Day 2
Art Therapy for Well-Being
February 12, 2023
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Lost and Seeking: Reverse Culture Shock of Art Therapists’ Challenges in Japan
Akiko Kuraishi, Reiko Fujisawa, and Sue Lee
Akiko Kuraishi MA, ATR is a certified clinical psychotherapist, a licensed public psychologist, and a registered art therapist. After graduating from the master program of Notre Dame de Namur University in art therapy and marital and family therapy, she has worked in various settings including hospitals, children’s home, shelters and developmental support centers for about 18 years in Japan. She called for crowdfunding and established Apconcept Studio in Tokyo, where she is providing individual, group, and family therapy, in addition to managing national grant programs for community activities for children, and facilitating workshops, art events, and a study group for mental health professionals. She works as a school counselor in Tokyo prefecture. She also teaches art therapy at Tokyo women’s university and teaches and supervises at the Japan International Program of Art Therapy in Tokyo.
Reiko Fujisawa MA, ATR-BC, LCAT is a board-certified art therapist and New York State licensed creative arts therapist. She graduated from New York University and has been in the field for over 20 years. She has worked at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and other hospitals in New York City. In her practice she takes an eclectic approach by incorporating a variety of treatment modalities and customizing the approach to each individual’s needs. She has facilitated numerous workshops and
lectures, including one at Columbia University for mental health professionals, graduate school students in clinical psychology. She has published a number of articles regarding benefits of art
therapy and is a co-author of the book of “Asian Art Therapists.” She worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan as a child psychology specialist and is currently a psychotherapist at TELL Counselling. She also teaches and supervises students at the Japan International Program of Art Therapy in Tokyo.
Sue Lee MA, LMFT, ATR-BC, CPP is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California, U.S.), a boardcertified Art Therapist and Certified Public Psychologist in Japan. After graduating from Notre Dame de Namur University (with a practicum at the local hospice as a grief therapist), Sue worked at the child and family guidance clinic in Southern California: serving individuals (ages 3-18) and their families and leading ADHD art therapy groups. After returning to Japan, she worked in various school settings, supervised art therapy students, and was an Art Therapy lecturer. She works full-time at the University counseling office, a public counseling service for women, and recently joined TELL Japan. Lee strives to provide clients with safe and positive experiences with eclectic approaches, including AEDP (level 3 training), art therapy, and other modalities.
Reiko Fujisawa MA, ATR-BC, LCAT is a board-certified art therapist and New York State licensed creative arts therapist. She graduated from New York University and has been in the field for over 20 years. She has worked at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and other hospitals in New York City. In her practice she takes an eclectic approach by incorporating a variety of treatment modalities and customizing the approach to each individual’s needs. She has facilitated numerous workshops and
lectures, including one at Columbia University for mental health professionals, graduate school students in clinical psychology. She has published a number of articles regarding benefits of art
therapy and is a co-author of the book of “Asian Art Therapists.” She worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan as a child psychology specialist and is currently a psychotherapist at TELL Counselling. She also teaches and supervises students at the Japan International Program of Art Therapy in Tokyo.
Sue Lee MA, LMFT, ATR-BC, CPP is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California, U.S.), a boardcertified Art Therapist and Certified Public Psychologist in Japan. After graduating from Notre Dame de Namur University (with a practicum at the local hospice as a grief therapist), Sue worked at the child and family guidance clinic in Southern California: serving individuals (ages 3-18) and their families and leading ADHD art therapy groups. After returning to Japan, she worked in various school settings, supervised art therapy students, and was an Art Therapy lecturer. She works full-time at the University counseling office, a public counseling service for women, and recently joined TELL Japan. Lee strives to provide clients with safe and positive experiences with eclectic approaches, including AEDP (level 3 training), art therapy, and other modalities.
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A Creative Connection Beyond Cultural Differences in Art Therapy
Sunhee Kim
Sunhee Kim Ph.D., ATR-BC, ATCS, LCAT has been practicing and teaching art therapy for over 20 years. Her work has included serving as art therapist at DOJ Health Services and as on-site supervisor of graduate art therapy students in NYC.
Currently, she is a professor in Arts Psychotherapy at the Graduate School at Seoul Women’s University (SWU) in Seoul, Korea. She has been working with psychosocial intervention for disaster relief in Nepal, Philippines, and South Korea with NGO groups such as Goodneighbors International and IsraAid.
She serves as an editorial board member of the Arts in Psychotherapy Journal from 2015.
