Josie Abbenante, ATR-BC, LPAT, has taught and practiced art therapy for over 30 years. She added the practice of sandplay to her work 20 years ago. Josie directed art therapy programs at the University of New Mexico and Seton Hill College. She has taught at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Naropa University, Vermont College, and Mount Mary College. In recent years, she was the coordinator and taught in the summer graduate creative arts therapy program at Pratt Institute. Josie has presented internationally on a variety of topics including: archetypal art therapy, sandplay and art therapy, art therapy and Deaf culture, and the language of aesthetics and metaphor. She is the art therapist at New Mexico School for the Deaf in Santa Fe.

Gail Abrams, MA, CMA, RYT-200, RSME, was professor of dance/movement studies at Scripps College. With an MA from The American University, Gail danced professionally and was a freelance choreographer/performer. She published articles on dancers’ experiences with pregnancy and childbirth, dance education, and somatics of yoga. Her presentations include Symposium of Dance Science, Not Just Any Body Global Conference, and the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Certified in Laban Movement Analysis/Bartenieff Fundamentals, Integrative Yoga Therapy, Acupressure, Reiki, and RhythmWorks Integrative Dance, Gail also taught yoga at Cal State University San Bernardino.

Kathleen (Kay) Adams, LPC, is founder/director of the Center for Journal Therapy and its online professional training division, the Therapeutic Writing Institute. She is the author of nine books on journal writing for personal growth and in clinical practice, including the Journal to the Self and Expressive Writing: Foundations of Practice. Kay is known globally for her visionary leadership in standards-based practice of journal therapy.

Kamran Afary, PhD-RDT, is assistant professor of intersectional identities and relationships at Cal State LA. He received his PhD in performance studies and his drama therapy work includes working with students, adult ADHDs, and prisoners. Kamran is currently completing a co-authored book on performances about Iranian diaspora identities. He also co-wrote a chapter with Pam Dunne on Narradrama for the forthcoming third edition of Current Approaches in Drama Therapy.

Ronald A. Alexander, PhD, MFT, SEP, is a psychotherapist, leadership coach, and clinical trainer in the fields of somatic trauma healing therapies, mindfulness meditation, transformational leadership, and core creativity. As the Executive Director of the OpenMind Training® Institute, he draws upon his background in holistic health, behavioral medicine, positive and self psychology, Gestalt, somatic experiencing, Eriksonian mind-body healing, and Eastern wisdom traditions. Ronald is the author of Wise Mind, Open Mind and the forthcoming Core Creativity: A Mindful Approach to Accessing Your Creativity. He has been conducting workshops and professional clinical trainings since 1972. www.ronaldalexander.com

Jennifer Allen, MS, ATR-BC, LMFT, is an art therapist certified in psychedelic therapy and research, and is also trained in ketamine-assisted therapy. She facilitates a variety of workshops that use her Art for Access process, and has taught at Esalen and other locations in CA. Jennifer has worked with dreams and creative process since 1980, and has been in a private practice for nearly two decades. A student/practitioner of shamanism (Andean cosmology), she is the author of Bone Knowing: A True Story of Coming to Life in the Face of Impending Loss and Cinnamon Roll Sunday: A Children’s Story of Anticipatory Grief. Jennifer is the creator of All SET thera-play games that cultivate connection and coping. www.boneknowing.com

Nicole Allen, MS, LPC, RPT, NCC, is a certified Expressive Arts Therapist and Dancing Mindfulness facilitator. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas. Nicole has seven years of experience serving underrepresented populations through community advocacy efforts and various trauma-informed clinical approaches, including expressive arts therapy, play therapy, and EMDR therapy. She utilizes Dancing Mindfulness in her clinical practice and supervision with counselor trainees.

Leslie Baker, MFT, NCC, RPT-S, a national board certified counselor and registered play therapist-supervisor has over 28 years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is the CEO of the Therapy2Thrive® Ruby Hill Marriage & Family Counseling Center, in Pleasanton, California. Leslie is the author of Healing Feelings: A Healing Story for Children Coping With Grown-up’s Mental Illness and co-author of Snug and Rug and the 'No Good Very Bad Thing': A Story of Coping, Calming and Courage for Children. She speaks internationally.

Bradford Bancroft, RDT, LMFT, has been working in creative arts therapy for over 20 years. As a registered drama therapist, he began his work with the Stop Gap Theatre Company, then established his own private practice, "Rehearse for Life.” Bradford has worked in battered women’s shelters, drug and alcohol rehab facilities, hospitals, schools, and prisons. One of his favorite sites was working with the vets in the PTSD ward at the Veterans Administration doing what he lovingly referred to as “Karaoke Therapy." Bradford is on the board of many non-profits throughout Los Angeles, including The Skylight Theatre, Unusual Suspects, and The New Earth Organization.

Elizabeth Baring, MS, ATR-BC, NCPsyA, LCAT, LP, is a licensed psychoanalyst, a licensed creative art therapist, certified sandplay practitioner, and a Focusing oriented therapist. For 20 years she has had a private practice in NYC, working with children and adults by combining sandplay, creative arts therapy, and focusing with traditional psychotherapy. Elizabeth worked at Mt. Sinai, Silver Hill, and Stamford hospitals. She is on faculty and a supervisor at Training and Research in Intersubjective Self Psychology.

Linda Elaine Bath, PhD, LMFT, CST-T, is a psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist and certified teaching member of the International Society of Sandplay Therapists. She is a founding member of Sandplay Therapists of America. In her private practice treatment of children and adults, Linda combines her primary research on Eastern practices and the embodied Jungian psychological depth experience found in Sandplay Therapy.

Mark Beauregard, RDT-BCT, LCAT, specializes in gender and sexuality affirming therapy, receiving postgraduate certification through the Psychotherapy Center for Gender and Sexuality. He presents frequently on gender and sexual diversity, in addition to providing years of direct service to LGBTQ people and their families. Mark is senior drama therapist and supervisor of LGBTQ Services for NY Creative Arts Therapists, PLLC in Brooklyn and has a private practice in Manhattan.

Amanda Bechtel, MS, ATR-BC, LCPC, LCPAT, is in private practice in Silver Spring, MD. Her practice focuses on the use of art therapy/sandplay for treating trauma, eating disorders, and body image issues. Amanda has worked at the Eating Disorder Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital, the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt, and Pershing Turner Centers. She currently serves on the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in Maryland. Amanda is also an adjunct faculty in art therapy at St. Mary of the Woods, IN.

Shemaya Blauer, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Portland, OR, where she works for a local hospice and has a private practice. She has taught touch drawing to professionals as a tool for self-discovery and self-care; to older adults for self-reflection and expression; and to families to support the grief process, either before or following a death. Touch drawing provides a language when there are no words, gives form and comfort to visceral sensations, and is a vehicle for healing.

Celia Bockhoff, MSW, LCSW, SEP, has over 30 years of experience as a somatic and vocal psychotherapist and workshop leader. Post-graduate training has included Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and Generative Change, and certification as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She received teacher certification from Shawna Carol in the ground-breaking vocal approach “SpiritSong,” and studies “The Naked Voice” with Chloe Goodchild. Celia has woven together new healing approaches to psyche, body and voice with her creations of “Essential Voice Psychotherapy”™, and “Seven Notes to Freedom” ™. She offers psychotherapy, mentoring and workshops in Boulder, CO, and online. www.celiabockhoff.com.

Dawn Burau, ATR, SpEd, LMHC, has her master’s in counseling and expressive therapies from Lesley. As a therapeutic teacher at the Community Therapeutic Day School, she worked with children with neurological, behavioral, emotional, and learning disabilities. Dawn has presented on special education, use of arts in the school setting, and interpreting/applying neuropsychological assessments. She co-authored Integrating Neuropsychological and Psychological Evaluations: Assessing and Helping the Whole Child with Daniel Reinstein. They are writing their second book, Applying the Results of Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessments: A Manual for Teachers and Specialists.

Lorraine Campanelli, BS, MS, MSW, has postgraduate certificates in spiritual direction, health care management, and health care ministry leadership. She works at Cabrini of Westchester (COW), where she is the director of Cabrini Immigrant Services. Lorraine was the director of social services, and a unit social worker for COW. She also was the social worker for the Msgr. Terrance Attridge Adult Day Health Center at COW. Lorraine has taught on elementary and college levels, including St. John's University. Lorraine serves on advisory boards for social work schools and on various community boards.

