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Expressive Therapies Summit: Los Angeles 2021 Registration Site
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2021 Full Agenda - 4-13  •  2021 Titles Only Agenda 4-13

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  • Thursday, 04/15/21
  •  

    Thursday Master Classes (March 24, Virtual)

    Sandplay Therapy for Expressive Therapists: An Introduction to Theory & Practice
    April 15, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Betty Jackson, CST-T, LSW

    In the community of expressive arts therapists, C. G. Jung’s statement, “often the hands know how to solve a riddle with which the intellect has struggled in vain,” is intimately understood. This 6-hour online master class is designed to introduce the basic theory and practice of Sandplay therapy as developed by Dora Kalff, based on the theories of C.G. Jung and deeply influenced by Eastern philosophy and religion. Intended for a wide range of counselors and therapists, the class will introduce this modality for working with clients of all ages and abilities, especially those for whom traditional talk therapy has not been effective. We'll begin with an overview of the evolution of Sandplay, beginning with the pioneering work of Margaret Lowenfeld, elucidate the work of child analyst Dora Kalff, and consider later developments of the modality grounded in psychodynamic theory. Permutations including group and collaborative Sandplay, as well as Nature Play and Pre-Sandplay, will be identified and terms clarified. The tools of Sandplay will be explained, including the container of the sandtray, the elements of sand and water, as well as the miniature collection. Their practical aspects, clinical significance, and archetypal meaning will be explored. Basic practice technique with children and adults will be explained, including challenges and considerations related to each age group. The capacity for Sandplay to provide an experiential aspect targeting each phase of Bruce Perry’s Neuro-sequential Model of Therapeutics—from sensory to affective to cognitive, thus promoting integration—will be highlighted.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: STA, NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Soul Work Focusing on Grief and Loss: Integrating Jungian Practices with Art Making & Writing
    April 15, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Session Full - Also offered June 27, click here

    Evie Lindemann, ATR-BC, ATCS, LMFT

    This six-hour master class will provide a theoretical and experiential journey into the applications of Jungian theory and practice as applied to art making, writing, and somatically based mindfulness practices. The creative possibilities inherent in the active imagination process will be applied to various modalities. The use of drawn mandalas based on the MARI system developed by art therapist/researcher Joan Kellogg, will also be explored as they pertain to clinical practice. Her method, rooted in Jung’s approach to the unconscious, will enhance our explorations of symbolic content. Participants will experience a variety of mandala making techniques for use with small groups and individuals in treatment. Art making and writing will focus on three themes familiar to therapists working in the archetypal realm: 1) the element of mystery 2) applications to grief and loss and 3) the inherently healing capacities of the circle itself, a metaphor for the evolution of consciousness and psychological wholeness. Various writing practices will be incorporated with the drawing activities.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Wet Felting for Mind-Body Connections: Sensory, Somatic, Structured
    April 15, 9 AM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Laura Bauder, MA, ATR, CAADC
    Charlotte Reed, MSW, MA, ATR-P

    The hands-on, felt-making process engages the body in movement, stimulates sensations, and invites sensory play, while the mindfulness work brings focus, calm, and clarity. Starting by working with ancient felt making techniques while being led through a visualization exercise, participants in this 6-hour master class will join in group discussion about how that process can be integrated with other types of creative clinical strategies and expression. These mind-body connections enhance overall well-being, and provide a gentle and supportive container for daily clinical work. The Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) provides the theoretical model/structure for how the kinesthetic and sensory nature of this process can provide pathways to healing, which will be highlighted in the didactic component of this session. These experiences are particularly well-suited for work with older adults and those with visual impairments. Participants will also be taught how to adapt these techniques to be portable and accessible so that they can be used by clinicians of all types outside the studio or art room, and with a variety of populations.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Morning Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Movement, Breath, Sound, and Word for Enhanced Self-Acceptance & Creative Flow
    April 15, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Nyei Murez, MA

    It is said that the muse whispers to us upon the molecules of air. Thus, when we feel creatively stuck, shallow breath patterns related to fear of judgment, criticism, rejection, or perceived failure limit our access to creative flow. In this 3-hour experiential workshop, participants will have the opportunity to identify, enact, and move through signature fear patterns while they also discover new possibilities for self-acceptance and creativity in a safe, supportive environment. Shamanic-based movement and breath work will foster physical, mental, emotional, and energetic flow that will help us to access the more expansive and loving intelligence that springs from the essential Self. Sound Dreaming for breath and sound meditation will evoke and inspire our imaginations. Integrating written expression as well as partner and group sharing, participants will be introduced to this effective practice that can be incorporated into a variety of of self- and community-care contexts. All are welcome.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Social-Emotional Learning: An Art Therapy Approach
    April 15, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Session Full
    Suzanne Silverstein, MA, ATR
    Lauryn J. Hunter, LMFT, ATR

    Building on the success of the Cedars-Sinai Share & Care art therapy-focused, school-based program, this 3-hour morning workshop will introduce and illustrate effective ways to work with elementary and secondary students who may not otherwise respond appropriately in the classroom. A variety of interventions that can be used with young people individually and in groups in a variety of settings will be discussed, illustrated, and demonstrated. Participants will learn how to facilitate art therapy-based activities that promote self-awareness and positive attitudes, as well as self-management of emotions. Interactive activities will include: ice breakers to help students develop empathy and communication, mindful breathing, acts of kindness, and techniques from council that improve social-emotional learning such as the creation of a friendship tree. Case examples from various school settings will be featured.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Substance Use Disorder & Expressive Arts: Contemporary Viewpoints & Treatment Interventions
    April 15, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Lisa Hope, ATR-BC, LADC, LCAT, MAC, CASAC, CRPA

    This 3-hour online workshop will open with a brief historical overview of what for decades has been known as the treatment of "substance abuse" and "addiction," followed by an update regarding recent changes in terminology and diagnostic criteria toward what is now referred to as Substance Use Disorders. Reflecting this new perspective, this workshop will help participants to shift their work to a recovery-focused format that minimizes related stigma for clients. Participants will be introduced to at least three creative arts interventions focused on recovery, as opposed to pathology. Based on the themes of Relapse Prevention, Recovery Pathways, and Holistic, they are are designed to facilitate enhanced psychodynamic interaction with clients in a variety of settings. Participants will have an opportunity to explore the use of journaling and art making techniques that can be incorporated into their clinical work with this population and structured to meet the goals of working with this disorder. Mental health professionals of any discipline are welcome, and no previous art experience is required. No previous training or specialization in treating Substance Use Disorders is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Healing Power of Children’s Imagination: Fostering Resilience for Challenging Times
    April 15, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Charlotte Reznick, PhD

    In these pandemic times of extraordinary stress and remote schooling, children need to learn enhanced coping skills like never before. In this 3-hour experiential virtual workshop, therapists and others that work with or care about kids will explore how the power of children’s imagination can help them to reduce the effects of trauma and develop creative coping skills while fostering resilience – during and after crises. Suitable for use in nearly any clinical or home setting, professionals and child caregivers will learn creative techniques to help kids and teens manage and transform many of today’s most challenging issues, including: sleep troubles, somatic complaints, self-harm, irritability/tantrums, worry, fear, anger, and more. Participants will learn how to adapt and adjust this approach in different forms of treatment for clients of different ages, developmental levels, and cultures. Practical exercises will be demonstrated and experienced to help effectively deal with the vulnerability and sadness that so many of our youth are experiencing these days. Participants will be introduced to a toolbox of tried-and-true "imagination skills” to help families in their care to connect with and develop inner resources and wisdom for providing comfort, support, and relief outside the therapy session. This personal skills kit can be incorporated into any treatment plan, and includes visualizations such as: relaxing balloon breath; discovering a safe special place; meeting wise animal friends, wizards, and wise people; connecting to the wisdom of their heart and belly; dialoging with symptoms and feelings; and using color and energy for pain control and healing. Play therapists and counselors, arts therapists and social workers, psychologists and others who work with or care for children and their families will learn when and how to use these simple, yet profound, exercises that can be immediately put into everyday clinical practice.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Afternoon Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Art for Access to (and Integration of) Non-Ordinary States
    April 15, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Jennifer Allen, LMFT, ATR-BC

    It's been 50 years since Woodstock, and young people are showing renewed interest in the psychedelic experiences of their grandparents; they seek a way to get outside their egos, expand their consciousness, and grow in creativity. This 4-hour workshop will explore how to support our clients in integrating their psychedelic experiences. As expressive therapists, we know that there are many different ways to accomplish this, including: working with dreams, meditation, drum journeys, and Holotropic Breathwork. But to truly activate the growth potential of these approaches, it is essential to integrate them into the fabric of daily life. Using creativity—a familiar non-ordinary state—we will engage in an experiential process called Art for Access that incorporates art, writing, the felt-sense, drum journeying, and sharing to explore and integrate non-ordinary states. We will discuss the theory and implications of psychedelic medicine, contraindications, as well as the hopeful outcomes that current research show it to have for a variety of mental health conditions. No previous psychedelic or art experience is required.

    Please Note: This class, intended only for therapists, may evoke strong content and feelings. Participants are encouraged to bring eyeshades, yoga mat or towel, and a non-ordinary state experience (from dreams, breathwork, or psychedelic experience) to work with.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Embodying the Essence of SoulCollage® Cards: Imagery, Imagination & Somatic Integration
    April 15, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Chantel Zimmerman

    SoulCollage® is an intuitive collage process for self-discovery. Participants create SoulCollage® Cards infused with subconscious meaning, and "converse" with the essence of the images collaged into each card using the “I Am One Who…” experience. Dialoguing with the cards reveals layers of personal meaning inherent in each card. In this 3-hour online workshop, participants will learn to embody their SoulCollage® cards as well; doing these simultaneously will enable them to gain deeper insight into the wisdom that their SoulCollage® Cards can offer. In addition to making cards and dialoguing with them, participants will have the opportunity to journal and enjoy group sharing. This highly experiential session offers a “taste” of the SoulCollage® method focused through the lens of the body. No previous SoulCollage® training is required, and all are welcome.

    Not eligible for CE Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Facilitating Drum Circles for Counseling, Psychotherapy and Community
    April 15, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Dan Walsh, MS, MT-BC
    Mary E. Knysh

    During these times of change and uncertainty, group facilitators are struggling to find ways to provide therapeutic and educational services to those they serve. Research shows that drumming—particularly in groups—can reduce stress, elevate mood, and enhance the general quality of life. Until recently, drum circles were increasingly being implemented in hospitals, psychiatric facilities, schools, and in private practice to address a wide variety of treatment goals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians and educators are having to provide services remotely using telecommunication software. Others are having to provide group services under very restrictive circumstances. This 4-hour workshop will feature drumming activities for both telehealth providers and in-person providers that engage and invigorate groups while stimulating key mind-body connections in group members. Special attention will be given to challenges related to creating music simultaneously with others via the internet. We will also focus on the challenges of infection control during in-person groups. In the face of these challenges, facilitators will learn skills that incorporate "ice breakers," non-verbal communication, self-expression through sound, and creative problem-solving. In addition to having an opportunity to experience rhythmic experiences firsthand, participants will learn rhythmic facilitation techniques that can be used in counseling and psychotherapy with clients of all ages and abilities to address issues in physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. No prior musical experience is required. Participants are strongly encouraged to have a drum of any size plus another percussion instrument (such as a shaker) available to play. If no drum is available, household items, such as large plastic buckets, can be substituted.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Healing Traumatic Grief & Loss Through Play for All Ages: A Bottom-Up Brain Approach in Three Stages
    April 15, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Leslie Baker, MFT, NCC, RPT-S
    Mary Ruth Cross, MS, MFT, NCC, RPT-S

    This 3-hour workshop explores the theories of traumatic loss and grief in both youth and adults and how to use play therapy-based interventions to work with them in treatment. Using Perry's “bottom up” model, which explains how the brain reacts to and is effected by trauma, this highly experiential workshop will explore how to process traumatic loss in a brain-wise manner. When the brain is regulated from the “bottom up,” for instance, strategies are geared to start with the brain stem and then calm and soothe other parts of the brain, resulting in more effective treatment and resolution of the traumatic grief- and loss-related issues. We will begin by identifying the differences between traumatic grief/loss and more general grief/loss dynamics. Then we will introduce and discuss play therapy interventions that are specifically tailored to each type of situation. Further, we will explore the three-stage developmental model of grief that has been identified through research to be typical for most people working through grief and loss. Key interventions that are suitable for each developmental stage of the grieving process will be examined and practiced by the group.   

    Please Note: This workshop process will likely be highly emotional since participants will be asked to explore their own response to grief and loss in order to learn how to use these methods in treatment with their clients.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    SELFY: A Program for Engaging Middle Schoolers in Social & Emotional Activities
    April 15, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Sarah Young-Sheppard, MSW

    Approximately one in three adolescents reports severe anxiety or symptoms of depression, and suicide is the second leading cause of death in middle and high-school-age youth. Yet supportive resources for these young people are lacking. Social & Emotional Learning For Youth (SELFY) is an eight-session interactive program for middle school youth that teaches social-emotional skills through expressive arts activities. SELFY has been piloted with eight after-school programs in the United States, as well as in South Africa. Across the board, middle schoolers have reported a desire to be engaged in an activity-based program. And upon completion of the program, youth have reported learning things like “It’s okay to open up to people” and “It’s okay to express my emotions.” During this 3-hour online workshop, participants will engage in activities from the SELFY curriculum. We'll review the program manual, including evaluation questions, and explore ways to integrate the SELFY program into the classroom and online. SELFY can be used by anyone who works with early adolescents. The SELFY program manual can be purchased on site at a special Summit rate of $50


    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Power of Witness: Improvisational Movement as a Way of Seeing & Being Seen
    April 15, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Fred Sugerman

    Many of us aspire to improved creativity and expression, recognition of our personal truths, and the chance to be more honest and connected with others in our everyday lives. Improvisational movement stimulates these possibilities and related feelings. Sometimes it involves witnessing, sometimes it is being witnessed, and sometimes neither. Most importantly, being seen helps us to perceive ourselves more clearly, deepen the capacity for self-expression, and welcome the essential self. This 3-hour workshop is recommended for participants who crave seeing and being seen, including even those who identify themselves as self-conscious, shy, or are afraid of being either "too much" or "not enough.”

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Evening Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Creative Interventions for Children's Anticipatory Grief and Bereavement
    April 15, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Jennifer Allen, MS, ATR-BC, LMFT

    In this year of the global pandemic, there are many adults who are seriously ill, and many who have died. The children in their lives are likely to need support with coping. This 2-hour evening workshop is for all “helpers” – clinicians, teachers, parents, and others — who wish to learn the principles of the "All S.E.T." thera-play games (somatic/sensing, emotional, thought) to map the terrain of anticipatory grief and bereavement in children. Together, we will explore the neuropsychology behind how play elicits coping with difficult situations. Participants will experience a variety of art therapy, mindfulness, and breath practices that they can use in their clinical work with children to promote coping as well as age-appropriate bite-sized psychoeducation units on topics of emotional literacy, grief, illness, and anticipatory grief. Interventions can be used virtually in teleheath sessions or in person with individuals or groups. 

    Please Note - Participants do not need to purchase the game to benefit from this session or lead these activities in their practices.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Cultural Humility from the Inside Out: A Clinical Approach to Addressing Bias
    April 15, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Vivian Chavez, MPH, DrPH

    Cultural humility is a framework for use in clinical practice to develop awareness, recognize bias, and address power imbalances on interpersonal and institutional levels. This 2-hour evening workshop introduces verbal and nonverbal communication skills to counteract hierarchical dynamics that separate people from one another. Using techniques from Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed, participants will explore and uncover the social conditioning of oppression that lives within each of us. Applicable for any counselor or therapist working within virtually any clinical setting, this workshop challenges each of us to witness ourselves from the inside out, and thereby, enhance our daily clinical practices. We will explore cooperative forms of interaction to discover and un-stick unwanted patterns of action and thought around power and empowerment for ourselves and our clients.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Expressive Flamenco© for Self-Care & Personal Empowerment During COVID Times
    April 15, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Laura Sánchez

    Expressive Flamenco© is an emerging expressive arts practice that explores holistic healing through the prescribed movements of flamenco dance. It begins by turning the dancer's attention inward, with the goal of connecting with the authentic self. In this 2-hour evening workshop, participants will be introduced to this new expressive arts-based method through a group experiential demonstrating the healing power of Expressive Flamenco©. Combining dance with other expressive arts activities, this practice promotes self-realization and wellbeing through the freedom of multimodal self-expression. This inclusive, arts-based approach provides participants with the opportunity to engage in a cross-culturally enriched activity that has therapeutic benefits on a variety of levels—not the least of which is expressing emotions from sadness and frustration to joy and jubilation during a pandemic time of uncertainty and restriction. No dance talent necessary. All are invited!

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Fostering Self-Expression in Anxious and Acting-Out Children Through Movement & Mindfulness
    April 15, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Rachael Singer, BC-DMT

    During the course of the recent pandemic, psychotherapists have noticed an increase in anxiety and difficult behaviors in children, and arts therapists must now find creative ways to promote emotional resilience and creative self-expression to this population. What's more, we must find ways to support them in expressing their emotions in healthy ways via telehealth. In this 2-hour evening workshop, mental health practitioners will be introduced to an approach that fosters creative expression and self-regulation for children who are anxious, sensitive, scared, and/or exhibiting challenging behaviors. They will be taught how to hold space for these clients, as well as support them emotionally, physically, and mentally — all while working over Zoom.  Gaining increased awareness of their own bodies and movement characteristics in this session will help participants to better observe their clients' bodies/movements and enable them to employ effective interventions and treatment planning. Incorporating lecture, experiential, partner work, and compassionate witnessing, this workshop provides participants with the opportunity to express themselves using movement, mindfulness, and play. Learning to create safe spaces for our clients over Zoom by practicing it in this workshop, participants will be introduced to an effective multimodal way of working with children to augment more traditional approaches to counseling and psychotherapy.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Friday, 04/16/21
  •  

    3-Day Intensive - Day 1

    Diagnostic Drawing Series Training: Over 35 Years of Assessment Through Art — Day 1
    April 16, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
    Day 1 of a 3­-Day Training Intensive
    Participants must register for all three days to attend

    Kathryn Johnson, PhD, ATR
    Anne Mills, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
    Barry Cohen, MA, ATR-BC

    The Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) is a standardized three-picture art interview developed in 1982 by art therapist Barry M. Cohen. Not tied to any particular psychological or theoretical model, the DDS was the first art assessment to be systematically correlated with the nomenclature of the DSM. It can be administered individually and in groups with psychiatric and medical populations, where its use has been recommended or required by JCAHO and other authorities. The varied task structure of a DDS elicits valuable content, structural, and process information that, together, can inform clinicians as to the strengths and psychopathology of the subject. Each of the pictures in the Series is rated for the presence of a total of 23 attributes that lead the trained rater toward an evidence-­based assessment. DDSs have been collected and grouped according to the DSM diagnoses of subjects. Studies of the pictures in the diagnostic groups have revealed statistically significant graphic profiles. These graphic profiles show specific commonalities within each diagnostic group and specific distinguishing differences between diagnostic groups. After more than 35 years of international clinical use and empirical research, evidence has accrued that the DDS and the DDS Rating Guide are highly reliable and valid instruments. The DDS also provides a rich source of material for treatment planning. The DDS is designed for use with people 13 years and older.

    Please Note: There is an additional $25 notebook fee for this 3-Day Training Intensive

    REGISTRANTS: Please CLICK HERE to download important DDS collection instructions immediately. Review at least 3 weeks prior to training.

    Eligible for 12.0 Clock/Credit Hours (combined total for all three days): NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; CPA; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Master Classes (March 25, Virtual)

    Addressing Loneliness Through Dancing with Dementia: Facilitator Certificate Training
    April 16, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Julia Vishnepolsky, MA, R-DMT, LMHC, LPCC

    An epidemic of loneliness affects 33% of the American public, increasing their risk of mortality by 30%—about the same as smoking. Isolation is a public health issue that can impair mental performance, compromise the immune system, and increase the risk of vascular, inflammatory and heart disease. Most impacted are adolescents, young adults, and older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic is increasing this number in general, but especially for older adults who are socially isolated. Addressing Loneliness Through Movement & Art (ALMA) is a national organization that engages older adults in health improvement and life enhancement by sparking intergenerational relationships with intergenerational volunteers using social-emotional learning and the creative arts to enhance connection and ameliorate isolation. This two-part, 6-hour master class will begin with the basics of using expressive arts therapies for working with older adults, techniques that promote connection, empathy, and community building, as well as a focus on education around older adults with functioning and impaired cognitive abilities and best practices for communicating with them. In the second part of the day, participants will learn how to facilitate ALMA’s newest program in response to the pandemic. “DancePals” is a one-hour-long guided virtual dance experience connecting youth with older adults designed to access locked facilities (i.e. nursing homes & Alzheimer's units).     Participants will experience "sample sessions" developed around a life issue-related theme. Case examples will demonstrate the effective delivery of this program in the community, including the results of outcome measures. In addition, participants will learn about the logistics of setting up and running their own programs, managing a volunteer-supported program, and using movement, music, and art as platforms for advocacy and social change. This Facilitator training is particularly useful for counselors, psychotherapists, and other helping professionals who would like to work intergenerationally, and learn a way to deliver programming virtually in addition to in-person. 

    Please Note: In addition to being a prerequisite to volunteer with an ALMA program, this master class offers participants the opportunity to become a nationally certified ALMA facilitator. Participants must be present for the entire master class to obtain the certification. ALMA operates in partnership with UCLArts & Healing.
     


