Åsa Viklund
I am an expressive arts therapist (MA), licensed psychotherapist, social worker, and family therapist from Sweden. For over 20 years, I have integrated puppets into therapeutic settings. As an expressive arts therapist, I use puppets intermodally alongside other creative modalities such as storytelling, writing, visual art, visualization, movement, and sound. My work has involved teaching puppet therapy, delivering presentations, and facilitating workshops.
I have shared my knowledge and experience in Germany, Greece, Serbia, and Lithuania, as well as conducting online sessions. Additionally, I have organized 5-day puppet therapy training weeks in Switzerland, inviting esteemed teachers such as Matthew Bernier from the US and Daniel Stolfi from the UK to lead sessions. Two online courses were also facilitated by Karrie Marshall from Scotland and Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig from the US. In Sweden, I have invited several renowned teachers, including Gudrun Gauda from Germany, Hedi Perriard from Switzerland, Matthew Bernier, and Eleanor Irwin from the US.
These rich experiences have been a profound source of inspiration and growth, continually shaping and enhancing my practice.
In addition to presenting and conducting workshops, I have also contributed with written work on the subject. During my psychotherapist studies, I authored an essay titled ”Puppets in Psychotherapy – A Web-Based Study Among Clinicians,” which was later revised into a chapter for a book published by the Education, Development, and Therapy Commission (EDT) of the international puppet therapy organization, UNIMA International. More recently, I completed a master’s thesis and wrote an article on the topic of ”Puppets in Assessment.” Further details can be found on the Literature page.
Feel free to reach out if you’re interested in arranging a presentation or workshop on the use of puppets in therapy or puppet therapy in assessment.
