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World Art Therapy Conference 2027
Paid Package Access
World
ART THERAPY
Conference
2027
This fifth edition of the World Art Therapy Conference ended. It gathered an amazing lineup of speakers who brought sound and innovative ideas in art therapy worldwide. We are sending gratitude to all our speakers for such a generous share of knowledge with an international audience. We thank our participants for their feedback and their patience in attending this huge event live. And we thank all who supported our team to continue this project by buying the home study package. Check each section of the conference below to see the bios and abstracts.
This fifth edition of the World Art Therapy Conference will bring together an outstanding lineup of speakers who have made significant and innovative contributions to the creative arts therapies worldwide. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our speakers for generously sharing their knowledge and expertise with an international audience.
The conference program combines invited presentations by established international leaders in this year’s selected themes with presentations chosen through an open call for papers. If you are interested to submit your abstract related to your research or clinical work, please click on the button below. Call for Papers submissions are accepted until September 30, 2026.
The conference program combines invited presentations by established international leaders in this year’s selected themes with presentations chosen through an open call for papers. If you are interested to submit your abstract related to your research or clinical work, please click on the button below. Call for Papers submissions are accepted until September 30, 2026.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES FOR POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AND ARTS THERAPIES
February 6-7, 2026
Exploring the Benefits of Arts Therapies in Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices for Post-Traumatic Growth and Arts Therapies explores how creative, relational, and community-based approaches can support healing, resilience, and meaningful transformation following traumatic experiences. Through art-making, movement, music, storytelling, and other expressive processes, arts therapists can help individuals and communities restore connection, rebuild trust, strengthen their sense of agency, and discover new possibilities for growth.
This conference theme invites reflection on trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices that promote dialogue, accountability, belonging, and recovery across clinical, educational, institutional, and community settings.
This conference theme invites reflection on trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices that promote dialogue, accountability, belonging, and recovery across clinical, educational, institutional, and community settings.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Lauri Nummenmaa
PhD
Licensed psychologist and professor at the Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland. He leads the Human Emotion Systems Laboratory, exploring neural mechanisms of emotions and social interaction. With over 150 publications, he is a global expert in brain imaging and emotional neuroscience...
Cathy Malchiodi
PhD, LPCC, LPAT, REAT
Expressive arts therapist, psychologist, and Director of Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute and researcher with the US Departments of Defense and Education. Author of over 20 books on arts-based therapies such as Handbook of Expressive Arts Therapy, a standard in the field....
Arne Dietrich
PhD
Arne Dietrich is a Professor of Psychology at the American University of
Beirut, specializing in cognitive neuroscience. His research focuses on creativity, the psychological effects of physical
exercise, and altered states of consciousness. He is particularly renowned for developing the transient hypofrontality
theory...
Cornelia Elbrecht
MA (Art Ed), AThR, SEP
Art therapist with over 40 years of experience. She is a renowned author, educator, and the Founder and Director of the Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy, Australia where she trains clinicians in this method. She is an international keynote speaker and Professional Member and Supervisor with ANZACATA...
Juliet King
PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC
Linda Gantt
PhD, ATR-BC
Renowned art therapist with 45 years of experience. A former President of the American Art Therapy Association and founding editor of its journal, she has significantly shaped the field. Currently, she co-owns the ITR Training Institute, continuing her legacy of advancing art therapy through innovative training and practice.
Marian Liebmann
PhD, PGCE, CQSW, HCPC, BAAT
Marian Liebmann has worked in art therapy with offenders, with women’s groups and community groups, and for 19 years in the Inner City Team in Bristol, UK, where she developed work on anger issues. She teaches and lectures on art therapy at several universities in the UK and Ireland. She has written or edited 14 books...
Ingrid Pénzes
PhD
Art therapist and mental health scientist who holds a doctorate in social sciences. After 20 years of teaching art therapy and being head of the arts therapies program of Zuyd University, Netherlands, she is an independent writer, researcher, and lecturer at the intersection of art and health at Where Art meets Health...