    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    COVID-Age Healing & the Ancient Art of Kintsugi: Repairing the Broken Bowl (4/16)
    April 16, 9 AM - 4 PM
    These Summit Sessions Full — click for June & July Sessions

    Christa Brennan, LCAT, ATR-BC, CASAC, LPC

    Broken Bowl is a daylong online experiential master class based on the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and the ancient practice of kintsugi. Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic that embraces the imperfect and transient, and kintsugi is the painstaking practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. These approaches treat the cycle of breakage and repair as a part of an object's history rather than something to be discarded or disguised. The maker must move through a process of confronting change, accepting change, and deciding how to move forward with what is left. This creative approach to grief therapy will merge expressive arts with attachment theory, trauma theory, thanatology and Neimeyer’s constructivist theory of meaning making. Participants will learn how to confidently use the Broken Bowl process with a variety of populations, facilitating resilience, and illustrating the phases that span from loss to restoration. Join us for this deeply personal experience where you will learn about attachment, integration, resiliency, and how to make meaning out of brokenness. Be mindful that this process is likely to bring up strong emotions surrounding loss and care is taken to preserve the safety of the group. Participants are asked to bring a journal.

    Please note: Due to materials shipping requirements for this session, registrations are strictly limited to those residing in the continental United States.

    *Session fee includes cost for supplies needed for session, as well as shipping of supplies to registrant.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Dance for All Facilitator Training: Movement Curriculum for Social Emotional Learning
    April 16, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Certificate Program
    Vicki Alvarez, MS, R-DMT
    Clory Rossi-Shewan, MA, LMFT

    Learn to facilitate a dance-and-yoga-informed creative movement curriculum for social emotional learning that is easily adaptable for all ages and abilities in virtually any setting—all while engaging in self-care. The Dance for All structure encourages movement discovery and freedom of expression without self-consciousness. It breaks down movement into an accessible creative process without focus on performance or mastery, to support personal self-care or working with ANY other population. You will be dancing from the start without even knowing how it happened! Originally designed for teens and adults with developmental disabilities, Dance For All (DFA) has been successfully delivered to children in traditional Pre-K and elementary schools as well as to older adults. The comprehensive Dance for All curriculum for this daylong online training includes eight theme-based modules based in dance/movement therapy and yoga, each divided into three sections that can be mixed and matched according to the needs of the dancers. This facilitator training will provide step-by-step directions, pre-and-post-discussion prompts, props/music suggestions, and helpful, online tips for virtual teaching. Participants will have a hands-on opportunity to practice teaching the curriculum with support and guidance to enhance our work as clinicians/facilitators. This highly experiential online training highlights the importance of self-care and personal development for the facilitator, with an emphasis on participant connection and collaboration. The principles upon which this curriculum is based apply to developing movement skills safely and accessibly with all populations.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Discovering Dream Wisdom: An Exploration Through Art & Journaling
    April 16, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Nancy Weiss, BCD, LCSW

    Dreams hold the power to surprise, delight, terrify, and heal. This daylong master class introduces a structured, 6-step, dream-tending format that helps access images, energies, and emotions to enhance emotional development by integrating dream-based insights into the waking world. In dyads, participants will explore a dream or powerful image, with the intent of deepening understanding and inner knowing, rather than making interpretations. Then, through an adapted SoulCollage® format and writing exercises, they'll capture the dream’s unfolding wisdom in both images and words. Combining dreamwork, collage, and expressive writing invites discovery on a deeper level, and provides participants with a captivating, deeply personal illustration of a dream’s essential healing nature. This session will prepare counselors and therapists to use the dream-tending process with clients, particularly those who do not typically respond to traditional approaches. Participants are encouraged to bring along a journal or small notebook.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Art Therapy: Our “Parts” in the Pandemic Era
    April 16, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Peggy Kolodny, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT
    Amanda Bechtel, MS, ATR-BC, LCPC, LCPAT
    Salicia Mazero, MA, ATR, LPC, CED

    In this daylong webinar, we will explore the integration of art therapy principles with Schwartz's internal family systems therapy model (IFS) in any clinical setting for use by expressive arts therapists, counselors, and psychotherapists. The goal of IFS is to build internal cooperation and increase "self-leadership" using eight internal resources such as curiosity, compassion, and creativity. An introductory video will illustrate the concepts of IFS, and case material will demonstrate how the presenters have applied art-making to the IFS process effectively with individuals and groups in treatment. Participants will have the opportunity to experience collage and clay activities at home to explore their own internal parts and Self in response to the profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and learn how this process can enhance treatment with all ages. Quiet time will be given to practice an internal technique called "dialoging among parts" that will foster somatic understanding of the concepts. Participants will have the option to discuss their artwork and process with the group. IFS basics will be taught, so participants do not need prior knowledge of this approach.

    Please Note: This session does not count toward an IFS certificate. Both facilitators are board-certified art therapists trained in IFS. Strong emotions may emerge in this process.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Morning Workshops (April 22, Virtual)

    Integrative Play Therapy for Trauma Attachment Disorders in Childhood
    April 16, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPT-S

    Research shows that trauma and disturbances in attachment alter social, emotional, and neurological functioning, issues that are commonly addressed in play therapy. This 3-hour online workshop will provide play therapists and other clinicians with an overview of the literature regarding the impact of trauma on psychological, neurological, and attachment development in order to provide a greater understanding of the unique challenges in treating children who have experienced significant trauma in their young lives. With a primary theoretical approach that is developmental, attachment-based, and trauma-focused, this overview day will feature didactic and experiential play therapy-specific components. Play therapists and their colleagues will learn to incorporate this integrated theoretical model into their work using practical play therapy-based activities that can effectively mediate the neurological and developmental impact of trauma, particularly in young clients. No previous play therapy experience is necessary.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Into the Dark Night of the Soul: A Restorative Framework for Working Through Trauma & Transition
    April 16, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Linda Abrams, LCSW-R

    Across time and cultures, engaging with the Dark Night of the Soul has referred to the exploration of inner aspects of our selves that are hidden, no longer feel vital, or seem inauthentic. This process is often prompted by one or more annihilating events (trauma, loss, severe illness, relationship crisis, etc), plunging us into anguish, grief, and suffering (dis-ease). This can send us on a quest to sort out the debris of a "past life,” while seeking a vision for a life not-yet-born. In this 3-hour workshop, participants will learn to integrate psychotherapeutic process with concepts drawn from indigenous cultures, mystical and shamanic perspectives, and creative expression in search of ways to restore authenticity. The session will begin by identifying a narrative framework for soul care, differentiating therapeutic stories that heal from those that sicken. Next, we will explore the four tasks of the Dark Night as they pertain to working with issues in counseling and psychotherapy. Activities will include storytelling, shamanic journeying, visionary art making, and journaling. This session is especially appropriate for counselors and therapists treating clients working with grief and loss, chronic illness, trauma, addiction, and life transitions issues. Please note that due to the nature of Dark Night material, sensitive or uncomfortable issues might arise during this session.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Phototherapy & Therapeutic Photography: Creative Techniques for All Clinicians
    April 16, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Seats Just Added!
    Sarah Kremer, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC

    Explore phototherapy and therapeutic photography through traditional and more recent digital processes in art therapy and other therapeutic applications, as well as photo-based research. Examples of clinical work with photo-based techniques as self-exploration, therapeutic photography, and phototherapy will be shared to enhance practice with a variety of populations, including a project that engaged three groups – adolescents, adult providers, and community members promoting suicide prevention – in a creative self-portraiture photographic process designed to promote positive mental health. This 3-hour workshop also addresses historical racial uses of photography that clinicians will need to understand to provide ethical engagement. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in three experiential photography and mindfulness activities. Finally, we will focus on the benefits of using photo-based research to explore topics not easily studied through more traditional approaches.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Afternoon Workshops

    Bio Poems: Self-Witnessing Through Metaphor & Movement
    April 16, 1 PM - 4 PM


    Paula Perlman, LMFT, BC-DMT, CLMA

    In this 3-hour online workshop, participants will experience a structured-yet-flexible creative process for expanding both the sense of self as well as the sense of belonging. The session will begin with movement exploration and improvisational exercises to facilitate a free flow of ideas. Next, participants will write a structured “I am” poem with sentence-completion stems such as “I wonder” and “I want.” Finally, working in small groups, participants will have the chance to embody one another’s poems through movement, imbuing the writing with life and enhanced meaning. The techniques presented in this workshop can be used with clients of any age and can be easily incorporated into any therapeutic or educational setting.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Teaching Empathy Through Art Therapy
    April 16, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Amy Pfenning, MPS, ATR, CZT

    Empathy is a skill that many of our clients did not learn when they were young. With an increase in bullying and more clients entering the criminal justice system, there's an even greater need for clinicians to be able to teach this skill. Art therapy is an effective and nonthreatening way to help clients learn about empathy and compassion. In this 3-hour online workshop, participants will see examples of artwork from forensic patients who are notable for their lack of empathy. Participants will be introduced to several art therapy directives that can help clients in any setting get more in touch with their own feelings, practice feeling empathy for others, and encourage them to act kindly and compassionately. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to participate in some art therapy exercises for enhancing empathy.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Evening Workshops (March 25, Virtual)

    Engaging Diverse Learners Through Music, Drama & Movement: Strategies for Student-Led Success
    April 16, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Matt Bogdanow
    Vanessa Ramirez
    Noemy Hernandez

    In this highly experiential 2-hour evening workshop, generalists and specialists alike will learn arts-based activities that promote behavioral and academic growth in students. These research-based strategies help facilitate social and emotional competencies through collaborative music, drama, movement, and visual arts lessons and activities. Participants will explore how to identify varied learning styles and support different needs for students and clients of all ages and abilities, with a special focus on those with moderate to severe special needs. Inclusive arts strategies will be featured that address specific curricular and communication goals. This approach has been proven especially effective in working with students who have diverse learning needs (including moderate to severe disabilities) and who do not typically respond to traditional approaches, by harnessing the power of the arts to increase student engagement.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Heart-Centered Movement for Healing & Transformation
    April 16, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Sophia Kozak, MA

    Can change be facilitated through spontaneous, expressive movement? In this 2-hour evening workshop, participants will be introduced to the theory of Dance from the Heart, a 7-step, yet simple, structure designed to help guide teens and adults toward identifying and manifesting a vision for their future through movement. When given permission to move in a free-form manner, they discover ways to get themselves "unstuck" from the dysfunctional behavioral and thought patterns holding them back. A helpful adjunct to more traditional talk therapy, this largely nonverbal, body-based approach can be used by mental health and other helping professionals (as well as educators) who work with traumatized populations, for instance, in a variety of settings. Dance from the Heart can also promote social transformation practices through "radical embodiment." Open to all, no dance experience is required to participate in this workshop.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Quick & Creative Therapeutic Art Projects for (Very) Limited Budgets
    April 16, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Angel Thompson, BA

    Expressive arts and play therapists are often called upon to do creative work with very limited resources—meaning no supplies and little or no funds to obtain them. This 2-hour evening workshop is designed to restock the shelves of your "idea store," reengaging budget-minded clinicians (as well as spendthrifts in need of intervention) with the essentials of how to facilitate maximum creativity and engagement using inexpensive and easily-obtained resources. Where can you find free materials (other than in dumpsters)? Are you limited to popsicle sticks and paper clips? We'll review it all, sharing our favorite sources and most effective strategies for making extraordinary things out of pretty much nothing, including making some fun stuff while we exchange ideas in this creative activities swap meet. Join the Summit Materials Coordinator for this popular Summit session, now available as a book!

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    TFCBT and the Expressive Arts: Integrating Approaches for Enhanced Treatment of Traumatized Clients
    April 16, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Nadia Paredes, LMFT, ATR


    This primarily didactic 2-hour evening session is for expressive arts therapists and others who are interested in learning about Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) and how to apply its principles to their clinical practices. Participants will learn how to build upon their expressive arts knowledge base, experiences, and skills to translate basic TFCBT concepts into art-based, expressive strategies for counseling and therapy. Case examples will be drawn from emergency preparedness sessions, work with elders suffering from post-traumatic symptoms resulting from domestic violence, and immigration-related experiences will illustrate how understanding the different stages of TFCBT can help clinicians to design thoughtful, effective, and expressive prevention and intervention strategies for working with nearly any population of clients.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Harmonia Practice: Transformative Mandala Practice for Body, Mind & Spirit
    April 16, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Lisa Rasmussen, MFA

    The Harmonia Practice incorporates a wide variety of multisensory approaches and expressive arts techniques woven into a transformative mandala-making experience. These include: breath work, yoga, tapping, chakra work, archetypes, creative writing, meditation, creative visualization, witnessing, and essential oils, toward the ultimate goal of harmonizing mind, body, and soul. Integrating these approaches can promote being in the present moment and provide access to the higher creative self. In this 2-hour self-care workshop, each participant will have the opportunity to create a mandala, and then be taught basic tools for discovering how it can be used for sacred healing and empowerment. This practice can also be incorporated effectively by therapists and counselors into their clinical work with a variety of populations.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Saturday, 04/17/21
  •  

    3-Day Intensive - Day 2

    Diagnostic Drawing Series Training: Over 35 Years of Assessment Through Art (Day 2)
    April 17, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
    Day 2 of a 3­-Day Training Intensive
    Participants must register for all three days to attend

    Kathryn Johnson, PhD, ATR
    Anne Mills, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
    Barry Cohen, MA, ATR-BC

    The Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) is a standardized three-picture art interview developed in 1982 by art therapist Barry M. Cohen. Not tied to any particular psychological or theoretical model, the DDS was the first art assessment to be systematically correlated with the nomenclature of the DSM. It can be administered individually and in groups with psychiatric and medical populations, where its use has been recommended or required by JCAHO and other authorities. The varied task structure of a DDS elicits valuable content, structural, and process information that, together, can inform clinicians as to the strengths and psychopathology of the subject. Each of the pictures in the Series is rated for the presence of a total of 23 attributes that lead the trained rater toward an evidence-­based assessment. DDSs have been collected and grouped according to the DSM diagnoses of subjects. Studies of the pictures in the diagnostic groups have revealed statistically significant graphic profiles. These graphic profiles show specific commonalities within each diagnostic group and specific distinguishing differences between diagnostic groups. After more than 35 years of international clinical use and empirical research, evidence has accrued that the DDS and the DDS Rating Guide are highly reliable and valid instruments. The DDS also provides a rich source of material for treatment planning. The DDS is designed for use with people 13 years and older.

    Please Note: There is an additional $25 notebook fee for this 3­-Day Training Intensive

    REGISTRANTS: Please CLICK HERE to download important DDS collection instructions immediately. Review at least 3 weeks prior to training.

    Eligible for 12.0 Clock/Credit Hours (combined total for all three days): NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; CPA; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		 Optional  Closed 
     

    Saturday Master Classes (March 26, Virtual)

    Books and Bookmaking in Psychotherapy
    April 17, 9 AM - 4 PM
    SESSION FULL - Wait List Initiated
    Malissa Morrell, MA, ATR-BC, MFT

    Many art forms and media are used in therapeutic contexts, but books are unique in their ability to hold stories, provide sequencing and order, and provide a safe container for emotional content in treatment. When therapists and clients make books together, they open the door to infinite options for creating therapeutic growth and change. This daylong master class will explore therapeutic book-making. Participants will learn step-by-step instructions for making about six unique book structures, and will explore the clinical value of each structure. Each of these book structures can be simplified to be made in virtually any clinical setting, because you will learn to make them with standard office supplies. Each participant will walk away with multiple book samples and knowledge of how the structures can be modified to meet individual client needs, regardless of age or ability. Because book content is contingent on the choices of the participants, there is some chance that this content could elicit a strong emotional response.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    COVID-Age Healing & the Ancient Art of Kintsugi: Repairing the Broken Bowl (4/17)
    April 17, 9 AM - 4 PM

    These Summit Sessions Full — click for June & July Sessions

    Christa Brennan, LCAT, ATR-BC, CASAC, LPC

    Broken Bowl is a daylong online experiential master class based on the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and the ancient practice of kintsugi. Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic that embraces the imperfect and transient, and kintsugi is the painstaking practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. These approaches treat the cycle of breakage and repair as a part of an object's history rather than something to be discarded or disguised. The maker must move through a process of confronting change, accepting change, and deciding how to move forward with what is left. This creative approach to grief therapy will merge expressive arts with attachment theory, trauma theory, thanatology and Neimeyer’s constructivist theory of meaning making. Participants will learn how to confidently use the Broken Bowl process with a variety of populations, facilitating resilience, and illustrating the phases that span from loss to restoration. Join us for this deeply personal experience where you will learn about attachment, integration, resiliency, and how to make meaning out of brokenness. Be mindful that this process is likely to bring up strong emotions surrounding loss and care is taken to preserve the safety of the group. Participants are asked to bring a journal.


    *Session fee includes cost for supplies needed for session, as well as shipping of supplies to registrant.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Guidelines for Avoiding Liability: Ethics Standards for Creative Arts Therapists and Counselors
    April 17, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Need Ethics Credits?

    Stacey White Kinney, MS, LMFT
    Erica Curtis, LMFT, ATR-BC

    This 6-hour master class will provide an overview of ethical guidelines for counselors and therapists working as a professional in a creative healing environment. Participants will be provided with an overview of practice areas that expose mental health professionals to liability, including: sexual and non-sexual boundary violations, dual relationships, scope of practice, and interacting with attorneys and other parties. Emerging standards for teletherapy will be also be summarized. Participants will learn how to establish best practices for avoiding malpractice primarily through a lecture format with hands-on art activity for exploration and discussion

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: ATCB ETHICS CREDITS
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Harry Potter and the Theory of Attachment
    April 17, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Marshall Lyles, RPT-S, LPC-S, LMFT-S
    Jami Lynn Bula, LPC, LMFT
    Caleb Matthews, LPC, LMFT

    The Harry Potter books are so universally beloved that the terminology and characters have become culturally embedded, allowing clinicians to benefit from these works within therapeutic contexts. Furthermore, much of the plot serves as engaging material for clients of all ages and abilities to connect to healing concepts from attachment theory. This 6-hour online master class will provide participants with the opportunity to experience expressive techniques related to bibliotherapy, art, and creative writing while accessing the attachment-rich metaphors from the magical world of Hogwarts. Participants will engage in collaborative dialogue in identifying attachment-related concepts contained within the Harry Potter books before being invited to explore experiential elements in response to identified attachment themes. It is strongly recommended that participants have knowledge of the Harry Potter series.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Saturday Morning Workshops (March 26, Virtual)

    Scribble & Wiggle: A Neurosequential Art Approach to Trauma Across the Lifespan
    April 17, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

    Peggy Kolodny, ATR-BC, LCPAT

    This highly experiential workshop for counselors and therapists working with traumatized adult clients will integrate neurosequential and EMDR concepts into art therapy approaches as they pertain to clinical practices. Dr. Bruce Perry developed the Neurosequential Model of Therapy (NMT) in working with child trauma survivors, and this presenter has modified his highly effective healing model to enhance trauma-informed work with adults. Creative interventions will follow bottom-up neurodevelopment in this 4-hour class's experientials, incorporating Kagin and Lusebrink's Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) concepts as well. The playful quality of the selected art directives further support mindfulness, grounding, emotional regulation, and learning new resource skills for use with individuals and groups in treatment.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Creative Conflict Resolution: Games & Embodied Multimodal Approaches for Varied Settings
    April 17, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Pam Dunne, PhD, RDT/BCT

    Conflict is unavoidable, but not everyone is comfortable facing it, let alone managing it. In this 3-hour workshop, attendees will learn cutting-edge, multimodal, creative arts and performance art methods for working with conflict resolution based on current research and neuroscience. We'll discuss and explore the themes of conflict and power; identify a variety of problem-solving, action-oriented strategies; and work as a collective or in small groups to solve a problem or navigate a specific challenge within real or imagined circumstances. Through creative games involving a wide variety of strategies—including repetition, reflection, chance, short scripts, embodied dialogue, and relational/transformational art—participants will discover how to help the populations they serve experience openness, develop creative problem-solving skills, understand the dynamics of conflict, and make informed decisions that align with their future goals. Exploring these methods will help illuminate physical and social awareness of how power and conflict function within a specific setting, relationship, or story.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Tattoos, Art Therapy & Transformation: Beyond Embodied Embellishment
    April 17, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Simone Alter Muri, ATR-BC, ATCS, LMHC
    Eric Spruth, MA, ATR
    Sarah Nangeroni
    Kaelani Loo

    Once considered “defilements" to the body, or merely thematic embellishments, tattoos have more recently become embodied signifiers of self-expression, identity, and self-esteem. However they can also become sources of stigmatization and reminders of trauma. This 3-hour online workshop will explore the empowering, traumatizing, and transformative potential of tattoos, and how they can be integrated into art therapy…and vice-versa. We’ll highlight case material from Sacred Transformations, a specialized art therapy project that provides tattoo revisions and removals for former gang members and within the transgender community, among others. Basic tenets of cultural humility and appropriate languaging when working with marginalized communities, and how to adapt the therapeutic process to accommodate specific client needs, will be discussed. Participants will be introduced to at least one art-based tattoo-related activity that can be beneficial in working with adolescent and adult populations in treatment. Grounding and mindfulness will be woven into the art making and discussion throughout this workshop. Clinicians interested in learning ways to incorporate “tattoo-informed” approaches into their work with a wide range of clients are encouraged to participate.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Saturday Afternoon Workshops (April 23, Virtual)

    Love, Letters & Art: Forging and Repairing Healthy Attachments
    April 17, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Ericha Scott, PhD, LPCC, ICAADC, ATR-BC, REAT

    Because ubiquitous psychological issues such as trauma, loss, compulsivity, and disordered attachment styles can negatively impact our ability to express love fully, it is no surprise that unexpressed love has become rampant in contemporary society. So we reach for a greeting card when we need to express our love to a cherished person on a special occasion. It's an easy solution, since the message provided is typically generic and emotionally nonthreatening. As a result of unexpressed love, people suffer with a remarkable amount of suppressed grief, which in turn fuels increased psychic numbing and emotional distancing from the very people "closest" to them. The simple-to-follow structured process and creative techniques that we'll introduce, discuss, and practice in this 4-hour workshop include: drawing, journaling, writing haiku and a love letter. Although they may evoke intense emotions, these therapeutic exercises can be used within a variety of clinical contexts with individuals, groups, and couples of all ages. Join us to improve your "love letter literacy," and help your adult clients work toward greater connection and enhanced intimacy!