Robert Carroll, MD, is a poet and psychiatrist. He is in the private practice in Westwood, CA, and he is on the clinical faculty at UCLA. Robert's recent publications include his book of poetry, Amazing Change: The Wisdom that Illness, Death, and Dying Provide, "Finding the Words to Say It: The Healing Power of Poetry," in eCAM, “In Sickness and in Health,” a chapter in Countertransference and Couples Therapy, and “Wisdom Poetry Trialogue,” with Jack Coulehan and Kykosa Kajangu, in the Journal of Poetry Therapy. Robert served as Vice President for Institutional Liaison for The National Association for Poetry Therapy for four years and was a Board member of NAPT for those four years.

Kathy Cass, MA, BC-DMT, NCC, C-IAYT, CAHC, AYT, is a board certified dance/movement therapist, nationally certified counselor, certified yoga therapist, ayurvedic health counselor and ayurvedic yoga therapist with over 30 years of instructional and clinical experience. She is an adjunct professor at El Camino Community College and Santa Monica College Emeritus Division.  Kathy is advisor/core faculty for the UCLArts and Healing Social Emotional Arts Certificate program and faculty member of the Southern California Drama Therapy Center.  Co-author of the manual, Dance For All, Kathy maintains a private ayurvedic yoga therapy practice in Santa Monica.  

Vivian Chavez, MPH, DrPH, is a college professor, social justice artist, and yoga/meditation teacher. Much of her work focuses on facilitating conversations about power and privilege and how these operate in our lives. Vivian uses community building, storytelling, creativity, and movement to teach health and wellness. She has her master's and doctorate from the Univ. of CA, Berkeley, with research in “Violence in the Lives of Young Women in Urban Environments.” Vivian is an author of books and articles about prevention, youth media, community-based research, and cultural humility. She has presented her work in Cuba, Peru, and Argentina, studied in India, and lectured throughout the U.S.

Deborah Cluff, PhD, is a depth psychologist whose interests include how minds and bodies play and how shame impacts self-expression. She is certified in creativity and the unconscious by the Assisi Institute, and is the creator of integrative photography, which uses photographs as the medium for communication. Deborah studied art history at the Sorbonne Paris, has a master's in clinical psychology, and a doctorate in depth psychotherapy. Her new book is Shame and the Making of Art.

Deirdre M. Cogan, ATR-BC, LPC, ATCS, CTP, has worked for the DC Dept. of Behavioral Health for 25 years, implementing community-based and inpatient arts-based programs. She is currently the director of creative arts therapies at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where she oversees the creative arts therapy clinical and training programs. Deirdre's research interests are in designing programs that address recovery challenges facing forensically-committed women who face barriers due to poverty, gender-inequality, and cultural stigma.

Barry M. Cohen, MA, ATR-BC, authored the Diagnostic Drawing Series, a standardized art assessment, in 1982; is the author/co-author of journal articles and chapters; and co-authored/co-edited three books, including the workbook Managing Traumatic Stress Through Art. Founder of the Eastern Regional Conference on Trauma and Dissociation in 1989, he co-founded an inpatient dissociative disorders unit in Washington, DC, in 1991, and was recruited to manage the 2006 and 2007 AATA conferences. Executive director of Expressive Media since 2008, Barry founded the Expressive Therapies Summit: NYC in 2010, co-founded the Mid-Atlantic Play Therapy Training Institute with Eliana Gil in 2013, and, with Ping Ho, the LA Summit in 2017.

Mary Ruth Cross, MS, MFT, NCC, RPT-S, a mental health professional for 30 years, is the CEO/Owner of Treehouse Family Counseling Services in San Ramon, CA, where she and her staff provide play therapy to children, teens, and their families. Her Cross Play Therapy Consulting program supports clinicians working toward full credentialing as play therapists through the APT. She has been the President of the California Association for Play Therapy, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of CALAPT, and also serves on the Conference Committee for the APT. Mary Ruth is co-author of a children's book called Snug and Rug and the No Good Very Bad Thing, a story of soothing and calming following a traumatic event.

Erica Curtis LMFT, ATR-BC is an award-winning author of "The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art." A Marriage and Family Therapist and board-certified art therapist, Erica is an instructor and curriculum developer for UCLArts & Healing. She consults for the Board of Behavioral Sciences, Loyola Marymount University, the Foundation for Art and Healing, and others. Erica is an internationally sought speaker and has been cited in over 100 media outlets as an expert on creative approaches to psychological, relational, and emotional health. Past president of the Southern California Art Therapy Association and past board member of the AATA, Erica maintains a practice in San Juan Capistrano. www.TherapyWithErica.com

Aimee Levine Dickman, OTR/L, SEP, is an occupational therapist/somatic experiencing practitioner at Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital UCLA and the Camden Center. She is working on her certificate in sensory integration from USC. Aimee has presented on trauma informed care and sensory tools for self-regulation. She was a Broadway dancer, a bodyworker, and a yoga instructor. Aimee has a master’s in occupational therapy at USC, a certification in somatic experiencing, and completed somatic experiencing touch skills.

Helen G. Dolas, MS, MT-BC, founded Able ARTS Work (formerly Arts & Services for Disabled) serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 40 years. Helen is the clinical training director with the AAW clinical team of her music, art, dance/movement, drama, and expressive arts therapies internship programs since 1984. As an adjunct professor at California State Univ. Northridge music therapy department, she established several new music therapy clinical training sites. Helen has partnered with Department of Developmental Services, CA, Regional Centers and school districts to establish and expand creative arts services for over 3500 individuals and families.

April Duncan, LCSW, RPT, obtained her Bachelor’s in Arts & Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia (2006), Masters of Social Work from Saint Louis University (2012) and is a doctoral candidate in the DSW program at the University of Southern California. She has a private practice in St. Louis and is the Co-Owner of St. Louis Play Therapy Institute, which provides play therapy training for educational and mental health professionals. Ms. Duncan’s current focus is addressing the rising rates of sucide in Black youth due to racial trauma. Most recently, Ms. Duncan founded BMH Connect, a for-profit organization focusing on using play therapy to address suicide and racial trauma in Black youth.

Pam Dunne, PhD, RDT/BCT, is a clinical psychologist, registered drama therapist board certified trainer, and Professor Emerita at CA State University Los Angeles. With over a dozen books, films, articles, and book chapters, she developed Narradrama, which integrates drama, therapy, narrative, and the creative arts. Pam is the executive director of the Drama Therapy Institute of Los Angeles (DTILA) and the Creative Therapies Center, where she operates a private practice and training program. She conducts training and workshops all over Western and Eastern Europe, from Croatia to Scotland and Stockholm through DTILA. Pam is past president of the NADTA and a founding member of its Board of Examiners.

Patrick Faggianelli, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who holds a black belt in Aikido and has had many years of Tai Chi practice. He utilizes his dissertation research, which focuses on the use of Eastern psychological and spiritual practices in terms of applicability to psychological process, particularly in relation to the therapeutic relationship.

John Fitzgerald was the Manager of Recreational Music Activities for Remo, Inc., for over 23 years, a freelance percussionist for 25 years. He is a Certified Global Trainer for Village Music Circle, and has completed HealthRHYTHMS, Beat the Odds facilitator trainings, among others. A graduate of the Newfield Network’s coaching and Strozzi Institute’s leadership in action programs, John integrates his coaching skills into the design of experiential programs. He has developed workshops for the Mark Taper Forum and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn, and composed/performed for many films and theatrical productions. He has designed and delivered programs for a wide variety of organizations, including Kaiser Permanente Hospitals and USC.

Michael A. Franklin, PhD, ATR-BC, is the co-chair of the transpersonal art therapy program at Naropa University. Prior to this appointment, he practiced as a clinician and directed the art therapy programs at the College of St. Teresa and Bowling Green State University. Michael is an international lecturer, workshop leader and active researcher publishing over 30 papers on numerous subjects. His current work as an artist and writer integrates the relationships between art therapy, social engagement, yoga philosophy, and meditation. This work culminated in Art as Contemplative Practice: Expressive Pathways to the Self, published by SUNY Press.

