What is Transpersonal Counseling Psychology?

At Naropa we earn a degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy.  Many people haven't heard of Transpersonal Psychology and Naropa just made a little explanatory video that turned out pretty cool. Check it out if you want to know more about what the heck we're doing at Naropa!


Visit this link: Naropa TCP Video

Update on the Naropa AT Response to Wildfires

"Art has the potential to change lives and often in profound ways. When words are not enough, we turn to images and symbols to tell our stories. And in telling our stories through art, we can find a path to health and wellness, emotional reparation, recovery, and ultimately, transformation." 

- Cathy Malchiodi

The Naropa art therapy community is currently offering 2 forms of support for those impacted by the recent wildfires and would like to offer an invitation for the Naropa community at large to participate.  The Art Therapy program is based on the foundation of nurturing socially engaged art therapists through the practice of serving and building community through the arts.  We believe in the inherent power of art making to improve lives, bring about positive change, build community and to help tell people's stories when words are not enough. 

Please join us in one of two ways:

* Free Naropa Community Art Studio Open Studio at the Nalanda Campus on 63rd and Arapahoe in Boulder will be open each Sunday from 09/12 until 10/31 from 10am-1pm for persons affected by the fire. It is an open studio with the intention of creating individual and community art in order to express and witness the experiences, emotions, and stories of people impacted by this tragic event.  All who are feeling the impact of this fire are invited to participate.

* Offer words and/or art in cards of gratitude!  Please take a moment to write a note of gratitude to one of the many fire fighters, volunteers, and rescue workers who provided front-line assistance to local residents impacted by the wildfire!  The act of taking care to create something thoughtful and special for another human has the potential to be a very powerful experience for the sender and the receiver.  Cards are ready for your kind words and/or creative flair at the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology (TCP) office on the Paramita campus.

• Write a note of gratitude in a pre-decorated card

• Take a set of blank cards to decorate for those who do not have time to decorate or do not identify as artists who would still like to contribute
• Take cards for your friends, classes, roommates, or co-workers to decorate or write in
• Make your own homemade cards and drop them off at the TCP Office front desk

All cards will be collected and distributed 
to local Boulder agencies on:
Monday, October 4th

Please contact Chelsea O'Neil at chelseaoneil@gmail.com with any questions

Giving Thanks!

Transpersonal Counseling Psychology students from Naropa gathered on Saturday to cut, fold, and decorate handmade cards.  Art therapy students are highly encouraged to pick up a small stack of cards to decorate and return without messages so that those that don’t feel comfortable decorating are still able to write messages.  We are looking for any and all forms of gratitude, particularly making it easier for those that do not identify as artists or have the time to decorate to be able to participate by writing messages in beautiful, handmade cards.

Naropa community members are invited to…
• Write a note of gratitude in a pre-decorated card
• Take a set of blank cards and decorate them yourself
• Take cards for your friends, roommates, co-workers or family members to decorate or write in

Cards are ready for kind words and creative flair at the front desk of the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology office on the Paramita campus. 

All cards will be collected and distributed to local Boulder agencies on: Monday, October 4th

Offering Gratitude!

The fire has been one of the most destructive fires in Colorado, destroying more homes than any other blaze in state history. 700 firefighters and support personnel have been in action for days!  We will be making thank-you cards for firefighters, law enforcement, and rescue/aid workers helping with the fire efforts.  We need help!  Artists, art therapists, students, friends, family, Boulderites, and the like....

If you're interested in mailing in cards in from somewhere else or making a donation, please email chelseaoneil@gmail.com for contact info.


We will be making thank-you cards for firefighters, law enforcement, and rescue/aid workers helping with the fire efforts on
Saturday, Sept. 18th we will be meeting in the studio from 12pm-4pm to…
•    Cut paper
•    Fold cards and bind in small packages with ribbon
•    Decorate cards
•    Write messages

Cards will be at the front desk of the TCP office, the art studio and possibly somewhere on the Arapahoe campus for students and faculty to write messages and/or decorate the cards and then return them to the pick-up point.  I will then collect all of the cards and drop them off at designated stations throughout the community.  Awesome Amy of the 1st years is checking on card stock donations.  If you have any materials that could be of use please bring them by on Saturday the 18th!

