Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre

18/10/2025

The Spring Racing season is upon us, which means the inaugural WLAC Cup is just around the bend. Be sure to book your trackside seat for a fun filled day 🐎 🏅 👔 💃🏽 @ Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre

18/10/2025

Friday was loud shirt day, here is some of our crew wearing their favourite loud shirts bringing awareness to children living with hearing impairments.

We added in some wigs just for fun 🤣

07/10/2025

🎨 The Power of Colour in Art Therapy 🌈

Colour is never just aesthetic — in art therapy, it can be a window into the emotional and energetic body.

Many clients choose colours instinctively, without knowing they may be expressing much more than they realise. From a holistic and trauma-informed perspective, colour therapy plays a powerful role in the art-making process.

🎨 🟠 🟡 🟢 🔵 🟣 ❤️ 💛 💚 💙 💜 🖌️ ✨

The colours a person is drawn to can often reflect the state of their chakra energy centres — areas of the body and psyche that may be blocked or imbalanced due to stored trauma, emotional wounds, or unresolved grief.

For example, repeated use of red might point to survival instincts or root chakra issues, while persistent use of blue could speak to throat chakra imbalances — often tied to difficulties with communication or suppressed truth.

As art therapists, we observe these colour choices carefully. Not to interpret them in a rigid way, but to be gently guided toward areas where somatic memory — trauma stored in the body — may be lingering, contributing to both emotional and physical "dis-ease."

As art therapists, we can offer gentle guidance to encourage the inclusion of other chakra colours, helping to softly blend and balance the participant’s energetic resonance and support the unblocking of their natural energy flow.

This body mapping reference of where traumatic memory may be lodged helps us tailor and work towards one-on-one, trauma-informed sessions that address each participant’s unique needs with care and precision.

Through creative expression, our participants are not only telling their stories — they are beginning to release, re-balance, and restore connection between mind, body, and spirit.

Because healing doesn’t always start with words.
Sometimes, it begins with a colour.

🎨 🟠 🟡 🟢 🔵 🟣 ❤️ 💛 💚 💙 💜 🖌️ ✨

07/10/2025

🎨 The Power of Flow in Art Therapy 🌊

Sometimes, the best plan is no plan at all.

In art therapy, allowing the creative process to flow freely — without rigid expectations or overthinking — opens up a world of possibilities. When we let go of the need for perfection and release self-criticism, we give ourselves permission to just be and just create.

At the heart of this freedom is trust — trust in ourselves, in the process, and in whatever emerges. Trust means letting go of the need to control the outcome and embracing uncertainty with openness. It’s this trust that allows creativity to unfold authentically, revealing parts of ourselves that might otherwise stay hidden behind fear or self doubt.

By trusting the flow, we allow our inner worlds to surface in their own time and form, bringing healing, insight, and growth.

So next time you face a blank canvas, remember: sometimes, not making a solid plan is the most powerful plan of all. Let go, trust, watch, and be amazed by what emerges. ✨

07/10/2025

🌿 Approaching Everyday Opportunities with a Sustainability Mindset 🌿

This Australia Day, instead of buying plastic, single-use decorations, we chose to create a felt banner — one that will last a lifetime.

We chose to create a handmade fetled banner. Each animal we created is uniquely Australian, a true reflection of the incredible wildlife that calls this land home. The gumnuts and eucalyptus leaves represent a heartfelt celebration of the iconic nature and species we are privileged to share this country with.

Every step we take to approach projects through a sustainability lens makes a difference. Handmade, reusable art not only reduces waste but also deepens our connection to the meaning behind the celebration.

By choosing sustainable materials and mindful creation, we contribute to a collective awareness that challenges our throwaway society mentality. It’s a small but powerful way to reduce our environmental footprint and inspire others to do the same.

Let’s remember: every thoughtful choice adds up. Together, we can make sustainability the heart of our celebrations and everyday life. 💚🌏✨

30/09/2025

🎨 The Safety & Courage to Be Vulnerable in Art Therapy 💛

One of the most powerful gifts of art therapy is the freedom to express without fear — without judgment from others, and perhaps most importantly, without judgment from ourselves.

In this space, creativity becomes a safe container for vulnerability. Whether it's painting, drawing, sculpting, knitting, crocheting, or sewing — our participants are free to create from the heart, not for perfection or praise, but for connection, expression, and healing.

One NDIS group has been a tight-knit team for over three years now, and every time we come together, we listen to Johnny Cash — the crew’s favourite — setting the tone for connection, creativity, and shared rhythm. 🎶🖤

There’s no pressure to compete, compare, or “get it right.” Just the gentle invitation to show up as you are — and create what feels true. In art therapy, the focus is not on the final outcome, but on being present in the moment and embracing the process of getting there — where true healing and self-discovery unfold.

To achieve this level of creative safety within this group is a true testament to the incredible culture nurtured by our NDIS participants. They hold space for one another with respect, kindness, and encouragement — offering quiet support, gentle words, or simply shared presence.

But at times- they remind each other to stay respectful if someone slips into a less supportive tone — a sign of the mutual care and accountability that holds this group together.

This dynamic beautifully reflects Social Learning Theory in action, where participants model, observe, and reinforce positive behaviours- and gently discourage negative ones. Over time, these shared moments and boundaries- help build emotional regulation, empathy, and self-awareness — not just in the group, but in everyday life.

This is what group art therapy is all about: not just making art, but making room — for one another, and for ourselves. It’s about belonging to a group that nurtures growth, while also becoming more free from limiting self-perceptions and the weight of social expectations. In that space of safety and support, we’re gently guided to grow — into more authentic, more empowered, and more expansive versions of ourselves. 🌿✨

25/09/2025

19/09/2025

Come on down to Bunnings Cannonvale .... your lunch is waiting!!

Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre is on the grill cooking up a storm, fundraising for Centre based activities and outings for their NDIS and Seniors participants.

Sausages and onions $3.50
Cold drinks $2.00

We are having a great time as always, pop in and say g'day while supporting local services 😁

16/09/2025

💙Authentic inclusion in art therapy isn’t about treating everyone exactly the same—it’s about equity, meeting people where they are and valuing their unique abilities.💙

Take our collaborative felted banners, created by art therapy participants alongside our community craft team. Not everyone has the same skills or capacity, so the project is thoughtfully scaled to fit each person’s strengths and abilities.

Authentic inclusion means taking tangible actions and tailored steps to adapt each art therapy experience to the unique needs of every participant, rather than trying to mold participants to fit around a predefined project.

This approach is rooted in person-centered and strengths-based social work theories. It focuses on adapting experiences to meet each individual’s unique needs and abilities, rather than expecting people to fit into predefined projects. By doing so, it empowers participants, respects their individuality, and promotes authentic inclusion. This also reflects ecological systems theory, which considers the person within their broader social and environmental context to create truly responsive support.

This approach ensures that every participant can contribute meaningfully and feel truly included in the overall process and final artwork. By adapting the project to individual needs, we create a space where inclusion is real, achievable, and empowering for all.

💙Authentic inclusion means making space for everyone to shine, no matter their ability.💙

16/09/2025

This FRIDAY 19th September, Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre are hosting the BBQ @ Bunnings Airlie Beach to raise money for our monthly outings and activities.

We have your smoko/lunch sorted!

Come down, grab a hot snag, a cold drink and have a chat.

Show your support for this must needed organisation. We will be there from around 9am until mid afternoon. This will most likely be our last one for the year.

Check out our new website!
https://www.wlacproserpine.com.au/

Sausage $3.5
Drinks $2.0 (water and soft drinks)
See you there 😁