Lorraine R. Freedle, PhD, ABPdN, CST-T, is a pediatric neuropsychologist, international sandplay therapy teacher, and trainer in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. She is the clinical director of Pacific Quest, a holistic outdoor behavioral health program in Hilo, Hawaii, where she also maintains a private practice. Lorraine is on faculty at Southwestern College. She has published research, journal articles and book chapters in the area of neuropsychology, sandplay and trauma and co-produced/directed the award-winning documentary film Fire and Sand. She currently serves as research editor for the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and President of Sandplay Therapists of America (STA).

Kimberly Freesh, GSY3, CYT, CYTT, is a Gentle Somatic Yoga® instructor, yoga therapist, and teacher in the Viniyoga tradition. With 20 years experience, Kimberly has offered gentle and chair yoga classes at Northridge Hospital, Annie's Yoga Studio, the YMCA, and at Bridges Academy. A ballroom and freeform dancer, she opened Out Back Yoga Integrative Healing Arts Center in 2007, where she encourages others to move in healthy and creative ways that work with—rather than against—their true nature.

Elnur "El" Gajiev, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, poet, and educator. He specializes in working with individuals, families, and communities in need through the use of creative therapies and holistic practices. El serves on the faculty at the University of Hawai'i, as well as the board of the Hawai'i Psychological Association, and is one of the key pioneers of spoken word poetry therapy—a therapeutic modality incorporating the elements of spoken word poetry for a broad array of clinical and nonclinical contexts. Additionally, he provides coaching and consultation to social enterprises regarding the integration of creativity and sustainability into organizational cultures.

Kate Richards Geller, MA, MT-BC, LCAT, serves as Music Wellness Director of The Urban Voices Project, whose mission is to create supportive spaces to nurture belonging and shift the narrative and perception of homelessness towards one of agency and community. Weekly singing workshops and music labs, now virtual, invite participants to recognize each other's humanity and raise awareness of the power of music and the arts in addressing the condition of Homelessness. Kate holds an MA in Music Therapy from NYU, an LCAT and CBMT since 1997, and facilitates vocal improv sessions.

Robinlee Garber, ATR-BC, LCPC, has practiced art therapy for over 20 years, and taught art therapy at Northwestern University’s certificate program. She has worked in clinical settings with adolescents and adults, and is currently a clinical expressive therapist at Linden Oaks at Edward-Elmhurst Hospital. Robinlee is a visual artist and a writer/performer of music that is often dedicated to raising awareness around mental health and wellness issues. Her albums, "Resilience" and "Somewhere There’s Music" are both projects inspired by her experiences in helping others heal and grow.

Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S, LMFT, is a registered play therapy supervisor, a registered art therapist, and a licensed marriage, family, child counselor. She is former president of the Association for Play Therapy and has worked in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment for over 40 years. Founder and partner at Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery and Education, a group private practice in Fairfax, VA, Eliana was adjunct faculty at Virginia Tech University for over 15 years. Bilingual and bicultural, originally from Ecuador, she has authored numerous books.

Joanne Ginter, MA, is a psychologist with graduate degrees in psychology and religious studies. She integrates play therapy, hypnosis, and cultural healing practices into her work. Joanne is on faculty at CityU Seattle, Calgary campus, teaching master’s students. She is an approved supervisor for provisional psychologists in Alberta. Joanne is a member of the Canadian Psychological Assn and the American Psychological Assn (Assoc.). She is currently working with a First Nations community and promoting her workshops on developing intercultural resiliency that parallels her book The Fifth Position: A Guide for Developing Intercultural Resiliency and Pluralism.

Eva C. Glaser, MA, BC-DMT, LPC, is a board-certified dance/movement therapist, a rostered therapist in Child Parent Psychotherapy, and a licensed professional counselor. Her career has focused on working in the realm of community mental health and educational settings. Eva's clinical focus combines dance/movement therapy with supporting and enhancing the relationships of young children and their caregivers through the model of Child Parent Psychotherapy.

Adrienne Glasser, RDMT, LCSW, (she/her) is a healer, meditation/spiritual teacher, psychotherapist (LCSW-NY), certified IFS practitioner & movement therapist. She currently runs a community called The Seekers, a community for spirit seekers, meaning makers, healers and psychotherapists. This community enjoys & studies Illuminated Journeys: the integration of embodied spirituality with parts of our authentic self (IFS), leading to powerful life-changing transformations for both clinicians and clients. Adrienne has enjoyed intuitively helping others to find their creative path towards healing for 20 years. In her free time she enjoys playing with her family & daughter, dancing, hiking and geeking out with friends on tibetian shamanic studies, meditation, movement arts, comedy, music and human behavior.

Richard Gold, MA, is the founder/retired executive director of the Pongo Poetry Project and creator of the Pongo Teen Writing Method. Pongo establishes writing programs within sites such as detention centers and homeless shelters, and guides teens to process traumatic events while giving them a voice and showing them how to "own" their stories by connecting with others and themselves. His book is titled, Writing with At-Risk Youth: The Pongo Teen Writing Method. www.pongoteenwriting.org.

David S. Gordon, PhD, is a clinical psychologist. An associate clinical professor in psychiatry at UCLA, he supervises residents, teaches a class in guided imagery techniques, and consults in the School of Medicine. David has been a member of the teaching faculty of the S. California Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and has presented for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He teaches workshops for clinicians of all levels in clinical hypnosis. A board member of the Los Angeles Society for Clinical Psychologists for many years, David also served as its president.

Paulette Greenhouse is a writer and creative enthusiast. After receiving a BA in journalism from San Francisco State, she continued at SFSU by receiving a multimedia certificate. Paulette got involved with 916 Ink in 2013, when she began volunteering. As 916 Ink’s program manager, she oversees 15+ concurrent writing programs each semester. Paulette's other responsibilities include grant writing, social media marketing, event planning, and facilitating workshops. She is certified in the Amherst and Artist’s Method, which involves creative writing facilitation. Paulette has also trained in trauma informed care, the psychology of creativity and problem solving, and youth engagement in the arts.

Julyssa Guevara, ACSW, is a psychiatric social worker for the Los Angeles Dept. of Mental Health-Juvenile Justice program. She uses CBT, DBT, and expressive art therapies with incarcerated youth between the ages of 15-18. Julyssa created and implemented art therapy groups to help students utilize a prosocial coping mechanism to heal from their traumas and reconnect with their cultural heritage. She is a doctoral student at Claremont in the School of Educational Studies, in the Urban Leadership program. Her research focuses on the impacts traumatic experiences have on Central American immigrant students as a result of the migration cycle. Julyssa is the co-founder of the podcast, Voices of the First Gen.

Ruth Guttfreund, MA, RATH, born in El Salvador to European Jewish migrants, trained in special education in Jerusalem, in art and art therapy in England, received her master's in the psychology of therapy and counseling from Antioch University. Her experience in England and Israel has been very broad: psychiatric frameworks, women's centers, private practice (workshops and treatment), women's refuge, schools with children coping with learning difficulties, and clinical frameworks. Since 2003, Ruth has been involved in social intervention and violence prevention projects in El Salvador, in addition to teaching, leading workshops for various organizations, and introducing art therapy techniques to teachers for self-care and classroom use.

Tresha Faye Haefner, MA, holds a master's in humanistic psychology with a specialization in creativity studies from Saybrook University. She is founder of The Poetry Salon, and has taught poetry to groups of all ages. Tresha has facilitated creative writing facilitator training programs for various non-profits who work with persons experiencing homelessness, as well as with medical students through USC's Art Rx program. She is the author of Method and Mystery: A Research-Based Guide to Teaching Poetry and Take This Longing. Tresha's poetry appears in many publications, including Amarillo Bay, Blue Mesa Review, Chiron Review, Poet Lore, and Rattle.

Bonnie Harnden, MA, RDT, is a professor in the creative arts therapies program at Concordia University in Canada. Her research focuses on performance, trauma, and the nervous system, and she is currently adapting a play to film based on her work in acute emergency settings with traumatized children and their families. Bonnie holds a research grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research and the Quebec Ministry of Economics and Innovation.

