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Potomac Art Therapy Association
09 Newsletter Volume 20, Number 3
A art therapist tells of President Obama’s visit to Sasha Bruce House.
By Jennifer K. McNulty
On the morning of January 19th, the eve of the presidential inauguration, I headed off to the Sasha Bruce House to lead a small group of youth in creating a mural on the wall of the boys’ dormitory. Some of you may know, I have provided group and individual art therapy twice a week at Sasha Bruce for several years. I love this contractual position, but I have to admit, I was a little overwhelmed by the prospect of pulling off such a big project with only a few days notice. But, I told myself President-elect Obama is calling everyone to serve, so here I am answering the call. I loaded up the car with paint and brushes, threw on some old clothes, and headed out.
As my group of artists waited for the green light to get started, we noticed some police officers walking around the building then several large gentleman wearing suits and earpieces entered the front building. You can imagine the tension from the 30 or so young people in the building, not always the biggest fans of law enforcement, as we were lined up to be searched. There was absolute silence, and a few tears, as the announcement was made that President-elect Obama would be arriving momentarily to lend a hand in renovating the boys’ bedroom.
We worked with anticipation, waiting for Mr. Obama to appear; we heard the cameras flashing as he gracefully walked into the room greeting the small crowd of young people. As he walked around the room, he greeted each and every person with a handshake, personal introduction, and a thank you for their service.
I was thoroughly impressed with Mr. Obama’s warmth and sincerity as he spoke with me and my young artist about the theme and intention of the mural, titled “The Time for Change is Now.”
Mr. Obama then rolled up his sleeves and got to work rolling paint on the walls, painting dressers, and taking down curtains. Those who think this was merely a photo-op, don’t be fooled; the president-elect spent approximately an hour working and talking with us. Only later did we notice the huge crowd outside chanting “Yes We Can” and learn that CNN had a live feed of the event as we made our exuberant phone calls (my sister was watching).
The impact of this historic day on the lives of these young people, I can only begin to imagine. I know, for myself, that it is a day I will not soon forget, made all the more special by being able to do something that I love in the process.
PATA Governmental Affairs
with Megan Robb, Governmental Affairs Committee Chairperson
New AATA Executive Director Search
One of the strategic goals for The American Art Therapy Association is to increase membership satisfaction and mentor in new leadership. As part of this goal, a local group of art therapists met with the Executive Director Search Committee, which included our Heidi Bardot, Director of the GWU Art Therapy Program, to vet out a new Executive Director this winter. Charlotte Boston, Audrey Di Maria, Melissa Walker, and Megan Robb supported the search committee by being part of the second round of interviews. The Executive Director Search was a competitive another example of meeting the call to serve the art therapy community-small ways and big ways. Watch out for a e-news blast from AATA and the PATA blog to meet our new ED!!
Bylaws
A team lead by Diana Sabados and I reviewed PATA’s bylaws, last updated in 1997. Most changes were made to streamline and define roles of the Executive Board and the procedures needed to run a chapter. These bylaws will be distributed to the membership for approval. On a side note, the necessary update to our Bylaws is not just a local initiative. The American Art Therapy Association also has this as an agenda item for their upcoming year.
In the news…
Elva Anderson, MPS, ATR used part of her PATA award to pay for PATA to have a year membership at Flashpoint, a dynamic arts space dedicated to nurturing and growing emerging artists and cultural organizations. Flashpoint is located at 916 G Street, NW, a half block from the Gallery Place Metro station. Flashpoint provides services and training for cultural organizations to help strengthen their management capacity and offers exhibition and performance spaces. Sounds just what we needed, thank you Elva!
Gioia Chilton, MA, ATR-BC & Rebecca Wilkinson, MA-ATR-BC recently led a workshop on How to be Happier: Positive Psychology and the Arts at Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. Using interactive lecture and art making, participants examined question such as: What makes people happier? Who is happy? Why be happy? And how do creative endeavors contribute to happiness? Join the yahoo group here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/arttherapyandpositivepsychology/
Rebecca Wilkinson, MA-ATR-BC is also leading another series this month at Smith Farm of, Renewing the Spirit: Combating Compassion Fatigue Saturday, March 7, 10:00 AM-3:30 PM $75(5.5 CEC's available */$15 administrative fee). Designed to address the special needs of and provide support to healthcare professionals and caregivers but also open to anyone seeking to increase a sense of balance and manage stress, this workshop will focus on strategies to combat compassion fatigue and burnout. Contact Darien Reece, Smith Farm Center, www.SmithFarm.com to register or for more information at 202-483-8600.
