AATA's first virtual Continuing Education session of the year, The Strength of the Creative Spirit: The Art and Artists of the Holocaust with Elizabeth Hlavek, DAT, LCPAT, ATR-BC, will explore the art of the Holocaust as a phenomenon.

Approximately 30,000 works of art have been documented since the liberation of Nazi camps and ghettos in 1945. Made in captivity, these pieces of art exemplify the power of creativity and the strength of spirit, and demonstrate the human capacity for resiliency and creativity in the face of suffering. This body of work highlights the innately human need for meaning and creativity, and can inform contemporary art therapy practice. Understanding Holocaust artists’ drive to create art may help art therapists to better address the fundamental concerns of existence that clients face. After all, in drawing, painting, sculpting, and collaging, Holocaust artists gave a form to unimaginable experiences.

Dr. Hlavek will share images of the artwork and discuss how, but more importantly, why, this art was made. She will also discuss vignettes from her phenomenological interviews with surviving artists and curators of this work. Participants will be invited to make response art using both traditional and found materials.

Register to attend live Tuesday, January 13, or watch the recording at your own pace. Participants may earn 2 CE credits. The session is discounted for AATA Members ($52) and FREE for AATA Student Members to attend.

Join us on January 22 for a virtual Continuing Education session about the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) framework. The session will be led by Megan VanMeter, MA, LPC, LMHC, LPC-AT/S, ATR-BC, and Lisa Hinz, PhD, ATR-BC, both former students of the ETC’s co-creators and art therapy pioneers, Vija Lusebrink and Sandra (Kagin) Graves-Alcorn. Without a formal training program for ETC, myths about the framework have flourished. This session will help attendees re-conceptualize the ETC, offering opportunities to expand beyond the oversimplified beliefs about the model.

The session will guide participants to:

• Describe core aspects of the nature and purpose of the ETC framework.
• Identify characteristics that define how treatment occurs when using the ETC framework as a guide.
• Explore the relationship between art materials and the ETC framework.

Register now to attend “live” on January 22 or watch the recording at your own pace. Participants may earn 2 CE credits. The session is discounted for AATA Members ($52) and FREE for AATA Student Members to attend.

AATA’s Mentor Match program is a simple, structured way to build real connections in our field. Mentors get a chance to strengthen leadership and support the next generation. Mentees get guidance, perspective, and a steady sounding board to bring questions and goals. No matter where you are in your career, mentorship can help you stay grounded, keep growing, and feel more connected to the AATA community.

The second cohort for Mentor Match is starting in early February. Sign up to become a mentor or mentee today! Seats are limited and only available to AATA Members.

These two articles from Volume 42, Issue 4 have been designated free access until the end of this month. Please share widely with your networks so they can enjoy downloading both for free! No membership log in or subscription needed.

→ Article: The Expressive Therapies Continuum Assessment: Addressing Criticism of Art Therapy Assessment by Christine Phang & Lisa D. Hinz

→ Article: Building Nurse Resilience Through Art Therapy and Narrative Medicine Integration by Nancy S. Choe & Maria Yelle

 

 

Visit the AATA Career Center, the one-stop-shop to help art therapists at all levels find new opportunities. For questions about the career center, please email info@arttherapy.org.

Featuring AATA Member Emily Natale

Featuring AATA Member Emily Davenport