N/NY-AC-200 - Socially Conscious Art Therapy with Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Emily Frost, MS, LAAT, ATR-P is a Program Director responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing competency restoration and Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) services for individuals in intermediate and maximum-security inpatient psychiatric hospital settings.

She is a Registered Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor with a demonstrated history of working in the mental health field. Emily has extensive experience facilitating treatment in maximum-security forensic settings with individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. She brings strong expertise in program development, implementation, and research, and holds a Master of Science degree in Art Therapy.

Emma McGovern, MS, LCMHC, ATR, serves as a Clinical Therapist at Advaita Integrated Medicine in Cary, North Carolina. As a licensed mental health counselor and registered art therapist, she supports a diverse range of clients, including children, adolescents, and young adults. Emma strongly believes in creativity, flexibility, and authentic, non-judgmental expression as transformative healing tools.

Her unique approach blends traditional talk therapy with creative arts therapy, allowing her to collaborate with clients based on preferences. Emma’s diverse experience enriches her use of evidence-based treatment modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing (MI). Moreover, she is currently pursuing certification in MATCH-ADTC (Modular Approach to Therapy for Children – Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Conduct) and employs a structural systems lens for context. Overall, Emma is committed to an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed approach, creating a space where individuals feel seen and heard.

In her downtime, Emma enjoys various crafts, from painting to ceramics and amateur quilting, reflecting the therapeutic principles she advocates. Accompanied by her “trusty administrative assistant,” a beloved pet named Little Dipper, she spends leisure time outdoors. You may find Emma tending to her garden, which she humorously admits to sometimes neglecting. Emma McGovern graduated with a Master of Science in Art Therapy and Counseling from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Her goal is to foster connection’s healing power while upholding the therapeutic relationship’s integrity in her work.