Art therapy students are highly encouraged to pick up a small stack of cards to decorate and return without messages so that those that don’t feel comfortable decorating are still able to write messages.  

This is a GREAT activity for students to work on while in community art studio or on Sunday if you’re willing to help out in NCAS!  Feel free to take cards to your places of employment, in the community or classes, for your roommates, or bring your own homemade cards from other places for the donation.   

We are looking for any and all forms of gratitude, particularly blank cards which will make it easier for those that do not identify as artists or have the time to decorate to be able to participate by writing messages in beautiful, handmade cards.

Naropa Art Therapy Community Responds to Boulder Fire

 A fire broke out Monday outside of Boulder and spread over roughly 6,300 acres. It has since become one of the most destructive fires in Colorado, destroying more homes than any other blaze in state history.  According to a recent Huffington Post article, about 3,500 people have been out of their homes for four days and fire managers said as many as 700 firefighters and support personnel and seven air tankers were assigned to fight the fire, considered the nation's top firefighting priority.

We are quickly brainstorming ideas to aid fire evacuees in the area.  As students and professionals in the art therapy community we are joining forces to help in whatever way that we can.  First off,  

The Naropa Community Art Studio at the Nalanda Campus on 63rd and Arapahoe in Boulder will be open each Sunday from 09/12 until 10/31 from 10am-1pm for persons affected by the fire. It is an open studio with the intention of creating individual and community art in order to express and witness the experiences, emotions, and stories of people impacted by this tragic event.  All who are feeling the impact of this fire are invited to participate.

All other Naropa art therapy community efforts will be posted on this blog.  Feedback and ideas for projects are welcome and encouraged.

Many blessings.  Stay safe.

For the latest news on the fire and resources available in the community, check out this link:

http://twitter.com/YahooNews/boulderfire 


or visit http://www.boulderfire.com/

 

View Free Presentations on Slideshare.net

If you're interested in learning, particularly about art therapy, there are some great presentations online for free at http://www.slideshare.net/.  Just go to the site and search for whatever topic you're interested in.  PowerPoint Presentations have been uploaded by users and are accessible for free to the public.  You yourself can also create an account and upload your own presentations in order to promote your work or share what you've been up to with an online community.

Here are some examples of presentations you can view on art therapy:

Social Media and Art Therapy
Art Therapy as an Alternative Treatment
Art Therapy & Trauma: Art Helps Indigenous Women Heal
International Art Therapy Research
Healing Dolls as a Therapeutic Art Therapy Intervention
Bruce Perry's Impact: Considerations for Art Therapy & Children

Head over to slidshare.net and start a search of your own!

Blog Inspiration!

There is a wealth of information out in the digital world!  Technology offers us a chance to connect with people all over the world through communication, education, shared laughter and joy, and of course through art.  There are tons of great blogs and websites that offer information and support for art therapists.  For example, here's a link to a great art therapy blog that offers step-by-step art interventions for expressive therapists. 

Check it out!


The Art Therapy Catablog:
"I am a recent grad of U of L's Expressive Therapies program, and am building a small private practice... I am a mere pup in the field- yet I have already learned so much! I keep thinking, "I really need a place to record this stuff," and thus, a blog is born. My intention is to create some kind of catalog for ideas, interventions, and those rare moments of pristine clarity."

http://sara-crafton.blogspot.com/

Where do you go for ideas and inspiration?

DDS Training Seminar in Denver, sponsored by ATACO

The Art Therapy Association of Colorado will be hosting a Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) Training Seminar lead by Barry M. Cohen, MA, ATR-BC & Anne Mills, MA, ATR-BC, LPC.

Saturday & Sunday

October 16 & 17

9 am - 5pm

TOSA (The Other Side Arts) Denver

1644 Platte Street, Denver, CO 80202

(303) 561-3000

 

For more information or to register online,

visit: http://www.arttherapy-co.org/Events

Student Survey: Why did you choose art therapy as a profession?

"I really feel like art therapy chose me.  I have always had an affinity for helping people, counseling others, and empathic listening.  As I moved into my college career I began to explore my own love for art and creativity and I decided that it was important for me to use my passion for art in a way that builds community and fosters social change.  Art therapy made sense to me, and through a series of detours and happenstance I keep finding my way back on this path."

