An experiential and developmental introduction to one of art therapy's most meaningful symbolic frameworks.
Are you drawn to the MARI and ready to go deeper into how it reflects the arc of human development? Want to explore the Great Round's four quadrants and twelve stages, work through clinical vignettes, create a mandala as part of the experiential process, and earn CEs along the way?
If so, you are invited to join Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Clinical Social Worker Mari Grande for a 2.5-hour course that explores how the Great Round reflects recurring developmental movements, from embodiment and nurturance to boundaries, identity, relationship, and integration, and why this framework remains clinically meaningful across the lifespan.
The course brings together developmental and attachment-informed perspectives, clinical examples, and an experiential mandala process, while remaining accessible whether you have taken Introduction to the MARI Method or are exploring the Great Round for the first time.
What to Expect
This 2.5 hour course offers both teaching and direct experience. You will explore how the Great Round's four quadrants and twelve stages reflect recurring developmental movements, from embodiment and nurturance through boundaries, identity, relationship, and integration.
You will work through two composite clinical cases and examine how the MARI Great Round supports developmental and attachment informed awareness in clinical practice. And you will engage in a supported mandala making experience with guided reflection, so the framework becomes something felt, not just understood.
The recording will be available for purchase if you are unable to attend live.
Important Details
Date: October 25, 2026. 12pm to 2:30pm ET
Format: Online via Zoom
CE Credits: 2.5 credits approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) for eligible art therapists seeking board certification hours. Other mental health professionals, graduate students, educators, and helping professionals are welcome to attend for learning and professional enrichment, but are not eligible to receive ATCB CEs through this offering.
No prior MARI knowledge or art experience required.
This Continuing Education activity has been approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in alignment with the ATCB credentialing cycle.
Price: $75
Reserve Your Spot
On-Demand Access
Participants will have access to the course recording and materials for 30 days from the date of purchase. To receive CE credit, participants must view the full course, complete the post-course quiz, and submit the course evaluation within the 30-day access period. Certificates will be issued after successful completion of all CE requirements.
Will I have unlimited access to the course?
No. Replay access is available for 30 days from the date of purchase.
About Mari
Mari Grande is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with decades of experience in trauma-informed care, expressive arts therapy, and depth-oriented healing work.
She is a Certified Intuitive Coach and has worked extensively with the MARI mandala as a framework for clinical insight, personal growth, and symbolic self-understanding.
Mari brings both clinical rigor and genuine warmth to her teaching. Her workshops are grounded, experiential, and designed to meet practitioners where they are.
"The Great Round represents the cyclic nature of human development." Joan Kellogg, 1977
Mandala: Path of Beauty.
What People Are Saying About Their Work with Mari!
“I found that the mandala I made can reveal my subconscious feelings, which is a truly magical experience, and creating within a circle offers a unique sensation.”
“This was a great intro to MARI. I am familiar with mandala making from grad school and offer mandala making in my art therapy professional practice, but I did not have a full understanding of the various stages. I am very interested in learning more.”
“As a creative arts therapist, the most meaningful part was recognizing how the MARI framework honors imagery and symbolism as legitimate forms of psychological communication. I especially valued the experiential focus and the emphasis on reflective inquiry over rigid interpretation.”
ATCB Approval Statement
This Continuing Education (CE) activity has been approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, in alignment with the ATCB credentialing cycle.
MARI Training Disclaimer
This workshop is designed as an introductory overview of the MARI method and includes experiential mandala making. It is not a formal training in the MARI assessment process and does not provide certification in the MARI method. Full training in the MARI is extensive and multi layered, involving structured study, supervised practice, practicum experience, and ongoing professional development.