E-Portfolio: Southwestern College

Artist Bio

My journey to Southwestern began with a little girl and a dream to infuse the world with creativity, curiosity, and healing. Innate in our human composition is the power to heal and be healed. Wholeness therefore became a quest, to resurrect the fractured parts of my being through the power of my Creator. Within this journey emerged the childlike adventure of creativity, self-expression, and empowerment. The calling on my life to become an art therapist stems from the way in which I was created to command the healing power and presence through the spirit of my Creator. Art became a modality for my own personal healing throughout my life which prompted me to share in the wonder and power of healing for others. It is within the human connection that we can explore the capacity to cultivate a space of wholeness.

My experience with education, art facilitation, and creative roles has led me to this place of continual growth, self-exploration, and discovery. My faith is my foundation on which I build a communal space of love, acceptance, hope, and encouragement. In becoming an art therapist I join in a community of people who believe in the power of inner strength, creativity, and responsibility to human existence to embrace personal identity. Wholeness desires to reconnect with the mind, body, soul, and spirit to contribute to a greater collective, a restorative process that resurrects the discarded and hidden parts into one cohesive identity.

Section 1

Theories of Art Therapy

The foundation of any therapeutic space is a convergence of theoretical stance and the modalities that provide a comprehensive approach towards wholeness and healing.

Section 2

Transformational Learning Process

A landscape where previous knowledge and new knowledge meet to create a dynamic learning experience excelerated through the personal growth of the individual.

Section 3

Skills: Techniques, Application & Ethics

Attending and awareness surrounding the physical, mental, and emotional needs of the therapeutic space blended with professional values and moralistic decision making.

section 4

Multicultural Awareness & Responsiveness

Personal response to the combination of cultural variables and the full range of dimensions of diversity that an individual brings to the therapeutic space.

section 5

Focused Populations and Assessments

Projects on Focused Populations and Assessment Philosophy show diverse approaches, deep understanding, and critical evaluation. Various delivery methods include written reports and art-based visuals. Emphasize significance of considering focused populations in research and artistic endeavors.

Section 6

Capstone Projects

Incorporating both the cumulative class project and the creative inquiry project, final projects serve as comprehensive assessments of learning outcomes throughout the semester. These culminating assignments aim to showcase understanding of the material covered, ability to think critically, and proficiency in applying learned concepts. The cumulative class project typically entails synthesizing various course topics and demonstrating a holistic comprehension of the subject matter. On the other hand, the creative inquiry project offers students the opportunity to delve deeper into a specific area of interest, encouraging innovative thinking and originality. By combining these two components, final projects provide a well-rounded evaluation of students' academic growth and achievement.

Class Capstone Project can be found here

Creative Inquiry Project can be found here

section 7

Professional Experience

Professional experience in the field of art therapy and counseling involves applying creative techniques to help individuals navigate through emotional challenges and promote overall well-being. This hands-on approach allows for a non-verbal form of expression, facilitating deeper insight and personal growth in a supportive environment.

Working in both inpatient and outpatient programs has provided me with a diverse range of experiences that continuously challenge my skill set while fostering growth in my professional expertise and personal identity development.