"I still ask myself that. I like art and kids, but didn't want to be an art teacher. So I came to this. Which is really funny because now I'm an ...art teacher. I think the Universe has a big hand in this one. "

"Even when I was a bio/pre-med student I was majoring in art classes just so that I could get into them (my school didn't have room for non majors to take art classes past the introductory level). When I switched from biology to psychology I found art therapy. It was the perfect blend between my love of art and my love of science. And so I doubled in psychology and studio art. It just made sense for me. I'm not sure I can really explain it, other than going "YES! this is exactly what I want to do" once I found out about what art therapy was."

"I have been in an art school since I was 11 years old. I have always wanted to be an artist but I have felt a calling to represent something deeper and essentially to help others. I bounced back and forth and I was fascinated by anything that had to do with psychology. The day (when I was 13) I found that an interdisciplinary career like art therapy existed; I knew that this was what I was supposed to do. There are thousands of languages all over the world; however, there is one universal language that unifies us all and that it through a realm of images. Some of the most profound conversations that I have ever had with others were about the emotions that an image brought to us. Sometimes images leave us dumbfounded and speechless. The justification for using the image as a healing agent is prevalent throughout history, and of course it would make sense for a career in the 21^st century."

Please leave us your comments and let us know why you're interested in art therapy!

Artist Trading Card Exchange!

The Linked-in group Materials and Media in Art Therapy is once again hosting an Artist Trading Card exchange! The theme for this go-round is "Collage Unleashed."  This time, there s still a chance for you to sign up! The deadline to sign up is August 11 by 8pm EST. 

In order to sign up there are a few guidelines for you to follow:

• You must be a member Materials and Media subgroup of the Art Therapy Alliance group at Linked-in

(if you are not already a member, Linked-in is free and all you have to do is a group search to find those listed above)

• You must then email the host of the swap, Melanie.

(her email is listed in the conversation post in the Materials and Media subgroup... since this is for members only, please sign up and log in to get it. I'd hate to share private info with the whole web!)

• The email must have "Alliance ATC Swap" in the header.
• The email should include your full name and mailing address.

Once you have signed up, make 4 ATCs based on the theme Collage Unleashed. These and a self addressed return envelope need to be in the mail no later than August 30. Melanie will then take the time sort through the ATCs, and on the week of September 7 she will send you 4 ATCs from other swap participants.

This is a fun and creative way to network with your fellow art therapists and art therapy students. 

Happy creating!

Tweet! Tweet!

Do you tweet?  Are you interested in learning more about art therapy through links, articles, videos, images, and stories shared by others online?  Pop on over to Twitter and follow these great folks...

@artastherapy
@arttxalliance
@arttherapy
@ArtTherapyNet
@arttherapynews
@art2therapy

If you know about more interesting Art Therapy tweeters feel free to leave their @name in the comments!

Be an Early Bird!

Image Credit: Mati Rose McDonough 

Just  a quick reminder that the early-bird rates for 

AATA conference registration end July 28th!

Scholarship Opportunity

Society for Arts in Healthcare let us know about a scholarship opportunity!

$1,000 scholarship to support education in an arts in healthcare curriculum

• To be considered, applicant must be a current student member of the Society for the Arts in Healthcare in good standing, and must show documentation of at least part-time enrollment in an accredited institution.
• Applicant should demonstrate specific contributions to the field of arts in healthcare through the development of student activities, community outreach, and/or similar actions that either support the integration of the arts into the healthcare experience or show significant interest in the field. 
• Current board members, employees, or interns of the Society are not eligible.
• Previous recipients of this award are not eligible.
• There are no restrictions regarding race, gender, nationality, geographic location, or religious or political views.

To learn more about the application process and the Society for the Arts in Health Care visit this link.

Training Opportunities!

We have posted about the Art Therapy Association Conference coming up in November because 4 of our students will be presenting!  We have also decided to do some research and find some alternative opportunities available to students for the summer and fall semester.  Check these out!

