Becoming a Practitioner
Are you Interested in Becoming A Talitha Practitioner?
We are always looking for enthusiastic professionals, who are passionate about using therapeutic arts programming to renew hope, restore dignity and release potential in those who need it most. We are currently seeking dedicated new team members to assist with projects and facilitate Talitha workshops in the UK and abroad.
Becoming a Talitha Practitioner is a commitment and we assess each incoming practitioner enquiry on an individual basis. If you have additional questions about the process of becoming a Talitha Practitioner, or are interested in taking the next step, please reach out to us.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Talitha Approach
What is the Talitha Approach?
Founded in 2010 by Actress Amanda Root, The Talitha Approach is a unique, person-centred approach to therapeutic arts workshops. Our workshops are short-term and session focused.
Talitha workshops are facilitated in a co-led setting by both professional artists and therapists. We take a ‘person-centred approach’ to our workshop planning. This means each Talitha workshop is planned in advance, directed, and tailored to the groups and individuals we serve.
What does the Talitha Practitioner Training Involve?
Becoming a Talitha Practitioner is a combination of training sessions, workshop shadowing and self-directed learning. We will equip you with training before you participate in projects, but more importantly you will learn from shadowing and participating in existing Talitha workshops.
Practitioner training includes:
1) Completing training in ‘Working with Dementia and Trauma’
2) Experiential Training Sessions
3) Shadowing an existing program with a team of trained Talitha Practitioners
After you have completed your training you will be placed in a Team of Talitha Practitioners. All projects and workshops are co-led.
To a degree we provide ongoing support for our therapeutic arts practitioners through our Talitha community and ongoing workshops, but it is the responsibility of each and every practitioner to undertake professional development opportunities and participate in ongoing learning.
What is the Talitha Practitioner Community Like?
Talitha fosters a culture of continuous learning and development in line with our creative ethos. We want our practitioners to flourish in the same way we want those we work with to flourish. While we do not provide certified training for practitioners, we do offer a supportive network of professional artists and arts therapists, team building pre-session warm-ups, and post-session debriefs.
Would I be Considered a Therapist?
No. Our sessions are therapeutic but are not considered therapy. While we strongly believe in the benefits of participating in Talitha workshops, the boundaries are very different. We facilitate one-off, co-led sessions and do not provide one-to-one, ongoing therapy support, although, many of the organisations we work with invite us to return year after year, allowing us to maintain long term relationships and continuity with the organisations we work with.
Who Can Become A Talitha Practitioner?
The Talitha Practitioner community is made up of both professional artists and professional therapists. Professional artists, art therapists and licensed therapists are welcome to apply. While we do not believe in a hierarchical structure between our creative practitioners and our therapeutic practitioners, we do require a level of understanding and experience in working with those who have experienced trauma from all of our Practitioners.
Once trained, will I be able to facilitate workshops on my own?
No. Workshops are always organised by Talitha and facilitated in a co-led environment.
Can I volunteer for a one-off workshop or short-term project? Do I have to be continuously involved?
We are looking for committed practitioners and discourage the ‘one-off' mentality. Joining the Talitha team means working with the organisation on a long-term, ongoing basis. We expect all practitioners to commit to at least 1-2, 4-6 week programs annually. Above and beyond leading workshops we expect our practitioners to evaluate, session plan, debrief, collect resources and seek new opportunities.
Participation in overseas projects is a serious commitment and may require additional time and training. Practitioner participation in overseas trips is always at the discretion of the organisation.
Do I have to travel to be involved?
We often work with populations that have accessibility barriers and we try our best to accommodate any need. This often means travelling to the communities and organisations that we serve.
You will be responsible for arranging travel to the workshops you have committed to attend. Most of our workshops are within the London area. Talitha covers the cost of travel expenses.
Can I take a Talitha Workshop to see if I like it?
At this time, we do not host workshops for the public. We partner with organisations to facilitate workshops for the communities they serve. As a result, we cannot allow members of the public to join our workshops. If you are interested in learning more about Talitha workshops we encourage you to sign up for our next Open Day: Training and Information session for incoming Talitha Practitioners.
I read on your website that Talitha is founded on Christian values. Is Talitha a Christian Organisation? Do I need to be of the Christian Faith to be a practitioner?
No. Talitha is made up of practitioners of all faiths and none. The organisation was founded on the Christian values of love, hope, restoration, and serving. We lead a group prayer before every session we facilitate and while all practitioners are welcome to participate, it is not required.
What am I responsible for?
Once you become a Talitha Practitioner you will receive a stipend for every session you facilitate. All travel expenses to and from sessions will be covered in addition to any material costs associated with the project*.
What is the time commitment?
Because of the nature of our work the majority of our projects take place during the day, on weekdays.
You do not have to commit to all projects but we ask for a commitment to the projects you are involved with. We do require some degree of flexibility.
*This may differ for overseas projects