Founder
Founder
Working For the Well-being of Individuals and Community
How wonderful it would be for every individual to have the tools to creatively and authentically exercise their voice while having a safe place to be heard and validated. How wonderful it would be for each individual to have the tools to listen to their neighbor, inquire about things misunderstood with a sincere curiosity, have hard conversations, embrace differences, and have a healthy awareness of who benefits and who suffers from allowing divisiveness, injustice, and oppression in our communities. Let's foster social cohesiveness and be the ones who benefit as we continue to strengthen ourselves. Our community is a sense of belonging, a protective factor, a place to work together & play together, enjoy the things we build together, and have a strong, resilient, healthy, and inclusive community culture.
As we each do our internal work in understanding our whole self and who we really are while growing individually and collectively, let's connect, launch, and support activities of health, well-being, and social change.
It was not long after working with a community theatre, the New Freedom Theater, in Philadelphia following my undergrad at SUNY Albany (theatre major and music minor) that I realized my passion for the healing and therapeutic quality of the theatre and theater techniques. I also developed a love for community in my experiences with drama as a therapeutic tool in organizations such as in shelters, churches, revitalization events, nursing homes, summer programs, and such. The therapeutic connection and space for expression provided a sense of freedom and a refresh button for the participants. My love for healing, theatre, and community led to my career in drama therapy and psychology. More than a career, it is my purpose - my calling.
When learning that there was such a thing as drama therapy, I immediately enrolled in the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) Drama Therapy program which involved obtaining my master’s of science degree in psychology from the University of Phoenix.
Personal growth and a strong resilient inclusive community are a passion within my 30-year journey in this field as a playwright, director, community drama group leader & founder, drama instructor, summer program creative drama director, expressive arts facilitator, drum circle facilitator, program director of an adult day program, trained advocate for all victims of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, and drama therapist. As a drama therapist, I’ve worked with individuals and groups of young and older adults of various populations, needs, and goals. My approach is client-centered and engages the whole person using evidence-based practices.
Drama Therapy Mindfulness Positive Psychology Behavioral Health Psychology
Culturally Sensitive Cognitive Behavior Therapy Expressive Art Therapies Client Centered