Annette Hatala, OTL/OTD, a former homeschooler and occupational therapist since 2006. She has worked with various populations from children to adults in mental health and physical disabilities settings. Specialties includes therapeutic gardening and Watsu, a water based modality. She shares her knowledge through teaching at Stanbridge University and running a small non profit call Life's Toolbox whose motto is creating community through gardening and crafting.

Tessie Herrasti, MA, is a graduate of the National Dramatic Art School in Mexico City, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in dramatic arts and acting. In addition, she obtained a double master’s degree in Drama Therapy and Armed Conflict Resolution at the Sorbonne University in Paris, which she combines in the effort to heal weapons-related violence. Tessie completed the UCLArts & Healing Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts and works with at-risk and incarcerated youth. A member of the Expressive Therapies Summit team, she also heads a creativity signature called Holistic Fusion & Healing.

Esther B. Hess, PhD, is a developmental psychologist and executive director of a multidisciplinary treatment facility, the Center for the Developing Mind, which specializes in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental and regulatory disorders, like autism spectrum disorders. She is a national and international speaker on DIR/Floor Time, a developmental/relational treatment approach of ASD and sensory processing disorder in children, adolescents, and young adults. www.centerforthedevelopingmind.com

Sarah Hinrichs, MA, received her Master's in expressive arts therapy and BA in photography in Germany. She is currently undertaking her MSc in psychology at Essex University, and is training in community and psychotherapy with the Philadelphia Association in London, UK. Sarah works in a nursing home with people who suffer from dementia and other co-morbid conditions. In 2019, she assisted with the organization of the IEATA conference in Berkeley, CA, and co-facilitated a Heal Her Storytelling Circle with Suzan Lemont. 

Ping Ho, MA, MPH, is Founding Director of UCLArts & Healing ‒ an organizational member of the UCLA Health Integrative Medicine Collaborative, of which Ping is a Steering Committee Member. She has a BA in psychology with honors from Stanford, an MA in counseling psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MPH in community health sciences from UCLA School of Public Health. Ping developed the Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts (SEA), the SEA on a Shoestring training program, and the Beat the Odds® drumming program for social-emotional skill building. She is co-author of The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art and co-chairs the annual LA Summit.

Lisa Hope, ATR-BC, LADC, LCAT, MAC, CASAC, CRPA, is a licensed board-certified art therapist and recovery coach. She is an addictions counselor, credentialed in counseling, coaching, and recovery peer advocacy for substance use disorders. Lisa has a private practice and works with psychotic, mood, and eating disorders in the adult partial hospitalization program at NY Presbyterian. She provides substance use education at hospitals, non-profits, and juvenile placement facilities.

Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T, has over 40 years of experience in school, mental health agency, and private practice settings. She began her Sandplay training with Dora Kalff in 1975 and became a Teaching Member of Sandplay Therapists of America in 1991. Author of articles for the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, she contributed a chapter to Sandplay Supervision, and co-edited Into the Heart of Sandplay. Betty serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Sandplay Therapy, teaches Sandplay nationally and internationally, and is a guest professor for the Oriental Academy for Analytical Psychology and Sandplay in Guangzhou, China. She maintains a private practice in southeastern PA at her Center for Jungian Sandplay.

Jeffrey Jamerson, MA, PhD(c), has over 20 years of experience in the public sector. He has served at-risk youth in various capacities, most recently as the Vice President of programs and services at Aviva Family and Children Services in Los Angeles. Hoping to create a shift in how therapy is conducted with foster children, he has integrated narrative and expressive arts modalities with digital media art, which he calls Expressive Remix Therapy.

Patricia Jauchler, MS, MA, RDT/BCT, is a Registered Drama Therapist and Board-certified Trainer, Certified Thanatologist and End-of-Life Doula, Certified Dementia Practitioner, and Certified Grief Support Specialist. She is the founder and director of On Bright Wings Alternative End-of-Life Services. Trisha blends drama therapy, music, art methods, and death midwifery techniques for personal growth, emotional expression, and skills training. She has over 25 years' experience leading educational, therapeutic, spiritual, and creative groups. Trisha is an adjunct professor at the Drama Therapy Institute of Los Angeles, and has taught at CA State Univ. Los Angeles, and through UCLA Extension's Pathway program.

Kathryn Johnson, PhD, ATR, is an art therapist and licensed psychologist with over 20 years' experience working in psychiatric and medical facilities. She is a psychologist at the Everett Clinic, where she provides therapy, psychological evaluation, and neuropsychological testing. Kathryn is medical director of psychosocial services at the Providence Regional Cancer Partnership. An adjunct faculty member with Antioch Univ.-Seattle, she is a Diagnostic Drawing Series teaching associate, providing training and overseeing research.

Gabrielle Kaufman, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT, NCC, is a dance/movement therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor. She is the director of training for Maternal Mental Health NOW, on the faculty of the UCLArts and Healing Social and Emotional Arts program, 2020 Mom, and serves as Los Angeles coordinator for Postpartum Support International. Gabrielle has a bilingual private practice, using both movement and verbal interventions. She has published numerous articles on parenting, dance/movement therapy, postpartum depression, and edited the book, Bringing Light to Motherhood.

Cynthia Holloway Kelvin, PsyD, RDT, is a clinical psychologist, drama therapist, and performance consultant. She has worked with adults and adolescents at various stages of healing and recovery in community mental health, and in-patient residential settings, since 2009. Cynthia is the founder of The Evolving Stage, offering creative performance workshops for healing and personal growth, along with performance psychology consultation for business professionals and performers seeking to overcome challenges in presentation and performance.

Kellee Kemp, LMFT, is the director of the Yetunde Price Resource Center, dedicated to empowering communities of color. She is a double alum of Loyola Marymount University, where she obtained her BA in urban studies and a master's in marriage and family therapy, with a specialization in art therapy. A first-generation American, she has always felt it was her duty to support the work being done by communities of color. Kellee also maintains a private practice in Los Angeles.

Neal King, LCSW, has a master's in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker with training in hypnotherapy, sandtray therapy, and EMDR. He is founder of King Motivates, where he developed programs including weight loss and smoke cessation. Neal uses comedy improv in his practice to treat social anxiety disorder, finding that group cohesiveness and gentle improv direction assists clients to feel at ease in what usually would be highly anxiety-provoking situations.

Berti Klein, MA, MCAT, MSS, NCC, BC-DMT, is a SpiritMovingBody mentor. She has spent over 45 years studying, facilitating, and teaching dance movement therapy, authentic movement, somatic psychology, BodyMindCentering, counseling, bodywork, meditation, and the body-mind-emotion-spirit relationship. Berti has worked in various facilities, supervised students, and has a private practice. She has taught courses at Yale, Univ. of Santa Monica, Hahnemann Medical (now a part of Drexel), and the National Univ. of Mexico. Berti facilitates workshops, trainings, classes, and seminars throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.

Mary E. Knysh is the founder of Rhythmic Connections, which advances education, health, and creative development through music improvisation. She is a workshop facilitator and trainer, creativity, leadership and communications consultant, professional musician, and author. Mary presents at conferences around the world. An international teacher/trainer with the Music for People organization, she is also an Orff Schulwerk clinician and teaching artist for the PA Council of the Arts, Young Audiences of NJ, and NY BOCES.

Deborah Koff-Chapin, BFA, is an artist, educator, author, and vocalist. She has been developing Touch Drawing since 1974, and has taught and presented at numerous graduate programs and conferences internationally. Deborah is creator of SoulCards 1 & 2 and SoulTouch Coloring Journals. She is author of Drawing Out Your Soul and The Touch Drawing Facilitator Workbook. She has contributed chapters to The Art of Grief (Rogers) and Art Therapy in Healthcare (Malchiodi). Deborah has served on the board of the International Expressive Art Therapy Association and is founding director of the Center for Touch Drawing.

Peggy Kolodny, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT, earned her master’s in art therapy from GWU in 1982. Specializing in trauma-focused art therapy in private practice, she is adjunct faculty for University of Maryland School of Social Work; the workshop faculties of the Ferentz Institute: Trauma Certificate Program and Chesapeake Professional Seminars. Past positions include Vice President of the Maryland Chapter of American Professional Society on Abuse of Children; Chairperson of Central Maryland Sexual Abuse Treatment Task Force; President of Maryland Art Therapy Association. Past faculties include Goucher College and Maryland Institute, College of Art.