Share Your Accomplishments!
Have you presented a workshop or in-service recently to educate the public about art therapy? Have you given an interview or written an article?
Let us know what you’ve been up to so we can acknowledge your efforts and share with others the many ways our profession is promoted by PATA members like you!
Meet PATA’s new
Membership Chair,
Crista Linn Kostenko
Renew your membership:
Let’s stick together in turbulent economic times!
Your PATA membership is a valuable pass that provides access to exclusive job openings, qualifying CEC events, and local information about Art Therapy in your community. We want to remind you that a PATA membership lasts for only one year. If you have not renewed your membership for 2009, you are no longer a member of PATA. We encourage you to renew your membership. This year's board is especially committed to making changes in our association to make it more relevant to your career. For example, we’re updating the PATA website to include members-only sections for job opportunities and special events. The membership re-starts at the time when it has expired and not when we process your payment. Please don’t delay – the membership provides great value.
Crista Linn Kostenko, MA, zateshno@gmail.com
PATA’s Film Screening:
Born Into Brothels
On Sunday, February 15th the Potomac Art Therapy Association's, (PATA), Multicultural Committee held their second film screening. The event was held at the lively Busboys and Poets restaurant/bookstore/ gathering place on 14th Street NW, as a part of their 'Focus in! Cinema for a Conscious Community' series. ( for more info, goto www.busboysandpoets.com)
The program featured the award winning documentary 'Born Into Brothels' by filmmakers Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski. The purpose of the event was to bring together the community to learn about the use of photography through the eyes of children living in the red light district of Calcutta, India, and how art can empower and make a lasting impact.
After the screening, PATA's guest speaker Sangeeta Prasad led a discussion on her experiences as an Art Therapist working with children in India. The audience participated in an engaging conversation with Ms. Prasad who openly shared her observations and thoughts with working with children and their art making. Many of her insights can be found in her book 'Creative Expression: Say it with Art'.
PATA's Multicultural Committee will host another event in the near future. If you would like to help or have ideas for future events or cultural arts activities please contact me, Elva Anderson, Multicultural Chair, at eanderso@cnmc.org
New Documentary- Who Does She think She is?
This documentary demonstrates the conflict of decision a woman has to make between mothering and working. The film features five woman who are artists and their exploration of choosing their own well being, their creativity versus their children and mothering. It is a must see. Go to http://www.whodoesshethinksheis.net/ for more. Apparently the filmmakers will be featured at next year’s art therapy conference in Denver.
-Megan Robb, Governmental Affairs Committee Chairperson
Did You Know?
The American Art Therapy Association has a News and Updates page on their redesigned website www.arttherapy.org. You can access that page to learn about:
art therapy and the treatment of trauma http://www.arttherapy.org/news.asp?P=83,
art therapy and abused children http://www.arttherapy.org/news.asp?P=80,
art therapy and older adults http://www.arttherapy.org/news.asp?P=79,
as well as many other press releases and professional relations reports.
By Diana L. Sabados
Winter 2009 Public Information Update
A New AATA Adventure
For the past six years, I have had the privilege of representing PATA in my position as past President, and as both the Chapter Delegate and Alternate Chapter Delegate at the annual Assembly of Chapters meeting for the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). I was recently nominated and elected to serve as the Recorder for the Assembly of Chapters for AATA, and so had to step down from my position as Alternate Delegate. I am thrilled that Rebecca Wilkinson has agreed to step into the position of Alternate Delegate, and am sure that, along with our current Chapter Delegate, Jennifer McNulty, PATA will be represented well!
In my new role, I will be responsible for the minutes of all sessions of the Assembly of Chapters. Along with several other correspondence and document maintenance responsibilities, I will be working in close contact with the both the Speaker and Speaker-Elect to the Assembly of Chapters. I look forward to serving the members of the AATA in this capacity, while continuing to serve as PATA’s Public Information Chair.
Generating Outreach Initiative Ideas
One of the exciting things about attending the annual Assembly of Chapters meeting is that you have the opportunity to hear what other chapters are doing across the country. As you will read in the Chapter Delegate’s report, many are dealing with some of the issues that PATA currently faces.