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Virtual Sand Therapy at Home: Creating a "Free and Protected” Space Through Teletherapy
    April 17, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Lorraine R. Freedle, PhD, ABPdN, CST-T
    Tammi Van Hollander, LCSW, RPT-S
    Jessica Stone, PhD, RPT-S

    The transition to teletherapy during the pandemic and beyond has particular impact on sandtray and sandplay therapists. Without our sand and miniatures many of us feel a deep sense of loss. We are challenged to develop new skills to work effectively in a virtual format. During this 3-hour online workshop, a trio of experienced sand therapists explore these struggles, along with creative ideas to enhance practice with children and adults alike. Together, we will address issues of safety, privacy, engagement, and therapeutic containment related to nurturing clients in their home while we are on screen. With firm grounding in the healing power of image, symbols, play and creative processes we will learn practical adaptations of sandtray therapy to a virtual platform. We will explore effective ways to use household materials, toys, digital resources, symbolic content, and a variety of therapeutic activities to help clients achieve treatment goals and continuity of care. The “do’s and don’ts” of intervention planning and limitations of the approach will be reviewed, as well as unexpected benefits. Through participation, we hope therapists will gain a fresh set of ideas and renewed enthusiasm for virtual sandtray practice.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: STA, NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Sunday, 04/18/21
  •  

    3-Day Intensive - Day 3

    Diagnostic Drawing Series Training: Over 35 Years of Assessment Through Art (Day 3)
    April 18, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
    Day 3 of a 3­-Day Training Intensive
    Participants must register for all three days to attend

    Kathryn Johnson, PhD, ATR
    Anne Mills, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
    Barry Cohen, MA, ATR-BC

    The Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) is a standardized three-picture art interview developed in 1982 by art therapist Barry M. Cohen. Not tied to any particular psychological or theoretical model, the DDS was the first art assessment to be systematically correlated with the nomenclature of the DSM. It can be administered individually and in groups with psychiatric and medical populations, where its use has been recommended or required by JCAHO and other authorities. The varied task structure of a DDS elicits valuable content, structural, and process information that, together, can inform clinicians as to the strengths and psychopathology of the subject. Each of the pictures in the Series is rated for the presence of a total of 23 attributes that lead the trained rater toward an evidence-­based assessment. DDSs have been collected and grouped according to the DSM diagnoses of subjects. Studies of the pictures in the diagnostic groups have revealed statistically significant graphic profiles. These graphic profiles show specific commonalities within each diagnostic group and specific distinguishing differences between diagnostic groups. After more than 35 years of international clinical use and empirical research, evidence has accrued that the DDS and the DDS Rating Guide are highly reliable and valid instruments. The DDS also provides a rich source of material for treatment planning. The DDS is designed for use with people 13 years and older.

    Please Note: There is an additional $25 notebook fee for this 3­-Day Training Intensive

    REGISTRANTS: Please CLICK HERE to download important DDS collection instructions immediately. Review at least 3 weeks prior to training.

    Eligible for 12.0 Clock/Credit Hours (combined total for all three days): NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; CPA; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		 Optional  Closed 
     

    Sunday Master Classes (March 27, Virtual)

    De-Escalation of Aggression and Symptom Management Through Art
    April 18, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR
    Pamela C. Robertson, PsyD, LMFT

    Aggression toward self and others usually serves to gain, regain, or maintain control, so a trauma-responsive approach is key when working to de-escalate this behavior. Recent studies regarding adverse experiences in childhood have demonstrated the impact of early trauma, not only on clients but also on their families in later years as well as the helping professionals who support them. Unfortunately, many therapists, parents, and teachers have come to rely on reactive methods of behavioral management that often perpetuate aggression. This unproductive cycle can further impact attachment and the capacity for self-regulation. In this 6-hour master class, we will begin with a brief review of the concepts of fight, flight, freeze, and fawning. Next, we will explore activities that address the capacity for self-control, illustrating the difference between responding and reacting. Finally, the facilitators will guide participants through creative art activities that support symptom management and de-escalation of aggression in response to common symptoms like depression, frustration, fear, and anxiety. We'll demonstrate effective art-based approaches that can be used with individuals and groups, and explore how to establish sustainability, comfort, and safety while doing this work. Sufficient time will be allotted for questions as well as case and group discussion.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Sunday Morning Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    Accessing Soul Wisdom Through Jewish Spiritual Practices & Expressive Arts
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Session Full - Wait List Initiated
    Edna Miron-Wapner, MA, CAGS
    Nancy Weiss, LCSW, BCD

    Many of us strive toward a sense of wholeness—to reclaim parts of ourselves that have been dulled, suppressed, or dissociated due to the seemingly never-ending stresses in our lives. Integrating spiritual practices with the expressive arts can offer a structure for accessing inner wisdom and restoring a feeling of well-being. In this 3-hour experiential workshop, participants will be introduced to essential Jewish principles that can be used to frame their experiences. They will learn an approach to self-exploration that can be taught to their clients that features engaging in a multimodal process of imagery, image making, creative writing, and improvisational movement. Using the practices introduced in this workshop can help to open a safe and inspirational portal to the inner world that is structured and enriched by traditional psycho-spiritual activity. Recommended for therapists, educators, and interested others. No familiarity with Jewish practice is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Quick Collages for Clients of All Ages: Piecing Together Possibilities
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM
    SESSION FULL - Wait List Initiated
    Josie Abbenante, ATR-BC, LPAT

    Art therapists confronted with clients' often-heard claim, “but I can’t draw,” adopted collage making as a psychologically and artistically nonthreatening alternative to spontaneous drawing and painting. Quick collages offer therapists and their clients a unique pathway for discovery through the process of collecting shapes, colors, and images from disparate personal and mass media sources, then assembling these fragments together into a new whole. This 3-hour online workshop will teach participants ways to explore issues in treatment, such as change, loss, and family and relationship dynamics through quick collage techniques. Portals to further exploration, visual stories, and expressive vocabularies emerge from these easy-to-make artworks, enhancing the possibility for insight and setting the stage for future work in therapy. This workshop is appropriate for clinicians working with people of all ages and abilities. No formal art training or talent is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Repairing Broken Attachment with Clients of All Ages: Multisensory Play Therapy Strategies
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Ellen H Saul, MS, LP, CST-T

    Based on the "In Touch Again" approach of Agnes Bayley, multi-sensory play therapy activities that follow stages of brain development will provide play therapists and others with a framework for assessing what may be missing in the path of attachment with their clients across the life-cycle. We’ll explore specific strategies to allow/enable/empower children and adults to repair traumatic experiences or experience missing developmental pieces in the context of relationship. Play therapists and other participants will learn, through didactic and experiential presentation, how to integrate this work with clients of all ages and different clinical needs in counseling, play therapy, and other approaches. Play therapists and other participants will also be given opportunities to reflect on the experience from mindfulness and somatic perspectives. Areas covered in this 3-hour workshop will include the use of transitional objects, reawakening the senses, and containment of feelings. Clinically-oriented discussion will illuminate the relevance of these topics to play therapy practice and work with clients throughout the lifecycle.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Touch Drawing: Authentic, Soulful Expression in Clinical Practice
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Shemaya Blauer, MSW, LCSW
    Deborah Koff-Chapin, BFA
    Susan Arnsten-Russell, OTR-L

    Touch Drawing is a method that facilitates authentic creative expression in people of all ages and levels of ability. To create one, place a sheet of paper over wet paint and move one’s fingertips upon the page. The pressure leaves an impression on the underside. Lift the paper to see marks that record the maker's gestures. The speed and directness of this process allows a series of drawings to be created in a single session. This encourages freedom of expression and supports a sense of psychological safety. Touch Drawing enables exploration of somatic sensation and allows a natural emergence of images from subconscious levels. The full series of drawings reflects an interior transformational process, transcending verbal, cognitive, and artistic ability. The images can then be reflected upon in the therapeutic setting. In this 3-hour online workshop, participants will experience this empowering and restorative process. Image making will be enhanced by a simple writing practice that helps access insight into the images created. Teachable and effective in clinical, creative, and educational settings, discussion will focus on how Touch Drawing can be incorporated into therapeutic work with diverse populations including hospice, grief and trauma; with clients on the autism spectrum, and for medical conditions such as Parkinson’s and stroke.

    For a deepening experience, register for the afternoon workshop, Touch Drawing: Authentic, Soulful Expression for Self-Care.
     
    NOTE: Having the right materials for Touch Drawing is essential! CLICK HERE TO READ THIS INFORMATION ASAP, and gather (or click here to order directly) the needed materials ahead of time. 


    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Use Your Body to Balance Your Mind & Feelings: Breema's 9 Principles of Harmony in Somatic Practice
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Angela Porter, MA, MFT
    Matthew Tousignant, MA, CMT
    Alexis Mulhauser

    The movements of Self-Breema are balanced and in harmony with our essential nature. Worry, anxiety, and tension are the result of living in the past and future. The physical body is like a container. We usually fill it with thoughts and feelings that have a disharmonizing effect on our physiological function. By practicing the movements of Self-Breema exercises, we begin to develop a relationship to the body as a vehicle for conscious energy. We experience aliveness and vitality, and the imbalanced vibrations we receive from our surroundings are transformed into harmonious energy that can be beneficially used in all aspects of our lives. In this 3-hour online Self-Breema experiential, participants will learn and practice Self-Breema exercises together, interspersed with questions, answers, and inspiration, as we look at and discuss how we can engage the body as a tool for balancing both mind and feelings using Breema’s Nine Principles of Harmony.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Writing Through Bereavement: Reconstructing Meaning in Loss
    April 18, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Grief & Loss Track, Featured Speaker

    Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD

    At the heart of grief is the attempt to reaffirm or reconstruct a world of meaning that has been shaken or shattered by loss—whether such loss arises in response to the death of a loved one or through non-death transitions associated with illness or injury, relationship dissolution, or loss of meaningful work, roles, communities or beliefs.  Expressive arts approaches can make a powerful contribution to this meaning-making process, drawing on a rich fund of visual, musical, literary and performative procedures.  In this 3-hour online workshop, we explore the possible role of a sample of creative techniques in which stories of loss can be written and re-written, metaphorically expressed, therapeutically deepened and used to prompt further work with others in support groups or in the client’s personal journal. Participants will be coached in the use of three distinct writing tools whose goals are to help mourners integrate their losses into the larger narrative of their lives, foster novel reconstruction of their restrictive, frozen meanings, reinforce a secure continuing bond with the deceased loved one, and recruit their imaginations as a healing resource in fostering change.  Such tools are especially relevant in an era of telehealth counseling, when arts-assisted therapists can serve as grief coaches to survivors’ own efforts to make use of reflective interventions between sessions.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Sunday Afternoon Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    Comics as Clinical Intervention: Bibliotherapy, Artmaking, & Ethics
    April 18, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Erin Partridge, PhD, ATR-BC
    Devlyn McCreight, PhD, LCMHC, LPC, NCC
    John Pollard

    Comics, used as a clinical intervention, present unique opportunities and challenges when integrated into the therapeutic practices of generalists and specialists alike. Graphic medicine is the umbrella term for the use of these sequential art forms (ordered, illustrated storytelling) in patient care, primarily as psychoeducation, clinical bibliotherapy, or art-based interventions. This 3-hour workshop will include a review of current research on the use of published and client-created work of challenging clinical material, countering the notion that sequential art forms can only be sources for entertainment or humor. While some contemporary scholarship has focused on the use of comics with specific client groups (persons with eating disorders, older adults, survivors of trauma, etc.), we will engage in activities appropriate to virtually any clinical setting—including those with limited materials or safety restrictions. We will dive into the ethical considerations of using multidisciplinary work, applying this medium into traditional models of psychotherapy, as well as specific ethics within the discipline of art therapy. Participants will have ample opportunity for hands-on exploration of this approach from an art therapy perspective as it pertains to its ethical use in their own clinical setting.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Dance/Movement Therapy: Transformation Through the Healing Art of Dance
    April 18, 1 PM - 4 PM

    A Wonderful Introduction to Dance/Movement Therapy!

    Marcia B. Leventhal, PhD, CMA, BC-DMT

    Dance/movement therapy is a powerful discipline for eliciting profound change in a variety of clinical populations and settings. In this 3-hour online workshop, elements that create the core dance aesthetic will be explored, allowing participants to discover the evolution of these components into catalysts for personal growth and development in treatment. How these core elements become the foundation and basis for nonverbal communication will also be demonstrated, and a model of dance/movement therapy will emerge. Incorporating these techniques into clinical work by nonspecialists, as well as the importance of getting professional training in dance/movement therapy will be addressed. We will also explore how dance therapists use this discipline for dealing with core psychodynamic issues, along with relevant clinical outcomes, in treating issues such as mood management and separation/individuation. No previous dance/movement therapy experience is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Puppetry and Storytelling in Therapy with Clients of All Ages
    April 18, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Yolanda Fountain, PhD, LPC, RPT-S, ACS, NCC

    Gather your arts and crafts supplies and gear up your imagination for this 3-hour experiential workshop to learn an approach sure to support and empower clients of all ages in therapeutic settings of almost any sort. Participants will explore the varied benefits of integrating puppetry with storytelling to facilitate healthy communication, foster social skills, enhance problem solving, and encourage expression of feelings. Participants will have the opportunity to construct several of their own puppets to enact their own stories in a format that can be used in treatment with children, adolescents, and adults toward a variety of therapeutic goals.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Touch Drawing: Authentic, Soulful Expression for Self-Care
    April 18, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Shemaya Blauer, MSW, LCSW
    Deborah Koff-Chapin, BFA
    Susan Arnsten-Russell, OTR/L

    Touch Drawing, developed by artist Deborah Koff-Chapin, is a simple yet profound way of creating images. Paper is placed over a surface of wet paint. The gestures of fingertips upon the page form imprints on the underside. The speed and directness of this process allows for many drawings to be created in a single session. The series of images form a record of somatic sensations and allow the authentic images to arise from the psyche. This 3-hour online workshop focuses on creating a nurturing experience for self-care. Participants will be guided into a deep interior space in in which to create a full series of drawings. Movement, vocalization and writing will be interwoven. These intermodal processes enhance the drawing process and allow for reflection on the images. Group discussion will focus on using Touch Drawing as a self-care method for clinicians, educators, and others in helping professions who can, in turn, teach it to their clients by incorporating it into their daily work. It can be used to transition between clients, and be integrated into one’s life as a restorative creative practice. No artistic skill is needed to experience the transformational power of this process.

    For a focus on professional applications, participants can attend the morning workshop, Touch Drawing: Authentic, Soulful Expression in Clinical Practice.
     
    NOTE: Having the right materials for Touch Drawing is essential! CLICK HERE TO READ THIS INFORMATION ASAP, and gather (or click here to order directly) the needed materials ahead of time.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Thursday, 04/22/21
  •  

    zzz 2-Day Intensives - Thursday

    Social Emotional Arts on a Shoestring for Individuals & Groups in Any Setting
    April 22, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Summit Favorite!

    Day 1 of a 2­-Day Training Intensive
    Participants must register for both days to attend

    Ping Ho, MA, MPH
    Myriam Savage, PhD, RDT-BCT


    Do you want to bring the healing arts process to settings with limited resources? Do you need to accommodate individuals or groups with differing levels of ability? Are your session lengths unpredictable? In this practical, 2-day training program, you will experience activities in art, movement, music, and writing developed by UCLArts & Healing and its team of creative arts therapists. The 2-day curriculum also includes guidelines on the use of creative arts in therapeutic contexts, communication techniques for creating rapport and preventing resistance, and containment techniques for managing stress responses. Day 1 will focus on writing and art; day 2 on music and movement. Ongoing assessments of the program have shown that this curriculum achieves its intended goals of helping to build connection, evoke positive emotions, bolster resilience, decrease stress and pain, facilitate verbal and nonverbal communication, strengthen the creative vs. illness narrative, and manage grief and loss. The training, which comes with an extensive manual (see below), enables sustainable delivery by care providers and educators in settings with limited resources, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, shelters, and community clinics. Registration for both days of this training intensive is required.

    *PLEASE NOTE: A hardbound copy of the comprehensive, scripted manual is available for an additional fee of $60 + $10 shipping and handling (special Summit rate). Purchasing the manual is strongly recommended for clinicians or providers who wish to offer this program. Pre-registration for both days, plus purchase of the manual, are required to obtain a Certificate of Completion for this training. To purchase the manual in advance, please add it during the registration process (in the optional item section).

    Eligible for 12.0 Clock/Credit Hours over two days: ATCB; NASW, MFT; APA, CPA; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT or NBCC Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Master Classes (March 24, Virtual)

    Dancing Mindfulness: A Trauma-Informed Multimodal Practice
    April 22, 9 AM - 4 PM


    Nicole Allen, MS, LPC, NCC

    Dancing Mindfulness is a multimodal expressive arts practice that can be used in clinical and community class settings. In this approach, the seven primary attitudes of mindfulness are cultivated through the art form of dance: non-judging, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, beginner’s mind, patience, and trust. By channeling core elements of breath, sound, body, mind, spirit, story, and the “fusion” of all of these elements through movement, participants of all ages and abilities can experience increased healing and wellness. Dancing Mindfulness was developed as an integrative trauma-informed approach and is ideal for those who may not respond to traditional therapy interventions. In this 6-hour online master class, participants will learn about the foundational principles of Dancing Mindfulness, experience the Dancing Mindfulness practice, and discuss implications for use in clinical practice and community settings. Additionally, we'll consider and discuss ethical implications and multicultural issues. No dance training or experience is necessary.

    Please Note: Because of the personal nature of the Dancing Mindfulness practice, participants may experience emotional reactions to the experiential portion of this class.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Journaling with the Brain in Mind
    April 22, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Kathleen (Kay) Adams, LPC
    Deborah Ross, LPC, CJT

    The effects of journal writing on the brain appear to be similar to those of mindfulness meditation—creating receptive states for neurological firing and rewiring. In this 6-hour master class, the coauthors of Your Brain on Ink: Neuroplasticity and the Journal Ladder guide an inquiry into the journal’s role in enhancing self-concept, identity, sensory awareness, and mindful self-determination that can be incorporated by mental health professionals in a variety of settings with populations of all ages and abilities. Throughout the day we’ll weave writing processes designed with the brain and therapy in mind. Before and between these “writes,” we’ll introduce presentations, conversations, and case studies about the journal as self-object, the neurological power of handwriting, and why it’s important to write “badly" in those gift-quality, too-beautiful-to-write-in journals. We’ll focus on sensory experiences that deepen the neural connections that writing activates. Particular attention will be paid to how writing intersects with brains rendered differently abled from birth, traumatic injury, or aging.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Morning Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Digital Art Therapy for COVID Times & Beyond
    April 22, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Session Full - Wait List Initiated
    Kendra Carlson, MAAT, ATR-BC

    Seeking new art therapy approaches for your pandemic-era toolkit that you can continue to use for years to come? Looking for ways to engage youth and others virtually, especially those who think they “cannot draw”? Get introduced to a full range of digital art therapy interventions that are efficient and effective in a variety of situations, from managing infection control with clients for medical reasons to working with frontline staff, supervisees, and others seeking grounding, centering, and reflection in these uncertain and uncontrollable times. For families who have lost loved ones during the pandemic, legacy digital art therapy is a particularly effective approach. Join us for this 3-hour online session. No specialized experience or software required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Speakers:
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Focusing & Art Therapy: Accessing Body Wisdom Through Creative Expression
    April 22, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Elizabeth Baring, MS, ATR-BC, NCPsyA, LCAT, LP

    Focusing is the process of accessing the body’s wisdom by turning inward and being present to its inner sensations. It was developed by Eugene Gendlin and colleagues at the University of Chicago in the 1960s. According to Gendlin, conscious thoughts emerge from the intangible inner awareness that he called the “felt experience,” which holds the key to psychological resolution. Art therapy is a way of externalizing that experience. In this 3-hour online workshop, participants will be guided through the process of focusing and expressing their felt experience through artmaking so that they can incorporate this effective approach into their clinical practices. Using Laury Rappaport’s interdisciplinary approach called Focusing-Oriented Art Therapy (FOAT®), creative arts therapists, counselors, and psychotherapists of all persuasions will learn how combining artmaking with focusing can be a powerful therapeutic approach for teaching stress reduction, managing emotional regulation, and attaining general well-being for a variety of populations in any number of clinical situations.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Intergenerational, Intercultural Art & Storytelling for Healing Depression, Anxiety and Isolation
    April 22, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Lorraine Campanelli, BS, MS, MSW
    Deborah Mosley, BS, MA
    Ellen Tessitore, BA, MA


    Immigrants and nursing-home residents both share a high incidence of depression, anxiety, and isolation; this correlation is well documented. The goal of combining these populations into a highly nontraditional treatment group featuring a wide range of disparate ages, cultures, languages, and experiences is to improve the participants’ quality of life by helping to enhance their emotional and educational development. During this 3-hour online workshop, a trained storyteller will "animate" a book, leading to a discussion of its moral, and how it relates to the participants' own experiences. The group will then engage in an art project relating to that book. They will be asked to discuss their interests and reveal aspects of how they identify themselves. Additionally, a digital presentation will recount the successful results of a unique program such as this one, which provides an effective structure for working with depressed and isolated immigrant and nursing-home residents who are more likely to remain "bottled up" about their feelings, so do not typically respond to traditional psychotherapy approaches.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    NaturePlay Therapy with Children, Teens & Families
    April 22, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Seats Just Added!
    Jamie Lynn Langley, LCSW, RPT-S

    This 3-hour workshop will provide play therapists and other participants with an introduction to NaturePlay Therapy, a type of play therapy that incorporates engagement with nature as an intervention for child, family, and group play therapy, as well as for clinical self-care. There is a growing body of evidence showing support for time in nature as emotionally beneficial, especially for children. However, children and families are often more out-of-touch with nature than ever before. Nature has a unique yet accessible playroom full of nature's "toys" that can provide effective healing opportunities as part of the therapeutic powers of play for therapists to utilize and draw from. Integrating nature-based therapeutic play and expressive activities (that can often be adapted for use indoors when needed) will assist children and their caretakers as well as therapists to improve resiliency, overcome adversity, enhance relationship quality, and to grow and thrive emotionally.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Afternoon Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Artful Dying: Alleviating Death Anxiety and Finding Closure Through Art, Music & Drama
    April 22, 1 PM - 4 PM
    Seats Just Added!
    Patricia Jauchler, MS, MA, RDT/BCT

    The fear of death continues to be one of humankind's greatest anxieties. In the medical realm, for instance, this often leads to life-prolonging procedures that are costly, unnecessary, and decrease the patient’s quality of life—as well as their experience of dying. The goal of this 3-hour workshop is to help mental health professionals learn to help their clients with the healthy acceptance of death as a natural part of the lifecycle, while enhancing the quality of life for as long as it reasonably lasts. Participants will explore creative methods to pursue these goals that can enhance their work as clinicians with people of all ages and abilities in virtually any setting . Using art, music, dialogue, storytelling, and dramatic enactments, we will explore the issues relevant to end of life challenges and ways to resolve them within therapeutic contexts. We will illustrate and demonstrate such approaches as reminiscence, legacy work, and other related topics and techniques designed to facilitate peace and acceptance at the end of life.