Her workshops and research interests include trauma-informed art therapy, supervision, art therapy assessment, and neuroscience of art therapy.
Currently, she is a professor in Arts Psychotherapy at the Graduate School at Seoul Women’s University (SWU) in Seoul, Korea. She has been working with psychosocial intervention for disaster relief in Nepal, Philippines, and South Korea with NGO groups such as Goodneighbors International and IsraAid.
She serves as an editorial board member of the Arts in Psychotherapy Journal from 2015.
Her workshops and research interests include trauma-informed art therapy, supervision, art therapy assessment, and neuroscience of art therapy.
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The Impact of Progressing the Practice and Education of Art Therapy in Southeast Asia: Asserting Creativity, Mental Health and Presence in Context
Ronald P.M.H. Lay
Ronald Lay MA, AThR, ATR-BC is the Programme Leader of the MA Art Therapy programme at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore. This is the first postgraduate training of its kind in Southeast Asia, asserting its strategic positioning in progressing the discipline in ways that are culturally relevant in Asian and global contexts. Ronald has an extensive practice-based career in forensic mental health, and has varied research interests that have led to national, regional and international consultation, development, training, collaborative arts projects, and leadership.
He has designed, facilitated and supervised multiple arts, culture and mental health collaborative overseas experiential trips for his students. He is co-editor of Found Objects in Art Therapy: Materials and Process. Rounding out his professional pursuits is his passion for creating artwork which tends to be constructive and conceptual.
He is currently engaged in doctoral research on postgraduate art therapy training, experiential learning, and culturally informed practice.
You can see Ronald's research interest and projects here.
He has designed, facilitated and supervised multiple arts, culture and mental health collaborative overseas experiential trips for his students. He is co-editor of Found Objects in Art Therapy: Materials and Process. Rounding out his professional pursuits is his passion for creating artwork which tends to be constructive and conceptual.
He is currently engaged in doctoral research on postgraduate art therapy training, experiential learning, and culturally informed practice.
You can see Ronald's research interest and projects here.
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Expressive Therapist Self-Inquiry (ETSI) for Self-Care and Community Care
Maria Riccardi
Maria Riccardi MA, ATR-BC, OCCOQ, OPQ is a registered art therapist, a career counselor, and a licensed clinical psychotherapist. She is actively involved with Quebec Art Therapy Association, being the former president. She is an adjunct professor of art therapy at Concordia University and at Université du Québec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as a faculty member at Winnipeg Holistic Expressive Arts Therapy Institute. She collaborates with local non-profit organizations and mental health institutions, developing community-based art studio programs for adolescents and adults who are marginalized due to mental and physical health and immigration issues, and poverty.
She has expertise with veterans living with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder within the context of trauma intervention as well as in the evaluation of art processes and products during treatment.
She has founded a clinic in Montreal based on the Expressive Therapies Continuum, providing educational and emotional support to children and families. Her current research interests include media properties and their role in assessment.
She is a doctoral candidate in psychology, having a Master in art therapy and a Master in educational psychology.
Presenter's site: imagesetc.ca
She has expertise with veterans living with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder within the context of trauma intervention as well as in the evaluation of art processes and products during treatment.
She has founded a clinic in Montreal based on the Expressive Therapies Continuum, providing educational and emotional support to children and families. Her current research interests include media properties and their role in assessment.
She is a doctoral candidate in psychology, having a Master in art therapy and a Master in educational psychology.
Presenter's site: imagesetc.ca
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Joy and Healing: Group Art Therapy with Children
Mavis Osei
Mavis Osei Ph.D. is a Ghanaian painter, art educator, art therapist and a Fulbright alumnus. She has a BA in Art and a PhD in Art Education from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. She also has a Diploma in Mental Health Studies from Alison, and an MA in Clinical Art Therapy from Long Island University, New York.
She is an affable and dedicated Senior Lecturer at KNUST, with ten years of university teaching experience demonstrating constant success as Professor and Art Therapist in undergraduate and postgraduate education teaching courses like Educational Psychology, Psychology of Human Development and Learning, Art Therapy, and Aesthetics and Criticism. She has also authored an Art Therapy postgraduate programme for the university, the first of its kind in the sub-region. She was the Head of Department, Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, KNUST between August, 2018 and July, 2020.
Mavis has an array of publications to her credit.