An idea that resonated strongly with me was shared by the Michigan Art Therapy Association. Their Public Relations Chair worked with a subcommittee to develop a curriculum about art therapy and then sent out information to local organizations that could benefit from art therapy, inviting them to have an art therapist provide a presentation. They developed a task force of members who were trained in how to present this curriculum and willing to go out and present to those organizations expressing an interest. Their chapter sponsored these trainers, meaning that they were reimbursed for food, travel, and materials.
I’m very interested in pursuing this idea and am interested in hearing from individuals who may be willing to assist with either the development of a plan, the curriculum, the materials, and/or the trainings. Please contact me at artemisdls@yahoo.com as soon as possible, as I am looking to begin developing a plan to present to the PATA Board by the summer.
Letter from our President, Amy Tatsumi
Dear PATA Membership,
I write with enthusiasm to share PATA’s continued momentum within our organization and the community. Much of our energy has focused on updating our bylaws to meet AATA standards. The last time that the PATA bylaws were updated was in 1997. PATA board members Diana Sabados, MA, ATR-BC and Megan Robb, MA, ATR-BC, LPC led the bylaws sub-committee. We are in the final stages of getting membership approval.
The deadline for the membership to return their ballots is March 15, 2009. After the changes are approved by the membership, they will be submitted to AATA for a final approval. Once this process is complete, the membership will be notified and the bylaws will be posted on our blog and website. Please note that 2009 members are eligible to vote on the bylaws changes. If you have any questions about your membership status, please contact new PATA membership chair, Crista Linn Kostenko, MA at zateshno@gmail.com
Regarding programming, our Multicultural chair, Elva Anderson, MPS, ATR coordinated another amazing film screening with the showing of “Born Into Brothels” at Bus Boys and Poets on February 15, 2009. We had a phenomenal turnout of art therapists and community members. You can read more about this event in Elva’s write up in our newsletter. On March 1, 2009, the PATA board will be participating in our first Visioning Retreat led by our new Alternate Chapter Delegate, Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC. PATA has also partnered with Maryland Art Therapy Association, MATA, and Virginia Art Therapy Association, VATA to begin planning a one day regional conference in 2010. If you are interested in contributing to the regional conference planning committee, please contact me at tatsumi.amy@gmail.com or 914-602-9286.
The PATA blog is updated several times a week and has current and fun information and pictures. Remember to keep checking it. Also, if you are a current PATA member, and have job notices, events, news, or artwork or art techniques you would like to share, contact Gioia Chilton, PATA Newsletter/Blogger Chair at giofo@aol.com This could be great free advertising for you as a PATA member benefit!
Looking forward to a spectacular spring with PATA,
Amy Tatsumi, M.A., A.T.R. tatsumi.amy@gmail.com
Got cool news?
Got art?
Want referrals?
Send your current info to Gioia Chilton, at giofo@aol.com to be included in PATA’s newsletter and blog! We want to know about you and your clients!
PATA Brochures Available On-line!
Don’t forget! We recently introduced our new PATA Informational Brochures, available for on PATA’s website for you to download and print free of charge! The first “About PATA: Information & Membership” contains information, benefits, and instructions for becoming a member of PATA. This brochure would be useful to provide to students and other prospective members in the art therapy and mental health community. The second, “About Art Therapy: An Informational Overview” contains general information about art therapy and the requirements for becoming an art therapist. This brochure would be useful to provide prospective employers and the public information about our field.
Are there additional resources that would be helpful to you in educating the public about who art therapists are and what art therapists do? We are considering the development of additional resources, such as an FAQ sheet specific to the DC/MD/VA area, and informational brochures about art therapy in specific settings, such as schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, and elder care. If you are interesting in authoring, or contributing to the development of any of these resources, please get in touch with Diana at artemisdls@yahoo.com.
The Potomac Art Therapy Association (PATA)
is a non-profit affiliate chapter of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). PATA was formed in the 1970’s in order to increase contact and communication among art therapists in the Washington DC metropolitan area.
PATA is active in promoting public awareness of the field of art therapy including the standards of clinical practice, educational and training requirements, and validity as a sound health care profession. Since its inception, PATA has grown to include a variety of mental health professionals and has expanded its services to the membership and community.
Potomac Art Therapy Association
P.O. Box 75765, Washington, DC 20013
Phone: 202.333.8244