Sarah Kremer, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC, has a master’s in art therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is adjunct faculty in art therapy psychology at Notre Dame de Namur University, where she received a doctorate in art therapy. She has worked with adolescents in mental health and community settings. Sarah currently serves on the advisory board for First Exposures, a nonprofit photography-based youth mentoring program.

Sarah Laing, MAAT, ATR, is the executive director of Open Studio Project Inc. The mission is to empower people to utilize the arts for personal growth, social-emotional intelligence, and community well-being. An artist, art therapist, and community leader, she has been working with OSP since 2000, where she initiated youth programs, numerous partnerships, and the founding of their gallery. Sarah has worked in the art education field as a teaching artist, managing public art projects, and served on numerous boards including Chicago Public Art Group, Young Evanston Artists, and with Chicago public schools through Ingenuity Inc. She is currently involved in an evolving social-emotional learning arts curriculum for PreK and K-8.

Jamie Lynn Langley, LCSW, RPT-S, a child and family play therapist for over 30 years, incorporates expressive arts, sandtray, and nature within play therapy in her work. Jamie co-founded the Tennessee Assn. for Play Therapy and serves as its president. She is an adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University and also enjoys providing supervision. A frequent presenter, Jamie has written articles on play therapy, most recently on Nature Play Therapy, as well as a book chapter in the third edition of Game Play. She will be publishing a collaborative book project later this year called Nature-Based Play and Expressive Therapies. Jamie transitioned to private practice in late 2016 after working in community mental health for 27 years.

Suzan Lemont, MA, REACE, is an American expressive arts therapist/educator/consultant living and working in the Netherlands. Among her many projects and initiatives: The “Dutch” research partner for the South African Netherlands Programme for Alternative Development project in Johannesburg; co-founded the Netherlands Expressive Arts Assn in 2017, which advocates for the role of ExA in NL, Europe; is a co-creator of the Heal Her initiative; has published articles and books on various aspects of ExA practice and research; is the creator of the Netherlands Refugee Research Project; and development of an introductory expressive arts course for universities, colleges, and related professionals.

Michal Lev, PhD, LCAT, CMFT is a board-certified art therapist, a clinical supervisor, and a certified family psychotherapist. She is a faculty lecturer at the graduate art therapy program at Ono Academic College, the School of Arts and Society – ASA, Israel, promoting art-based pedagogy and research. Michal has been the head of the approval committee for YAHAT - the Expressive Therapies Organization in Israel - since 2014, supporting public legislation for expressive therapies. As a social activist, artist, and entrepreneur, she uses artmaking for innovation, inquiry, and knowledge within business environments. Her research and presentations focus on intimacy, art-based research, and creative, process-oriented pedagogy.

Marcia B Leventhal, PhD, CMA, BC-DMT, is founding director of the dance/movement therapy program at NYU, co-founded the Dance Therapy Institute of Princeton, IDTIA (Australia), directed education and training for 18 years, and founded dance therapy programs in Sweden, Argentina, Greece, Japan, and Roehampton University, UK. She co-founded the International Institute for Advanced Training in Dance Movement Therapy, in Athens, China, Istanbul, and San Francisco. Marcia is editor of two books and author of numerous articles. She co-edited the ADTA Journal for five years and served on the board. Marcia is the 2019 Recipient of the ADTAL Lifetime Achievement Award, and 2007 Marian Chace Foundation Keynote Speaker Honoree.

Evie Lindemann, ATR-BC, ATCS, LMFT, was until recently an associate professor in the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling Program at Albertus Magnus College, and taught at Yale University's Sherwin B. Nuland Summer Institute of Bioethics for seven years. She has lived and worked in Afghanistan, Israel, and India, and has implemented humanitarian art therapy projects in India, Jamaica, and the US. Active in hospice care, Evie teaches courses on mortality, uses the visual arts to facilitate the inward journey, and has worked with combat veterans who have complex trauma. Evie is certified as an Archetypal Pattern Analyst. A printmaking artist, her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.

Jennie Linthorst, MA, CAPF, is a poet, expressive writing teacher, and founder of LifeSPEAKS Poetry Therapy. She is on the faculty of UCLA Arts & Healing, and has taught expressive writing workshops at UC Irvine Ext, the University of Santa Monica, the National Association for Poetry Therapy, and the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. Jennie facilitates ongoing adult writing groups and original curriculum for private clients. She has a bachelor's in psychology from Skidmore College, certification as a certified applied poetry facilitator, and a master's in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Jennie has written two books of poetry: Silver Girl and Autism Disrupted: A Mother’s Journey of Hope.

Zelda Lockhart, MA, PhD, with a doctorate in expressive arts therapies and a master's in literature, is a registered expressive arts consultant and educator. A Visiting Associate Professor of Creative Writing at UNCW, Zelda's research and the workshops she facilitates focus on creating and consuming personal experience-based literature for emotional, psychological, and social transformation, particularly for people of color, LGBT populations, as well as financially disenfranchised people. Her latest book is The Soul of the Full-Length Manuscript: Turning Life’s Wounds into the Gift of Literary Fiction, Memoir, or Poetry. Zelda is also author of Fifth Born, Cold Running Creek and Fifth Born II: The Hundredth Turtle. www.zeldalockhart.com

Kristin Long, RDT, BCT, LCAT, LP, DPsa, is a drama therapist and psychoanalyst with a private practice in New York City. As a graduate of the Institute for Expressive Analysis in 2010, she currently serves on the board as Public Relations Chair. Kristin also teaches and supervises at the postgraduate Institute. She has taught expressive therapy with children at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Kristin completed EMDR training through the Parnell Institute and has a specific interest in the transmission of intergenerational trauma.

Darcy Lubbers, PhD, MFT, ATR-BC, maintains a private practice in marriage and family therapy, clinical art therapy, and somatic psychology in Santa Monica, CA. Drawing on 30 years of experience in private practice, residential and outpatient treatment, her work is integrative and holistic. Darcy's publishing credits include Adult Art Psychotherapy: Issues and Applications, with Helen Landgarten. She has received training in somatic experiencing, focusing-oriented therapy, equine therapy, structural bodywork (Hellerwork), psycho-immunology, clinical hypnosis, meditation, movement awareness, yoga therapy, Ayurveda, and mind body medicine.

Marshall Lyles, RPT-S, LPC-S, LMFT-S, EMDRIA-approved consultant, has over 15 years of practice in family and play therapy in a variety of mental health settings. With extensive international speaking and training experience in experiential approaches to treating attachment trauma, he particularly enjoys discussing the use of sandtray therapy within a trauma-informed context. Presently, Marshall conducts supervision and consultation sessions with counseling professionals. He is EMDR-certified and applies this, and other trauma approaches, with diverse populations. Marshall is nearing the completion of his PhD in marriage and family therapy.

Denise Malis, PhD, MFA, ATR-BC, LMHC, holds a PhD in expressive therapies and is an assistant professor in art therapy at Lesley. As a licensed mental health counselor and board-certified art therapist, she has practiced, instructed, and supervised art therapists for over 25 years. Denise has published and presented on the Art Mentoring program, a group that she developed and maintained for a 10-year period. This program allowed adults with mental health disabilities to be active artists in the Somerville, MA community.

Elizabeth Malone Alteet, MFA, RDT, is a drama therapist and theater maker working in prisons and jails in Southern California. Her past and present work includes creating devised therapeutic theater with youth and older adults in Palestine, drama therapy with at-risk youth in educational and clinical settings, leading drama therapy groups at Reasons Eating Disorder Center, and, most currently, working as a teaching artist and drama therapist with theater companies and educational institutions inside prisons and jails. As an actor and writer, Elizabeth co-created "Women in Blue," a play about incarcerated mothers in the South.