    NOTE: This session may evoke strong emotional responses. Care will be taken to ensure a safe and sacred space in which to explore feelings around this sensitive subject.


    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Finding the Words to Say It: The Healing Power of Poetry
    April 22, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Robert Carroll, MD

    Poetry, whether highly structured or freeform, can provide people with a method of verbal/written communication that might be the only viable way for them to give voice to experiences that are so deeply personal or overwhelming that there is no other way to express them. After 9/11, for instance, poetry sprung up everywhere as New Yorkers sought ways to communicate the shock, horror, and loss that suddenly impacted their lives. In this 3-hour workshop, we will explore ways to facilitate healing, growth, and transformation through creating poetry with individuals, families, and communities. Poetry prompts will be introduced to help participants use this process with clients of various ages and abilities. Topics will include: clinical applications of expressive writing, using the realm of the senses to facilitate the writing process, techniques from the UCLA Poetry and Brain Cancer Project, poetry and breath, and others. Participants will be offered the opportunity to share their writing with the group in a safe, supportive environment. No previous experience writing poetry is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Focusing & Art Therapy: Profound Listening for Creative Solutions to Anxiety and Depression
    April 22, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Elizabeth Baring, MS, ATR-BC, NCPsyA, LCAT, LP

    Developed by Eugene Gendlin and colleagues at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, Focusing is the process of accessing the body’s wisdom by turning inward and being present to its inner sensations. According to Gendlin, conscious thoughts emerge from the intangible inner awareness that he called the “felt experience,” which holds the key to psychological resolution. Art therapy is a way of externalizing that experience. In this 3-hour workshop, participants will be guided through the process of Focusing and expressing their felt experience through art making so that they can incorporate this effective approach into their clinical practices. The afternoon installment of this workshop will highlight the profound impact of "resonant reflection” in Focusing. This process helps the Focuser find the "more" in the issue or concern they are addressing. Using Laury Rappaport’s interdisciplinary approach called Focusing-Oriented Art Therapy (FOAT®), creative arts therapists, counselors, and psychotherapists of all persuasions will learn how combining art making with Focusing can be a powerful therapeutic approach for teaching stress reduction, managing emotional regulation, and attaining general well-being for a variety of populations in any number of clinical situations.

    Participants are welcome to take either or both Focusing workshops on this day.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Spirituality, Creativity & Dreamwork in Psychotherapy
    April 22, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Leanne Domash, PhD
    Jarred Sharar, MA, RDT

    As our culture and circumstances constantly evolve, our treatment approaches can get worn and tired, and new clinical problems arise in search of inspired solutions. We need to be able to re-conceptualize our methods to promote effective, contemporary healing. By engaging in a variety of experiential exercises, participants in this 3-hour online workshop will learn how dreamwork, spirituality, intuition, unconscious communication, and various arts forms can be integrated and incorporated into daily clinical work with individuals and groups in treatment. This session, which incorporates art, drama, visualization and more, is designed to expand the creative and imaginative capacities of clinicians and their clients. Live demonstrations of Embodied Imagination, a dreamwork technique, will be given. Designed to remove psychological blocks, it can help clients to change dysfunctional patterns. The value of spirituality in relation to psychotherapy will also be explored. Interactive group exercises, including breathing techniques, will help clinician-participants learn to engage their patients in restorative, therapeutic processes. Participants will also be guided through artmaking activities and interactive techniques that can enhance screen-based communication and teletherapy work.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Evening Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Core Creativity: Deepening the Connection to Your Unconscious
    April 22, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Ronald A. Alexander, PhD, MFT, SEP
    Urszula Klich, PhD, BCB

    Join us for this 2-hour evening workshop to learn the basic components for how to access core creativity and the resources that reside within. Working with techniques from mindfulness meditation, Ericksonian hypnosis, Somatic Experiencing®, music, and breathing techniques, participants will discover how to open themselves and access innate creativity and resilience. Learning these techniques will help them to develop clinical skills that can help their clients to transform afflicted emotions into positive ones. Together, we will explore the stages of the creative process from a unique developmental perspective, starting with the stage of fertilization and ending with the "core creativity birthing" process. We will then explore how to grow, nurture, and bring to life our creative visions, projects, goals, and dreams. This highly experiential workshop will include approaches that draw upon aspects of dreaming, visioning, trance states, deep meditation, and music. We will also explore skills for helping clients to increase self-awareness, promote insight, and enhance emotional and clinical development. No previous experience with these techniques is necessary, just a sense of trust and the curiosity for seeing, hearing, and experiencing the world with fresh eyes and ears!

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Crafting Healthy Boundaries with Sound & Imagery
    April 22, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Stacie Aamon Yeldell, MA, MT-BC, AVPT

    How can a therapist engage in healing work joyfully, without absorbing the energy of traumatized clients? How might a romantic partner immerse herself openheartedly in a healthy relationship with a partner, while preventing "leakage" of her life force and personal power? In this 2-hour evening workshop, participants will learn fun and engaging ways to help themselves and their clients to cultivate healthy "energy hygiene" by undoing the dysfunctional patterns that otherwise keep them chained to old, outdated ways of working, loving, and being in relationship to self and others. The Amontra Mindfulness Method ™ is an evidence-based music therapy method that incorporates meditation, breathing, and activation of the senses, as well as guitar, breath, and vocalizations as primary anchors for grounding and protection in the present moment. This approach combines imagery and lullaby, as well as traditional psychotherapy and energy psychology effective in the treatment of adults and teens with a variety of conditions, such as anxiety, stress, depression, addiction, impulse control, physical pain, depression, and more. Counselors and therapists, who are facing burnout and/or want to learn how to utilize music mindfulness tools for use in treatment with clients, are enthusiastically invited to join us.

    Please Note: Difficult emotional content may arise in the course of this session.


    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Social Justice and the Arts: Building a Culturally-Responsive Program for Communities in Need
    April 22, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Laura Miera, MA, ATR
    Fabian Debora, Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

    Participants in this 2-hour workshop will learn how to develop arts programming for marginalized families and system-impacted communities from the perspectives of an art therapist from Homeboy Industries and the Homeboy Art Academy’s Executive Director. Video presentations will highlight work from our free classes' focus on cultural identity-building, community belonging, and therapeutic wounded child healing. Attention to culturally responsive programming will be shared that serves people who—due to structural barriers and systemic racism—have been denied access to the arts. Time will be available for group discussion so that participants can get their questions answered and receive support toward developing similar programs for other communities in need of social justice through the arts.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Stressbusting: Writing Through Troubled Times
    April 22, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Kathleen (Kay) Adams, LPC

    Have any sort of modern-life anxieties? If you didn't consider taking this session prior to 2020, you might want to think about it this time. So let's take a pause, take a breath, and bust some pandemic stress! In this 2-hour evening workshop, you'll be given a template for a 1-hour journal group on stressbusting through writing. You will be expertly guided through the experience of creating new relationships with stress through short, structured, sequenced writes. We'll talk about ways you can use this ready-made template with clients and client groups in treatment. You'll leave the workshop with a simple yet powerful tool to share with your clients, students, or group members. And you'll have a valuable new method for your own stressbusting!

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Theraplay® for Enhanced Engagement & Attachment: An Introduction for Expressive Therapists
    April 22, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Mandy Jones, LCSW, RPT, JD

    Theraplay® is a child and family modality of play therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. When traditional "talk therapy" doesn't work, this SAMHSA-approved evidence-based treatment uses the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child. Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge. Theraplay sessions create active, emotional connections between the child and caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy, lovable, and that relationships are positive and rewarding. Theraplay creates a playful atmosphere where children in this form of play therapy become quickly and fully engaged in the therapeutic process. Theraplay also involves the parents in an immediate and positive way, giving them experiences of success and pride in their children so they feel motivated to support them. With the child, the parent, and the therapist on the same team, this makes for a winning combination for positive and lasting change. While Theraplay is most often used with children, it is also beneficial for clinical treatment across the lifespan. This 2-hour experiential workshop will introduce play therapists and other clinicians of all levels of expertise to the fundamentals of Theraplay. It will benefit those looking to add Theraplay to their play therapy and other types of practice, refer others for treatment, or work with a team of professionals who are implementing Theraplay in their treatment.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Friday, 04/23/21
  •  

    zzz 2-Day Intensives - Friday

    Social Emotional Arts on a Shoestring for Individuals & Groups in Any Setting - Day 2
    April 23, 9 AM - 4 PM
    Day 2 of a 2­-Day Training Intensive
    Participants must register for both days to attend

    Kathy Cass, MA, BC-DMT, NCC, C-IAYT, CAHC, AYT
    Stacie Aamon Yeldell, MA, MT-BC, AVPT

    Do you want to bring the healing arts process to settings with limited resources? Do you need to accommodate individuals or groups with differing levels of ability? Are your session lengths unpredictable? In this practical, 2-day training program, you will experience activities in art, movement, music, and writing developed by UCLArts & Healing and its team of creative arts therapists. The 2-day curriculum also includes guidelines on the use of creative arts in therapeutic contexts, communication techniques for creating rapport and preventing resistance, and containment techniques for managing stress responses. Day 1 will focus on writing and art; day 2 on music and movement. Ongoing assessments of the program have shown that this curriculum achieves its intended goals of helping to build connection, evoke positive emotions, bolster resilience, decrease stress and pain, facilitate verbal and nonverbal communication, strengthen the creative vs. illness narrative, and manage grief and loss. The training, which comes with an extensive manual (see below), enables sustainable delivery by care providers and educators in settings with limited resources, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, shelters, and community clinics. Registration for both days of this training intensive is required.

    *PLEASE NOTE: A hardbound copy of the comprehensive, scripted manual is available for an additional fee of $60 + $10 shipping and handling (special Summit rate). Purchasing the manual is strongly recommended for clinicians or providers who wish to offer this program. Pre-registration for both days, plus purchase of the manual, are required to obtain a Certificate of Completion for this training. To purchase the manual in advance, please add it during the registration process (in the optional item section).

    Eligible for 12.0 Clock/Credit Hours over two days: ATCB; NASW, MFT; APA, CPA; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT or NBCC Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		 Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Morning Workshops (April 22, Virtual)

    Attachment and The Invisible String: Playful Activities to Support Healthy Connection for All Ages
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR
    Pamela Robertson, PsyD, LCSW

    This 3-hour online workshop for art therapists, play therapists, and other clinicians is based on the bestselling children's book The Invisible String and its accompanying workbook, which features activities to explore creativity, inspire imagination, and improve connection. Through a combination of lecture and videos, this workshop will provide an overview of attachment theory and how disruptions in attachment affect youth and families. Participants will then explore creative activities; engage in group discussion to learn ways to increase healthy connection in art, play, and family therapies, incorporate playful activities into their group curricula; and adapt or modify these play-based interventions for different developmental or functioning levels. This material has been field-tested with clients who have experienced complex developmental trauma, with youth who are experiencing commercial sexual exploitation, with military families, and within employee wellness programs in response to vicarious trauma. Arts therapists, play therapists, and their colleagues will learn to recognize healthy and disrupted attachment, and will have new tools to support treatment.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Beyond Difficult Relationships: Helping Women Identify Self-Worth & Create Connection
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Zelda Lockhart, MA, PhD

    This writing and art workshop explores effective methods for working with clients who have experienced or are currently experiencing unhealthy relationships in their lives. Black feminist themes of self-worth, self-definition, and community connection create the framework for a storytelling technique that is especially applicable to therapeutic work with clients and communities of color, who may benefit from learning more about what causes difficulty in relationships. Through hands-on creative activities, they will be able to identify and explore what they are seeking in future relationships, as well as any healthy elements they will be able to bring to them. The creative techniques presented in this 3-hour workshop evoke literal and abstract representations of self-worth and will prove useful to counselors and therapists who work in almost any setting.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Creative Rituals for Processing Grief & Celebrating Life
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Gabrielle Kauffman, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT, NCC
    Jennie Linthorst, MA, CAPF
    Stacie     Amon Yeldell, MA, MT-BC, AVPT


    Issues of loss and grief, particularly those connected to the death of a loved one, are among the most difficult to experience, discuss, and process in treatment. In this 3-hour workshop, participants will learn how to build resilience, facilitate healing, and strengthen community through creative expression related to such transitional life moments. Experience how music, movement, and writing can create sacred moments of reflection to honor grief, engender hope, find meaning in loss, elevate spirit, and facilitate closure. We'll begin by taking an embodied musical journey to "express the loss, feel the love, and see the light." Next we'll identify how to facilitate deep writing through inspirational literature. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to summon memories of a lost loved one through symbolic movement. We'll demonstrate how to facilitate group support and sharing as we work our way through these activities.

    NOTE: Not intended as a therapy or self-care session, this professional training workshop is likely to evoke strong feelings.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT or NBCC Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Feeling Seen: Integrating Dance/Movement Therapy Techniques into Dyadic Treatment
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Eva C. Glaser, MA, BC-DMT, LPC

    Early attachment relationships provide a protective shield to traumatic events and adverse experiences in childhood. Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) focuses on families of children ages birth through five to support dyadic strengths and healing. Of particular interest to therapists and counselors serving families with young children, this 3-hour workshop highlights play and movement, the natural modalities of childhood communication. CPP was designed to build and nurture attachment, and increase shared joy in relationship. Participants will be introduced to the model, while targeting integration of relational movement in clinical practice through interactive exploration. Dance/movement therapy techniques will be introduced to enhance our work as clinicians with all families in trauma treatment, including those in the child welfare system and foster care.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Making Teletherapy a Relational Experience Using Creative Arts
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Session Full —Wait List Initiated
    Deirdre Cogan, ATR-BC, LPC, ATCS, CTP
    Rebekah Messenger, LPC, MMT, MT-BC
    Nalini Prakash, DMT-BC, CMA

    Telehealth is increasingly common in today’s healthcare system and is becoming an important resource for creative arts therapists. With increases in affordability and accessibility, teletherapy sessions provide a viable alternative  to  in-person sessions.  While arts-based therapy can be delivered via teletherapy, virtual platforms present unique benefits and challenges, and requires new methods and practices.   For example, the lack of physical proximity between clinician and client can lead to a sense of disconnection and detachment. The solidarity of a group, however, can be a powerful antidote to feelings of isolation when working through a virtual platform. The healing power of movement can be leveraged to activate  the social engagement  system, leading to interpersonal attunement through expressive and receptive experiences.   Visual art expression can act as a holding form for perceptions, thoughts, and emotions. Interpersonal awareness is deepened as participants create, share, and respond to each other’s imagery.  Music  provides  rich, nuanced, and multifaceted opportunities for inter- and intrapersonal exploration. In this 3-hour workshop, participants  will engage in multimodal experiential activities that can be easily adapted to teletherapy sessions. Participants will also join in discussions regarding how to design and apply cross-modal interventions that hold space open for a sense of belonging and group cohesion.  Positive growth  most often  occurs  within the context of empowering relationships and a sense of safety and reciprocity. By incorporating arts-based techniques into virtual sessions, clinicians make teletherapy a more collaborative, relational experience.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Understanding the Impact of Power, Privilege & Oppression in the Practice of the Arts Therapies
    April 23, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Jennifer Herbert, LCAT, ATR-BC
    Typhani Carter, LCSW

    So many people who find their way into the mental health system are dealing with the physical, emotional, and spiritual aftereffects of abuse, trauma, and violence; these negative effects are magnified when they seek support from helping professionals who (even unwittingly) engage with them through an oppressive lens. When this occurs, the participant’s ability to engage in a trusting, supportive, and authentic interaction that can foster reflection and transformation is thwarted. This 3-hour online session will explore the nature of power, privilege, and oppression within the context of the clinical relationship, as well as the impact these constructs have on the participant’s growth and resiliency. Art therapists and other participants are encouraged to become holistically aware of human interactions, with an appreciation of how various stakeholders—including us—contribute to the dynamic systems of oppression. We will examine the traditional framework of engagement, assessment, and intervention using an anti-oppressive lens. It will provide opportunities for practitioners to further explore how they engage themselves in clinical practice to best support those whom they serve, providing a culturally/contextually competent practice.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Afternoon Workshops

    ColourDrama in Action: Deepening Therapeutic & Group Process
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Mark Wentworth


    Jung wrote about color belonging to realms of archetypes and symbolism. Moreno, the creator of psychodrama and other action methods, used different colored lighting on stage to denote different feeling states and demarcate different scenes from the protagonist’s life. Color influences perceptions, determines human behavior, and can bring important memories and associations to the here and now. In this 3-hour online workshop, we will introduce a theoretical and experiential framework of how color psychology relates to psychodrama in order to improve and optimize the therapeutic and group process. No previous psychodrama experience is required.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    In Her Voice: Empowering Women with Vocal Presence
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Celia Bockhoff, MSW, LCSW, SEP

    A woman’s voice and sense of self may be muted by trauma or hindered by fear due to lack of safety. Vocal presence, an embodied expression of self, is essential in both personal healing and the experience of connectedness. Although some women have begun to break long-held silences, many still feel they are not able to give voice to their own truths. The recovery of vocal presence within therapeutic contexts deepens emotional healing, empowers creativity, and supports self-determination and personal freedom. In this 3-hour workshop, we will explore applications of somatic and sound-healing research. Exercises will focus on the qualities of vocal sounds, including breath work, toning, and the natural “undulation” of deep listening and vocal release. Participants will learn the powerful therapeutic effects of vocal centering, inviting “medicine songs” that comfort and support. The true voice of the Self will be our compassionate guide as we discover how to empower our clients in reclaiming the precious gifts of strength, presence, and aliveness through making their voices heard. Music therapy experience is not required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Mobile Sandplay for Disaster Relief: The Living Mythology of the Hawaiian Goddess, Pele
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Lorraine R. Freedle, PhD, ABPdN, CST-T

    Natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions displace millions of people around the world and cause community-wide, even regional, trauma. This 3-hour workshop introduces the use of mobile sandplay therapy in disaster relief, including practical clinical applications, multicultural considerations, and research findings. Sandplay, an expressive, culturally sensitive, trauma-informed therapeutic method helps children and adults to alleviate symptoms of distress following traumatic events. It provides a tangible, active way to release and metabolize overwhelming emotions. Sandplay was used effectively in response to 9/11 in New York City, after mudslides in Thailand, earthquakes in China and Nepal, as well as in response to the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Group sandplay, when combined with storytelling, has proven effective in improving children’s learning and social development when applied in school settings. Workshop participants will view a short, award-winning documentary called Fire and Sand that examines the firsthand experiences of local sandplay relief therapists and people affected by the 2018 volcanic eruption on Hawai`i Island. Artmaking and discussion will be used to integrate concepts, enhance our work as clinicians, and motivate a call to action. No previous sandplay experience required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: STA, NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Modeling & Doodling: Simple Techniques for Accessing the Unconscious & Enhancing Relationships
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Ruth Guttfreund, MA, RATH

    Often relegated to just "fooling around," doodling with drawing materials can be a useful tool for managing anxiety and anger, promote concentration, and staying in the Here and Now. Plasticine modeling in small scale is a non-threatening, easy way of working with powerful metaphors that can enhance introspection and self-awareness. Both doodling and plasticine modeling can be used with people of all ages and abilities. Most mental health professionals working with populations of different ages and backgrounds can benefit from experiencing the therapeutic potential of engaging with these non-threatening techniques and basic materials. Join us for this 3-hour workshop exploring low-cost, low-skill threshold art techniques focusing on the therapeutic benefits of working with simple, easily manipulated media. No artistic skill necessary.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Optimum Learning: Drawing Out the Best In Your Brain
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Jon Pearson, MA

    Drawing is a tool for the brain, for literacy, for memory, and for higher-level thinking. Students who can picture their thinking can read faster, write better, and retain information longer. In this lively and interactive 3-hour workshop, you will practice simple, rapid-drawing methods that can turn ideas into images, books into mental movies, and daydreaming into reading comprehension. Drawing, followed by voicing imagination of things seen or not seen, can build focus, curiosity, flexibility, originality, and elaboration of ideas. In short, you will learn how to get students to daydream into a subject rather than out of it. Moreover, this process builds a growth mindset that embraces mistakes as possibilities and not failure. This session is for educators and others who would like to benefit personally from “off road” thinking that begins with drawing.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Shifting the Body to Shift the Mind
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Stephanie Nash

    In this highly experiential, 3-hour workshop, participants will have the opportunity to explore how movement and positioning of the body can affect their thoughts and feelings. Specifically, they will discover that, by using mindful awareness techniques, they can literally “re-wire” unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and moving. And as participants gain insight into conscious/unconscious judgments they make of others based on observed body language and facial expression, they will also gain insight into how simple shifts in physicality (including facial and vocal) can affect their mood, energy, thoughts, perceptions, judgments, and communications. This surprisingly playful approach promotes enhanced awareness, openness, presence, and connectedness. Counselors, therapists, and educators will be able to use the lessons learned to teach their clients how to shift unhealthy patterns in their daily lives, thus promoting progress in treatment.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Using the Soror Mystica Deck© in Art Therapy: Engaging the Mystical Sister Within
    April 23, 1 PM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Abbe Miller, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC
    Em Reim Ifrach, CEDCAT-S, REAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPC, NCC, RMT, LCAT

    Opening portals via visual stimuli has the potential to re-enchant questioning, thoughts, perceptions, and feelings—all of which can be directed into new art making. Participants in this 3-hour workshop will be introduced to the 75 cards of the Soror Mystica© deck. Two art therapists will explore how stimulation from simple card pairings and more complex spreads can be adapted for various populations in art therapy, then use them to stimulate response art as participants make their own card. This will facilitate engagement at another level of experiential learning, simulating how the technique might be used in art therapy practice. Original artwork created with El Duende Process Painting (Miller, 2012) techniques, reflect and share wisdoms that draw upon transpersonal, art therapy, archetypal, anthropological, aesthetic, and feminist-spirituality theory, akin to Frost’s Soul Collage© process. Working with the cards provides participants with an opportunity to explore relational aesthetics on intra-, inter-, and transpersonal levels. At least two cards are selected and then layered to transform the imagery, covering and revealing new meanings.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York State only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Evening Workshops (March 25, Virtual)

    Art Therapy Theory, Methods & Techniques: An Introduction for Non-Specialists
    April 23, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Michael Franklin, PhD, ATR-BC

    Not everyone has the time or the resources to formally study art therapy and learn the pertinent theory required for helping people in need. In this 2-hour evening presentation, participants will get the opportunity to learn basic theoretical foundations and two or more art therapy-based techniques that focus on the tactile, affective, and transformational power of the arts. Join us to learn some key concepts that you can use within your own psychotherapy practice. No previous experience with art therapy is required, but time spent as a helping professional is beneficial.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Expressive Arts Initiatives for Vulnerable Populations
    April 23, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Kate Richards Geller, MA, MT-BC, LCAT
    Kellee Kemp, MFT
    Laura Miera, MA, ATR

    Join three creative arts therapists who are heading up Los Angeles-based initiatives for vulnerable populations, which serve as models for community involvement: art therapist Kellee Kemp of Yetunde Price Resource Center creates programming and provides resource linkage for the under-resourced South Los Angeles community; art therapist Laura Miera of Homeboy Industries offers opportunities for former-gang-involved and previously-incarcerated adults and their families; and music therapist Kate Richards Geller of Urban Voices Project leads a Music Wellness program with people who are currently or formerly living in the condition of homelessness.