She is an affable and dedicated Senior Lecturer at KNUST, with ten years of university teaching experience demonstrating constant success as Professor and Art Therapist in undergraduate and postgraduate education teaching courses like Educational Psychology, Psychology of Human Development and Learning, Art Therapy, and Aesthetics and Criticism. She has also authored an Art Therapy postgraduate programme for the university, the first of its kind in the sub-region. She was the Head of Department, Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, KNUST between August, 2018 and July, 2020.
Mavis has an array of publications to her credit.
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Person Picking an Apple from a Tree (PPAT)
and Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS)
Linda Gantt and Annie McFarland
Dr. Linda Gantt has had a distinguished 45-year career in art therapy. She is well known among art therapists having served as President of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), editor of the first issue of the association’s journal, and chair of the National Coalition of Art Therapies Associations. She has been awarded the Honorary Life Member citation, which is the highest accolade in art therapy. Dr. Gantt has a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy from The George Washington University and a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Gantt has taught in a number of graduate art therapy programs including the George Washington University, Vermont College, Notre Dame de Namur, and Florida State University.
Her Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS), developed with Carmello Tabone, is used nationally and internationally and is helping revolutionize the assessment of psychological conditions. A paradigm shift toward utilizing art therapy in the mental health field is occurring and FEATS is instrumental in that process.
On top of this, Dr. Gantt developed the revolutionary Instinctual Trauma Response® (ITR) together with her late husband, psychiatrist Dr. Louis Tinnin. ITR is a structured trauma therapy approach based on brain science, art therapy and parts therapy. It “finishes” trauma stories that are fragmented memories without words. Years of practice-based evidence has shown ITR greatly reduces or completely eliminates trauma symptoms long-term.
Annie McFarland, PhD, ATR-BC, is a Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist and educator originally from Farmington Hills, MI. She earned an MS in art therapy 2013 and received her PhD art education and art therapy in 2020 from Florida State University. Her dissertation research focused on the use of papermaking with veterans to address trauma, PTSD, and veteran to civilian readjustment.
In her current role as Assistant Professor of art therapy and therapeutic arts at West Virginia University, Dr. McFarland serves as the art therapy program coordinator and teaches coursework in art therapy, therapeutic arts in education, and arts-based research. She has also presented at various venues on the use of therapeutic practices in education and trauma-informed teaching. She is the primary investigator for the FEATS digital archival project. In this research role, Dr. McFarland works closely with Dr. Linda Gantt and current WVU students to structure and execute digital documentation of over 20,000 patient drawings for an upcoming digital database of Dr. Gantt’s prolific collection.
In addition to her teaching and research experience, Dr. McFarland has over 8 years of clinical art therapy experience across a variety of settings, including hospice care, inpatient psychiatric facilities, pediatric rehabilitation, memory care/dementia facilities, and veteran settings.
Her Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS), developed with Carmello Tabone, is used nationally and internationally and is helping revolutionize the assessment of psychological conditions. A paradigm shift toward utilizing art therapy in the mental health field is occurring and FEATS is instrumental in that process.
On top of this, Dr. Gantt developed the revolutionary Instinctual Trauma Response® (ITR) together with her late husband, psychiatrist Dr. Louis Tinnin. ITR is a structured trauma therapy approach based on brain science, art therapy and parts therapy. It “finishes” trauma stories that are fragmented memories without words. Years of practice-based evidence has shown ITR greatly reduces or completely eliminates trauma symptoms long-term.
Annie McFarland, PhD, ATR-BC, is a Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist and educator originally from Farmington Hills, MI. She earned an MS in art therapy 2013 and received her PhD art education and art therapy in 2020 from Florida State University. Her dissertation research focused on the use of papermaking with veterans to address trauma, PTSD, and veteran to civilian readjustment.
In her current role as Assistant Professor of art therapy and therapeutic arts at West Virginia University, Dr. McFarland serves as the art therapy program coordinator and teaches coursework in art therapy, therapeutic arts in education, and arts-based research. She has also presented at various venues on the use of therapeutic practices in education and trauma-informed teaching. She is the primary investigator for the FEATS digital archival project. In this research role, Dr. McFarland works closely with Dr. Linda Gantt and current WVU students to structure and execute digital documentation of over 20,000 patient drawings for an upcoming digital database of Dr. Gantt’s prolific collection.
In addition to her teaching and research experience, Dr. McFarland has over 8 years of clinical art therapy experience across a variety of settings, including hospice care, inpatient psychiatric facilities, pediatric rehabilitation, memory care/dementia facilities, and veteran settings.
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