Expressive Art Therapy Summer Institute
Tuscon, AZ
July 25-Aug. 8, 2010

Open Studio Project Facilitator Training
Evanston, IL
July 31-Aug. 2, 2010

International Encounter for Art Therapies Students
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 16-19, 2010

Buckeye Art Therapy Association Symposium
Dublin, OH
Sept. 24 & 25, 2010
* Our very own Michael Franklin is the keynote speaker at this event

International Conference on Art in Response to Violence
Chicago, IL
Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2010

Health, Aging and the Creative Arts
Pentincton, British Columbia
Oct. 1-2, 2010

Art for Burning Out Burnout
Redwood Valley, CA
Nov. 1-2, 2010

3rd Year Internships are about to begin...

Check out a few of the great sites our 3rd year interns will be working for in the 2010-2011 school year!


Children's Hospital 
The Denver Hospice
Eating Disorder Center of Denver
Florence Crittenton School
Imagine!
Mount St. Vincent
Noeticus Counseling Center
Pathways Hospice
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence

According to the Naropa website:

The internship is an integral part of the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy program. It is designed to provide students with training and supervision in the practice of psychotherapy through field placements in human service agencies. The Professional Seminar class is taken concurrently with the field placement and is designed to educationally enhance and support the field placement experience.

First Art Therapy Student Association Meeting

The first ever meeting of the Naropa Art Therapy Student Association took place a few weeks back!  It's summer so there were only a handful of students in attendance, but we were very productive.  We aren't an official student organization yet but we are hoping that a good community group can emerge with this pilot program.

Details are still TBD but for now here's what was decided:

Meetings will be held once a month, on the last Saturday of the month (dependent on breaks and holidays).  There will be a time for business & discussion, art making and a social activity option in the evening if people are interested in spending more time with one another.

First semester:


08/28/10: Welcome picnic & mixer to kick-off the school year and mingle with the incoming first year students.  Also a time to talk about what we want for the student association and delegating responsibilities.


09/25/10: Studio Space - a facilitated discussion about what it means to set up a studio/art therapy space with a tour of a working art therapist's office and studio space.  What is important to us when setting up an office & studio?  Essentially, how do we make our space reflect who we are as individuals and therapists?

10/30/10: Choosing a site-  Practicum, Internship, and the Post-Graduation Job Search 

11/20/10: Self-care tips, strategies, and practices.  Including a "secret snowflake" gift exchange, each person bringing an item (for less than $10) that they use as a source for self-care to share with another individual in the group.

Potential topics for second semester:
LPC & ATR: What the license process looks like and the pros and cons of each
Networking with other therapists
Art Therapy and Technology

If you're interested in learning more or becoming involved, contact Chelsea at coneil@students.naropa.edu

Art Therapy & Technology: Linkedin

Post by: Annice Johnson, Class of 2011

The Internet is an amazing tool for art therapists, well, for anyone. There is a site in particular I would like to highlight: Linkedin.

Linkedin is a free professional social networking site, so it is like facebook with a suit on. As students about to emerge into a professional realm, I have found Linkedin to be a resource worth investing some time in.  Once you have become a member, you can join groups. In the search option under groups - I typed in the words art therapy. A list of art therapy groups pops up; these include: Art Therapy Alliance, International Art Therapy Organization (IATO), and many subgroups that explore more specific realms of art therapy, such as trauma work with art therapy, various mediums used, medical art therapy, and digital art therapy.

Once you join a group, there are discussions posted to the page, so it is like a chat room all dressed up with a tie. These discussions are useful in a variety of ways. As a networking site - it is helpful in meeting art therapists who are often more than willing to answer your questions. Once, I posted a discussion about a population I was studying for a class presentation. Several art therapist who worked directly with that population messaged me valuable information. Not only was it helpful for my research, but I now have some contacts that work with the population I am interested in. Valuable, no?! 

Currently, Gretchen Miller through the Materials and Media in Art Therapy Linkedin subgroup is hosting an ATC (artist trading cards) swap for members of the subgroup with the theme of "Art Therapy: Helping Others, Communities, and the World". This is a fun way to network with other actively creative art therapists. The rules were to create 4 ATCs.  Once all members have sent in their ATCs Gretchen will mail back 3 from other art therapists. The 4th cards are being kept for the Art Therapy Alliance.  Not only is this fun, but now I am able to contact other participants and start networking with them. I can't wait to find out what 3 art therapist I will receive ATCs from! 

