The Creative Psychotherapist

VFTS 2026-2 | Lucy Barbera | Trauma-Informed Creative Arts Therapy

FEATURED GUESTS:  Dr. Lucy Barbera, LCAT is a New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Art Teacher, and School District Administrator, whose work spans the medical, psychiatric, and educational settings. Dr. Barbera served on the faculty of The Humanistic Multicultural Education Graduate Program, at the State University of New York (SUNY), at New Paltz, for twenty-three years, where she developed and taught courses in Expressive Arts in Education, Human Services, and in Social Justice Leadership.  Currently, Dr. Barbera is facilitating the Trauma-Informed Creative Arts Therapy Certificate Program for Mental Health Professionals & Educators, a post-graduate program, professional development training program, now in its fifteenth year, in collaboration with the Expressive Therapies Summit. Dr. Barbera lectures widely and maintains a private practice in Art and Sandplay Therapy in Kingston, New York, working with children and adults with life-threatening medical conditions, teens who self-harm, or are challenged with disordered eating, addiction, death, loss, and complex trauma. Dr. Barbera’s doctoral dissertation on the Expressive Arts and Social Justice was granted The Excellence in Scholarship Award in 2009, by the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Association (ETD) and her book, Expressive Arts in Teacher Education: Cultivating Social Justice Leadership, was published in 2011.  Her most recent publications include, Avatar: Masks of Hope and Healing, in Susan Ridley’s The Expressive Use of Masks Across Cultures and Healing Arts, was published by Routledge in 2024 and Joining Social Justice Teacher Education and the Expressive Arts, has just been republished in Natalie Rogers’ The Creative Connection for Groups: Person-Centered Expressive Arts for Healing and Social Change. For Information about Dr. Barbera’s program offerings may be found on her website at: https://www.arttherapycertificate.com/ [https://www.arttherapycertificate.com/ ]and https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat] LISTEN & LEARN:  * The benefits of intermodal processes in the treatment of trauma.  * What students in the certificate program can expect to learn.  * The relationship between trauma and imagery.  * How embracing a hybrid approach to training has allowed Dr. Barbera to reach students around the world and build a connected community.  RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: * Web: www.arttherapycertificate.com/ [http://www.arttherapycertificate.com/] * Facebook: www.facebook.com/arttherapycertificateprograms/ [http://www.facebook.com/arttherapycertificateprograms/] * Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/makingspecial [http://www.facebook.com/groups/makingspecial] * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-barbera-phd-lcat-83578b8/ [http://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-barbera-phd-lcat-83578b8/] * Trauma-Informed Creative Arts Therapy Certificate Program [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat] www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-catSESSIONS AT THE SUMMIT: * Starting April 11 through June 13th Lucy Barbera will be leading the Trauma-Informed Creative Arts Therapy Certificate Program [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat] at Creative Arts Therapy Studio in Kingston, NY & Virtually-Live-Online sign up here at www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat  [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/ti-cat%C2%A0] * You can attend in-person at the Creative Art Therapy Studio in Kingston, NY or attend virtually over Zoom. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EPISODE ON YOUTUBE! [https://www.youtube.com/live/zY2QKIq0o6U?si=w-XeaZdH7p6tQJNK]

VFTS 2026-1 | Sally Brucker | Discovering Goddess Archetypes: Professional Retreat in Riviera Maya, Mexico