Sandra Marinella, MA, MEd, is a writing teacher and author, and has taught students at all levels and presented writing and story-sharing workshops. Her articles have appeared in The English Journal, The Arizona English Bulletin, Seventeen, Survivor’s Review, Well Being Journal, and Psychology Today’s blog. Sandra's own diagnosis of breast cancer inspired her to teach writing to cancer patients and veterans at the Veterans Hospital and Mayo Integrative Medicine and Health Clinic. She wrote her recent book, The Story You Need to Tell—Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss. Sandra speaks and teaches at conferences and community venues across the country. www.storyyoutell.com

Salicia Mazero, MA, ATR, LPC, CEDS, is a registered art therapist and a certified eating disorder specialist practicing in Kirkwood, MO. Salicia is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Over the past 7 years, Salicia has worked in two treatment centers focusing on treating eating disorders and then transitioned to private practice. At her private practice, Creating Your Journey, LLC Salicia continues to concentrate on treating children, adolescents and adults with eating disorders, anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma and dissociation. She presents nationwide annually on art therapy, IFS, and eating disorder treatment.

Devlyn McCreight, LPC, NCC, is a therapist in private practice. Since discovering the Graphic Medicine Community in 2017, he has published and presented at professional conferences about the intersection of comics and clinical mental health work. Devlyn's most recent presentation was entitled, “The Case for Graphic Mental Health: The Unique Benefits and Challenges of Utilizing Comics in Clinical Mental Health Care,” at the 2019 Graphic Medicine Conference in Brighton, England. He also presented at the 2019 Creativity in Counseling conference on “Comics as Clinical Bibliotherapy."

Clair Mellenthin, RPT-S, LCSW, is a sought-after supervisor, speaker, and trainer. She is the author of Play Therapy: Proven Strategies for Childhood Disorders, and My Many Colors of Me Workbook. In addition to being an experienced play therapist and professor, she frequently appears on local and national media as an expert on children and family issues.

Rebekah Messenger, MMT, LPC, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist and licensed professional counselor at St. Elizabeths Hospital. For nine years she has served as a music therapist across populations, including persons with special needs, youth with behavioral, emotional, and educational needs, adults receiving psychiatric services, forensic treatment, and end-of-life care. Rebekah is a certified as Pranakriya yoga teacher and a Reiki practitioner.

Laura Miera, MA, ATR, is the Program Manager of Stories Heal at Homeboy Industries, where she offers online classes combining bibliotherapy with other creative approaches. Laura has practiced art and drama therapy with marginalized families for over 25 years. A theater professional, she received her master's in clinical art therapy at Loyola Marymount, and is currently studying divinity and women's studies at The Jesuit School of Theology. In 2017, after initiating a bibliotherapy-arts program at The Glendale Public Library, she created Homeboy Industries Art Heals therapeutic craft workshops for families. Laura has presented her work at AATA and The Other Art Fair LA. She is currently at work on a series of therapeutic children's books.

Anne Mills, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT, director of the Diagnostic Drawing Series Archive, owner of Art Therapy Services. In private practice for 25+ years, specializations include the treatment of survivors of severe early trauma who are highly dissociative. Anne provides resiliency-focused treatment for adolescents and adults who have experienced difficult transitions such as illness, bereavement, and loss of culture (refugees, international students). She has published on assessment, research, visual literacy, and helping traumatized people express their anger using art and mindfulness.

Edna Miron-Wapner, MA, CAGS, has a master's in education from the University of Toronto, and certification in expressive arts therapy from the European Graduate School in Switzerland. The creator of Expressive Kavannah, a spiritual intermodal model to explore identity through the arts, she is the founder of two studios in Jerusalem: a children's multimodal center and an adult expressive arts center. This year, she authored Expressive Kavannah: Creativity, Meaning & Healing, a synthesis of expressive arts therapy and Kabbalah, which is a practical guide to her work. Edna is also an artist, and has exhibited her work internationally over the last 40 years. www.ednamironwapner.com.

Asia Moore, MSW, has an MA in social work from USC in addition to a dual degree in psychology and legal studies from Scripps College. Currently pursuing a doctorate at Claremont Graduate University in positive developmental psychology and evaluation, she has recently worked as a community college counselor and faculty member to further the interdisciplinary application and integration of expressive approaches in engaging and advocating for at-risk youth and vulnerable populations. Asia's research explores the multi-systemic implications of writing-based interventions and the role of cultural responsiveness in ensuring quality interventions and programming.

Malissa Morrell, MA, ATR-BC, MFT, is an art therapist with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of populations and settings. In addition to her clinical work, she also teaches at the University of Utah and Westminster College in Salt Lake City, and serves on the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.

Nyei Murez, MA, is the founder of Creation in Flow, hosting a weekly program for creative writers. As the scribe for author Carlos Castaneda, she knows how to support authors in organizing and transmitting sacred wisdom, and to illuminate the universal in their personal stories. Nyei holds a master’s degree in English/Creative Writing from Boston University and is a certified Breathwork facilitator and a teacher trainer of Tensegrity® and Theater of Infinity® facilitators. She is an internationally known speaker, workshop leader, musician, and music director for nearly 30 years.

Sarah Nangeroni, CYT, is a yoga and meditation teacher and a second year graduate art therapy and counseling student at Springfield College where she is the art therapy department graduate fellow. Sarah earned her undergraduate degree in art therapy and psychology from Long Island University. She has exhibited work in galleries in New York and has won awards for her 3-dimensional and photographic work. Previously, she has been the assistant director at an outpatient program for adults with mental illness, has worked on inpatient psychiatric units, and in residential substance use facilities.

Stephanie Nash, MFA, has an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, and a BA in psychology from Duke University. A working actress in NYC and LA for 30+ years, she is also an acting teacher, associate professor at the Art Center College of Design, and has taught expressive movement at USC. Steph founded Mindfulness Arts (a non-profit) and currently offers coaching, courses, and speaking through Strategic Mindfulness—emphasizing stress reduction, enhanced productivity, and rewiring eating issues. Presently a senior mindfulness teacher for Shinzen Young, whose innovative system, Unified Mindfulness, has been studied by Harvard Medical School and others, she also trains meditation teachers..

Erin Partridge, PhD, ATR-BC, is an artist and board-certified, registered art therapist. In addition to teaching in the art therapy department at NDNU, Erin is the Experiential Researcher-in-Residence for Elder Care Alliance. She has worked in community, pediatric, forensic, and geriatric settings, and she is published in the areas of art therapy, elder care, research methods, and technology. Erin's current research includes several issues relevant to work with older adults including multi sensory loss, support for care providers, and a multi-year collaboration looking at the use and design of social robots.

Jon Pearson, MA, is an internationally-known speaker, learning skills consultant, and author and frequent keynote speaker. He has worked with more than a thousand schools and a million students, teachers, parents, and administrators around the world. He received a BA in philosophy from the University of California, an MA in the creative arts interdisciplinary from California State University in San Francisco, and a multiple subject teaching credential from California State University in LA. Jon lives in Los Angeles and has taught courses in multiple intelligences and gifted education at the University of California at Riverside.

Paula Perlman, LMFT, BC-DMT, CLMA, certified SP, teaches creative movement with inner-city children and with children at a child-initiated, conflict resolution-based progressive private school. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Paula focuses on trauma and facilitates retreats for adults in creative process, creative movement, and Authentic Movement. She was a teaching faculty member for the Center for Movement Education and Research, an alternate route program in dance therapy. Paula has master's degrees in dance movement therapy and creativity, change, and leadership. She is certified in Laban Movement Analysis and Sensorimotor (Level III).

Anne Pesacov, PhD, LCSW, LMFT, is co-founder of the Planet Earth Relationship Counseling Center and co-creator of Puppet Assisted Relationship Therapy. She co-authored Puppet Assisted Relationship Therapy: A Manual for Teaching Social Skills to Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome and Related Disorders, and created the Puppets from the Planet Earth. Anne maintains a private practice, where she provides counseling and evaluations for ASD, individual, group, marital and family therapy. divorce and family mediation, hypnotherapy, and Trauma Incidence Reduction therapy. Trained in psychodrama, Gestalt, family sculpting, CBT, play therapy, NLP, and Eriksonian hypnotherapy, Anne supervises interns in clinical social work and for their MFT.

Amy Pfenning, MPS, ATR, CZT, has a master's in art therapy from Pratt Institute. She works at Coalinga State Hospital, a treatment facility for sexually violent predators. Amy manages the hospital's Art Center, and provides art therapy supervision. She has presented at many conferences including: the American Art Therapy Assn; CA Coalition on Sexual Offending; Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma; and Forensic Mental Health Association of California. She is a Certified Zentangle Teacher.

