NY-0210 - Lessons Learned: International Art Therapy From Ebola to Homelessness in South Africa

Alexis, DrPH, ATR, LPCA received her masters in Art Therapy and Clinical Counseling at The George Washington University. Alexis received her doctorate in public health at East Tennessee University. Alexis is currently working as an art therapist in Asheville, NC and is the Founder and Executive Director of Playing to Live! She specializes in trauma informed art therapy, program development, and international development. She has worked in Liberia, Uganda, South Africa, Eastern Europe, India, Jamaica, Florence, Italy, and Walter Reed National Military Hospital. She has worked as a clinician in wilderness therapy settings, autism, substance abuse, at risk youth in diverse populations, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, military, and with homeless and displaced persons.

She has experienced time and time again how artistic expression, play, and cultural empowerment can facilitate recovery and healing after a traumatic experience, and her passion and career path lies within developing global programs that provide children in low resource communities a safe and healing space for recovering from trauma.

Kathryn Tedeschi, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, LPC is a graduate of The George Washington University art therapy program. She has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, military veterans and individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. Since 2011 she has worked as an art therapist for Tracy's Kids, providing services to pediatric Hematology-Oncology patients in Washington DC. Kathryn recently moved to New York to start the Tracy’s Kids art therapy program at the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health at New York-Presbyterian /Weill Cornell.