FEATURED GUESTS:  Sally Brucker, LCSW-C, ATR-BC, CAGS is a visual artist, art therapist, social worker, and certified life-cycle celebrant. Her work as an art therapist spans over 40 years. She was director of the Women's' Growth and Therapy Center for over 15 years and the founder of Studio Downstairs (www.createartcenter.org) in Silver Spring, Maryland. She has extensive international experience working and leading immersive art therapy workshops in the US, Europe, Asia and South America. Sally has worked in psychiatric institutions, hospitals, refugee camps, mental health clinics, homeless shelters, alcoholic treatment centers, and in private practice.She has worked with refugees, first in Africa, then London and Washington DC. Her project , The Listening Room, Refugee Art Project earned her two awards . She has taught courses in psychology at Montgomery College for over 30 years and has published several chapters on art therapy, as well as numerous articles.  Sally’s artwork stems from a passion for human rights and story-telling. She was a member of the Washington Printmakers' Gallery in Washington DC and now exhibits her mono-prints, paintings, collages, constructions and hand-made books both nationally and internationally. Sally Brucker was born in Chicago, Illinois, received her BS in sociology/anthropology from Washington University, St. Louis, MO. She received her masters in art therapy and early childhood special education from George Washington University and her masters in social work from the Catholic University, in Washington D.C.  Her art work has been exhibited in Washington D.C. at the Washington Printmakers Gallery, Studio Gallery, Pyramid Atlantic, Hill Art Center, Bird-in Hand Gallery, Newman Gallery, and the Corcoran Museum of Art. She lives in Takoma Park, Maryland. LISTEN & LEARN:  * How Sally began offering retreats * Why Sally includes rituals and ceremonies as part of the retreat * Where to learn how to create ceremonies * What one can expect if they attend the five day retreat * The importance of having witnesses while engaging in healing ceremonies * What archetypes participants will be exposed to and engage with during the retreat RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: * Web: www.sallybrucker.com/ [http://www.sallybrucker.com/] * Facebook: www.facebook.com/sally.brucker/ [http://www.facebook.com/sally.brucker/] * Instagram: www.instagram.com/sbrucker2/?hl=en [http://www.instagram.com/sbrucker2/?hl=en] * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sally-brucker-a3564b12/ [http://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-brucker-a3564b12/] * Discovering Goddess Archetypes: Professional Retreat [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/mexico] * Sally's Youtube Channel [https://youtube.com/@sallybrucker9156?si=378fXb_5raQtyjSN] SESSIONS AT THE SUMMIT: * On March 5-9, 2026, Sally Brucker, will be leading the Discovering Goddess Archetypes: Professional Retreat  [https://www.expressivetherapiessummit.com/mexico]at the magical Lunita Jungle Retreat (www.lunitajungleretreat.com) in beautiful Puerto Morelos, close to the Mexican Riviera.  * CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EPISODE ON YOUTUBE! [https://www.youtube.com/live/zY2QKIq0o6U?si=w-XeaZdH7p6tQJNK]

S4.4 | Dr. Stephan Meyer zum Alten Borgloh & Stefan Oliva| Frameshare: A Digital Art Telehealth Tool

FEATURED GUESTS: Stefan Oliva Stefan is the co-founder of FrameShare, a digital art therapy platform designed to expand access to creative mental health care. With a background in mission-driven tech entrepreneurship, Stefan helped launch Yale University’s first student-led impact investment fund and was an early team member at Gro Intelligence, a global agriculture and climate platform founded in Nairobi, Kenya. His work sits at the intersection of technology and equity—shaped by his lifelong relationship to art, community care, and systems change. Dr. Stephan Meyer zum Alten Borgloh Stephan is FrameShare’s Chief Technology Officer. He holds a PhD in neuroscience from the Max Planck Institute and completed his postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University, where he transitioned from laboratory work to developing research and clinical applications. After his postdoc, Stephan helped multiple startups shape their data strategies and build innovative products, with experience spanning clinical technologies and climate tech. LISTEN & LEARN: * What is Frameshare? * How accessible is Frameshare? * What features does Frameshare currently offer that meet the needs of art therapists?  * What are the plans for the future of Frameshare? RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: * Website Before October 2025 https://www.frame-share.org [https://www.frame-share.org] After October 2025 https://www.frameshare.org [https://www.frameshare.org] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frame-share/about/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/frame-share/about/] * Email Stefan Oliva at Stefan@frameshare.org [Stefan@frameshare.org?subject=I%20heard%20you%20on%20the%20Creative%20Psychotherapist%20Podcast]  * Email Dr. Stephan Meyer zum Alten Borgloh at Stephan@frameshare.org [Stephan@frameshare.org?subject=I%20heard%20you%20on%20the%20Creative%20Psychotherapist%20Podcast]