    What does it take to do this work?  Learn practical steps for how to begin, maintain, and empower an arts program for vulnerable populations.  And learn how bringing cultural humility to this work can transform facilitators and participants alike.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Stories We Tell in Treatment: How Culture & Creative Expression Enhance Best Practices
    April 23, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Asia Moore, MSW
    Julyssa Guevara, ACSW

    Culture, an essential aspect of every story, is more than just the backdrop or setting through which the characters experience their lives—it is a continuously evolving, dynamic element that is as nuanced as any of the clients we serve. So, in many ways, culture is as important a component in our clients' stories as are their loved ones, personal backgrounds, and value systems. In this didactic and experiential, 2-hour evening workshop, we will assess what it means to engage in ongoing cultural humility and responsiveness in virtually any clinical setting. By integrating multiple creative approaches, we will work collaboratively to develop a toolbox with specific strategies that address the complex needs and experiences of clients from all walks of life. Participants will have the opportunity to not only place culture as a setting and character within their own life stories but, more importantly, they will also learn how to meaningfully invest their own cultural capital into the lives of their clients, colleagues, and ultimately themselves.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Transformative Writing for Grades 3-12: Silencing Inner Critics, Finding Their Own Voices
    April 23, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Paulette Greenhouse

    Kids have inner critics too. Join us to learn a proven creative writing method that guides students through a process that playfully supports them in silencing the internal messages that keep them from being at their best. Participants in this 2-hour evening workshop will be introduced to the 916 Ink Method and program structure, and learn how this method addresses student and community needs. They'll participate in writing exercises and learn about "setting the room" to transform the standard classroom space. We'll also explore how to use storytelling as a method for promoting healing, self-discovery, and empowerment within a safe space that fosters student creativity. Come learn how we get children and teens to challenge themselves as they find their own ways of being in the world.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Saturday, 04/24/21
  •  

    Saturday Master Classes (March 26, Virtual)

    Facilitating Drum Circles: A Master Class for Clinicians & Educators
    April 24, 9 AM - 3 PM

    Helen Dolas, MS, MT-BC
    John Fitzgerald

    Rhythm is a powerful and versatile tool for engaging groups in an exploration of their relationships with themselves and with others. In this daylong master class we will learn the fundamentals of facilitation philosophy, tools, techniques, and debriefing method appropriate for counselors and therapists for use with clients of all ages and abilities. Building on these fundamentals, you will be able to develop your own program—even integrate other modalities, such as movement, role play, and visual arts—into a personalized approach that will enhance your clinical and community-building work with clients and groups. No previous drumming experience is necessary. Just bring your heartbeat, we'll supply the drums.


    Eligible for 5.0 Clock/Credit Hours: ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT or NBCC Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Myth & Metaphor in Healing: Listening to Images, Writing for Soul
    April 24, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Also offered Sunday, May 16 (click here)

    Josie Abbenante, ATR-BC, LPAT

    Pioneer art therapist Janie Rhyne taught us to listen, to focus. She would guide us, through a process of describing, toward an understanding of the dialogue between art and Self. She knew the gift of staying with the artwork, teaching us ways to focus in the artmaking and, thus, to facilitate effective healing in therapy. In post-Jungian archetypal psychology, James Hillman and Patricia Berry describe the importance of "sticking with the image." When we listen to what presents itself, whether in our art or our lives, we make room for soul. In this daylong master class, we discover metaphor through myth, art, and writing. Myth provides us with the means to leave our daily world in order to make meaning of our everyday lives. The art deepens the focus. When we trust the art and story, we arrive at the heart of the matter. As Hillman wrote, “We breathe, expand, and let go, and something comes in from elsewhere....The daimon in the heart seems quietly pleased....It’s in touch. " When working with clients, we can offer the same process, encouraging them to trust the image, listen for metaphor, and be in touch with the heart.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Bodymap Process: A Somatic Art Intervention for Healing What the Body Holds
    April 24, 9 AM - 4 PM
    Seats Just Added!
    Darcy Lubbers, PhD, MFT, ATR-BC

    Pain, grief, shame, anxiety, regret, hope, love, inspiration, defeat, rage, heartache, exhaustion. The body carries within it a record of our life experiences, and the experiences that remain unprocessed can impede our sense of well-being and ability to function. At the same time, the body’s innate wisdom can be harnessed for deep physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Participants in this 6-hour master class will be introduced to, and invited to engage in, aspects of the Bodymap Process, the first structured and scalable use of bodymapping, which was developed and researched by the presenter. In this process, a life-size (actual or symbolic) outline of one’s body is created, and the felt sense is engaged as an internal reference point for spontaneous, visual art expression within this container, utilizing a variety of media. In this way, various themes can be explored and resolution of problematic symptoms facilitated. This technique is particularly effective in working with traumatized clients, individually or in groups. Moreover, guidelines for establishing safety will be offered, along with case material and applicability to a variety of clinical populations.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Saturday Morning Workshops (March 26, Virtual)

    Countertransference in Group Facilitation: Creative Approaches for Exploration & Efficacy
    April 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

    John Sherry, PhD
    Doriana Pantuso, MEd


    A significant amount of time in our training programs is focused on the "nuts and bolts" of providing treatment, including theory, methodologies, and techniques. Less of an emphasis is placed on the subjective understanding of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences while doing the work. In this 3-hour interactive workshop, we will explore countertransference through highlighting our own attachment styles that may typically come up in our work as group facilitators. For example, a therapist’s attachment style may have a real impact on group process, but may not ever be directly reflected upon. This session will emphasize the importance of reflective practice, which is vital to professional development, and facilitates the confidence that is necessary for efficacy in long-term professional practice. We will focus on understanding "buttons pushed," unconscious motivations, and blind spots as they relate specifically to our family of origin concerns, using a family systems framework to gain new insights into our clinical work. Creative, experiential activities will be introduced throughout this session toward the goal of enhancing insight around our countertransference styles. Recommended for advanced level clinicians of any specialty.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Geek Therapy & Telehealth: Video Games and Pop Culture in Therapy with All Ages
    April 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Josué Cardona, MS

    Netflix therapy? Popular media can transport us to worlds beyond our imagination, and with pandemic restrictions, they can provide a welcome getaway for anyone. Creative clinicians can use dynamic and engaging mediums like video games, comics books, tv shows, and social media to connect with clients through the things they care about while also addressing treatment goals in virtually any clinical setting. Evidence-based therapies can be paired with a client's favorite media to facilitate communication, improve problem solving skills, teach self-regulation, and enhance emotional development or social relationships. This 3-hour online workshop will introduce participants to the research and integration of different pop culture media into therapy with clients of all ages. In addition to exploring a wide variety of options together, a list of recommended tools and resources to implement these concepts into practice will be provided. This workshop is for counselors and psychotherapists working with children, adolescents, and adults. Non-geeks are welcome, and superhero costumes are optional!

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Interpersonal Neurobiology & Expressive Play Therapy for Safety in Trauma-Informed Parts Work
    April 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Marshall Lyles, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S


    Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) and the relational neurosciences have brought heightened attention to the need for establishing safety with clients of all ages and abilities above all other therapeutic goals in play therapy. This is even more critical when working in play therapy with clients affected by complex trauma. Unfortunately, there are times when the trauma client’s complicated inner-community of parts—consisting of unresolved aspects, an array of protectors, and internalized resources—cannot be "networked” so that the client can experience play therapy or other types of creative modalities as safe, making effective treatment quite a challenge. This 3-hour play therapy workshop will cover the basic neuroscience for understanding how clients develop different inner-community parts—especially as a result of trauma. We will explore how expressive forms of play therapy can be incorporated into treatment with traumatized clients of all ages to facilitate internal safety and balance. This workshop contains material that might elicit strong emotions for some participants.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Sex Positivity: Integrating a Sex Positive Approach in Therapy and Supervision
    April 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Daniel Blausey, MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LCAT

    Shifting social and cultural discourses on sexuality continually inform our attitudes, beliefs, interventions, assessments, and ways of engaging within therapeutic contexts. This 3-hour online workshop provides a sex-positive framework for all counselors and therapists to actively encourage and invite sex positive approaches into the therapeutic and supervisory setting. A sex positive framework respects the biological, psychological, social, and emotional elements of a client’s functioning, instills therapeutic confidence, and offers a safe boundary for client and therapist. Awareness of personal sexual values, beliefs, and histories is pivotal when a therapist is adopting a sex positive approach that promotes optimal care and reduces unintended client harm. This awareness helps to reveal our biases — whether fully conscious or not. Participants will be introduced to clinical and educational content integrated through artmaking to foster learning and exploration in a safe, fun, and non-judgmental space. They will have the opportunity to discuss working with countertransference and bring awareness to their comfort/discomfort in verbally and artistically exploring sexual terrain for use in treatment with clients. Finally, we will identify ways to support clients in speaking more freely about sexual explorations, curiosities, and difficulties.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Saturday Afternoon Workshops (April 23, Virtual)

    Culturally-Informed Play Therapy for Racial Trauma in Black Children & Families
    April 24, 1 PM - 4 PM


    April Duncan, LCSW, RPT-S

    Dr. Anthony Fauci confirmed that the Black community was facing a “double whammy”: the impact of COVID-19 pandemic compounded by civil unrest. This is why it is critical that play therapists learn the systems that affect the psychological well-being of children of color to enhance their work as clinicians. Research has shown that psychological distress is linked to high rates of racial trauma, which in turn has contributed to thoughts and acts of suicide in Black children. This 3-hour online workshop will examine the salient themes that often arise in play therapy sessions signifying racial trauma experienced by Black children. We will also explore play therapy techniques for working with clients exhibiting signs of trauma, grief, or suicide due to racial trauma. Participants will gain a better understanding of how to use play therapy in virtually any setting to help Black children and their families address the stress of racial trauma in America. Appropriate for educators and mental health professionals alike. No previous play therapy training required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Reaching Resistant Clients of All Ages Through Art: Techniques for Success
    April 24, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Erica K. M. Curtis, LMFT, ATR-BC

    Need to find an effective strategy (or two) to help you and "that" client move forward in your work together? In this 3-hour hands-on workshop, participants will practice arts-based interventions to help both clinician and client adopt a friendly stance toward the resistance that prevents the client from connecting in therapy. Participants will examine a variety of underlying factors that contribute to “resistance,” ranging from a mismatch in approach to well-established protective mechanisms that keep the client feeling emotionally and relationally safe. This workshop will provide practical skills for arts therapists and nonspecialist counselors and psychotherapists working with clients of all ages and abilities in virtually any clinical setting.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Working with Masks in Therapeutic Environments: Identities & Intersectionality
    April 24, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Kamran Afary, PhD, RDT
    Pam Dunne, PhD, RDT/BCT

    People often express dissatisfaction with their roles when they feel too constricted, fixed, or handed down in a way that blocks them from meeting their goals at home, at work, or in treatment. As counselors, therapists, and helping professionals, how might we enable our clients to envision their preferred roles in life—and do so creatively and with intentionality? Using masks, poetry, and games, we'll demonstrate how narrative and narradrama ideas about preferred and intersectional identities offer specific skills that counselors and therapists can use in their daily work. For instance, narradrama and intersectionality exercises guide participants in exploring identities that are still emerging or have been lost due to lack of recognition. We'll introduce exercises that will help participants to encourage their clients to envision and create environments where they can define and enact their preferred roles. This process will provide insight into enhancing self-awareness and self-image, and facilitate attunement in relationships with others. Throughout this 3-hour workshop, participants will learn specific yet creative exercises that illuminate these theories and concepts. Small groups will explore new ways of working with masks to help clients and others to better align their values with their roles and identities. No previous drama experience required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    6:30pm EST - Saturday Evening Event

    Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble: Free Special Performance
    April 24, 6 PM - 7:30 PM

    Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT/BCT

    Witness the magic of Playback Theatre by an ensemble headed by Armand Volkas, an internationally recognized drama therapist. During a Playback performance, audience volunteers are asked to describe stories from their lives. In response, Playback actors empathically and respectfully improvise using movement, song, dance, and spoken word to create a focused, yet multilayered, embodied narrative that represents the heart of the storytellers’ experiences.

    Playback Theatre is used in over 60 countries for education, dialogue, conflict transformation and community building as well as performance. Join us for an exciting and enlightening evening—and learn how Playback Theater can help participants attain broadened perspectives and deeper insight related to any issue or theme.

    And look for the special master class on Playback Theatre being offered at the Summit on Sunday, April 25th—no acting experience required. Shy people welcome!


    Please Note: This session is offered free of charge to the public, thanks to a generous grant.

    No CE credits or hours are available.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Sunday, 04/25/21
  •  

    Sunday Master Classes (March 27, Virtual)

    Altered Books for Building Community and Resilience During Catastrophic Times
    April 25, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Mindy Jacobson-Levy, MCAT, LPC, ATR-BC, HLM PAATA

    An altered book is a form of mixed-media artwork created by reworking and embellishing a previously published book, transforming its appearance and meaning into a personal narrative. By reconstructing the book's physical presence, the evolution of a contained space for safely harboring taxing thoughts and feelings may occur. Alongside the intense affect that may be expressed and within the same creative structure, evidence of resilience may be manifested creatively. Through the successful manipulation of media, experimenting with new art processes, and with the therapist as guide, the individual may become more attuned to navigating chaos in the world and within. The value of art journaling within an altered book will be explored in this daylong master class, as a tool for the self and to build community. Client artwork will be presented, illustrating the dynamic relationship between crises and peace. The combination of didactic and experiential learning will be creatively inviting!

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Playback Theatre: A Master Class with Armand Volkas
    April 25, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT/BCT

    Playback Theatre is an improvisational format in which personal stories told by audience members are transformed into improvised theatre pieces, while supportive others bear witness. A story can be tragic or funny: a childhood memory, a current life dilemma, an anecdote from work or travel, or a vision of the future. The essence of a story is then "played back" by actors and musicians using spoken improvisation, movement, and music. Sometimes a story becomes a myth, sometimes a realistic enactment. Playback Theatre validates and illuminates personal experience. It enables participants to view their lives in new ways within a supportive environment and draws people closer as they recognize their common humanity. Now used in over 60 countries as a therapeutic tool with applications in education, dialogue, conflict transformation, community building, and performance, Playback invites healing through the cultivation of spontaneity, creativity, playfulness, empathy, the capacity for deep listening, and teamwork. In these ways, this 6-hour master class offers skill building for therapists and other professionals. First developed in 1975 by Jonathan Fox, Playback Theatre is now practiced around the world and can be applied in virtually any setting. Shy professionals are welcome, and no prior acting experience is required.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Sunday Morning Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    Artful Grieving: A Creative Multimodal Approach to Grief Work with Children & Teens
    April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Patricia Jauchler, MS, MA, RDT/BCT

    This 3-hour experiential workshop explores ways to engage children and teens in grief work to enhance involvement and promote healing and rebuilding after the loss of a loved one. Attention will be paid to exploring activities appropriate to developmental stages. We will discuss and demonstrate a 3-step approach featuring warmup, action, and closure that incorporates experiences with music, art, and drama;to guide children and teens through their grief and beyond. Appropriate for all mental health professionals working with young people.

    Please note: This workshop may evoke strong feelings. Special care will be implemented to create a safe environment within which to work.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Authentic Movement and Intersubjective Space: Window into the Unconscious
    April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Jamie Yasgur, MS, BC-DMT, LCAT


    This 3-hour online workshop will focus on the practice of authentic movement in conjunction with psychoanalytic processing to deepen the understanding of unconscious impulses and desires. Rooted in a practice of active imagination and free association through movement, authentic movement provides a window into one’s unconscious. Images, impulses, and their resulting movement experiences then become available for processing verbally with the mover's witness/therapist. Subject material covered may enhance emotional development, and is especially useful when working with clients who do not typically respond to traditional “talk therapy” approaches. We will explore the therapeutic roles of witness, mover, and the intersubjective space as they are experienced in analytic authentic movement. This includes concepts such as the holding environment, internalization of the good object, and collective unconscious. This workshop will combine lecture-presentation and experiential learning through interactive, guided movement experiences with time for participant reflection and group discussion. Experiential components may elicit an emotional response in some participants, as movement can often bring unconscious feelings into consciousness.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    More than Miniatures in the Sand: An Advanced Clinical Consultation
    April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S, LMFT
    Dee Preston-Dillon, MA, PhD

    This advanced consultation group with experienced play therapists who integrate a sand therapy practice, or sand therapists who integrate a play therapy practice, will provide an opportunity to pause and reflect on clients' important work through sand therapy. Several pre-selected clinicians will provide slides of sand trays that we will explore from different theoretical perspectives, including Humanistic, Jungian, Existential, Narrative and Systemic. With a special focus on how to integrate sand scenes in the context of play, our discussion will address ways in which the sand therapy work informs and promotes overall play therapy goals.  Two seasoned professionals will each give their perspectives on sand tray presentations, and then encourage feedback from those in attendance. Each presenter will be asked to bring in a specific consultation question as well as a miniature that shows the question or their reaction to the client’s work. The goal of this consultation is to help play therapists and their colleagues to learn to deepen their understanding of sand scenes; practice a heightened, mindful presence during the sand therapy process; consider how countertransference provides client connection and boundaries; tolerate not-knowing; and activate imagination while exploring metaphor in play therapy, counseling, and other forms of clinical work. Participants can sign up to present, and will be asked to submit their slides prior to the consultation group for group exploration and discussion. Eligible for 3.0 Credit/Clock Hours: MFT; SWNYS, NY-LMHC
    Eligible for 3.0 group supervision hours for RPT candidates
    This session not eligible for NBCC credits. Also not eligible for APT continuing education credits.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Polyvagal Theory & Physiological State Memory in Arts-Based Trauma Therapy: Tools and Interventions
    April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Session Full
    Melissa Susman, MA, LMFT, SEP, ATR

    Modern trauma theorists widely assert that the effective treatment of posttraumatic stress must take into account its physiological and somatic impact, rather than just its psychological and cognitive sequelae. This requires a theoretical framework that can explain as well as guide appropriate interventions. The Polyvagal Theory provides just such a model. In this 3-hour experiential workshop, participants will learn the foundational concepts of Polyvagal Theory that can powerfully transform assessment, treatment planning, and session work. Coupled with hands-on approaches to the application of polyvagal concepts, they will gain the tools necessary to re-interpret client presentation in terms of physiological state memory processes. Relevant to all expressive arts approaches, this workshop provides therapists with a roadmap for developing an arts-based toolbox of interventions capable of empowering clients to shift out of traumatic re-living and into the flow of human connection and meaningful existence.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Reaching Uncommunicative, Resistant & Nonverbal Clients Through Music Therapy Strategies
    April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Dan Walsh, MS, MT-BC

    Clients who are uncommunicative or nonverbal can be challenging to work with for clinicians of any discipline. Clients' outward behaviors are often a result of them feeling that they are not being heard, and can be interpreted by clinicians as resistance. Unfortunately, this failure to connect and communicate can perpetuate a cycle that impedes progress toward therapeutic goals. In this 3-hour workshop, we will introduce music therapy-based strategies to overcome these obstacles to treatment, including mutual drumming and improvisations of music familiar to the client. Participants will also learn ways to empathize with and incorporate music that they are not familiar with...or even find aversive. Concepts such as the iso-principle, attunement, and resonance will be taught as pathways for connecting with clients' presenting affects and emotional states. Participants will be given opportunities to apply these principles while facilitating group and individual experiences. Time will also be set aside for participants to discuss how goals—such as affect regulation, reality orientation, and effective self-expression—can be achieved using these strategies. This workshop is appropriate for all clinicians and educators seeking a creative means of connecting with those they serve that they perceive as the most resistant.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Sunday Afternoon Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    Empowerment Through Metaphors: Writing Toward Resilience During Challenging Times
    April 25, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Tresha Faye Haefner, MA

    How do we help others feel safe, courageous, or empowered in the face of major struggles, often beyond our control? In this 3-hour workshop, participants will explore metaphors and patterns of resilience in the works of Mary Oliver, Maggie Smith, Armine Iknadossian, Chaun Ballard, Joel Francois and others, as they pertain to both personal and social struggles. Drawing on the work of Louise De Salvo in her book Writing as a Way of Healing, participants will also practice finding meaningful materials and creating metaphors for their own resilience in the face of personal and social conflict. This 3-hour online workshop is appropriate for educators and all counselors and therapists to use in their daily work with adolescent and adult clients in a variety of sessions.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Liberating Joy from Loss Through Prescriptive Memory-Making and Dyadic Creativity
    April 25, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Nancy Gershman, LMSW

    When working with a client’s memory, how do we locate the fleeting, joyful bits so often overshadowed by loss that no new insights can emerge? In this 4-hour workshop, the memory artist and clinical social worker who developed Dreamscaping will introduce her novel technique for arriving at the memory our client needs in order to move from isolation to re-integration in the world. This playful approach begins with excavating a client’s most precious memories—then joining the client there to figure out ways to enhance or build a new (prescriptive) memory from lived experience so that it becomes the place where healing can happen. Through case studies, learners will discover how prescriptive memories are compounded in a client’s imagination, resourcing only the most reliably positive, felt-sense memories and images as unmet (and unrealized) needs are uncovered. In ensemble dreamscaping, participants will get an excellent sense of what it takes to be a confident memory artist in mental health care, capable of leading your client to new sources of courage and humor based on their personally-developed imagery. Implications for using this method with adult populations (e.g., eating disorders, LGBTQ+) and in clinical settings (hospice) will be addressed.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Making Messy Art: The Power of Paint and Collage for All Ages, Abilities & Settings
    April 25, 1 PM - 4 PM


    Anna Reyner, MA, ATR, LMFT

    We disconnect from our left brain “logical” selves when we engage in art activities and immerse ourselves in the realm of right brain sensations, emotions, and pre-verbal memories. In facilitating this shift, sensory art activities enable clients of all ages and ability levels to gain access to unconscious content as well as enhance their emotional integration and healing. In this 3-hour workshop, we'll engage in fun, hands-on "messy" art experiences with a wide variety of fluid paint media and a multitude of sensory collage materials that are suitable for work with individuals and groups of all ages. Learn about the latest neuroscience of art and brain development and view a slide show on the how and why of sensory art experience, as well as the neuroscience behind its efficacy in mental health treatment. Have fun, learn practical skills to use in schools and clinical work, and explore an unforgettable "wild" art experience!

