ART THERAPY
What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is incredibly difficult to define due to its dynamic use and interpretation. Some consider it a modality while other's consider it a way of life. It can be considered a movement, a tool to iuse in therapy, some practitioners use the art making process as therapy while other's combine the creative process with traditional talk therapy. Personally, I utilize each part of art therapy's dynamic nature. Most people think of mindfulness in regards to art therapy, however, it's much more than that. The research is continuously growing in favor of its efficacy, but the field of Art Therapy has a long way to go before it see's complete acceptance across the medical field. Currently, there are only 11 states that recognize the Art Therapy License, despite educational requirements being greater than the traditional counseling/ therapy degree requirements. I am able to work under my counseling license and provide art therapy, however, I am only allowed to do this in the private practice setting that doesn't take insurance because in the state of Florida, art therapy is not an accepted treatment.
You may be wondering why that is or assuming that Art Therapy must not work or why wouldn't it be recongized. Behavioral therapy accepted in the medical field and by insurance due to its extensive backing of research.
Therapy & Initiatives
This is an inclusive list of Community-Specific therapeutic resources & initiatives; resources for assisting you in finding a therapist that fits your wants and needs, and social advocacy resources. I believe that this should be readily available information, but sometimes it's difficult to find, or even know where to start. I am in the on-going process of learning to be the best advocate that I can be, and I often make mistakes. If there is a group or organization that you recommend and is not listed here, please feel free to reach out to me with the information. My goal with this list is to make sure that everyone has access and can receive the help they need.
Online Support for YOU
Community-Specific & Needs-Based Online Resources
Online support group for QTPOC. This organization also provides QTPOC-specific resources and information.
Online chat for LGBTQ+ peer counseling
Weekly moderated group for trans teens ages 12-19 // Wednesdays 4-6 PM PST
Parents Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) provides assistance in finding local, online, and crisis support for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. PFLAG is the nation's first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.
Free online support groups led by clinicians for families and loved ones affected by drug or alcohol addiction.
Free online support groups to meet the healing needs of Black, Latinx, People of Color, LGBTQ+, individuals with refugee status, and women who have survived gender-based trauma.
My Grief Angels provides a large directory of a variety of resources for grief and loss.
A public web guide to share information on alcohol, therapy, and recovery. This online resource talks about the benefits of online therapy for alcohol-use and explores different options to seek help.
A free web resource, and 24/7 helpline that provides information and support to people fighting physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and addiction. On this cite you can find educational information regarding trauma informed treatment and domestic violence & addicition.
Therapy for YOU
Community-Specific Therapy Resources
Tips for Finding the best therapist for you
(https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/finding-good-therapist)
Directory of therapists across the country
*TIP* You can specifically search for therapists in your area according to your preferences
"Connecting Black therapists with Black and African American individuals who lack adequate funds or health insurance. Absolutely free." The application is brief and provides an opportunity for applicants to receive up to 5 free therapy sessions.
“Offering Black communities resources, connections and support needed to help break the silence and stigma around mental health. We help individuals find the pathway to their peace and wellbeing, to choose your Joy Over Everything.” https://borislhensonfoundation.org
Latinx Therapists Action Network
An online platform and network of Latinx mental health practitioners honoring and affirming the dignity and healing of migrant communities marginalized by criminalization, detention, and deportation.
Therapy for Black Girls Therapist Directory
Network of therapists recommended/vetted by Black women across the country
“Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing.” https://thelovelandfoundation.org
Asian Mental Health Collective
“AMHC aspires to make mental health easily available, approachable, and accessible to Asian communities worldwide.” https://www.asianmhc.org
LGBTQ therapist network
Directory to find a culturally responsive, social justice-oriented therapist.
Therapist of Color directory
Institute for Muslim Mental Health
Directory for Muslim Health Practitioners
National directory to find a Latinx therapist
Network of trans and GNC friendly healthcare providers
National queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
“The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). We work at the intersection of movements for social justice and the field of mental health to integrate healing justice into both of these spaces. Our overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC.” https://nqttcn.com/en/
Directory for affordable in-office and online psychotherapy sessions
Directory of therapists and coaches throughout the fifty states thus far, we are here to provide judgment-free, multiculturally-competent care to Black men.
National directory to find a Latinx therapist
Directory to connect Queer & Trans People of Color to affirming anti-op pressive mental health professionals.
SEEMA – Muslim Therapist Directory
National directory of Muslim therapists
National Directory of South Asian Therapists
Advocacy & Social Justice
Gender and Sexualities Alliance Network
GSA Network unites trans and queer youth for racial and gender justice through GSA clubs.