While it is too late to sign up for this swap, there are already rumors about another one forming... so quick, hop like a bunny and sign up for Linkedin, and join the Materials and Media in Art Therapy subgroup.

Here are the ATCs I sent in:

To see the ATCs already submitted visit the Art Therapy Alliance Facebook page.

Please join us!

contact coneil@students.naropa.edu for more information

AATA Conference Sessions Now Posted

All of the sessions for the AATA annual conference are now posted here.  Check out full listings and visit the AATA Conference website to register!

Naropa students will be presenting...

Friday, November 5th from 3:15-5:05pm
Carry Me with You: Art Therapy and Families Facing Military Deployment
Elizabeth Fisher, B.A.; Annice Johnson, B.A.; Chelsea O'Neil, B.A.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought about unprecedented cycles of deployment. The increasing frequency of these cycles has resulted in raised stress levels for military families. This presentation will identify the implications of military deployment on the psychological development and mental health of children within military families.

Saturday, November 6th from 10:15-11:45am
Laptops & Twitter & Blogs, Oh My!
Donica Snyder, B.A.; Chelsea O'Neil, B.A.
Can we responsibly integrate technology into the practice of art therapy without jeopardizing the therapeutic alliance? We think so. An overview of both sides of the technology debate will be presented as well as examples of technology being used to build relationship in therapy and within a larger community context.

AATA Conference Early Bird Registration Now Available

Early bird registration for the 2010 American Art Therapy Association national conference is now available online.  For more information about rates and what is included in the various packages, visit the AATA conference conference & event registration page.

Project Girl: Media Literacy & Empowerment

Several Naropa art therapy students fulfilled their 2009-2010 practicum experience or civic engagement requirement in the Community Art Studio in conjunction with the Boulder Youth Body Alliance.  Boulder Youth Body Alliance (BYBA) empowers youth to reclaim a positive body image. Through a variety of grassroots projects and activities, teens take action, reclaim their voices, and make a positive difference in their communities. BYBA peer educators and activists learn how to stop trying to change their bodies and work to change the world instead.

A variation of a national program called Project Girl was offered to middle school and high school girls in Boulder County.  Project Girl (PG) is an after-school program that combines art and media literacy into a unique educational program aimed at encouraging adolescent girls to become more critical consumers of contemporary media advertising and entertainment. The purpose of PG is to help girls become literate in all media forms—TV, internet, movies, magazines, newspapers, billboards, books, product labels, and music—so that they control the interpretation of what they see or hear rather than letting the interpretation control them.

To read all about the hard work of Naropa students and Project Girl

check out the blog: projectgirlboulder.blogspot.com 

or watch the video below created by PG practicum student Chelsea O'Neil

Photos from the Project Girl Exhibition on the Naropa campus:

iMovie as an Art Therapy Tool with Children

In the fall semester of the second year of the Naropa art therapy program, students take a child and adolescent populations course.  Through readings, discussion, practice sessions with children, experiential exercises and assignments, students focus on understanding development, art assessment, approaches to treatment and the practice of art therapy with a variety of child and adolescent populations.

Each student is paired with one child, ages ranging from 4-12, for a practicum art therapy experience.  In the Fall of 2009, Donica Snyder (pictured right) created a six session art therapy treatment plan that encouraged her child client to write his own myth, manifest his own characters and setting using art materials, and use photography and iMovie to put it all together in a stop-animation short.  Check out the amazing project that was created over the course of six sessions!  A great example of technology as a tool in the art studio.

Women in the Arts Documentary

In a predominantly female field, sometimes it is nice to hear the voices of other women.  The documentary Who Does She Think She Is?  follows the lives of 5 women who are maintaining a relationship between motherhood and art making.  Our program is full of mothers-to-be, new mothers, and experienced mothering extraordinaires (we have some great fathers too) who are attempting to juggle their commitment to the field of art therapy, their own artist identities, and their educational and professional goals.  This film is a wonderful look at expectations and conflicts that may arise in the lives of women when they attempt to "have it all."  For more information about the film, watch the trailer below or visit whodoesshethinksheis.net.

