Art Therapy

Art therapy, based on the idea that creative acts can be healing, is a form of psychotherapy that uses art as its primary form of treatment. Through creating art and contemplating the art making process, a qualified Art Therapist can help clients of all ages to express emotions in a healthy way, cope with stress and traumatic experiences and to increase their self-awareness. Art therapy requires no previous art experience and can benefit individuals with mental health problems, learning disabilities, neurological conditions, or physical disabilities.

Local experts in Art Therapy

Elizabeth Nelson (She/Her)

Art Therapist

ATR-BC/LPC

I completed a masters degree in Art Therapy Counseling from Marylhurst University in 2006 and have obtained board certification as an art therapist with the national Art Therapy Credentials Board.

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Dani Dierking (She/Her/Hers)

Licensed Art Therapist

LAT, LPC, ATR

I am a licensed art therapist with the State of Oregon and I am a registered art therapist with the American Art Therapy Credentials Board. I have been practicing art therapy for over 8 years.

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Emily Ross-Johnson (she/her/hers)

Professional Counselor Associate

Art therapy is an extremely helpful tool for those wishing to decrease stress, anxiety and depression, while increasing cognitive function, emotional resilience, insight, and social skills. Plus, it's fun!

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Alyssa Gursky (they/them & she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

Benefits of art therapy may include the development of non-verbal forms of self-expression, trauma resolution, increased self-esteem, and nervous system regulation/stress management. Art materials can be used in the session, or, prompts can be given to complete outside of the therapy space. I hold the belief that art is like a dream, or a snapshot of some facet of the psyche, latent with imagery, waiting to be de-coded and integrated into one’s daily life.

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Mira Shah, LPC, ATR, LAT (she/her)

Art Therapist

LPC, LAT, ATR

Art therapy is a modality that can help access feelings and thoughts that may become blocked through our ability to censor, filter, intellectualize or suppress. Together we can make visible and tangible new insights about our experiences that inform deeper parts of the self through the creative process. No art experience/skill level necessary!

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Sarah Hardin

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Sometimes, words don't suffice. Or we tell ourselves the same stories over and over again, not allowing us to get unstuck from these old narratives. The power of image and of creative expression to get at the heart of a feeling or a problem is immense. If you think visually or are curious about new ways of approaching old problems, art therapy may be very effective for you.

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Alicia Pasik (She/They)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, CRC, LPC

My undergraduate degree coursework at Lesley College focused largely on art and expressive arts therapy.

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Drew Smith (she/her)

Licensed Art Therapist

LCAT, LPC

I'm a Licensed Certified Art Therapist with five years of experience providing individual and group therapy to children, teens, and adults. Prior to completing my Master's Degree in Art Therapy I worked in community arts centers, museums, and classrooms facilitating arts programming in numerous settings and for people of all ages.

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Erica Ochsenreither (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC, ATR-BC, LCAT

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Rachael Patoray (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, ATR

My professional training is in art therapy and I am a registered art therapist (ATR). Art therapy is about creating art in a therapeutic setting. The act of art making, as well as the art piece you create, will help you to explore and express yourself in a safe space. Creativity helps you tap-into and explore complex and overwhelming feelings and situations in a non-threatening way.

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Danielle Meyer (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

PhD, LPC/LMHC, ATR

I provide art therapy via telehealth and like to make art in session or provide clients with prompts to explore creatively outside of session. Some clients make collages from photos on their phone. Some clients are artists working on current projects. Some clients like to buy and refurbish things from the thrift store as a form of self-care. I encourage clients to keep a journal of some kind for writing, art, dreams, or notes in session.

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Allison Medford (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT, ATR

Though many therapists will say they use "art therapy" in their treatment, it takes specialized training to call oneself an Art Therapist and register with the ATCB. This distinction identifies me as uniquely qualified to use art making and creative interventions with advanced knowledge of the creative process, evidence based interventions, and honor for your expressive voice in your journey to self discovery and growth. Master's Degree in Art Therapy, GWU 2010 ATR #22-230

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Erin Webb

Licensed Art Therapist

LPC, ATR

Making art reduces stress and helps many teens engage more in therapy. Art therapy helps youth process difficult experiences and communicate feelings, thoughts and memories that are hard to express in words. Art therapy is also used during family therapy to support positive interactions and the sharing and revising of family stories. Artistic talent is not necessary and stick figures are welcome!

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Catherine Lazen (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

M.Ed, MSW, LCSW

I provide a wide range of expressive arts therapy options (including Sandplay therapy) for people of all ages who are dealing with loss, grief, PTSD, trauma, chronic illness, relational (couples/family) conflict and more.

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Beth Ann AKA BA Short LCAT, ATR-BC (they/them)

Art Therapist

LCAT

Art therapy requires specialized training and certification. Art therapy is a human service profession that serves to increase self-awareness and self-esteem, improve social skills and behavior, increase the ability to problem solve, decrease stress, improve reality orientation and resolve emotional conflicts through the process of making art. In Oregon there are two art therapy licenses: Licensed Art Therapist (LAT) and Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT).

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Aaron Finbloom (he/him)

Somatic Practitioner

PhD

I work with Psychodrama and Visioning practices, which help bring a client into dramatic or imaginative representation of inner and external roles. These practices help significantly aid in expression, depth-work and distancing.

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Lesley Burke (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, ATR

I am a registered art therapist (ATR) and enjoy helping clients engage with their own creative energy to facilitate healing. This may look very different depending on the individual, but can include painting, drawing, collage-making, art journaling, photography, sewing, or sculpture/ mixed media. I generally use the “art as therapy” approach which means that the art-making process itself is heal

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Family Roots Therapy

Licensed Professional Counselor

Our Licensed Art Therapist has experience in using art therapy to help teens explore their emotions, build self-esteem, and heal.

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Celine Redfield

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT, Certified Havening Practitioner, EFT Master, Practitioner

I use art therapy to help clients to externalize their problems so that they can have different perspective on them and to use the right side of the brain instead of the left. Through use of the art clients gai insights into their bodies and the unconscious process that occurs within them.

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Nicole Craig (She/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

As an art therapist, I believe we are all artists who deserve the pleasure of art making. I have used this modality in a variety of ways; helping people process grief and trauma externally, as a means to improve reality testing for individuals with psychosis, as a tool for depression and anxiety, and as a method to increase insight.

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