Anna Pirkl, MA, MFT, ATR, LAADC, is a licensed marital and family therapist, licensed advanced alcohol and drug counselor, and ATTA registered art therapist. Her transition from corporate business executive into the field of helping professionals began in 2005 as a volunteer for Free Arts for Abused Children. Anna specializes in recovery from addiction, complex trauma, and anxiety disorders. She likes to use therapeutic tools from cognitive behavioral, educational, and psychodynamic. Anna has worked with adolescents at Central Juvenile Hall, sober living populations, and the elderly and disabled at BCHD.

John Pollard is an accredited integrative psychotherapist and counselling psychologist in training, currently working in private practice in central London, UK. He has been delivering talks about sequential art in mental health since 2012 in training institutions and conferences, including a panel discussion entitled "The Case For 'Graphic Psychology:' The Unique Benefits and Challenges of Utilizing Comics in Clinical Mental Health Care" with Devlyn McCreight at the Graphic Medicine Conference in July 2019. John’s current research project explores the use of sequential art in psychotherapy and psychology, which represents the final stage of his doctoral training as a counselling psychologist.

Dee Preston-Dillon, MA, PhD, clinician educator, professor of psychology, Dee’s writing is focused on clinician competency and therapeutic stories for clinicians. Her cross-cultural research compared analytic with indigenous perspectives in Sandplay. Dee designed and teaches Advanced Sand Therapy certificate program, and an online Sand Therapy Competencies course integrating theory, ethics, clinical practice. Presenting at over 40 national and international conferences on Sand Therapy, affiliate faculty for the George Washington art therapy program, Dee developed competency scales to assess therapist skills and dispositions to understand and respond to sand scenes. www.sandtherapytraining.com

Martha Rand, LCSW, SSW, CGP, ACSW, is a therapist, supervisor, coach, teacher, and provides professional development to social workers and educators. Currently a school social worker, she has over 18 years of experience in clinical social work in inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitals as well as in her own private practice. Martha's current interest is in integrating digital media with therapy and counseling to support awareness and promote positive behavioral change.

Lisa Rasmussen, MFA, has over 16 years' experience in transformative art teaching and in the creation of transformative art programs with diverse populations. She has worked with a wide spectrum of populations, including the under-served elder communities, emotionally traumatized children, and women’s groups. Lisa has an MFA in arts and consciousness from JFK University. With her organization, Artemis Sacred Journeys, she leads women on empowerment art, yoga, and sacred site retreats to Greece and Hawaii. Lisa co-created the new arts and healing practice called YogART. She is co-founding director of the non-profit Art is Moving and Art Break Day.

Anna Reyner, MA, ATR, LMFT, is the founder of CreativePlayLA a training & consulting business that uses art-based approaches to positively impact children and families living in disadvantaged, low-income communities. She has successfully merged the principles of art therapy into early childhood education, and specializes in helping teachers add trauma informed art into their classrooms. Anna is the author of two awarding winning books, Smart Art and Smart Art 2, and has presented over 800 trainings at state, national and international conferences in her 40 years as a teacher, art therapist and mental health advocate.

Charlotte Reznick, PhD, is author of the LA Times bestselling book, The Power of Your Child's Imagination: How to Transform Stress and Anxiety into Joy and Success. She is a child educational psychologist, a former UCLA Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology, and was named Imagery International's Person of the Year in 2013 for the global impact of her work with children. Charlotte has a 30-year plus meditation practice, and is the creator of Imagery For Kids: Breakthrough for Learning, Creativity, and Empowerment, a mindful, positive coping skills program. With a private practice in Los Angeles, she blogs for Psychology Today and Huffington Post, is a frequent media consultant, and teaches workshops internationally. www.ImageryForKids.com.

Diana Rivera, MA, CPC, PhD, is a coach, facilitator, and psychotherapist, who uses creative practices, coaching models, and contemporary research in psychology. She develops multi-week, arts integration programs and professional development programs. Diana works with creative artist professionals on psychological blocks related to their creative process and creating strategy for the pursual of work. Her dissertation explored imagination in human development and as an experience relevant to creative process and consciousness. Other research interests include the state of work-life balance for creative professionals and creativity and healing.

Pamela C. Robertson, PsyD, LCSW, has been helping people achieve their potential for over 21 years. She specializes in the treatment and supervision of substance abuse and dependence, functional family therapy, art therapy, and spiritual/existential issues both in managed care and private practice. Pamela has spent the last 18 years providing leadership, supervision, and training at Stars Behavioral Health Group to support the needs of children and families who have experienced complex developmental trauma.

Mary Kate Roohan, MA, LCAT, RDT, is a licensed creative arts therapist providing treatment to individuals with a range of mental health challenges, including substance use, schizophrenia-spectrum, and mood disorders. She established the Creative Arts Therapy department at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Mary Kate has facilitated workshops and presented on a number of topics including action-based dialectical behavior therapy. She is pursuing her doctorate in applied clinical psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles.

Ellen H Saul, MS, LP, CST-T, is a licensed psychologist and certified sandplay therapist/teacher. She has over 30 years' experience in mental health agency and private practice settings. Ellen specializes in Kalffian sandplay therapy, attachment work, and trauma. She is a somatic experiencing practitioner and is trained in level one EMDR. Ellen has studied with Agnes Bayley and incorporates “In Touch Again” attachment repair strategies in her work. She has presented internationally and written for the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. Ellen serves on the board of directors for Sandplay Therapists of America.

Mimi Savage, PhD, RDT-BCT, is the Education Chair of the North American Drama Therapy Association. Interim core faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies in Expressive Arts as well as founding faculty of UCLArts and Healing SEA program, Mimi created various drama therapy programs in acute psychiatric in-patient units for children and adults, facilitated programs for developmentally delayed youth, the formerly homeless, and youth in residential rehab. Lecturing and publishing on the intersection of identity in youth experiencing adoption and foster care, she is Director-founder of the SoCal Drama Therapy Center in LA, leads professional development workshops, and trains those who want to become drama therapists.

Nancy S. Scherlong, MS, PTR, LCSW, CJT, is a licensed clinical social worker, a registered poetry/biblio therapist, and a mentor supervisor credentialed by the Int'l Federation of Biblio-Poetry Therapy. A health/wellness coach and holistic psychotherapist, she specializes in stress management, trauma, and addictions. Nancy has studied and used psychodrama since 1992, and has worked in the field of therapeutic writing for over 20 years, using both journal and poetry. A Certified Journal Therapist, she serves on the faculty of Adelphi University and the Therapeutic Writing Institute.

Ericha Scott, PHD, LPCC, ICAADC, ATR-BC, REAT, has been a professional in the fields of addiction and trauma for 36 years. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in California, licensed in 3 states, and internationally certified as a drug and alcohol counselor. Dr. Scott is a board-certified registered art therapist (ATR-BC), a registered expressive arts therapist (REAT), and a certified Interfaith Spiritual Director. She has been published in peer review publications by UCLA, Haworth Press, and Oxford University Press. Dr. Scott is a Fellow for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation based upon her research regarding trauma, dissociation, and self-mutilation. www.drerichascott.com

Suzanne Silverstein, MA, ATR, is a registered art therapist and founding director of Cedars-Sinai's Psychological Trauma Center and Share & Care, a community benefit program. She specializes in treating trauma through family and child art therapy. In 2001 the Share and Care program was honored by the City of Los Angeles for its significant contribution to the mental health of Los Angeles area school children. In 2006 AATA presented her with the Distinguished Service Award.

Rachael Anne Singer, BC-DMT, MS DMT, a board certified dance/movement therapist works virtually with children and families using dance/movement therapy combined with a developmental approach. She has worked with individuals with ASD at a non-profit, and provides workshops and sessions for preschool teachers using DMT and mindfulness for support and stress management. Rachael has guest lectured at Loyola Marymount in the communication department and has presented at multiple conferences around Los Angeles. She currently leads therapeutic dance for children with special needs at Friendship Circle in LA, and at Rachael’s Moving HeARTS, her business, where she uses arts and play with children, adults, and families.