Art by Ft. Carson Soldiers on Display

photo source

A new exhibit called 'Conflict|Resolution', will run through June 20 at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (just a car ride away from Boulder).  The display features artwork produced by soldiers in an 11 week art therapy Creative Expressions workshop.  To read more about the program and the current exhibition visit this article or visit http://www.csfineartscenter.org/

For more great information about ways that art therapy is helping to support combat veterans, check out these wonderful resources:

Combat Paper Makers

They Drew Fire

Exposure Therapy for Soldiers

International Art Therapy Association

A Chance to Give Back

Photo Credit

Through a blog I follow for creative inspiration, Mon Petit Poppet, I discovered a big-hearted sewing activity that began with another blogger, Dance for Cheese.  The directive is to sew a reversible pinafore for little girls and/or plain elastic-waist cotton shorts for little boys who live at the Dago Dala Hera Orphanage in Kenya. 

Knowing that many of the art therapy students at Naropa sew... I thought this would be a great activity to use our creative talents that will be life enhancing indeed!

The fabric shop that started this activity is located in Melbourne, Australia.  A young Melbourne woman spent time volunteering at the orphanage this past Christmas.  She was struck that the children there did not have adequate clothing and that the orphanage did not have enough funds to supply any.  Her mother works at the fabric shop and she and her co-workers began making the reversible pinafores which the orphanage had requested upon contact.  Soon customers noticed the pinafores in the back of the store and they too joined in.  Through the wonderful world of blogging... the news has spread. And now I pass it on to you.

Want to be involved? All you need to do is make a girl's reversible pinafore and/or boy's elastic-waist cotton shorts that are ready to be shipped by June 4, 2010.  They are collecting these items for children of many ages - so you can make them in the child's size of your choosing! I would be willing to gather the items made and send them off in one package.  I will also find out the address of the Melbourne blogger, who has offered to have items shipped to her so that she can drop them off a the store, and I can share that with anyone who contacts me (annicejohnson@gmail.com) to send their pinafores and/or shorts. 

- Annice Johnson, Class of 2011

Art Therapy Association Mentor Program

 "The American Art Therapy Association is expanding its professional development service offerings, including the implementation of a new Art Therapy Mentor Program.  The Mentor Program will specifically target student members of the Association enrolled in art therapy graduate programs, and new professionals who are entering the field.  The talents, experience, and wisdom of the Association's seasoned Credentialed Professional, Professional, and Retired Professional members will provide the cadre of mentors to ensure that the next generation of art therapists has the support needed for success.

The Art Therapy Mentor Program had its official launch at the Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas this past November.  As of January, 2010, 34 of the Association's members including mentors and mentees are now actively participating in the program."
- AATA Newsletter, Volume XLIII, Number 1 Winter 2010, Page 18

For more information about the AATA Art Therapy Mentor Program, please visit the website or send an email to mentor@arttherapy.org.

To become a member of the AATA click here.

AATA Scholarship Opportunities

American Art Therapy Association (AATA) Awards are granted to student members who have been accepted or are attending an American Art Therapy Association approved Graduate Art Therapy Program (that's us).  You can find all information regarding the application process on the AATA website.  The deadline for application packets is July 15th.  All students are encouraged to apply!

In 2009 a Naropa art therapy student received a scholarship specifically designed to provide financial support to students interested in attending the annual AATA Conference. This fund is available to 3 student members who can demonstrate financial need, enrollment in an AATA approved art therapy program, prior involvement in art as healing events and potential for becoming a leader in the AATA community.

Other scholarships available include:

AATA Anniversary Scholarship Fund (1 award)
Available to a stude]npt with a current GPA of at least 3.25 who can demonstrate financial need and acceptance and or enrollment in an AATA approved graduate art therapy program.

Myra Levick Scholarship Fund (1 award)
Available to a student with a current GPA of at least 3.00 who can demonstrate financial need and acceptance and or enrollment in an AATA approved art therapy program.

Rawley Silver Award for Excellence (1 award)
Available to a student whose academic record or prior experience is deemed excellent (3.50) who can demonstrate financial need and acceptance and or enrollment in an AATA approved art therapy program. Where there is no financial need, a $100 honorarium will be granted.