Unnur Óttarsdóttir
PhD
Dr. Ottarsdottir has made it her life’s mission to develop and share art educational therapy and art therapy theories and techniques. She has been a pioneer in the field since the early 1990s, publishing multiple papers on various art therapy techniques and innovations. In 1991, she founded the Art Therapy Ottarsdottir studio...
Leetal Caidar Benzvi
PhD, REAT
Expressive Arts Therapist specializing in trauma. As a speaker and lecturer, she has contributed her expertise at Haifa and Tel Aviv universities, as well as Rupin College, where she trains therapists and professionals in the use of the Expressive Arts Resilience Journal, an innovative tool designed for trauma work...
Heesu Jeon
PhD, RCC, RCAT
With a Ph.D. in Art Therapy from the Dominican University of California, Dr. Jeon serves as an Assistant Professor and Director of Training, contributing to the Master of Counselling Psychology: Art Therapy Program, Adler University, Vancouver Campus. For 15 years, she integrates art therapy in different settings...
Anna Abraham
PhD
Dr. Abraham is researcher specializing in the cognitive and neural mechanisms of creativity and imagination. She is the author of The Neuroscience of Creativity and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, focusing on topics such as divergent thinking, brain network dynamics, and creativity...
DECOLONIZING PRACTICES IN ART THERAPY
February 13-14, 2026
Honouring Indigenous Knowledge and Advancing Culturally Grounded Arts Therapies Worldwide
Decolonizing Practices in Art Therapy explores how the field can move beyond models rooted primarily in Western theories and institutions to embrace diverse cultural knowledge, values, healing traditions, and forms of creative expression.
This theme highlights three subthemes. It brings forward the importance of developing art therapy in genuine partnership with Indigenous peoples, respecting community leadership, cultural protocols, land-based practices, and traditional ways of knowing while avoiding cultural appropriation.
It also recognizes the pioneering work of practitioners introducing and adapting arts therapies in countries where the field is still emerging, ensuring that approaches reflect local beliefs, languages, histories, and community needs rather than importing models without critical reflection. Presentations may also examine power and privilege within therapeutic relationships, equitable access to services and training, the impact of colonization and intergenerational trauma, and the need to amplify voices and scholarship that have historically been marginalized.
This theme highlights three subthemes. It brings forward the importance of developing art therapy in genuine partnership with Indigenous peoples, respecting community leadership, cultural protocols, land-based practices, and traditional ways of knowing while avoiding cultural appropriation.
It also recognizes the pioneering work of practitioners introducing and adapting arts therapies in countries where the field is still emerging, ensuring that approaches reflect local beliefs, languages, histories, and community needs rather than importing models without critical reflection. Presentations may also examine power and privilege within therapeutic relationships, equitable access to services and training, the impact of colonization and intergenerational trauma, and the need to amplify voices and scholarship that have historically been marginalized.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Elizabeth Hlavek
DAT, ATR-BC, LCPAT
Board Certified Art Therapist and the first Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist (LCPAT) in the state of Maryland. Strong advocate for art therapy, she introduced the LCPAT to the 2012 MD General Assembly in Maryland. She currently sits on the board of the American Art Therapy Association as the Speaker to the Assembly of Chapters...
Mike Ayvazian
MA
After finishing his BA and Masters in Theatre studies, Mike decided to take his inclinations towards social work with vulnerable populations a step further and studied expressive arts therapy (and social change) psychodrama, clay field therapy and dance movement therapy. He has co-founded two NGOs in Lebanon...
Vera Heller
PhD, ATPQ
Art therapist, social worker, psychotherapist, and visual artist with over 25 years of clinical experience working with adults, children, families, and couples. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates art therapy and multimodal expressive therapies. Her research focuses on intercultural intervention and narrative identity...
Sharon Herriot
MA, BAAT
Art psychotherapist from 2009. She spent over ten years working with death and bereavement; within a children's bereavement service, an adult hospice (working with patients and families) and in a Macmillan Cancer Centre. She runs The Potting Shed delivering training with her colleague Bethan Baëz-Devine...
