About My Practice
My art therapy counseling practice is centered within an intersectional feminist and social justice lens, a trauma-informed approach, and a relational-cultural framework. I incorporate somatic-based therapies, mindfulness, and creative elements to facilitate a safe holding space for processing experiences. I have offered my services in clinical, community-based and alternative settings. I am a bilingual art therapist and counselor practicing from a cross-cultural understanding, and providing counseling in both English and Arabic.
I received an MA in Art Therapy and Counseling (MAATC) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). My three-year educational program included studio practices, research, theoretical and practical instruction, and supervised experiences in clinical and community-based settings. I am a member of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) and the Illinois Art Therapy Association (IATA). I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and I am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for trauma treatment. I am currently working towards receiving my credentials as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR). I am also currently in pursuit of certification in Somatic Experiencing for trauma treatment.
Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling
My current clinical focus utilizes somatic-based therapies and art therapy when working with trauma survivors, individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss. My clinical experience includes supporting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence survivors, refugees and immigrants, and young adults recovering from trauma and substance use. My experience includes working with adults, children, and families. As a trained art therapy counselor, I provide trauma-informed counseling, incorporating the use of art materials for deeper understanding of trauma and triggers, and helping clients develop strategies for connecting with internal and external resources, and for managing emotional regulation.
COMMUNAL SETTINGS AND Alternative Application of Art Therapy Knowledge
In community-based settings, my experience has been in facilitating groups and workshops centered around the use of art making to promote wellness and mental health awareness.
As for alternative applications of art therapy, I use my knowledge related to engaging with individuals and my understanding of relationships between people, art materials, and art making processes to inform my practices in alternative settings. I apply this understanding in public programing and workshop facilitation, and program development for cultural centers, art centers, museum, educational settings, and work/corporate teams.
Check out my project Rhizomatic Therapeutic Arts to learn more about my communal and alternative applications of art therapy.
Research and Activism
My activism merges with my studio practice and is informed by my theoretical and practical understanding of art therapy frameworks. My upbringing in Kuwait exposed me to the folkloric arts and musical traditions of the Arabian peninsula, which are shifting to meet the needs of migrating communities throughout various natural landscapes. Thus, my activism often manifests in community-based outreach through public programs and workshops.
Another facet of my activism is carried out through research and the publication of articles and art books. Through publishing the results of mixed methods research, I am able to highlight urgent matters that relate to topics such as the gendered nature of trauma, gender-based violence survivorship, and mental health awareness. In my master’s thesis, titled Identity Displacement in Contemporary Art and Art Therapy, I employed art-based, heuristic, and case study research methods. My research and activism focus on healing by way of activating and embodying access, agency, and power within ones lived experiences.