SPECTROVISIO - Ulla Halkola 

Freelance phototherapy trainer since 2012.
I am a psychotherapist and photographer and I have worked during the years 1989-2011 as an education coordinator at the University of Turku. I planned courses in the fields of psychotherapy, mental health, health-promoting and organizational development. Since 2000 I have been interested in phototherapy and I have been a member in a group where we trained and developed phototherapy methods for psychotherapists and counselors. I have also worked as a psychotherapist in private practice and have used phototherapy methods with my clients in therapy.
I am one of the founding members and the first Chairperson (2004-06) of the Finnish Phototherapy association. I am also a member of the Finnish Photo Artist Union and the Photography Centre PERI.
I have created a photo card series named Spectro Cards for therapy, counseling and teaching. They are classic phototherapy cards in Finland and also in other countries. 

SPECTRO CARDS

The Spectro cards series includes 75 photographs which are suitable for teaching purposes and for counseling and therapeutic use in individual and group sessions.
These associative Spectro cards captivate imagination, expose feelings and stimulate free interaction, and furthermore, promote storytelling. Basically, there are no limitations or restrictions in using the Spectro cards, but it is essential that the instructor makes clear target and framing questions in the beginning of the session. It is also essential to keep in mind that the evoked associations are subjective interpretations and therefore there is no right or wrong interpretation or truth in these associations. The interpretations, individualism and privacy of the participants must always be respected. 

With the Spectro cards it is possible to:
Search Essential Emotions - Emotional work and emphatic resonance
Portray Experiences - Portray your experiences and memories
Explore, Analyze and Define
Create - Create something new
Tell Stories - Story telling
Realize Visions
Observe, Learn and Find New Perspectives
Copyright Ulla Halkola 

PHOTOTHERAPY AND THERAPEUTIC PHOTOGRAPHY 

I have worked with phototherapy since 2000 in many fields: as a trainer for phototherapy, as an organizer of many workshops, seminars, congresses and projects, as a chairperson of the Finnish Phototherapy Association, as a psychotherapist using photographs in therapy and also as a photographer and photo artist. There have been several long term training courses, seminars, congresses and workshops at the University of Turku and also in other organizations in Finland.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PHOTOTHERAPY AND THERAPEUTIC PHOTOGRAPHY, June 16- 18 2008 - Turku, Finland, Pre-conference Workshops June 12-15 2008.
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PHOTOTHERAPY AND THERAPEUTIC PHOTOGRAPHY – Learning and Healing with Phototherapy, February 2011, Turku Finland.
Selfportrait Extended – Symposium and exhibition.
SELFPORTRAIT EXTENDED – SYMPOSIUM AND EXHIBITION - Turku Finland, June 2014.
The Finnish Phototherapy Association, I am we_interactive image-network,
University of Turku, Turku Arts Academy, Center of Photography Peri.

Besides activities in Finland I have held lectures, seminars and workshops in other countries:
Barcelona, Phantom Theatro 2003
Tarto, Estonia Tartu Rahva Ulikooli - Tartu Folk High School 2006
Tallinn, Ecarte Congress 2007
Riga, The Baltic Art Therapy Association 2008
St Petersburg, State Academy 2008, 20011, Russian Art Therapy Association 2008
Lucca, Lucca Mental Health Centre 2006. 2007, 20010, 2011
Souel, Souel University and Korean Society of Image and Cinema-therapy 2009.
London, Roehampton University, 2009, 2010
Brighton, Brighton University 2010
Firenze, L' Istituto di Terapia Familiare di Firenze, 2011
Moscow, Art Therapy Congress 20012
Ljubljana, Ljubljana University, 2010, 2011
Bolsena, Art therapy & Phototherapy workshop 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Vienna, Phototherapy seminar 2017  

I am we interactive image events in Izmir, Birgmingham, Heiligkreuzberg 2013-2017

PUBLICATIONS 

European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, March 2009,Volume 11,Special Issue: Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography
Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography in a Digital Age edited by Del Loewenthal.
Routledge 2013

Valokuvan terapeuttinen voima –kirja, Kustannus Oy Duodecim 2009, Toimittaneet Ulla Halkola, Lauri Mannermaa, Tarja Koffert, Leena Koulu.

Suru – sydämen matka, Soili Poijula, Ulla Halkola. Publisher: Kirjapaja 2004.

MATERIALS FOR PHOTOTHERAPY
Phototherapyeurope - EU-project Handbook, 2011
Spectro Cards Handbook, 2011
Self Portrait - Keynote lecture, 2016

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography is an important part in my life.
I have participated in many workshop held by photo artists like Jussi Aalto, Curt Richter, Marika Rosengård, Rosy Martin, Cristina Nunez, Huang Yiming and Viktor Brigola.
Membership in the Finnish Photoart Association since 2003.

I have had two photo galleries in Turku: Studio Spectro 1999 and Galleria Spectro 2003-2004
I have had several photo exhibitions in galleries and cafes in Finland and participated in two phototherapy photo exhibitions, one in Brighton Open Art House Festival and the other one in Brighton Fringe 2011. I am a member of the I am we_interactive image social media group held by Wolf Helzle and I have participated in the exhibitions in Izmir, Turku, Luxemburg and Munsingen.