Creative Arts Therapies was a unique, three-year collaborative project of three community agencies. The project offered a range of art therapy and art therapy informed programs to support participants’ wellness and resilience. This presentation will include a description of the project as it evolved and a summary of the annual evaluations. A theme of art therapists’ resilience in creating opportunities to widen access to art therapy will be woven throughout the presentation.
Mary Norton values art-making as a pathway to serious play, to address challenges, and to imagine possibilities. As a community-based adult educator, Mary integrated arts-based approaches in programs and courses to support learning for all. These experiences drew her to study and practice art therapy and to imagine ways to support art therapy for all. As well as working in private practice, Mary has coordinated community-based art therapy initiatives.