Sarit Zeltzer
MA
Art therapist with a M.A. from Lesley University. She is a trained Mindfulness-Based and Creative Arts Psychotherapist with advanced training in trauma therapy. With over 30 years of meditation practice and personal healing from trauma, she integrates mindfulness and creativity for emotional and mental healing...
Sondra Goldman
MA, ATPQ
Art Therapist & Supervisor, Developmental Transformations (DvT) Practitioner, Art Hives Consultant, and artist. She worked in geriatric & long-term care for almost three decades, with individuals, groups of residents, staff, students, etc. She exhibited and lectured on the transformative power of collective art-making...
Sibylle Cseri
MA, EFAT, FEAPA
Art therapist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in mental health. An accredited clinical supervisor and lecturer, she collaborates with institutions like Metáfora in Barcelona and Weissensee in Berlin. Co-founder of key art therapy associations in Spain and of the European Federation of Art Therapy...
Daiki Kato
PhD
Professor at Kinjo Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan; his areas of study include clinical psychology and art therapy. He received the award of Japanese association of collage therapy in 2023 for his research and contribution to the academic community. He is a director of KIDS center (0-2 y.o.), Kinjo Gakuin University since 2022...
Sarah Tevyaw
MA, ATR, ATPQ
Art therapist that employs all forms of visual art with people living with terminal illness as well as those in bereavement at Theresa Dellar Palliative Care Unit, Montreal. She is equally in private practice, working with a wide range of clients suffering loss and difficulties in their lives...
Leara Glinzak
MA, PhD(c), ATR-BC, ATRL, ATCS, LPC-IT
Leara Glinzak is a Board-Certified Art Therapist working with Veterans clinically. She also is the owner of I Light LLC and is the Clinical Coordinator, Master of Arts in Counseling and Art Therapy at Edgewood College. She is a current Ph.D. candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University...
Roberta Cini
MA
Psychologist, Jungian analyst, and art therapist based in Florence, Italy. She graduated in Psychology from the University of Florence in 1984 and later specialized in Art Therapy at the Italian Art Therapy Institute in Bologna. Since 1990, she has worked in Oncology and Palliative Care services in Florence...
Manal Elewah
PhD
Osama Ali Mohamed Ahmed
PhD
Dr. Osama Ali Mohamed Ahmed is a professor at the Faculty of Music Education. With a PhD in musicology and extensive experience in both academic research and practical teaching methodologies, Dr. Ahmed has contributed significantly to the study and application of music as a transformative educational tool...
Shiphrah Mutungi Akandiinda
PhD
Shiphrah is currently a trauma healing expert working with DT Global. A cross-sector international development professional with 20+ years in peacebuilding, trauma healing and mental health, leadership development, organizational development, project and team management in societies...
Sahar Khalil
PhD
Sahar Khalil is a university professor of curriculum and methodology of teaching museum education and docent training at Art Education College, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. She is interested in art for better life research. She is a member of the African Union Art Education Strategy Committee 2020–25...
Rahma Benhamou el Madani
Franco-Moroccan filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter known for her poignant storytelling and artistic vision. Notable films in her repertoire include Salt Pact (2023), Seule, encrée dans le sol (2023), and Le Peuple (2025), which have been celebrated for their depth and emotional resonance...
Hanaa Aly Ayoub
MA
Academic and researcher currently serving in the Department of English Language and Literature at the College of Arts, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Her scholarly interests encompass a wide range of literary disciplines, including Postcolonial Literature, Arabic and World Literature, and Literary Theory...
Nihal Bahaa Tahoun
MA
Senior Content Creator and Copywriter with over three years of experience in digital marketing. She holds a Master’s in English Literature, specializing in the psychological analysis of children’s fantasy literature. Nihal excels in crafting engagement-driven content strategies and compelling brand narratives...
Dounia Zellou
Multicultural artist and dancer who found healing through dance. Director of the 2023 documentary Danse Demain, she highlights dance's transformative power for personal and societal well-being. With a background in coaching and mindfulness, Dounia integrates creativity and movement into her practices...
