On Our Mind: Thoughts from Mark & Michelle Dean
by Michelle Dean 17-01-2017 | 11:50PST | Comments (0)
Book Review Re-Membering: Putting mind and body back together following a traumatic brain injury Written by Ann Millett-Gallant Published by Wisdom House Books Pb; 111 pages Reviewed by Michelle L. Dean, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, CGP Re-Membering: Putting mind and body back together following a traumatic brain injury by Ann Millett-Gallant is an honest account of […]
by Michelle Dean 15-11-2016 | 6:43PST | Comments (0)
Adolescence can be a challenging time in a child’s development, but when losses, adjustment issues, or trauma affect the child, it makes it all the more difficult. Teenagers often feel self-conscious, under stress, and shut down. Sometimes teenagers in traditional talk therapies fail to feel engaged. Imagery and art tap into our earliest ways of […]
by Michelle Dean 30-05-2016 | 11:57PDT | Comments (0)
Some injuries sustained in war are not immediately fatal; instead, they linger and fester like a parasite consuming its host and infecting those closest to him. This Memorial Day, as we remember and give thanks for the great sacrifices our military and their families have made, I would also like to remember those who have […]
by Michelle Dean 07-02-2015 | 7:07PST | Comments (3)
I am delighted to be a part of and share my experience about this year’s competition International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP) 5th Annual Imagine Me Beyond What You See Body Image Mannequin Art Competition and Eating Disorders Awareness Campaign. This, I believe, is my fourth year participating in the event as one of three […]
by Michelle Dean 01-12-2014 | 5:25PST | Comments (0)
As a part of her honors requirement for the Art Therapy: Media and Application course at Arcadia University this semester, I invited Samantha Baggott to write a guest post on her research about overcoming communal rejection through art, which includes an interview with art therapist, Gussie Klorer and her recent project, Ribbons of HOPE in Ferguson, Missouri. […]
by Michelle Dean 13-10-2014 | 6:29PDT | Comments (0)
Have you ever noticed how expensive, haughty cuisine is often associated with sex, the divine, and transcendent experience; and conversely cheap, junk food is equated with addiction, excitement, or an out-of-control behavior? For example, in some conversations with friends, clients, and even in online food reviews the following may be heard: “The apple tarty ice cream […]
by Michelle Dean 09-10-2014 | 5:48PDT | Comments (2)
Decorated paste papers, as described in Paste papers: The How To…, may used in a multitude of educational and therapeutic applications. Using the slick and flexible pigments can facilitate abstract and playful imagery as well as lessen anxiety and encourage creative flow (Chilton, 2013). The less structured, or sometimes referred to as regressive elements, inherent […]
by Michelle Dean 22-07-2014 | 7:53PDT | Comments (6)
Art in a psychotherapy practice is so much more than a series of directives and ingredients rattled off like a recipe in a cookbook. Although recipes may get the cook in the kitchen, what separates the novice from a chef is a discerning appreciation of the individual ingredients and their synergetic effects. Likewise, the ability to […]
by Michelle Dean 29-06-2014 | 12:33PDT | Comments (0)
Food prices go up, gas goes up, your utility bills go up, your insurance premiums go up, your office rent goes up, as well as taxes, and, well, pretty much everything else related to your cost of living goes up, but how easily do you ask for a raise when you are in private practice […]
by Michelle Dean 19-05-2014 | 9:28PDT | Comments (2)
Group therapy works! In studies comparing group psychotherapy to individual therapy, group therapy has been shown to be as effective and sometimes even more effective. In cases of medical illness, there is substantial evidence that this form of therapy helps people cope better with their illness, enhances the quality of their lives and, in some cases, […]