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Rituals & Story for Intergenerational and Sociocultural Healing in Drama Therapy
    April 25, 1 PM - 4 PM

    A Wonderful Introduction to Drama Therapy!

    Cynthia Holloway Kelvin, PhD, RDT

    This 3-hour workshop offers an experiential overview of the drama therapy process to heal intergenerational or sociocultural issues in the therapeutic setting or classroom. It will include a multimedia presentation followed by hands-on experience. Participants will learn ways to explore how intergenerational and sociocultural events impact the daily experience of their clients. They will also learn how to support clients and communal healing through structure (warmup, central activity, and closure), rituals, story, and key techniques, such as the use of distancing and witnessing. The workshop will include a performance ritual in which participants will reflect on discoveries as well as set intentions for continued social action. All mental health professionals, educators, and interested others are welcome.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Song Tapestry: Weaving Music & Lyrics with the Unconscious Mind
    April 25, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Stacie Aamon Yeldell, MA, MT-BC, AVPT

    Have you always wanted to incorporate music therapy techniques into your practice, but don't feel "qualified" or just don’t know how to do so? This highly interactive, 3-hour workshop focuses on the song tapestry method, which can be incorporated into treatment by expressive arts specialists as well as counselors and psychotherapists. Applicable in virtually any clinical setting and with most clinical populations, the creation of a musical map through song can: facilitate clinical assessment; break through resistance; name, validate, and process difficult emotions; address group dynamics; and build community within therapy groups. Songs fitting themes of power, safety, return, and connection access individual and group unconscious processes, thereby enhancing clinical development. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with crafting song tapestries in community during this workshop. All are welcome; no musical training required!

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Strength-Based Child Psychotherapy Strategies
    April 25, 1 PM - 5 PM
    Steve Baron, PsyD

    A strengths-based model for working with any clients concentrates on the inherent assets and resources they possess, in stark contrast to the traditional medical model that highlights deficits and shortcomings. By focusing on personal strengths and promoting the positive, clients can become empowered. The goal of this 4-hour workshop is to apply strengths-based concepts in working clinically with children and adolescents. During the session, participants will be presented with the latest research on the efficacy of this perspective and also have the opportunity to participate in applying therapeutic strategies that they can employ in their clinical work. In addition to promoting resilience, techniques to promote expression of positive emotions, including gratitude, kindness, and optimism will be presented. Although the clinical populations that can benefit from this approach are too numerous to mention, it can be especially effective for working with children who are anxious, depressed, or have impulse control problems. Designed with mental health counselors, play therapists, and arts psychotherapists in mind, these techniques can be used in treatment with individuals and groups in virtually any clinical setting.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Thursday, 04/29/21
  •  

    Thursday Master Classes (March 24, Virtual)

    Beat the Odds®: Social and Emotional Skill Building Delivered in a Framework of Drumming
    April 29, 9 AM - 4 PM
    Certificate Program
    Ping Ho, MA, MPH

    Experience how the evidence-based and trauma-informed Beat the Odds® program integrates the power of contemporary drum circles with group counseling to build core strengths such as focusing and listening, team building, positive risk taking, self-esteem, awareness of others, leadership, expressing feelings, managing anger/stress, empathy and gratitude. UCLA research has shown that it can reduce a spectrum of behavior problems in children, such as those related to withdrawn/depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, attention deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiance, and sluggish cognitive tempo.  In addition, it has been shown to be particularly effective with children in special education classrooms. Beat the Odds® emphasizes process and not performance. It includes a therapeutic dimension involving such elements as positive affirmations, emotional coping strategies, and guided interaction with rhythmic activities serving as a metaphor for life, followed by reflection and dialogue—without the stigma of therapy. The scripted curriculum enables sustainable delivery and does not require musical experience on the part of facilitators or participants.  This inclusive and culturally relevant program accommodates diverse abilities and can be easily adapted for any population. The training will offer specific guidelines on adapting the curriculum for different ages and abilities.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Enhancing Internal Family Systems Work (IFS) Using Expressive Writing & Action Methods
    April 29, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Nancy Scherlong, LCSW, PTR, M/S, CJT

     This day-long experiential and didactic master class will introduce the framework of Richard Schwartz's Internal Family Systems Model (IFS), which explores parts of self or sub-personalities in a holistic, systems-based manner, easily lending itself to exploration through written or enacted dialogues. Each of these 'parts' has a story and is born of an experience, encapsulated with somatic and emotional energy. Through acknowledging these various parts and allowing space for their stories, healing often occurs and space is created within an otherwise constricted nervous system. Generalists and specialists alike will gain a basic understanding of IFS, and experience applying the model to aspects of themselves and their clients through reflective reading, expressive and journal writing, elements of poetry therapy, and collage making. Prompts and poems will be supplied that exemplify the various parts of self along with ways to explore them expressively. Psychodramatic action methods will also be demonstrated. Participants will be encouraged to use these techniques in their clinical work within the limits of their professional capacities. No prior experience with IFS is required.

    PLEASE NOTE: This master class does not substitute for formal training in either IFS or the creative arts.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Private Practice Essentials for Creative Arts Therapists: What They Don't Teach You in School
    April 29, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Reina Lombardi, LMHC-QS, ATR-BC, ATCS

    While graduate schools prepare us to provide clinical treatment, they rarely teach the necessary skills for launching and building a solo clinical practice. This primarily didactic 6-hour master class is for you if you are thinking about launching your own practice, or if you are new to the world of private practice. Participants will learn business planning basics, such as how to determine an appropriate business structure and how to estimate start-up expenses. Attention will be given to understanding the clinical relevance of having a "money mindset" in private practice, and how to calculate your desired income, as well as set your schedule and fees, based on your expense estimate. We will briefly discuss ethical and legal considerations for successful integration of telehealth into practice. Marketing is another essential skill that is important to develop—especially if you don't already have a long list of potential clients—and it's an activity that is likely the most intimidating aspect of practice-building for most. Various marketing strategies will be presented and—since we're therapists, after all—how to determine which strategy might fit best with your personality style. We will also touch on critical legal issues you'll need to consider if you are going to hang out your own shingle. Participants will leave the session with a realistic sense of what it takes to get started (and be successful) in private practice, along with practical guidelines and tools to get them headed on their practice-building journey.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB;
    Not eligible for APT, New York State, or Social Work Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Morning Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Aggression & Resistance in Children Impacted by ASD: Strategies for the Playroom and Beyond
    April 29, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Esther B. Hess, PhD

    This 3-hour workshop offers play therapists and other clinicians an interactive opportunity to learn strategies from a play therapist who specializes in working with children and adolescents who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Participants will be introduced to the dynamics behind such worrisome behaviors such as aggression and active resistance in children on the spectrum, as well as play therapy-based strategies that promote calming, boundary recognition, and developmental growth. Play therapists and other participants will also learn ways to support stress response states, as well as to foster self-regulation and engagement in children with autism. Theory and techniques from DIR/Floortime® for working with children on the spectrum will be featured in this workshop. Additionally, play therapists and other participants will be invited to present their own cases for consideration according to this treatment model. Appropriate for play therapists and other mental health professionals alike.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Empowerment & Art Therapy: Healing from Relationship Violence
    April 29, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Rachel Brandoff, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) continues to be a problem for people of every demographic and culture. Aside from the general benefits of psychotherapy, there are few treatment protocols that provide a guide to working in therapy with the legacy of this horrific trauma. This 3-hour online workshop is based on the Empowerment Wheel Model, developed to help people recovering from interpersonal violence heal in the context of therapy. Participants will be introduced to practical art therapy approaches that can build on the 6 areas introduced in this treatment model, and encourage those who are living in safety after an abusive relationship to engage the process of self-repair.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Tarot & Visual Imagery in Expressive Arts Therapy Sessions: A Phenomenological Approach
    April 29, 9 AM - 12 PM
    Seats Just Added!
    Suzan Lemont, MA

    The highly visual card decks known as the Tarot are based on archetypal imagery and symbolism and have been in use since the 15th century, primarily as a supposed system of divination, a fortune teller's tool. However, those familiar with its many artistic iterations will recognize that the Tarot deck is a treasure trove of evocative imagery that can be used by almost anyone to deepen their knowledge of themselves and their own particular stories, challenges, preferences, problem-solving skills, and more.  Guided by a skilled therapist, these images easily lend themselves to transformative potential using an intermodal expressive arts therapy framework. By adopting a phenomenological approach, and letting go of the cards' prescribed/traditional meanings, there are many ways to use the deck in clinical practice to increase awareness of reactions to stimuli, or to explore buried memories or narratives, for instance. In this 3-hour online session, participants will be introduced to the theory and practice of using Tarot cards as stimuli for intermodal transfer of its images into creative writing, movement, voice work, and/or dramatic engagement in clinical expressive arts sessions.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Using Monster & Folkloric Imagery in Arts Therapies for Creating Transformational Narratives
    April 29, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Dan Summer, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT
    Laura Teoli, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, LCAT
    Devon Govoni, PhD, LMHC, ATR-BC, REAT

    In this 3-hour workshop, examples of how symbolic imagery from myth and folklore—particularly those featuring monsters—can be used in treatment to facilitate clients' emotional and interpersonal development. Building from an overview of psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic principles, active discussion, and guided expressive arts activities, participants will learn how to teach their clients how to confront and transform problematic experiences using these techniques, thereby gaining new perspectives for healing and transformation. The approaches featured in this workshop can be used by counselors and therapists working in a variety of settings, including with traumatized youth, as well as severely mentally ill and/or chemically dependent adolescents and adults. Intense feelings are often elicited by this process, so participation is best suited to experienced clinicians seeking to explore transference and countertransference issues in using these metaphors, and who will be able to incorporate this approach effectively into their work with clients.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Afternoon Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    How Art Therapy is Shaping Alzheimer's Care: Advanced Research, Museum Tours
    April 29, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Angel Duncan, MFT, ATR


    Over the past decade, art therapy programs have established themselves as essential to the holistic care of people with Alzheimer’s disease. This 3-hour workshop will review Alzheimer’s disease from a clinical perspective and how the arts engage memory despite neural death. We will report on advances in technology that demonstrate how PET and MRI brain imaging confirm art’s impact on mental health, and how creativity preserves personhood for those dealing with this common form of dementia. Next, a review of museum and art gallery initiatives for Alzheimer’s patients and their supportive others will be explored and illustrated through case examples. Research regarding how these tours are designed to offer successful art therapy activities will be considered. For example, those still in the early onset phase, early stages, and moderate to advanced forms of Alzheimer’s may benefit; but how can art therapy take these programs a step further to extend their efficacy through all stages of the disease? This workshop is designed for art therapists working with dementia clients, as well as museum and art gallery docents and staff who wish to learn about art therapy-based museum programs and how to implement them.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Nature-Based Expressive Approaches for Healing from Medical Illness: Coping Despite COVID
    April 29, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Alessandra Colfi, PhD, RYT-200, ZIN®
    Sharon Frances (Chappell), PhD, MA
    Tessie Herrasti, MA

    For any of us, being in nature can facilitate calming, life-enhancing feelings. It can help to improve mood by relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety, thus promoting overall mind-body wellness. But for people with life-threatening illnesses—particularly those with cancer—access to nature and the benefits it can provide is especially important. For those with seriously compromised immune systems, however, access to nearby nature sites might not always be advisable during the pandemic lockdown period. This 3-hour online workshop will feature a number of indoor/outdoor nature-based expressive techniques, including a forest bathing guided imagery and the creation of a nature mandala, that can be used as “coping hacks” even for those stuck at home. Workshop participants will be encouraged to use their full sensory capacities to access the four elements, the four seasons, and the four cardinal points. In so doing, they’ll learn to teach clients to call upon their own natural resources to foster hope, connection, and compassion through the imagery and archetypes found in nature. This creative, holistic approach is appropriate for clients of all ages who are fighting cancer or any other serious illness. For those who are able to get out of the house— away from Zoom and Netflix— (and even those who aren’t), it will encourage them to develop the resilience that can come from being in touch with nature as part of their daily therapy and wellness practices.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The “Wise Body” Approach in Sandplay: A Somatic Process for Traumatized Clients & Others
    April 29, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Linda Elaine Bath, PhD, LMFT, CST-T
    Patrick Faggianelli, PhD

    As embodied beings, we carry the knowledge of our mind, body, and spiritual wholeness at a cellular, somatic memory level. This is sometimes known as “Wise Body” in Eastern philosophy. In the aftermath of traumatic experience, however, one's innate memory of wholeness can become disjointed or fragmented. Restoration of this unity of consciousness is what Dora Kalff, founder of sandplay therapy, viewed as the essential feature of her method. This 3-hour, didactic and experiential workshop will highlight mindfulness techniques, aikido practices (no prior knowledge or physical dexterity required), and a sandplay case presentation to illustrate theory and deepen therapeutic presence and play therapy skills. Each participant will have the opportunity to engage in these activities to help them develop clinical strategies and enhance clinical effectiveness in working with children and adults who manifest symptomatology in their bodies, particularly trauma- and stress-related illnesses. They will also practice ways to gauge when to stay “in the metaphor,” when to seek a symbolic perspective, and when to manage stress through somatic experiencing of breath, flow, and body movement during the therapeutic session.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: STA, NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Creative Cognitive Therapy Method: Short-term, Solution-Focused Therapy Through Art
    April 29, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Pamela Malkoff Hayes, MFT, ATR-BC

    The Creative Cognitive Therapy Method is ​an integrative system that combines traditional cognitive behavioral therapy with art therapy techniques developed to help clients stay focused on solving their problems, rather than just griping about them in treatment. This short-term, 10 session, solution-focused program helps clients to gain new perspectives on their lives and challenges as they strengthen their daily coping skills.​ Each session includes a specific goal, motivational quote, CBT technique, art therapy activity, as well as homework. Participants will learn to use the approach first-hand directly from its creator. This 3-hour, interactive, online workshop includes drawing activities, lecture, group discussion, and short video excerpts of​ ​a client going through the Creative Cognitive Therapy Method. In these sessions, they will be able to observe the client, Emily, identify, confront, and move past the anxiety keeping her from making progress in therapy and in her life. Counselors and therapists of all persuasions are invited to join us to learn how this creative, structured approach can help their clients understand themselves on a much deeper level than through traditional talk therapy, and facilitate a tangible level of change.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Trauma-Informed Art Therapy Interventions for Adolescent Groups: Virtual Connections
    April 29, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Wanda Montemayor, LPC-S-AT, ATR-BC, ATCS, RPT-S

    Participants in this 3-hour online workshop will be introduced to a number of digital sites in addition to other more traditional art activities that they can use with traumatized teens when working online in groups. These effective tools for working with adolescents impacted by anxiety and loneliness during the pandemic help to foster connection and relationships within the group by stimulating dialogue through virtual and high touch art activities. Discussion will also include practical tips for forming and maintaining online art-based treatment groups for adolescents and others. All mental health professionals are welcome.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Thursday Evening Workshops (March 24, Virtual)

    Differentiation & Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD in Children
    April 29, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Esther B. Hess, PhD, RPT-S

    DSM-5’s diagnostic classification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD recognizes the similarities of these two neurodevelopmental disorders. This 2-hour online workshop will focus on the question of whether they are truly distinct entities or are variants that exist along a spectrum of symptomatology. This session is geared for experienced clinicians seeking to better understand the nature and treatment of both autism spectrum disorder and ADHD through teasing out the similarities and differences in their clinical presentations. Video case studies will be presented to encourage discussion among participants. Specifically, we’ll explore how a child with the dual diagnosis of ASD and ADHD presents in the classroom and at home, and also consider their impact on family life. Treatment options including drug therapies and behavioral intervention will be discussed.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Facilitating Sleep Hygiene to Improve Clients' Daily Functioning: An Occupational Therapy Approach
    April 29, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Caryn Shore-Genack, MS OTR/L

    According to a study conducted by the CDC, more than 35 percent of adults under the age of 65 are reportedly sleeping less than 7 hours a night. Adults who are “short sleepers” are more likely to report being obese, physically inactive, and current smokers. “Rest and Sleep” is considered one of the 8 occupations listed in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework III, nevertheless the role of the practitioner in promoting sleep “preparation,” much less “participation,” remains elusive. In this 2-hour evening presentation, we will define “sleep hygiene” and explain how it can be related to a variety of practice settings from the perspective of occupational therapy. Participants will gain the knowledge necessary to facilitate a consistently restful, uninterrupted sleep for their clients in order to promote increased function in all domains. Topics that will be covered include: evaluating sleep habits and quality of sleep, the role of food and supplements, the environment (sound, scent, lighting, temperature), and exercise. Current trends in technology, such as the use of apps to track and promote restful sleep, will also be explored. The session will conclude with a live yoga practice specifically designed to promote sleep hygiene.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NYOT (New York State only) only.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Rapid Drawing Processes to Get to the Heart of Your Thinking
    April 29, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Jon Pearson, MA

    By discovering a number of simple drawing techniques that mimic how the brain actually “thinks,” participants will learn how to quickly access deeper layers of unconscious and visual thought in this 2-hour evening session. For instance, in the “Four Square” process, words like “courage,” “hope,” “gratitude,” or “love” serve as starting points for rapid drawings—with great potential for later examination and clarification. This quick eye-and-mind-opening process bypasses everyday cognition to get to the “heart” of a concept's meaning, thanks to the isomorphic principle. A key to all of the expressive arts in therapy, isomorphism refers to the similarity in structure between an internal state and its external manifestation, thereby facilitating enhanced insight. This session is recommended for non-specialist clinicians and others who wish to help their clients (or themselves) to get beyond what they "think that they think" and explore what they really think. All are invited!