ARTS THERAPIES WITH FAMILIES
February 20-21, 2026
Strengthening Relationships, Navigating Change, and Supporting Healing
Arts Therapies with Families explores how creative and expressive approaches can strengthen relationships, improve communication, and support families through significant transitions and challenges.
This theme includes dyadic art therapy, family assessment and evaluation, parent–child attachment, and work with children and caregivers affected by divorce, separation, grief, trauma, illness, or changes in family structure. It also considers how art-making, music, movement, drama, and other expressive processes can reveal family dynamics, create space for different perspectives, and help family members express experiences that may be difficult to communicate verbally.
Presentations may address culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed practices.
This theme includes dyadic art therapy, family assessment and evaluation, parent–child attachment, and work with children and caregivers affected by divorce, separation, grief, trauma, illness, or changes in family structure. It also considers how art-making, music, movement, drama, and other expressive processes can reveal family dynamics, create space for different perspectives, and help family members express experiences that may be difficult to communicate verbally.
Presentations may address culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed practices.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Lisa D. Hinz
PhD, ATR-BC
Dr. Hinz is a licensed clinical psychologist and board certified art therapist. She is an associate professor and director of the art therapy psychology doctoral program at Dominican University of California. She is the author of many professional publications and three well-known books on art therapy...
Megan VanMeter
LPC, LMHC, LPC-AT/S, ATR-BC
Licensed counselor and board-certified art therapist practicing online in AZ, IN, and TX, US. With clinical experience in behavioral health, education, and medical settings, she specializes in grief and medical counseling. Trained under ETC co-creators, Megan integrates nervous system-oriented frameworks into her practice...
Emma van Daal
PhD
Child Psychotherapist and Arts Therapist, researcher, and author with 18 years of experience working with children and families. Passionate about infant mental health, Emma integrates the arts to foster attachment and trauma healing in her interdisciplinary practice, influenced by New Materialism...
Pavel Piskarev
Dr.Sc., Prof.
Author of methods “Neurographica®” and "Pyramid of Development” and author of concepts "Aesthetic Intelligence" and "Drive-Culture".
Leader of the program "Rise of Hero"
Institute for Analytical Coaching.
Head of the creative association of TO "Neurographica®" at CUPA (Creative Union of Professional Artists)...
Jennifer Marchand
MA, CCC, RCAT
Jennifer is a Canadian trauma therapist and EMDRIA-approved consultant & trainer with over 10 years of clinical experience in diverse settings and cultural contexts. She currently lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, specializing in work with humanitarian aid workers and health professionals...
Maria Riccardi
MA, PhD(c), ATR-BC, OPQ
Registered art therapist, career counselor, and licensed clinical psychotherapist. An adjunct professor at Concordia University and Université du Québec, she collaborates with non-profits to develop community-based art programs. Founder of Images ETC clinic, she specializes in trauma intervention and art assessment...
Carmen Oprea
MA, MFA, ATR-BC, RCAT
Board-certified art therapist, currently pursuing a doctorate in psychology. Her
career spans diverse age groups facing life challenges at her clinic, Accès Art. Researcher and Part of Concordia University's engAGE Living Lab project, where she
co-investigates te effects of art therapy for depression and anxiety...
Ritu Dua
MA
Art therapist, visual artist, educator, and
writer. Currently she is associated with Mpower minds, an Aditya Group
Education Trust initiative located at Aditya Birla Hospital, Pune as Art
Therapy Consultant. She is also associated with Center for Mental Health, Baner
Pune where she provides art therapy...
Christina Vasquez
MS, ATR-BC
Board Certified Art Therapist with
over 24 years’ experience. Christina has done extensive work in the field of
disaster relief, and multicultural collaboration on the development and
publication of light painting photography as a therapeutic intervention. She currently provides services at the Robert Dole Medical Center, KS...
Simon Woodward
MA, BAAT
A BAAT-accredited art psychotherapist, he specializes in indoor and outdoor therapy, holding an MA in Art Psychotherapy and an Environmental Arts Therapy Certificate. He had worked with diverse groups, including trauma survivors and neurodivergent clients. Former Roehampton lecturer, and published author...