Eric Spruth, MA, ATR, is a trained artist with a Master's in art therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He served as a professor at the Adler School of Professional Psychology art therapy program, and as expressive art therapist within the Cook County Bureau of Health mental health services department of Cermak Health Services/Cook County Jail.  Eric has practiced privately in Chicago, collaborating with various mental health programs. His Sacred Transformation art therapy/tattoo process has been featured in the media, including: WGN TV Morning News, National Public Radio, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Reader. He has received awards and recognition in his field both as an artist and an expressive art therapist.

Kate Stanley, MMT, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist practicing in Washington, D.C. She works with adults who have serious mental illness, many of whom are also being assessed for competency to stand trial. Kate received her MMT from Temple University in December 2019. For her final project, she developed an intervention manual for adjudicative competency restoration using music therapy. Her other clinical interests are the use of music and storytelling for psychiatric insight, gender responsive cross-modal work for complex trauma, and music technology’s role in treatment for individuals who are involved in the criminal justice system.

Dimitra Stavrou, LPC, RDT, is a psychologist specializing in drama therapy in Greece. Her post-graduate specialization was in ethnographic research and in performance art. Trained in Bhutto, Circus-pantomime, primitive expression, Theatre of the Oppressed, and the Terzopoulos method, she has worked in prisons, drug-addiction treatment, schools, and with artists and refugees. Her primary interest is in the research and use of different mediums for facilitating change (therapy, training, education, social attitudes). In 2016, with her colleague F. Trigazi, Dimitra developed the Developmental Ritualistic Model of Interconnectedness, also called Interconnected Drama Therapy. She teaches drama therapy in Greece and France.

Fred Sugerman is a movement artist, educator, and founder of Medicine Dance. He has an inquiring mind, fierce spirit, and curious body informed by mindfulness, traditional theater, and dance. Fred runs weekly classes, monthly workshops, movement arts laboratories, facilitator trainings, international immersions or retreats, and has a private practice. He is co-creator and interventionist for “Mindful Movement for Breast Cancer Survivors,” which has been the subject of research sponsored through the City of Hope, as well as the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence St. John’s Health Center. www.medicinedance.com

Melissa Susman, MA, LMFT, SEP, ATR, is a trauma resolution specialist who combines arts-based and neurophysiological approaches to healing complex trauma, traumatic grief and PTSD. Integrating modalities such as EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Art Therapy, TF-CBT, and Stephen Porges’ Safe and Sound Protocol, she treats adults, adolescents, and children in her private practice in Los Angeles. Melissa has lectured on topics such as the neurobiology of traumatic stress, the application of polyvagal theory to psychotherapy, and the mapping of traumatic memory through art therapy at Loyola Marymount University and at national conferences. 

Ingrid Tegnér, MSW, M/S, CAPF, is an artist and former social worker. She is also a certified applied poetry facilitator and mentor/supervisor of poetry therapy. After over 20 years of working with groups and individuals as a poetry therapist and personal coach, she continues mentoring others in poetry therapy. Today, her work with others often combines poetry and writing with various forms of artistic expression.

Ellen Tessitore, BA, MA, is a certified teacher in N-6 with a specialty in Special Education and Art. She taught in various schools in New York City and Westchester County, NY. Ellen currently volunteers with the Senior Citizen Group in Dobbs Ferry, NY. She teaches enrichment programs for pre-schoolers and elementary school students through the Dobbs Ferry Recreation Department. Ellen is currently involved in the STARS for Kids program as well as the Expressive Arts: Improving the Well-Being of Adult Immigrants and Elderly Nursing Home Residents at Cabrini Immigrant Services, Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Kate Thompson, MA, CJT, is an existential psychotherapist, teacher, and writer. A lifelong journal writer, she integrates writing into psychotherapy for the benefit of clients and colleagues. Kate pioneered the use of journal writing in individual counseling and for self-supervision in the UK and has written widely on the subject. Her publications include Therapeutic Journal Writing: An Introduction for Professionals.

Patrisha Thomson, MA, is an integrative arts teacher and artist, uniting varied mediums over the past 40 years. She is certified in Expressive Arts, having studied with the innovator, Natalie Rogers (PCETI) from 1999 to 2005. An accomplished jazz singer-songwriter, dancer, and visual artist, Patrisha has taught her Integrative Arts Workshop and Song Circle at conferences and in the Los Angeles area through Santa Monica College Community Services since 1994.

Matthew Tousignant, MA, CMT holds degrees from Harvard University and the California Institute of Integral Studies. A Certified Breema Practitioner and Instructor, he currently teaches Breema extensively in the U.S. and Europe. Matthew’s body-centered therapeutic work, based out of Lambertville, New Jersey, combines the universal wisdom of Breema with a practical knowledge of psychology to connect others to their unique potential as human beings.

Dana George Trottier, MA, LCAT, RDT/BCT, is a clinical supervisor for Behavioral Health Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. He is an adjunct faculty member at New York University, where he provides clinical training in the drama therapy graduate program. Also in private practice, Dana offers therapeutic services to adults, children, and groups as well as clinical supervision and career consultation for therapists. He has published on the topics of traumatic loss, the use of embodiment in clinical training and practice, and is co-editor of the book Creative Arts Therapies and the LGBTQ Community: Theory and Practice.

Tammi Van Hollander, LCSW, RPT-S, is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist. She is the owner of Main Line Play Therapy in Ardmore, PA. Tammi is an international speaker and play advocate. Her work and creative interventions in the field of play therapy have been published and internationally recognized. Tammi specializes in sand tray play therapy, sensory integration and attachment, working with children, families, and adults of all ages. She is trained in level one EMDR and is a Nurtured Heart Approach® certified trainer where she provides coaching to parents, teachers and other professionals.

Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT/BCT, is a psychotherapist, drama therapist, theatre director, and professor. He has developed programs using drama therapy for social change, intercultural conflict transformation, and peace-building. Armand has facilitated groups including descendants of Jewish Holocaust survivors and The Third Reich, Turks and Kurds, and Palestinians, and Israelis, and the factions involved in the Lebanese Civil War. Artistic director of the Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble, Armand is clinical director of the Living Arts Counseling Center, and assoc. professor in counseling psychology at the CA Institute of Integral Studies. He is also adjunct professor at JFK Univ., Sofia Univ., and the Canadian School of Peace-building.

Dan Walsh, MS, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist working with incarcerated youth who reside in a limited secure placement facility. He also works with adolescents and adults in inpatient psychiatric settings. Dan has presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference of the American Music Therapy Association, and at the Expressive Therapies Summit in Los Angeles. He recently completed his training at Molloy College. As a music therapist, he is able to capitalize on his previous experience as a performer, producer, and educator in order to meet the diverse needs of his clients.

Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and clinical art therapist. With a PhD in expressive therapies from Lesley University, Dana is an ATD certified master trainer and facilitates multiple workshops and trainings throughout the country. For the last 20 years, she has worked in psychiatric hospitals, group homes, and nonpublic school settings, to manage crisis, conduct trainings, coach staff, and support children and families who have experienced complex developmental trauma. Dana currently works with Star View Adolescent center as a training director and clinical supervisor.

Stacie Aamon Yeldell, MA, MT-BC, AVPT, is a Board Certified Music and Vocal Psychotherapist and international speaker with 15 years of experience in mental health treatment. Her transformative work was featured on CBS news, and most recently, in the docuseries “Proven.” She received a Masters degree in Music Therapy from New York University and a certification in Sound and Music Healing from the Open Center in New York. Stacie is also a Vocal Psychotherapist (AVPT), which emphasizes the use of the voice as a path to wellness and healing. She is the creator of The Amontra Mindfulness Method™, a music therapy method, as well as the Song Tapestry™ method.

Sarah Young-Sheppard, MSW, is the founder and executive director of the Social and Emotional Wellness Initiative, which brings mental health programs and workshops to youth and youth development professionals around the country. She received her master's in social work at the University of Southern California and her BA degree in United States and African history at California State University Long Beach. Sarah has presented at conferences in an effort to make Social and Emotional Wellness accessible for all. She has dedicated her career to assisting youth-serving organizations in providing well-trained staff, and services to help make an impact on youth.