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Body's Intelligence: Understanding Physical Cues & Sensations
    April 29, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Eva C. Glaser, MA, BC-DMT, LPC

    In recent years, a lot of attention has been given to “self-care” in a wide variety of contexts. While essential for us as mental health professionals, defining self-care can be as elusive as finding the time to practice it. This 2-hour evening session will explore how paying attention and attuning to our own bodies can inform our perspectives as clinicians and help us to recognize our needs in providing quality care to our clients. Whether in the aftermath of managing daily crises or seizing an in-the-moment opportunity to identify feelings and sensations rising to the surface of consciousness, we will explore and discuss how paying attention to physical cues provides an effective way to begin identifying what we need in order to take care of ourselves as well as enhance our work as clinicians. Participants will learn ways to use their bodies as sources of restoration and compassion, as well as how to acknowledge and manage pain and discomfort that arises from the work they do. Together, we will engage in a variety of experiential techniques to expand embodied awareness and intelligence . . . and what do with it.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
  • Friday, 04/30/21
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    Friday Master Classes (March 25, Virtual)

    El Duende Process Painting: Single Canvas Exploration for Reflection & Feedback
    April 30, 9 AM - 4 PM
    Offered again August 8, click here

    Abbe Miller, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC

    El Duende Process Painting (EDPP) was originally developed by the speaker for use in graduate art therapy supervision seminars. Thanks to its capacity for fostering self awareness in the here-and-now, as well as enhancing attunement, it has become used in art therapy clinical practice and clinician daily reflective process. What makes it rather unique as an art therapy approach is that EDPP provides continuous, ongoing art and emotional encounters on a single canvas surface versus sequential ones. This daylong master class will focus on two particular elements of the approach: layering/re-working during art making; and enhancing/expanding the experience by creating and using prompts for reflection and feedback loops. The dynamic between which images stay and which are lost during the process is explored with prompts guided by all three levels on the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). No previous painting talent or art therapy experience is required.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    SoulCollage® as a Pathway Towards Illumination & Balance for Professionals
    April 30, 9 AM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Mindy Jacobson-Levy, MCAT, ATR-BC, LPC, HLM PAATA

    Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic process involving the use of images and personal narratives for processes ranging from exploration to integration. Collage is a mainstay technique in art therapy, and SoulCollage® is a 2-step collage making process featuring the creation of numerous 5” x 8” cards combined with journaling for "soul discovery." Each card represents an energy that is a guide, helper, or opponent; all cards collectively comprise one’s personal SoulCollage® deck. Following the naming of each card and subsequent written dialogue, the card creator can speak with the “voice" of the card to access answers to personal questions and challenges. This structured approach makes SoulCollage® a user-friendly method that readily facilitates introspection, illumination, and balance. In this 6-hour master class, participants will be invited to explore the exciting realm of SoulCollage® “in community.” Case material will be shared as it pertains to the integration of personal SoulCollage® creations within individual psychotherapy treatment, as well as for self-reflective artmaking by the therapist. We'll also address the benefits of facilitator training for therapists. Participants will leave this fun and energizing session with the beginnings of their own SoulCollage® deck!

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Morning Workshops (April 22, Virtual)

    Giving a Voice to Trauma Through Vocal Psychotherapy
    April 30, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Diane Austin, DA, ACMT, LCAT
    Jenny Hoi Yan Fu, MA, LCAT, MT-BC
    Allison Reynolds, LCSW-R, LCAT, MT-BC

    Problems in the very beginning of life within the caretaker-infant bond will most likely affect the child throughout their life and can set the stage for vulnerability to other forms of trauma, such as vicarious traumatization. Primitive defenses like denial and dissociation protect the fragile self from annihilation, but also affect the integrity of the personality. Research has shown that singing can help resource and build resilience in people who have been silenced because fear, blocked grief, and rage imprison the voice. Recovering from trauma and reclaiming one’s voice requires re-inhabiting the body and healing the splits between body, mind, and spirit. Vocal psychotherapy is a relatively new approach developed by Austin that uses the breath, natural sounds, vocal improvisation, and dialogue to create a safe environment that allows the client to revisit developmental stages where there has been a rupture to the integrity of the self. Participants in this 3-hour workshop will be introduced to vocal holding and free associative singing, methods that create a predictable two-chord structure and—with the therapist’s voice singing in unison, harmony, and mirroring—provide an opportunity for reparative experiences with a “good enough” mother/therapist. Singing and sounding facilitate deep breathing that slows the heart rate, calms and nurtures the nervous system, and creates an experience of grounding. This relaxed, centered state is especially helpful to anyone who is experiencing panic or anxiety. All of this will be illustrated through pre-recorded case material and live interaction with the faculty.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Open Studio for Emotional Renewal: Social-Emotional Creative Support for All Ages
    April 30, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Sarah Laing, MAAT, ATR
    Patti Vick, MFA

    Developing a sustainable creative practice is a simple and effective way to release stress, restore empathy, and create balance and congruence within our personal and professional lives. Art & Renewal is the title of a program designed to support social workers, counselors, therapists, educators, medical professionals, body workers, first responders, community organizers—any helping practitioner whose work is high stress, emotionally demanding, and prone to burnout. This 3-hour online workshop, which incorporates basic art materials and reflective journaling, invites participants to engage in the Open Studio process of intuitive artmaking and writing within a small group format. Participants will have an opportunity to create and share in an environment of supportive non-interference. They will learn how this art therapy method has been used with a wide range of clinical populations, ages, and abilities. We'll discuss how this method is adaptable according to the needs of the group and can enhance emotional development. In addition to providing some background on our studio and practice, our most recent social-emotional learning art curriculum for Pre-K and K-8 (which will be highly informative for counselors and others working with school populations) will be presented.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Sandtray with Internal Family Systems: Establishing Safety Through Metaphor (Part 1)
    April 30, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Lauren Spaulding, LMFT, LPC


    The goal of this 3-hour morning workshop is for participants to learn to incorporate IFS process questions into Homeyer and Sweeney's Sandtray Trans-Theoretical Protocols when working with clients of any age. By integrating these two models, clinicians can create a safe environment for clients to explore their internal parts through the use of metaphor. Of particular benefit to clients who otherwise struggle with guided imagery and/or embodied approaches, sand tray and IFS can be used in virtually any clinical setting, and can be useful especially with clients who do not typically respond to traditional “talk therapy” approaches. Clients who are working through complex trauma also benefit from this integrated model since it provides some cognitive distance from the trauma story, allowing for enhanced self-awareness and processing. Participants will learn basic IFS concepts, and—working in small groups—will have a chance to practice IFS and sandtray processing with each other as they create trays together. This workshop is appropriate for counselors and therapists, specialist and non-specialist alike, who work with clients of all ages and abilities. Some of these experiential activities have the potential to elicit strong emotions and/or issues, so participants must remain mindful of this and take responsibility for protecting themselves as needed.

    Please Note: For those wishing to pursue this process in more depth, a 3-hour, Part 2 workshop is offered in the afternoon.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    The Stories They Need to Tell: Therapeutic Writing Tools for Healing & Transformation
    April 30, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Kathleen (Kay) Adams, LPC
    Sandra Marinella, MA, MEd

    Our narratives matter; they define who we are. For this reason, stories are invaluable tools for counselors, therapists, and educators to use in their work with clients, students, and groups. Based on work with thousands of students, writers, veterans suffering from PTSD, and cancer patients at Mayo Clinic, this 3-hour workshop will feature inspiring stories that demonstrate five effective ways that personal stories and writing can be used in clinical treatment to support healing and growth. Participants will be able to identify three significant findings from recent neuroscience that explain how writing our positive stories can lead to creating healthier, happier, and more resilient identities. The speakers will demonstrate how to use two or more writing/storytelling activities from the book The Story You Need to Tell, and participants will learn interactively to apply these activities while creating their own plans to integrate them into treatment and/or education with individuals and groups of any age or ability. No previous experience with writing or storytelling is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Therapeutic Photography: Faces of Shame in Selfies
    April 30, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Deborah Cluff, PhD

    In this 3-hour therapeutic photography workshop, we'll explore how shame is exposed in self-portraits. Shame will be defined and explained relative to how it is experienced somatically to its significance in working with clients. The benefits of using photography in treatment will be explained and explored. Examples of self-portraits will be presented for group discussion and interpretation. Participants will create and evaluate self-images to focus on the shame experience. A guided imagination exercise will be offered to facilitate access to the shame experience and demonstrate how to transform shame quickly in clinical work. Please have your self-portraits available, and be prepared to share them with the group.No technical photography experience required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
     

    Friday Afternoon Workshops

    Addressing Implicit Bias in Clinical Work with Communities of Color
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    April D. Duncan, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S

    Now more than ever, clinicians are reviewing the ways they can increase cultural competence in their clinical practice with clients of color. Implicit biases are the unconscious stereotypes every person has, but many rarely work to address. Small group discussion and role plays will be used in this 3-hour workshop to challenge clinicians to explore their own biases while also providing practical skills to use in their clinical settings and personal life to alter identified biases. Time will be spent learning the cause of implicit biases and how they may show up in clinical work with clients of color. From hospitals to schools to nonprofit organizations, clinicians from every race and ethnicity can learn better ways to spot and alter implicit biases while increasing their empathy and connection with their clients of color.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Authentic Movement for Facilitating Joy, Awareness & Healing
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    E. Connor Kelly, MA, BC-DMT, LPC , DTAA

    Authentic movement is a self-directed practice of discovery through which body wisdom guides self-inquiry and expression. Simple, yet profound, it can be incorporated by mental health practitioners of all disciplines into their work with populations of all ages and abilities. Authentic movement is inner-initiated and explores spontaneous gesture, movement, stillness, and sound in the present moment. There are no special movements to learn, only one’s own to discover. This is a process of learning to witness oneself, as well as others, from a neutral, aware place. Since cell-level memory and "stuck" emotions can be released and healed through this process, joy and healing often result. In this 3-hour workshop, participants will learn simple, effective ways to help their clients incorporate embodied self-regulation skills into their healing that can enhance mindfulness and contemplative practices, as well as complement somatic psychology, among others. No previous experience in dance or dance/movement therapy is necessary. Come learn how to renew and reconnect so you can pass it on to others!


    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Sandtray with Internal Family Systems (Part 2): Establishing Safety Through Metaphor
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Lauren Spaulding, LMFT, LPC


    For counselors and psychotherapists who wish to engage their adult, adolescent, or child clients with a safer "container" for processing trauma and stressors, Part 2 of this two-part day of sessions will introduce and provide an opportunity for hands-on exploration and understanding of Homeyer and Sweeney's Sandtray Trans-Theoretical Protocols. This afternoon session will include role play with partners and groups, case examples, and role play with the presenter. This workshop is appropriate for counselors and therapists, specialists and non-specialists alike, who work with clients of all ages and abilities. Some of these experiential activities have the potential to elicit strong emotions and/or issues, so participants must remain mindful of this and take responsibility for protecting themselves as needed. A good understanding of both IFS and Sandtray Therapy is required to attend this training.

    Please Note: Attending the morning Introduction Course to Sandtray with Internal Family Systems workshop is a pre-requisite for taking this afternoon workshop since the theory is not repeated in the afternoon. Those who attended the introductory session at the November E T Summit are also encouraged to attend.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    The Personal Hope Book: A Container of Resilience for Teens & Adults
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Erin Partridge, PhD, ATR-BC

    Research has shown that storytelling in treatment is an effective way to promote resilience. Art therapists can enhance this effect by teaching their clients how to create books expressly for this purpose. For instance, quotes that refer to aspects of hope and hopefulness invite clients to prioritize positivity and can function as a touchstone regarding happiness and well-being. Further, adding imagery to the quotations within the book format can enable the therapist and client to collaborate on defining the meaning of hope, as well as identify the characteristics of successful treatment together. In this 3-hour workshop, we will explore the use of a structured set of directives in a curriculum designed to instill hope and resilience in clients of all ages. Participants will learn about, and engage in, the process of creating a personal book of hopeful content. Treatment applications across several different populations and settings will be explored and discussed. No previous bookmaking or art therapy experience is required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Victims, Bullies & Bystanders: A Multimodal Play Therapy Approach for All Ages
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Leslie Baker, MFT, NCC, RPT-S
    Mary Ruth Cross, MS, MFT, NCC, RPT-S

    More and more, play therapists are receiving referrals for children who are being bullied, or those who are bullies. An age-old trauma for school-age children in hallways and cafeterias, the forms and incidences of bullying, which include cruelty, exclusion, and rumor-spreading have grown exponentially due to the blossoming of digital media. Bullying is particularly insidious in childhood because it disrupts brain development, impacting self-regulation and the ability to build connection in relationships. Incorporating play therapy theory, neurosequential brain development theory, and moderate exposure via experiential play therapy techniques such as drawing, sand tray, and drama play, this 3-hour workshop will provide participants with an integrated approach to the treatment of bullying. In particular, systemic dynamics that perpetuate the cycle of bullying will be examined, including the roles of the victim, bully, and bystander in the process. Multimodal Play Therapy Intervention helps these trauma survivors to discover and develop ways to move forward in connection. Using this approach, clinicians can facilitate healing in relationship with their clients through the use of moderate exposure. This strategy, which can be used in virtually any clinical setting, increases the window of tolerance in bullied clients, and allows their brains to reintegrate trauma via these experiential play and creative arts modalities.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Yoga, BrainDance, and Hanna Somatics: An Integrated Approach
    April 30, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Gail Abrams, MA, CMA, RYT-200, RSME

    This 3-hour workshop, suitable for generalists and specialists alike, will apply the somatic modalities of BrainDance and Hanna Somatics to yoga. BrainDance is a framework of movements based on eight developmental patterns that babies move through in their first year. These patterns, essential for efficient, well-integrated movement, wire the central nervous system so the brain can operate at full potential. Patterns missed as a baby (or later) due to trauma, illness, injury, or daily use of the body may cause gaps in physical and neurological development, which may later appear as learning disabilities, behavior disorders, inefficient movement, or speech, balance, filtering, and memory problems. Moving through these patterns can improve or correct problems and optimize physical and cognitive functioning. Hanna Somatics is a form of neuromuscular movement re-education that addresses the root cause of most chronic pain/tension, or Sensory Motor Amnesia [SMA]: the brain and how it senses and organizes muscles and movement. Through a method called pandiculation, the brain and body work together to alleviate SMA, which may cause as much as 50% of chronic pain that results in limited mobility, sciatica, joint pain, postural problems, headaches, shallow breathing, etc. These techniques are suitable for all ages, populations, and abilities because they are adaptable to—and celebrate—the individual. No prior yoga experience is necessary.

    Participants are encouraged to use a yoga mat or similar comfortable surface, plus a blanket, pillow or bolster, and two yoga blocks (tissue or shoe boxes also work).

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Friday Evening Workshops (March 25, Virtual)

    A Castaneda-Inspired Shamanic Journey of Breath & Movement
    April 30, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Nyei Murez, MA

    Join us for some simple breaths as practiced by Dr. Carlos Castaneda, whose field work on indigenous cultures of the American Southwest led him to his teacher, don Juan Matus, a Yaqui seer and heir to a Toltec lineage of ancient Mexico. In this 2-hour online workshop, we will breathe through an evolutionary journey from single-celled animals to humans—a progression biologists refer to as phylogeny. Breathing into the positions and movements that evoke this journey, we step outside of our current predicaments to access the vast awareness of our nonhuman ancestors and relatives, bringing our parasympathetic nervous systems into play, and awakening new inspiration in our daily lives. The ability to breathe, of course, is the only pre-requisite, and all are invited.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Art Therapy for Wellbeing: Promoting Preventive Mental Health Practices for Mothers & Others
    April 30, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Nadia Paredes, LMFT, ATR

    This 2-hour evening workshop, introduces a series of brief art therapy preventive techniques designed to engage people of different ages and abilities in creative self-care. Participants will learn ways to educate the public about using art making as part of a preventive mental health care practice, and to enhance emotional development. Drawing upon preventive art therapy online group workshops with mothers, we will explore the different levels that need to be considered in order for clinicians to become an "arts in wellness advocate" as well as an agent for social change on a multigenerational level. Participants will have an opportunity to practice brief process-based art exercises that have proven effective in engaging healthy adults looking for ways to manage stress, isolation, and the many other changes and losses brought upon them as a result of living through the COVID pandemic. Educators, arts therapists, and other helping professionals who value the concepts of prevention and self-care—particularly in regard to maternal mental health—are encouraged to attend.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Engaging Adolescents with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Overcoming Resistance to Artmaking
    April 30, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Susan Loesl, MA, WATRL, ATR-BC

    Adolescents identified with emotional and/or behavioral disorders can be a challenging population to work with, whether individually or in groups, no matter the clinical setting, and particularly online. When it comes therapeutic art making, they can exhibit all manner of resistant behaviors to avoid engagement. In this 2-hour workshop, participants will be introduced to a variety of alternative art materials/tools and adapted art techniques especially for working with art-resistant adolescents. Through lecture, demonstration, images, and hands-on creative experiences, participants will explore novel strategies, and learn effective ways of working with teens who have emotional and behavioral disorders so that they might benefit from individual and/or group arts-based treatment, particularly if they do not already respond to more traditional verbal approaches.

    Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Self-Breema Exercises for Vibrant Health: A Natural Antidote to Computer Stress
    April 30, 6 PM - 8 PM

    Alexandra Johnson, MD 
    Jon Schreiber, DC

    Almost everyone is spending too much time in front of a computer these days, and many of us are experiencing the deleterious effects that has on our health. Common repercussions include neck, shoulder, and back pain, eye strain, nervous system imbalances, anxiety, and stress. Fortunately, there are many Self-Breema exercises that can be easily learned and practiced to vitalize, balance, and strengthen the body and many of its compromised systems. These exercises are safe, simple, direct, and brief. They can be practiced anywhere, anytime. In this 2-hour evening workshop, we will present a concise set of Self-Breema exercises, and practice them with you as we introduce you to Breema’s Nine Principles of Harmony. The Principles support us to respond to the extraordinary stresses of life these days with resilience and clarity. They offer us a solid foundation from which we can take step after step in the direction of health and harmony. All are welcome!



    Not eligible for CE Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    The Power of Guided Imagery to Heal: A Dynamic Approach
    April 30, 6 PM - 8 PM

    David Gordon, PhD

    Guided imagery shares a sisterhood with the expressive arts. In this 2-hour evening workshop, participants will learn how dynamic techniques in guided imagery can enhance possibilities for interacting with imagery and unearthing revelation.

    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
  • Saturday, 05/01/21
  •  

    Saturday Master Classes (March 26, Virtual)

    Containers for Grief, Memory, and Hope: Exploring the Sacred Space of the Shrine
    May 1, 9 AM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Laura Bauder, MA, ATR, CAADC
    Charlotte Reed, MSW, MA, ATR-P

    Shrines have been used throughout history and cultures to invoke sacred space amidst the mundane. In this 6-hour Master Class, we will explore this uniquely numinous construction that acts as a container for personal memory, shared emotions, and community healing. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will explore the healing benefits of using shrines to commemorate and understand the difficult experience of grief and loss, reflect on personal experience, and learn to accept change. Participants will explore the four tasks of mourning as described by William Worden and how they relate to the shrine as a therapeutic form. Using the framework of contemplative psychology, participants will be guided through the construction of several shrines, focusing on the power of objects to invoke healing energies. Experiential learning will include the use of sacred and secular ritual as pathways to interact with these memorial objects. Discussions regarding the use of shrines with clients will focus on both personal resilience and community healing. Participants are asked to bring a cardboard box, such as a cigar box, as well as several items that relate to a person, energy, or experience that they would like to memorialize. Suggested items include copies of family photos, media clippings, small treasures, or pieces of fabric.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Every Body, Every Size: Intuitive Eating, Spirit Dolls & Political Art Therapy
    May 1, 9 AM - 4 PM

    New, Expanded Version!


    Em Reim Ifrach, CEDCAT-S, REAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPC, NCC, RMT, LCAT

    In this 6-hour Master Class, participants will have the opportunity to create spirit dolls that can be used in a group setting with people who have eating disorders, low self-esteem, body dysmorphia, and body-related issues to enhance emotional and clinical development of the client. Participants will learn about the practical applications of social action art therapy, the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach, intuitive eating, and political art therapy as a way to address current cultural adversities surrounding the marginalization of bodies and eating disorders. A political model of art therapy puts an emphasis on the relationship between the self, the symptoms, and the culture in which they manifest, as well as calling for an awareness of power and value issues that are believed to impact those symptoms. The desire for increased social consciousness often guides the art making so that both the process and the product become the voice of the disenfranchised. In this way, art therapists are facilitating a public arena for the voice of the artist to be heard within the social context. The emotional release in the art making experience aids in healing, and the display of the art in a public environment may help to achieve a sense of power as the artist asserts his or her beliefs in the greater community.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Fairy Tales in Sand Therapy: Active Imagination, Memes & Meaning
    May 1, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Dee Preston-Dillon, PhD

    Sand therapy is nested in the larger context of human story-telling, including centuries of oral traditions and fairy tales across cultures. In fairy tales, we see innocence and vulnerability, misuse of power, heroes and heroines, challenges along the journey, discovery and renewal. These memes emerge in the therapeutic context of sand scenes—layered meanings with potential for psychological transformation. A clinician’s ability to comprehend and respond to symbols in sand includes collaborative story-telling, active imagination, and flow. When working in sand therapy with individuals or groups, clinicians must facilitate a safe process and enhance their capacity to resonate and deepen imaginative collaboration. In the ritual space of a sand scene, purposeful and meaningful engagement includes silence, listening for voices among figures in the sand, and client active imagination. Existential connections realized, the empowered client reclaims alienated, traumatized selves in three domains: self, community, and environment. This 6-hour online master class will include an introduction to active imagination and therapeutic metaphors; parallels between sand scenes and memes from fairy tales across cultures; a video of collaborative active imagination in sand; two experiential activities engaging symbols and active imagination; a chart of theory and ethics for clinician competency using symbols in sand; and ending the session with response to participant questions. A bibliography on the psychology of fairy tales will be provided.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Saturday Morning Workshops (March 26, Virtual)

    12-Step-Inspired Directives with Art Therapy for Group & Individual Recovery
    May 1, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Anna Pirkl, MA, MFT, ATR, LAADC

    Art therapy techniques can be used to explore and strengthen the addiction recovery process for adolescents and adults, whether individually or in groups. This 3-hour workshop features art directives inspired by 12-step programs designed to help clients externalize and internalize principles for recovery. Counselors and psychotherapists working in virtually any setting will find the approach presented to be of interest, since it can also help clients who are not members of 12-step programs discover insights, too. Intended as a respectful homage to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), these strategies can enhance both emotional and cognitive development. Since art making can be a bit threatening—or triggering—for some clients, learning to create safety through structure and thoughtful use of materials will also be explored.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Children of Divorce: Play Therapy & Expressive Arts Strategies for Living in the Divided Kingdom
    May 1, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Ann Beckley-Forest, LCSW, RPT-S

    In this 3-hour workshop intended for play therapists and other clinicians who work with children, we will explore and demonstrate current best practices in prescriptive and child-responsive play therapy to help young clients in families with a high level of disruption and conflict among the adults, including in divorce. Working from a framework of trauma-informed play therapy, we'll examine how to apply the clinical approaches of play therapy innovators to the large population of children affected by divorce. Providing safety in the play therapy session and opportunities for children to use the play therapy environment to cope with loyalty conflicts helps to bind their anxieties and allows healing to begin. There will be opportunities in this play therapy workshop to use puppets, sandtray, and bookmaking as creative modalities for healing. Certain of the experiential play therapy activities may be upsetting to some, and participants should make their own choices about what to share.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Superheroes to the Rescue: Fighting Trauma & Anxiety in Clients of all Ages
    May 1, 9 AM - 12 PM

    April Duncan, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S

    Sometimes we're able to help our clients using talk or artmaking, dance or drama, writing or music. But other times, when problems seem insurmountable or symptoms get scary, it takes a superhero to get the work done. Luckily, most of our clients—regardless of age or ability—have superheroes within who can come to their rescue! In this 3-hour workshop, we'll review superhero narratives and imagery, and explore the variety of ways that using the concept of an inner superhero can facilitate clinical progress in clients at all ages, not just with kids or teens. In particular, we will discuss how play therapists and other helping professionals can integrate superhero-themed play and artmaking activities to combat anxiety and depression in clients across the lifespan. To do this, participants will learn how to identify personality traits that can inspire the formation of an inner superhero to serve as the central metaphor for powerful management and transformation of symptoms. Come learn a fun, functional play therapy concept and technique that can be used in group and individual work in virtually any type of clinical setting.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LCAT, LMHC (New York state only); APT**
    **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Therapeutic Improvisation in Clinical Practice: Individual, Family & Group Approaches
    May 1, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Summit Favorite!