Cay Drachnik Minorities Fund (1 award)
Specifically designed for the purchase of books, this fund is available to members of an ethnic minority group who can demonstrate financial need and acceptance and or enrollment in an AATA approved art therapy program.

Pearlie Roberson Award (1 award)
Specifically designed to provide financial support for a project, undertaken by a student or professional member of AATA that targets multicultural aspects and capacities of art therapy.

Prasad Family Foundation-International Student Scholarship (2 awards)
Specifically designed to provide financial support for international students enrolled in an AATA Approved Graduate Program.

Student Testimonial:Taylor

For my practicum I co-facilitated a multi-generational group of women, with classmate Chelsea O'Neil, who strove to empower themselves against the debilitating effects of mass media advertising. This unique peer-based initiative was unique in its use of art to increase positive body image, self- awareness, self-confidence, and relational bonds. Every week about seventeen women met in a community based studio setting to engage in arts-based directives, thoughtful discussion, and deconstruction of truths espoused by the media. 

While I knew that looking at magazines often left me feeling badly about myself, it wasn’t until I began co-facilitating this group that I realized I carried a degree of responsibility for allowing media content to decrease my self-esteem. Through leading this group I gained a more expansive awareness, which served to lessen the media’s impact on on my self-sense. I began to notice the subtle tricks used by advertisers to manipulate my self-doubt. I found myself browsing through magazines in check-out lines having “Aha!” moments. I wanted to tell the woman in line next to me why women are held to an impossible ideal of beauty – but of course, it makes us want to buy everything! The time to share these “Aha!” moments was in the studio. 

We laughed, cried, got angry, made art, sang, danced, posed, and made fools of ourselves. Slowly we began to reclaim the tools that would strengthen us, the very tools that the media went to great lengths to obscure – our connections to one another and more importantly, our connections to ourselves.

- Taylor Siemon, Class of 2011

To learn more about the artwork created at this practicum site and 

the experiences shared in the Naropa Community Art Studio, visit:

http://projectgirlboulder.blogspot.com

The Class of 2010

* Photo Provided by Jennifer Harkness

Naropa University’s Commencement Ceremony was held on Saturday, May 8.  Congratulations to the graduating class of 2010!  And a special mention to Sue Wallingford for receiving the "Naropa Faculty Award of Excellence" (voted on by the students) during the ceremony.

Naropa Students to Present at 2010 AATA Conference

Four Naropa art therapy graduate students have been selected to present two presentations at the 2010 American Art Therapy Association (AATA) Conference in Sacramento, California.  Here are a couple of short blurbs about the presentations:

Laptops & Twitter & Blogs, Oh My!

Chelsea O'Neil & Donica Snyder

Can we responsibly integrate technology into the practice of art therapy without jeopardizing the therapeutic alliance? We think so.  An overview of both sides of the technology debate will be presented as well as examples of technology being used to build relationship in therapy and within a larger community context.

Art Therapy on the Home Front: 

Coping with Military Deployment of a Parent

Beth Fisher, Annice Johnson, & Chelsea O'Neil

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought about unprecedented cycles of deployment.  The increasing frequency of these cycles has resulted in raised stress levels for military families.  This presentation will identify the implications of military deployment on the psychological development and mental health of children within military families.
 

  
We'll see you in Sacramento!

Semblance of Self

2nd Year Art Therapy students revealed their student exhibition: Semblance of Self on April 30th.  The collection is a culmination of a semester of work in the Art Therapy Studio: Process and Materials course.

Course Description for PSYT624 
Art Therapy Studio: Process and Materials
Contemplative practice is carefully integrated with the investigation of various art processes and materials throughout the semester. The open studio model is followed, allowing for students to practice mindfulness through process painting, drawing and sculpture projects. Commitment to personal and transpersonal imagery is encouraged as an essential part of understanding one's identity as an artist, the purpose of the therapeutic community and contemplative models for practicing art therapy.

A new way to stay involved, connected and up to date...

Welcome!  This blog is a place for art therapy students at Naropa University to share news, events, art work, photos, writing and other interesting blurbs with the world.  

If you would like to contribute to a blog post, please contact Chelsea O'Neil at coneil@students.naropa.edu.