UpBeat Creative Arts Therapy

03/04/2026

✨ Something new is coming to the San Remo Creative Space…
I’m exploring the idea of running Intuitive Painting sessions at my art studio in San Remo—and I’d love to see if there’s interest.
This isn’t a painting class.
It's a creative reset.
There’s no “right way” to do it.
No experience needed.
Just a calm, creative space where you can switch off, unwind, and let the paint take over.
🎨 What to expect:
A relaxed, guided 2-hour session
No pressure, no rules
All materials supplied (or BYO)
Just you, colour, and a bit of curiosity
🕒 I’m looking at mid-week and weekend afternoon sessions
💰 Cost:
$60 per person
$50 each if you bring a friend
If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, drop a “YES” in the comments or send me a message. Let your friends know.
If there’s enough interest, I’ll lock in some dates.

18/01/2026

🎨 EXHIBITION — States Of Survival
Local Artist: Bonnie
Some exhibitions ask you to look.
This one asks you to stay.
This is Bonnie’s first solo exhibition: a confronting series of abstract portraits that explore identity under pressure. The exhibition grew out of art therapy sessions, with each work formed through an emotional process rather than a planned outcome.
These works are not about likeness, but about internal states—trauma, obsession, shame, desire, humour, power, and survival.
Faces distort. Bodies fragment. Paint is scraped, layered, repeated, and broken. Nothing is softened for comfort, and nothing is neatly resolved. Some works draw from deeply personal experience, while others confront cultural and political figures, using satire and distortion to expose what lies beneath authority and performance.
This is art made from inside the experience, not after it has been explained or healed.
If you’re drawn to raw, psychologically charged contemporary artwork that lingers rather than reassures, we invite you to experience this exhibition in person.
📍 San Remo Creative Space
Shop 3, 157 Marine Pde, San Remo
🗓 Two days ONLY! Sat. 24th & Sun. 25th January
🎟 Free admission – everyone welcome

17/12/2025

🥁 DRUM ROLLLLLLLLL…🥁
🎶 END-OF-YEAR BUCKET DRUMMING SESSION — Coronet Bay🎶
FREE
Everybody welcome
Saturday, December 20th • 3pm • Approx. 1 hour
North of the Norsemens Road beach entrance
Let’s make some joyful noise as we say goodbye to 2025 and drum our way into a fresh new year!
This is a fun, high-energy community drumming circle featuring well-known tunes everyone can play along to — not just random drumming.
ALL AGES WELCOME
No experience needed at all. If you can tap your foot or clap your hands, or even just move to the rhythm, you can do this!
WHAT WE’RE DRUMMING TO:
A special selection of iconic tracks including:
🥁 We Will Rock You – Queen
🥁 Solid Rock - Goanna
🥁 Wipeout – The Surfaris
🥁 Tusk – Fleetwood Mac
🥁 I Get Knocked Down – Chumbawamba (our feel-good encore!)
🥁 And more...
INSTRUMENTS SUPPLIED
20-litre bucket drums, homemade drumsticks & percussion instruments provided — or BYO djembe, ukulele, bagpipes, saucepans, wooden spoons…
Anything that makes a noise is welcome!
Bring your family, bring your friends, bring your holiday spirit —
and let’s send off 2025 with rhythm, laughter and a whole lot of community energy.
BYO Chair
See you on the sand! 🌊🥁✨

19/11/2025

A truly inspiring local artist. Jake has a low vision impairment but that doesn't stop his creativity. Come and see his art in San Remo.

17/11/2025

Art Therapists — are you spending more time writing emails than doing therapy?
I’ve created a complete NDIS Toolkit with every doc you need: service agreement, invoice, case notes, parent emails, non-face-to-face guide — all ready to personalise.
It’s $89 until Nov 24.
Share this with all your Art Therapist colleagues, they'll thank you for it!
Save hours. Stay compliant. Reduce stress.

A complete set of ready-to-use templates, guides, and checklists designed to save you hours and strengthen your professional documentation:

11/11/2025

🌟 DON'T FORGET: NDIS Ethical Billing & Documentation Webinar – Thursday!

If you’re an NDIS provider who’s ever felt unsure about what’s billable, how to include non-face-to-face time, or how to write notes that truly stand up — this is your chance to join me Thursday at 7pm AEDT.

We’ll unpack the new NDIS rules taking effect on November 24, including:
✅ What’s changing (and what’s not)
✅ How to bill ethically — without losing income
✅ How to document clearly and stay audit-ready
✅ The 7-Point NDIS Compliance Framework

🎟 Free to attend | Replay available to Registrants until November 23rd

Don’t miss your chance to start billing with confidence and clarity before the changes come in.
Bill ethically. Document confidently. Serve bravely.
— Chris Petrie | UpBeat Creative Arts Therapy
👉 Register here:

Art Therapists, counsellors and allied-health practitioners delivering NDIS supports who want clarity, confidence and ethical alignment in their paperwork and billing.

08/11/2025

🎨 Are your NDIS notes and billing 100% compliant?

If you’ve ever second-guessed what’s billable (or worried that your notes might not stand up to audit), this free live webinar is for you.

Join Chris Petrie (AThR), Creative Arts Therapist and NDIS provider, for:
Ethical, Legal & Compliant Billing & Documentation Toolkit
🗓 Thursday 13 November, 7 pm AEDT
🎥 Replay available until 23 November

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Simplify the 7-Point NDIS Compliance Framework
✅ Identify what’s truly billable — and what’s not
✅ Ethically include prep and liaison time
✅ Write defensible notes that protect you and your clients

💡 Bonus: When you register, you’ll also get my free NDIS Documentation & Billing Self-Audit Checklist to help you review your current practices before the session.

👉 Register Free + Get the Checklist: https://www.upbeatcat.com.au/webinar-13-11-2025

26/09/2025

A low-vision impairment doesn't stop this guy!
Come and see Jake's creations - Today, Saturday & Sunday.

19/09/2025

16/09/2025

🖌🎨 Not to be confused with Jake's solo show on Grand Final weekend, at the same venue, this is a glimpse into our work together. If you're in San Remo over the weekend for the Tidal Festival, drop in and say giday!
TRUE STORY: Jake has been coming to see me for art therapy for seven years. In that time Jake has had many solo exhibitions and sold many, many paintings. On the other hand, in the same period of time... I have sold two 😬🤣

15/09/2025

Save the date. Come along and support Jake on his creative journey.

10/09/2025

So cool...