An intergenerational, healing collective led by the brilliance and wisdom of Black Cis Women, Queer and Trans healers, artists, health professionals, magicians, activists and ancestors.
Kindred Southern Healing Justice Collective
A collective of anti-oppression grassroots healers based in the traditions and practices of energy, body, earth based traditions, and birth workers grassroots medical practitioners, social workers, nurses, counselors, cultural workers and organizers who are based in the South.
Transgender Law Center works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of gender identity or expression.
Queer Crescent is building community, safety, healing arts and justice with LGBTQIA+ Muslims
The Black Trans Advocacy program provides referral services, case management and direct services within ten components through our national advocacy network and state chapter coalitions.
BLMP (Black LGBTQ+ Migrant Project)
We build and center the power of Black LGBTQIA+ migrants to ensure the liberation of all Black people through community-building, political education, creating access to direct services, and organizing across borders.
BEAM is a national training, movement building and grant making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness and liberation of Black and marginalized communities.
Multinational LGBTQ network dedicated to improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and equal rights while promoting individual and collective work, responsibility, and self-determination.
The Icarus Project is a support network and education project by and for people who experience the world in ways that are often diagnosed as mental illness. We advance social justice by fostering mutual aid practices that reconnect healing and collective liberation.
HEARD is a cross-disability abolitionist organization that unites across identities, communities, movements, and borders to end ableism, racism, capitalism, and all other forms of oppression and violence.
Indigenous Circle of Wellness offers numerous services to the community, such as counseling, workshops, training, and consulting.
The Just Practice Collaborative is a training and mentoring group focused on sustaining a community of practitioners that provide community-based accountability and support structures for all parties involved with incidents and patterns of sexual, domestic, relationship, and intimate community violence.
On-going therapy fund – in effort to bring opportunity and healing to communities of color, and especially to Black women and girls.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
National Black Justice Coalition
Civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black LGBTQ people.
National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide
Helping communities of color deal with suicide issues.
PFLAG is an organization that provides educational resources, a network of local and online support, and advocacy for equality and inclusion of LGBTQ+ communities.
Rest For Resistance – QTPoC Mental Health Facebook Group
A grassroots trans-led org that creates online and offline spaces for trans & queer people of color to practice being our whole selves.
A disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and LGBTQ / gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized.
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
SONG is a home for LGBTQ liberation across all lines of race, class, abilities, age, culture, gender, and sexuality in the South. We build, sustain, and connect a southern regional base of LGBTQ people in order to transform the region through strategic projects and campaigns developed in response to the current conditions in our communities.
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth.
Trans People of Color Coalition
TPOCC is the only national social justice organization that promotes the interest of trans people of color.
Transgender Professional Association for Transgender Health
The Transgender Professional Association for Transgender Health is the first global transgender healthcare organization headed by trans-identified health care professionals, broadly identified as researchers, clinicians, providers-in-training, activists and other service-oriented experts.
C-PTSD, Complex Trauma Info & Resources
“A curated collection of Books, Videos, Articles and more to educate consumers, caregivers and professionals about Complex Trauma”
My Go-To Book Recommendations
This is a list of books that I have read, listened to, loved, and recommend to others for education, inspiration, and assistance with a range of life circumstances.
Need to Read
-The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk MD
-It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn
-Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered by Maia Szalavitz & Bruce D. Perry MD PhD
-Neurobiology of We: How Relationships, the Mind and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are by Dan Siegel MD
Inspiration & Mindfulness
-The Power of Now by Eckard Tolle (Audio & Print)
-The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (Audio & Print)
-The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
-The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
-The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling by James Hillman
-Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche by Bill Plotkin PhD
SIMPLIFIED Trauma, Attachment & Neurobiology
-The Power of Showing by Dan Siegel MD
-The Whole Brain Child by Dan Siegel MD
-No Drama Discipline by Dan Siegel MD
-Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Dan Siegel MD
-What Happened to You? by Bruce D. Perry MD PhD & Oprah Winfrey
-The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog by Bruce D. Perry MD PhD & Maia Szalavitz
-Trauma Stewardship: An everyday guide to caring for self while caring for others by Laura van Dernoot Lipski
-What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
PCOS & "Women's Issues"
-Woman Code by Alisa Vitti
Interpersonal Relationships
-The Power of TED: The Empowerment Dynamic by David Emerald
Instagram Pages
This is a list of insta pages that I follow and find helpful to have on my feed. As an artist, social media is (unfortunately) almost necessary to have- but these are some insta accounts that I find as beneficial to follow because of their educational, culturally sensitive, and positive characteristics.