, Schofield M. (2009). Art Therapy in Rehabilitation. In: J. H. Stone, M. Blouin,
editors. International Encyclopaedia of Rehabilitation.
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P. & Schofield, M. (2009). Toward an understanding of how art making can
facilitate mental health recovery Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH),
Volume 8, Issue 2.
Van Lith, T. (2008). A Phenomenological Investigation Using Art Therapy Processes In Assisting
Transition to a Psychosocial Residential Setting. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy
Association. 25(1), 24-31.
Published Reports
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., Schofield, M., Pawson, Q., & Morgan, M. (2009). The role of art making in
mental health recovery. Melbourne: La Trobe University.
Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., Schofield, M. Pawson, Q., & Morgan, M. (2008). Creativity, the arts and art
therapy in mental health recovery: Developing a research agenda. Melbourne: La Trobe University
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Grants Received
 La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2009- 2012
 Department of Human Services Mental Health Fellowship 2008
Curated Exhibitions and Relevant Art Facilitated Activities
2005-2009
2006-2009
2005-2006
2005-2006
2004
Art facilitator for the annual Richmond Fellowship of Victoria
(RFV) Art Escape Retreat.
Curator for the annual Art Exhibition for the RFV.
Curator of the Art Exhibition for the RFV Annual General
Meeting.
Art facilitator for a series of workshops with RFV Youth
programs.
Curator for Hands-on Studio Art Exhibition at Parliament House,
Canberra.
Teaching Activities
*Casual lecturing for the Masters and Postgraduate Diploma of Art Therapy since 2006 –
Units lectured in: Art Therapy with Adults: culturally diverse perspectives and Art Therapy
literature review
*Examining Art Therapy Masters Final Projects
Memberships
*International Member of the American Art Therapy Association
*Professional Member of the Australian and New Zealand National Art Therapy Association
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