Group Mural Stop Motion at the Expressive Therapies Summit in NYC

It was a pleasure to present this 3 hour "Stop Motion Art Therapy" workshop with my co-facilitator, Julia Cizeski at the Expressive Therapies Summit in New York City this year. This film was created collaboratively with expressive art therapists and students in training, many of whom are using various digital art therapy techniques with clients. The participants were extremely creative, and the discussion after was focused around the process of how making both art and music together in community builds relationship and safety quickly. We also talked about how the experience could bring up feelings of discomfort.  Sometimes in these moments of anxiety and not knowing, is where the prima materia of change and transformation can lie. We can feel empowered after accomplishing something we feared and maybe even dreaded because we trusted the process and ourselves.  In this way, we are creating a new neuro-pathway, a new belief that we are the creators of our own experience.  I always enjoy the music making process in these group workshops because no matter how it sounds in the end we are building something together and there is a often a sense of ancient ritual that is stirred in my mind at least.  I believe making art and music is truly good for the soul on so many levels.

I also presented with three other art therapists on a panel called the "The Studio is Open", with Stephen Legari,, Nicole Brown, and Jill Dupont. This was also a very experiential, fun, and creative process. Check out this blog for more details, including info on Art Hives! http://www.arthives.org/blog/art-hives-take-manhattan-2