S4.3 | Reina Lombardi | Ethics in Private Practice

FEATURED GUESTS: Reina Lombardi, ATR-BC, ATCS, LMHC-QS is a Registered Board Certified Art Therapist, Art Therapy Certified Supervisor, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor Qualified Supervisor. She owns Florida Art Therapy Services, LLC , a full-fee group practice, where she and a team of therapists provide in-person and technology facilitated individual and group art therapy and counseling services, contracted art therapy groups at various community agencies, supervision and continuing education programming for counselors and art therapists. She has contributed to several academic texts on the topics of art therapy and clinical supervision, and is a frequent presenter/speaker at local and national professional conferences.  She also owns Creative Clinician’s Corner, LLC where she provides practice building resources and consultation services for creative arts therapists with a desire to build and scale their own private practice. She is the host of The Creative Psychotherapist Podcast where she interviews successful creative therapists about the tools and strategies they used to grow their dream practices, as well as how they have hustled to create additional streams of income using their knowledge and creativity by developing products and services that enhance their therapy practices. LISTEN & LEARN: * This Ethics in Private Practice Podcast recording, CEBroker Tracking # 20-1302891, is eligible for 1 CE credit with purchase and passing a short quiz after listening. Click on the following link to purchase        https://floridaarttherapyservices.groovepages.com/ce/ethics-ondemand [https://floridaarttherapyservices.groovepages.com/ce/ethics-ondemand] * What is a Business Will? * What needs to be included in the Will? * Minimum disclosures included in an informed consent.  * Minimum disclosures included in a telehealth informed consent.  * Ethical rationales for termination.  * Why it is unethical to solicit testimonials from clients and what to do instead.  RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: * Get your Bluetooth EMDR Tabs from Dharma Dr. at dharmadr.com/Creative10 [http://dharmadr.com/Creative10] and use CREATIVE10 at checkout for a $10.00 off discount * Need support in creating your practice email me for a consult: creativeclinician@gmail.com

VFTS 2025-2 | Mimi Savage | Personal Public Service Announcement (TM): an arts based approach for research

FEATURED GUESTS: Dr. Mimi Savage is an associate professor and core faculty member in the Master's of Counseling Psychology with Expressive Arts program at CIIS in SF. She has an extensive background in acute milieus and has researched adopted young women and boys from foster care using narrative inquiry, arts based and participatory research on the topic of intersectionality and self identity. She is a founding faculty member of UCLArts and Healing in Los Angeles--now called Integrative Arts and Healing Initiative. She is a registered drama therapist and board certified trainer and mentors an international student body for professionals interested in drama therapy certification at her own school--So Cal Drama Therapy Center. She is now also core faculty for a new program she is helping to launch at CIIS which is Expressive Arts Coaching and Community Building. She is in the process of editing her book for Taylor & Francis/Routledge due next year called The Future of Black Creative Art Therapists: Practice, Pedagogy and Preservation. LISTEN & LEARN: * What is narrative inquiry? * What is the Personal Public Services Announcement™ (PPSA) method?  * The importance of identity work when engaging with adolescents.  * The value of contributing to the field through the use of writing.  * How to use the PPSA as a tool in participatory arts-based research.  * Mimi's upcoming book, "The Future of Black Creative Arts Therapists: Pedagogy and Preservation," due in 2026 by Taylor & Francis/Routledge.  RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: * Mimi's Session at the Midwest Expressive Therapies Summit [https://web.cvent.com/event/792e936d-13dd-4242-be40-d19a3e624597/websitePage:4e785511-9e26-44d5-9dbf-f01a8f3bcb8c] - Re-Storying Self-Identity Through Drama, Writing & Masks: Creating Personal Public Service Announcements ™ on May 3, 2025 from 10:00 AM-5:30 PMCT In this day-long three-part master class, participants will have the opportunity to learn the Personal Public Service Announcement™ (PPSA) method, an arts-based approach that was originally developed to generate narrative data using drama therapy techniques with adopted young women in foster care. To introduce this novel format, past peer-reviewed research will be discussed from the empirical-based inquiry. For the majority of our time together, however, participants will be invited to work collaboratively and in embodied ways to create their own PPSAs using a number of expressive arts tools, including creative writing, digital apps, and mask-making. In particular, participants will discover the theory, processes, and outcome of this restorative way of doing participatory research within narrative inquiry. Synthesizing personal explorations to enhance emotional or clinical development — then creatively reconstructing that information and affect into PPSAs with the intent to re-story and restore self-identity while being witnessed — can be very effective in treatment, as well. PLEASE NOTE: Participants' knowledge of qualitative research tenets and methods will be beneficial. The ability to access your narratives without concern about retraumatization will be key to maintaining safety in this session.  * The Future of Black Creative Art Therapists: Practice, Pedagogy and Preservation will be available for preorder on https://www.routledge.com/ [https://www.routledge.com/] April 2026.  * Mimi Savage, PhD, RDT, BCT contact msavage@ciis.edu [msavage@ciis.edu] * Mimi's SoCaldramatherapycenter http://www.socaldramatherapycenter.com/ [http://www.socaldramatherapycenter.com/] * Mimi's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mimi-savage-phd-rdt-bct-b0179931/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mimi-savage-phd-rdt-bct-b0179931/] * Need support in creating your practice Email me for a consult: creativeclinician@gmail.com