[Self-Study] Honoring Our Roots: Asian Heritage in Art Therapy Practice

Dr. Maria Kim is Program Director of Creative Arts Therapy at Antioch University and serves on the AATA Board. Born and raised in Korea, she brings over 22 years of experience bridging clinical practice in the US, cultural identity, and creative expression. Her work centers on inclusive, trauma-informed, community-based art programs as preventative care. She continues to make bridges between the US, Korea, and China by providing community-based art programs. She is a former president of the Illinois Art Therapy Association and currently serves as a reviewer for The Arts in Psychotherapy. She is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor-in-Process. 

Fredelyn Calla, LCPC, ATR-BC, is a board-certified art therapist and has been in the field for almost 20 years. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin. She is the owner of Kapwa Art Therapy and Counseling, PLLC, based in Chicago, IL. She provides individual therapy to AAPI-identified adults and art therapy supervision to students and new graduates. Also, she teaches art therapy classes to undergraduates at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Benedictine University.

Dr. Sunhee K. Kim, PhD, ATR-BC, ATCS, LCAT, is a professor of art therapy at Seoul Women’s University in Korea, where she has been teaching graduate students for over a decade. She previously worked in New York City for 12 years following her completion of the art therapy program at New York University. Dr. Kim earned her PhD in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University in 2010. Her scholarly work has been presented internationally and published in journals such as The Arts in Psychotherapy and The Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. She currently serves on the editorial boards of The Arts in Psychotherapy and the Korean Journal of Art Therapy.

Dr. Ling Cheun Bianca Lee,李靈津 (they/she/佢) is an artist, advocate, Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist, and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor. They are a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision and a private practitioner in Hong Kong and the United States. Bianca is a teaching faculty at Antioch University Seattle. They were the former president of the Hong Kong Association of Art Therapists (2017-2021) and board members of nonprofit organizations such as the Neutral Ground Collective and Mental Health Liberation.

Anna Seo is an Asian art therapist, artist, and researcher graduating from the Art Therapy and Counseling program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores trauma, loss, and mourning, with a focus on symbolic expression as a pathway to healing. She is passionate about creating spaces where personal stories and cultural memories can be shared and expressed through art. 

Yuqing Ren ( 任 宇 清 ) is an emerging art therapist from mainland China, set to graduate in May 2025 with a Master’s degree in Art Therapy and Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in Gestalt art therapy, emphasizing self-awareness, holistic integration, and creative presence. Yuqing integrates East Asian art techniques and philosophies—such as calligraphy, ink painting, and philosophies of balance and flow—into her practice, offering clients a culturally grounded and mindful art-making experience. She is passionate about using art therapy as a bridge between personal healing and community connection, having worked with children with autism and ADHD, as well as older adults navigating memory loss, verbal impairment and isolation. Passionate about the intersection of art and healing, Yuqing envisions creating spaces where art therapists and artists can collaborate, share, and engage the public through creative practice. 

Yidi is a first-year Creative Arts Therapy Counseling student at Hofstra University and a service member in the U.S. Army. Her experiences working with veterans and patients in psychiatric units have motivated her to explore how art therapy supports transitions and personal growth. Immigrating to the U.S. in her twenties, Yidi has developed a deep understanding of both Chinese and American cultures, as well as the challenges of the acculturation process within Asian communities.   

Rumi Chen is a Taiwanese student who came to the states last fall and now majors in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling for a master's degree in Hofstra University. Being in the field of art and design in my college and past work experiences, She is dedicating her skills to art therapy, hoping to help more people within the profession in the future.