N/NY-0820 - Mental Health on the Front Lines of COVID-19

Registration Closed

Therapists have multiple roles to play when it comes to providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. They themselves may be called upon as essential workers to continue providing in-person services, and they act in support of healthcare personnel who have been mentally and emotionally impacted by the crisis. The webinar will feature a panel discussion focused on the work of art therapists and mental health professionals on the front lines of the pandemic, with information on how they've adapted their practice, advocated for and protected themselves and their clients, and prepared to face the mental health challenges to come.

James Bulosan

Manager of Expressive Therapy, The Loretto Hospital

James Bulosan's (MAAT, ATR) scholarship interests are rooted in the application of quantitative research design to art therapy settings. He began his professional life at Rush Medical Center as a Research Director, where he managed large data sets, was involved in the analysis of data, and developed proposals for in-depth research based on outcomes studies. His research experience has informed him about the intricate details of his work as an art therapist in a medical setting, an addictions treatment program, a program for clients with disabilities, and, currently, an inpatient hospital setting for individuals dealing with acute mental illness.

At this point, James continues to apply his knowledge of research design and methods to various art therapy approaches. He has served as Ethics Chair for the Illinois Art Therapy Association, and is currently serving as a board member on the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Internal Review Board (IRB). James also maintains his work in the Chicago art scene as co-director of Lion VS Gorilla, a concept gallery focused on creating shows where artists and viewers are collaborators in an aesthetic experience, and where the integration between artists and the larger community is promoted.

Susanne Marie Bifano

Art Therapist, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center

Susanne Marie Bifano, MPS, MSED, LCAT, ATR-BC is a visual artist, Board Certified Art Therapist, and Licensed Creative Arts Therapist at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center. Susanne holds both a Masters in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute and a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Miami.

Throughout her 18 years of clinical work she has co-presented internationally on mental health and urban poverty, art and writing with pediatric patients and wellness strategies for healthcare workers. Susanne’s experience spans various settings such as the public schools, transitional living spaces, department of juvenile justice, in-patient psychiatry and in-patient medical/surgical pediatric settings.

Susan Ainlay Anand

Instructor, Art Therapist, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Susan Ainlay Anand, MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LMFT, is a graduate of New York University and has worked with children and adults in inpatient and outpatient settings since 1982. She served on faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from 1987-2025 and is a faculty member and supervisor in the MFA in Art Therapy Program, School of Fine Arts, MIT-ADT University in Pune, India. Susan facilitates art therapy groups at the Mississippi Museum of Art (https://www.msmuseumart.org) in Jackson, including The Creative Healing Studio, Art in Mind I and II, and the Art Thrive Collective. She has presented and published accounts of her work in journals and books and authored and co-edited the book The Legacy of Edith Kramer: A Multifaceted View. Susan has served as a board member and treasurer for the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and as a member of committees and the Board of Directors for the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). She frequently volunteers for community projects that use art-making for healing and wellness and has conducted workshops or presented at conferences across the U.S. and other countries.