MP17 - Nature-Based Indigenous Gond Art in Art Therapy: A Creative Process (N/NY)

Ritu Dua is an art therapist, artist, author and a Shinrin-yoku guide, based in Pune, India. She is passionate about integrating Indian Indigenous and folk-arts with contemporary art therapy practices in a culturally responsive way. Her work spans clinical, educational, and corporate settings, with a focus on nature-based practices, mindfulness and social equity. When not facilitating or writing, she reads, engages in slow-stitching and gardening.

Patricia (Pat) is a Registered, Board-Certified Art Therapist, licensed in New York State. For more than 30 years she directed the MS in Art Therapy program at The College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY, where she developed the research component of the program, among many other initiatives. The college awarded her the title of Professor Emerita. Soon after the college closed in August 2019, due to financial difficulties, she began teaching undergraduate and graduate art therapy at Springfield College, Springfield, MA. She teaches various courses including research. She mentored over 300 master's thesis studies. As an active member of the AATA for the past 30 years, she has served on the Education & Training Board and co-chaired the Task Force for the preparation of Education Standards & Guidelines for our accreditation group, CAAHEP. She is currently a member and previous chair of the Education Committee and Research Committee, previously Associate Editor of the Journal, and previously elected to the AATA Board of Directors. She is a recipient of the AATA Research Award and the Distinguished Service Award. She has presented many papers, workshops, and panels at AATA Annual Conferences, as well as published papers in the Journal. Her mixed media artwork has been accepted into juried exhibits across the USA and internationally.

Bani Malhotra, Ph.D., ATR-BC, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University and a lead interventionist for the Resources for Enhancing All Caregivers’ Health- REACH-TBI project, a telehealth intervention study for caregivers of veterans/service members with Traumatic Brain Injury. Bani earned her Ph.D. in Creative Art Therapies from Drexel University. Her research focuses on developing and implementing art therapy interventions for supporting individuals and their families in adjusting to stress, injuries, and chronic health conditions. Additionally, her work examines therapeutic applications of art media and engagement techniques that are accessible and congruent with the lived experiences of participants and communities. She currently serves as a Chair for AATA’s International Shared Interest Group. Bani has worked with diverse communities and her scholarly contributions have resulted in several publications related to injury/ illness adjustment and rehabilitation, and art therapy in diverse settings (www.banim.info/).