Hephzibah Kaplan
MA, HCPC, BAAT
Art therapist with a masters from the University of Hertfordshire. She trained with Frank Farrelly, integrating humor into therapy. In 2010, she founded London’s first group art therapy practice and, in 2016, launched a pioneering supervision training course, training over 150 arts therapists globally....
Judith Rubin
PhD, ATR-BC
A pioneer in art therapy, educator, and author with over 50 years of contributions to the field. A past president of the American Art Therapy Association, she has advanced art therapy through clinical practice, scholarly publications, and educational films. Her work continues to influence the global art therapy community...
Meet the conference
host
Write your awesome label here.
Carmen Oprea
Carmen is the main organizer and the host of this conference.
She is a registered art therapist with post-graduate training in sandplay therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Holding three master's degrees in art therapy, fine arts, and design, she is currently a doctoral candidate in psychology.
Her professional career includes art therapy services for individuals and groups of all ages with various life challenges at her clinic, Accès Art. She deeply resonates with Indigenous wisdom and strives to provide culturally sensitive art therapy to Inuit and First Nations adolescents. She offers supervision sessions to creative arts therapists.
She is involved in research projects related to art therapy and depression at at Concordia University. She was the Research Coordinator for the project engAGE Living Lab at the same university, Carmen is also involved in other research related to art therapy and depression.
She is committed to promoting accessible art therapy for individuals and communities and is a registered supervisor.
She is a registered art therapist with post-graduate training in sandplay therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Holding three master's degrees in art therapy, fine arts, and design, she is currently a doctoral candidate in psychology.
Her professional career includes art therapy services for individuals and groups of all ages with various life challenges at her clinic, Accès Art. She deeply resonates with Indigenous wisdom and strives to provide culturally sensitive art therapy to Inuit and First Nations adolescents. She offers supervision sessions to creative arts therapists.
She is involved in research projects related to art therapy and depression at at Concordia University. She was the Research Coordinator for the project engAGE Living Lab at the same university, Carmen is also involved in other research related to art therapy and depression.
She is committed to promoting accessible art therapy for individuals and communities and is a registered supervisor.
The Home Study Paid Package
World Art Therapy Conference 2027
If you are unable to attend the free conference or you prefer to watch the presentations at your own pace, simply click the "ENROLL" button ENROLL from below. This home study package will be the only way to obtain continuing education credits, since no learning activity can be tracked during the free conference. The video-presentations will be made available to you immediately after the conference dates and will remain accessible for you for at least two years, along with handouts, articles, etc. You will get a Certificate of completion attesting your CE credits only after watching all the videos and consulting the materials offered in the package.
Please note that prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.
Full-time students are eligible for 50% discount from the full price (450CA$) upon providing proof of enrollment in an academic institution.
The Best Rate price will be available until January 15, 11:59 PM EST.
Please note that prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.
Full-time students are eligible for 50% discount from the full price (450CA$) upon providing proof of enrollment in an academic institution.
The Best Rate price will be available until January 15, 11:59 PM EST.
Write your awesome label here.
Note: The material for the home study conference is dropped on your account progressively, after each week of the conference, respectively the first section will be available at the end of the day on February 8th, the second section at the end of February 15th, and the third one at the end of February 22rd.
PAID HOME STUDY PACKAGE CE CREDITS
This package offers you 45 NBCC Countinuing Education credits for certified counsellors in US.
Other Professional Orders and Associations may accept the accreditation, so please consult with your respective regulatory body.
Creative Therapies Events Inc. is our registered legal name under which all official and legal matters are conducted. This includes compliance with all regulatory requirements and licensure board mandates.
We operate under the brand name 'Creative Arts Therapies Events' which may be used, along with our logo, for all our educational and promotional materials, both in print and electronic formats, including for advertising certified credits where applicable.
We have employed LearnWorlds, a learning management system, for delivering this program. The use of LearnWorlds, including its logo, does not imply sponsorship or co-sponsorship of any educational or business activities by LearnWorlds in relation to Creative Therapies Events Inc.
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