    Neal King, LCSW

    In clinical practice, we listen closely, we observe body language, then we comment, intervene, or listen some more. In other words, we improvise. Teaching our clients how to improvise in their lives can help them to develop better problem-solving and relational skills. In this highly experiential 3-hour workshop, the theory of therapeutic improvisation will be introduced, demonstrated, and practiced. Challenges to incorporating this approach in counseling and psychotherapy will be discussed. Clinical strategies for structuring this free-form, multisensory approach will be offered to stimulate expression in recalcitrant clients and enable almost anyone to get “unstuck” in their therapeutic work. Join us to discover how to incorporate this fun and powerful tool into your work with individuals, couples, families, and groups of all ages, regardless of your clinical orientation.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Saturday Afternoon Workshops (April 23, Virtual)

    A Trauma-Informed Art Therapy Toolbox for Working with Children in Schools and Online
    May 1, 1 PM - 5 PM

    Anna Reyner, MA, ATR, LMFT
    Jennifer Herbert, LCAT, ATR-BC
    Typhani Carter, LCSW

    Children communicate thoughts and feelings through art long before they express them in words. Drawing and painting are powerful activities that offer children a sense of discovery and control. Their artwork can reflect cognitive and social emotional development, as well as other factors. Participants in this 4-hour workshop will be introduced to essential theory and principles of art therapy than can help them work more effectively with children who are undergoing everyday stress, as well as those who have experienced more serious trauma. Clinicians and educators will gain an understanding of the basic skills and knowledge required to provide responsible, effective art activities that encourage authentic self-expression and build trust in treatment and in the classroom. They’ll learn about the emotional and behavioral impact of “media variables” when using art materials, as well as the neurological impact of sensory experiences during art making. We’ll discuss the do’s and don’ts of interpreting children’s artwork, as well as review some of the typical graphic indicators of stress and conflict in their art. All are welcome. No previous experience with art therapy is required.

    Eligible for 4.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Digital Media Arts: Therapeutic Interventions for Adolescents & Others
    May 1, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Jeffrey Jamerson, MA, PhD

    Digital media technology is an evolving force that permeates many aspects of our lives. For today's youth, navigating this world is second nature, but traditional therapy is not keeping pace with it. This experiential 3-hour workshop is designed to give participants hands-on experience in using digital media art with students and clients. Learn about apps, software, and new media resources for creative expression, and explore how to use these resources as a therapeutic intervention when working with clients. Learn how narrative and story creation can be augmented through the medium of digital media art.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Expanding the Capacity for Joy: Awe, Gratitude, and the Resilient Nervous System
    May 1, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Bonnie Harnden, MA, RDT

    Current research points to the healing capacities of awe, wonder, and gratitude, and that positive emotions have the capacity to promote health and support the regulation of the nervous system. Drama therapy, with its focus on embodiment, is an effective modality for harnessing the power of positive emotions to create a deeper, more embodied experience. This 3-hour workshop will explore the use of Peter Levine’s trauma resolution therapy, Somatic Experiencing    , and the current research on awe and positive emotions. Through drama therapy exercises, we will explore the research in embodied ways with the goal of expanding our capacity for experiencing grace and joy, as well as developing more robust nervous systems. We will also learn tools to help our clients build more resilient and regulated nervous systems. This workshop has an innovative format that combines theory, performance, and experiential exercises aimed at enhancing clinicians' emotional development. Participants will also explore the theory and research through experiential exercises. This novel, engaging format will be woven throughout the course of the session.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Partnering with the Earth Through Eco-Connection: It’s All About Creation
    May 1, 1 PM - 4 PM
    Seats Just Added!

    Taking the Sunday Symposium?

    Madelyn Rugh, PhD, ATR-BC

    Not surprisingly, all of the historic models for conducting psychotherapy are human-centric. And although the healing effects of the natural world on people are generally accepted as therapeutic, they are not therapy. These include such out-of-office treatment formats as wilderness retreats and the less rugged, Japanese-inspired, forest bathing. But even these practices, buoyed by increasingly positive data in recent years regarding attention restoration theory (the other ART)—which asserts that people can concentrate better after observing scenes from nature—fall short of a therapy that speaks to being “of” nature, not just being “in” it. In this 3-hour afternoon workshop, participants will be introduced to the essential theories guiding the daylong symposium, Prescribing Nature & Expressive Arts. They feature a major consciousness shift: True healing requires recognizing humanity’s interconnection with the rest of the living world. So, instead of “using” nature to heal (and not recognizing that “using” is one of the primary ills of a western industrialized/consumer mind), the first task of a truly nature-based therapy is to enter into it as a dyadic experience—as partners. To do this, counselors and psychotherapists must first confront their “consumer relationship” to nature, with its deep roots in our psychological training. For expressive arts therapists to break through into this new paradigm, it must become all about Creation, in all senses of the term. Together, we will consider the importance of this change in perceiving our inner and outer landscapes, and its implications for us and our clients.

    Please Note: Although not a requirement, those registering for the Sunday Symposium are strongly encouraged to attend this session first, since this theoretical material will be referred to, but not fully reviewed, in that daylong session.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Spoken-Word Poetry Therapy for At-Risk Youth & Adolescents
    May 1, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Elnur "El" Gajiev, PsyD

    Adolescence is a time of seeking one's voice and, in doing so, one's truth. This resounds in particular for youth who are at risk of developing or worsening conditions related to their mental health. Spoken Word Poetry offers an avenue for discourse, exploration, and resolution of many of the complexities that arise during this critical period of development. Although the use of Spoken-word poetry as a therapeutic modality in various clinical contexts is relatively new within the expressive therapies, key insights have been noted in initial designs and implementations. During this 3-hour workshop, we will explore the psychological factors involved in spoken-word poetry as a therapeutic framework, and the tangible means by which clinicians and practitioners of all sorts (educators, youth leaders, etc.) can use this structure to provide effective care for adolescents in need. No prior experience with poetry is necessary; in fact, the less poetry you know, the better, as we'll be delving into the experience of youth who engage in spoken-word poetry Therapy with little to no experience of their own.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
  • Sunday, 05/02/21
  •  

    Sunday Special Symposium

    Prescribing Nature & Expressive Arts: Language & Landscapes of Eco-Connection
    May 2, 9 AM - 5 PM
    Seats Just Added!

    Madeline Rugh, PhD, ATR-BC, Symposium Coordinator
    Eliza Sweeney, MA, Mphil
    Eric Pierce, MT-BC, LCAT
    Kate Thompson, MA, CJT 

    Not only do the arts provide a language of connection between humans, but they also connect us with the rest of the living world through textures, colors, sounds, shapes, and space. When used mindfully, the arts can help us to cultivate a healthy sense of belonging and wholeness, qualities mostly lacking in industrialized cultures. Building upon Saturday’s Partnering with the Earth workshop, this 7-hour symposium addresses the concepts and practices for making the shift in consciousness toward engaging nature with true respect. Expressive arts specialists in drama, music, and writing will each introduce a hands-on activity that they have developed for working within this new eco-therapy paradigm. Participants will learn how the human heart—functioning as an organ of perception, as evidenced by the research of the HeartMath Institute—is particularly attuned to holding "conversations" between the inner and outer worlds. Additionally, the biological principles that illuminate the connection between the health of the planet and human well-being will be discussed. Through the unique “voice” of each expressive arts approach, participants will have the opportunity to explore novel ways in which the arts can facilitate a restorative connection with the natural world. This can be accomplished by moving away from disconnection and isolation toward a sense of self-in-relation. It begins with the therapist's transformation, who is then able to share her new-found awareness and insights with her clients. Applications to working with clinical populations of all ages and abilities will be discussed.


    • Eco-Scenography and Drama Therapy
    Eliza Sweeney
    • Musical Humming as an Essential Aspect of Self-Care & Connection with Nature
    Eric Pierce
    • Writing the Landscape of Our Lives: How Landscapes Imprint Us as We Imprint Them
    Kate Thompson

    Please Note: Although not required, participation in the Saturday afternoon Partnering with the Earth workshop is strongly recommended. Important theoretical material from that session will not be repeated in this daylong, highly experiential session.

    Eligible for 7.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits


    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Sunday Master Classes (March 27, Virtual)

    Heal Her Story/Telling Circles: Facilitator Training for Helping Professionals
    May 2, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

    Suzan Lemont, MA
    Sarah Hinrichs, MA

    Humans are storytellers by nature, and the power of gathering to tell stories has been practiced in every culture and civilization. Since 2018, the Heal Her Project has offered safe story/telling circles for survivors of violence (especially, but not exclusively gender-based) and focused, accessible training for those wishing to become Heal Her Story Circle facilitators using the expressive arts. In this 6-hour workshop, participants will be introduced to best practices for facilitating these story/telling circles, weaving intermodal expressive arts with current trauma-informed practices. Special attention will be given to effective ways for helping traumatized people to share their stories while minimizing the risk of re-traumatization. In addition to discussing the latest neurobiological findings on the effects of trauma, we will explore how and why the expressive arts therapies are uniquely effective modes of treatment for this population. Practical guidelines for setting up circles, establishing transparency and setting boundaries, holding space, structuring sessions, and fostering deep listening skills will be discussed and demonstrated by the session facilitators. This will include sharing within an intermodal expressive arts framework using participants' own clinical anecdotes plus some case studies. This master class will be useful to those working in trauma response fields and in varied types of private practices, particularly to those practitioners seeking effective ways to increase the use of intermodal nonverbal methods to enhance resilience.

    Please Note: Although all levels of experience are welcome, this session is likely to stimulate strong feelings. Not intended as a support group or therapy session, participants are responsible for self-management and self-care during this continuing education opportunity.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    COVID-Age Healing & the Ancient Art of Kintsugi: Repairing the Broken Bowl (5/2)
    May 2, 9 AM - 4 PM


    These Summit Sessions Full �� click for June & July Sessions

    Christa Brennan, LCAT, ATR-BC, CASAC, LPC

    Broken Bowl is a daylong online experiential master class based on the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and the ancient practice of kintsugi. Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic that embraces the imperfect and transient, and kintsugi is the painstaking practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. These approaches treat the cycle of breakage and repair as a part of an object's history rather than something to be discarded or disguised. The maker must move through a process of confronting change, accepting change, and deciding how to move forward with what is left. This creative approach to grief therapy will merge expressive arts with attachment theory, trauma theory, thanatology and Neimeyer’s constructivist theory of meaning making. Participants will learn how to confidently use the Broken Bowl process with a variety of populations, facilitating resilience, and illustrating the phases that span from loss to restoration. Join us for this deeply personal experience where you will learn about attachment, integration, resiliency, and how to make meaning out of brokenness. Be mindful that this process is likely to bring up strong emotions surrounding loss and care is taken to preserve the safety of the group. Participants are asked to bring a journal.

    *Session fee includes cost for supplies needed for session, as well as shipping of supplies to registrant.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits

    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Doll Making in the Treatment of Traumatic Loss
    May 2, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Sharon Strouse, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT
    Sarah Vollmann, ATR-BC, LICSW

    Dolls have a universal and timeless appeal. Ancient civilizations created them to ward off illness, promote fertility, and ensure abundant crops. Dolls have been infused with the wishes, fears, and hopes of their makers, and have served as powerful talismans of transformation. In this daylong experiential master class we will explore the clinical benefits of doll making in expressive arts and psychotherapy. Case studies will illustrate the effectiveness of doll making in the treatment of grief and traumatic loss. The class will be strongly anchored in meaning reconstruction as well as in attachment-informed grief therapy. Art therapy dolls will be presented as valuable vehicles for the telling and reworking of one's narrative of loss, and for the exploration of an identity that has been impacted by grief. They will also be viewed as important transitional objects that can support an ongoing connection with the deceased. Master class participants will have the opportunity to create their own dolls. They will be able to tailor the directive as they see fit, perhaps to commemorate a lost loved one or to create a symbol of self. Participants will need to acquire a doll form plus a variety of fabrics, trim, and sewing materials to participate. The group will reflect on their doll making process and discuss its potential use in a variety of clinical settings with individuals and groups, particularly in the treatment of bereaved patients of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Sewing skills are not required.

    Eligible for 6.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Intuition Painting: An Intermodal Approach for Clinical Insight, Mindfulness & Personal Development
    May 2, 9 AM - 4 PM

    Nadia Fernanda Paredes, MA, LMFT, ATR

    In this 6-hour master class, participants will learn how to use the Intuition Painting approach. Also incorporating expressive movement and writing, Intuition Painting helps to disconnect from the rational mind and product-driven art making through immersion in the sensory, kinesthetic, and affective realms. This process-based activity connects to inner instincts, enhances emotional development, summons personal strengths, fosters mindfulness, and promotes self-care practices for mental health practitioners and others.

    Please Note: The Intuition Painting process can elicit strong emotional responses due to the powerful combination of multiple arts modalities.



    Not eligible for CE Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Sunday Morning Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    IFS & LIT Shadow Work: Somatic Movement & Internal Constellation
    May 2, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Adrienne Glasser, RDMT, LCSW

    This 3-hour workshop offers a highly experiential approach to using parts work/shadow work in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model through psychodramatic role play & movement (IFS direct access) to enhance clinical work. Explore quick ways to deepen your presence when working with clients who are struggling with regulation. By expanding our ability to hold onto our embodied sense of True Self and presence, we gain insight into our own transference/countertransference when in relation to others. This workshop addresses themes including relational healing, as well as emotional regulation and co-regulation, as they impact clinical practice. Participants will explore tools to aid both clients and therapists in accessing the Self in treatment to support the therapeutic relationship. Participants will learn a variety of ways to access their individual embodied Self, be guided into the IFS model through forms of creative embodiment, including: embodied meditations, psychodramatic role-play, and visualization of guides (ancestors, mentors, spiritual connections, etc) to facilitate regulation. Appropriate for those new to IFS, as well as those seeking a deeper dive into core IFS concepts.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional  Closed 
    Maker Therapy: Innovation, Collaboration & Creativity Meets Child/Adolescent Clinical Practice
    May 2, 9 AM - 12 PM

    David Meyers, LCSW

    Maker therapy is a unique blending of art, play, craft, and technology that fosters innovation, collaboration, creativity, and connection to intrapsychic processes. A skilled maker therapist is a guide and facilitator who provides the client with a medium of expression with which to work. The making process enables a client to work in “distracted connection” with the therapist, and the making itself becomes representative of the maker's world. Fostering healing and mental well-being, maker therapy differs from traditional talk therapy in that it more readily provides opportunities for clients to problem solve, work communally, and experience a direct impact on both project and process. Of course, these therapeutic goals share a good deal in common with creative arts therapies, especially when done in groups. Maker therapy offers a particular type of holding environment and transitional space beneficial to clients of all ages and abilities, but particularly to children and adolescents who are drawn more to modalities that enable them to engage in action- and technically-oriented creative expression. The didactic portion of this session will focus on the development of trauma-informed participants will have the opportunity to directly experience this emerging modality, articulate the theoretical underpinnings of this approach, and design a basic maker therapy toolkit. Clinicians interested in incorporating maker therapy into their practices will benefit from this 3-hour workshop, which will invite an exchange of ideas and questions while inspiring a theory-informed, creative, and practical approach. All are invited.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Poetry Therapy Across the Lifespan: An Introduction
    May 2, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Perie J. Longo, PhD, RPT, LMFT

    This 3-hour workshop will provide an overview of the basic theory of poetry therapy, as practiced by the primary founders of the field. The 4-step process developed by Arleen Hynes and Mary Hynes-Berry (recognition, examination, juxtaposition, application to self) will be introduced and demonstrated with select poems that can be used in clinical settings. Nicholas Mazza’s RES model (receptive, expressive, symbolic) will also be presented. Participants will be familiarized with the types of poems best used for therapeutic value, especially those with understandable-yet-fresh language stressing the importance of hope. Participants will write their own poems using prompts, and share with others, if they choose, for reflection and validation. The goal of this workshop is to teach these therapeutic skills to clinicians, counselors, and expressive writers. Knowing them, therapists can help their clients access suppressed feelings in a safe, non-judgmental way for enhancing insight, self-esteem, and healing. Particular attention will be given to working with children and youth to show how reading and writing of poetry can play a significant role in developing emotional intelligence. Mid-life and aging issues will be addressed through poems and writing exercises to help manage a variety of transition challenges including, but not limited to, caregiving and bereavement.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Tales from Inside: Drama Therapy with Justice-System-Impacted Populations
    May 2, 9 AM - 12 PM

    Elizabeth Malone Alteet, MFA, RDT
    Kamran Afary, PhD, RDT
    Marianne Shine, LMFT, RDT, CHT
    Lynn Baker, MA, RDT

    Clients who are impacted by the justice system (persons and family members who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, going through the immigration system, involved in foster care) may not respond to traditional verbal counseling or psychotherapy approaches due to personal challenges or the vicissitudes of living within the system. In this highly experiential and collaborative 3-hour workshop, therapists, educators, and artists are invited to explore drama therapy methods and tools to enhance their clinical work with individuals and groups in treatment. Combining didactic presentations on best practices and interviews with experts in the field, along with practical exercises and collaborative visioning, participants will have the opportunity to practice presence and learn to create theatre from stories by child, teen, and adult clients impacted by the justice systems.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
     

    Sunday Afternoon Workshops (March 27, Virtual)

    Encouraging Spontaneous Artmaking to Enhance Self-Efficacy: From Coloring Books to Blank Pages
    May 2, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Robinlee Garber, ATR-BC, LCPC

    Facing a blank canvas or sheet of paper and the associated pressure to create something original can—even for accomplished artists—invoke anxiety, fear, or depression. Recently, the popularization of coloring books for adults has shown how they can be used for stress relief and relaxation, but the mindless activity of "just" coloring can heighten the blank-page phenomenon and inhibit our clients from exploring their innate creativity. However, with the proper guidance and attention to process, these artmaking aids could actually provide our clients with an effective transition into expressive/creative modes of artmaking. In this 3-hour workshop, we will explore various art media, techniques, and tools that will help clients develop a sense of self-efficacy when it comes to independent artmaking that can enhance insight in treatment. We will examine barriers to creativity, and discuss how to help clients of all ages and abilities overcome their fear of a blank page. Participants will experience firsthand the transition from coloring into an exploration of drawing techniques using various art materials. Together, we will mindfully experience the creative process of artmaking, and learn ways to promote positive sensory stimulation that uses coloring sheets as the jumping-off point to a creative process that leads toward creative self-expression. No art experience or skills required.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Nature and Culture-Based Healing for Intercultural Resiliency in Kids & Their Families
    May 2, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Joanne Ginter, MA

    Therapists working with a greater diversity of clients often find themselves struggling to address the broad spectrum of cultural and spiritual practices needed to understand and intervene competently and effectively with them. This 3-hour workshop will focus on promoting intercultural resiliency in treatment with clients of all ages through healing practices found in nature and within various cultural traditions. We'll draw upon narrative, relational, and systemic theory, guiding therapists to becoming more pluralistic in practice. Through lecture, discussion, and thematic hands-on activities, participants will learn to identify the tenets of intercultural resiliency; how aspects of nature and culture can be accessed to provide the building blocks of resiliency; as well as how to develop a more pluralist orientation in clinical practice. Applicable to all counselors and therapists who work with individuals and families of all ages and abilities.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
    Poetry, Writing & Weaving to Foster Strength, Resilience, and Community
    May 2, 1 PM - 4 PM

    Ingrid Tegnér, MSW, M/S, CAPF

    A weaving is always stronger than any of the individual components that comprise it. In this interactive 3-hour workshop, we will weave poetry, writing, and tactile materials "together" toward an exploration of the meaning, nature, and benefits of community in relation to healing and wellness. Starting with centering and grounding activities, we will create a safe space to explore our feelings and define the kinds of communities that are most meaningful and valuable to us. Next, we will harness that energy to share our discoveries with the group. Then, by combining poetry reading, journal writing, and weaving practice, we will access inner resources to establish a sense of embodied resilience, and open ourselves to inclusivity and community-building. We will also look at how to create an action plan based on this process that can be used in our clinical practices. Everyone will be invited to share their writing, but how and what gets shared will be a personal choice. No prior writing or weaving experience necessary, and all are invited to attend.

    Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB; NASW, MFT; SWNYS, LMHC, LCAT (New York state only)
    Not eligible for APT Credits
    Faculty Bio(s):
    		Fee  Optional 
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