FRIDAY SCHEDULE

• 8:30-9:00 AM:  

  Registration/Check-In/Welcome

  Location: Main Entrance

  Light refreshments: pastries, water, coffee

  9:00 – 11:00 AM:  

  Keynote Presentation

  Location: Ballroom

  "Art Therapy Disaster Response; Hope, Healing, & Humanity"

  Joseph Scarce, PhD, ATR-BC

   

  This keynote will provide a general overview of how he initially came to be a part of disaster response and art therapy, as well as how to respond to disasters using art therapy. Most importantly, attendees will learn about a number of issues within this realm including: awareness of general self-care; preparation; safety concerns; and challenges with researching art therapy in disaster response. 

  11:00 – 11:15 AM:  

  Break & Book Signing

  Location: Gathering Room

  11:15 AM – 12:15 PM:  

  Paper Presentations

  ·       “Activism Art Therapy”

  Location: Farmhouse East Wing (limited to 32 people)

  Presenter: Sharon Doering, PhD, ATR-BC, LPAT-S

  “Activist Art Therapy” describes work done to effect change creatively. It aims to empower communities to express their stories and amplify marginalized voices through visual and collaborative arts. Drawing on work in Brazil, South Africa, Honduras, Mozambique, and the U.S., this presentation will highlight cultural considerations, ethical dilemmas, and benefits to activism in art therapy.

  ·       “The Transition to Motherhood: Facilitating a DBT and Art Therapy Group for Women Living with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders” 

  Location: Farmhouse West Wing (limited to 50 people)

  Presenter: Melissa Hladek MA, LPCC-S, LPAT, ATR-BC, PMH-C 

  Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Art Therapy are proposed as an integrated therapeutic approach to support a group of women experiencing PMAD’s. The presenter will share experiences of facilitating a year-long support group for women in the transition to motherhood including highlights of DBT skills and Art Therapy interventions.  

  Discussion Panel
  ·      “Crisis Management in Art Therapy”

• Location: Ballroom

  Presenters: Sheridan Furrer, MA and Cheryl Pete, MA, ATR-BC, LPAT 

  This panel offers art therapists and allied professionals practical tools for navigating crisis through trauma-informed frameworks and creative grounding. Featuring non-directive sensory-based art making, expert panel, and community dialogue, participants will explore ethical considerations, real-world strategies, and the role of artmaking in promoting safety, regulation, and collaborative crisis response.

  12:15 – 1:30 PM:  

  Lunch on Your Own

  1:30 – 2:30 PM:

  Paper Presentations

  ·       “Preparing Adolescents for Independent Living with Group Narrative Interventions: A Proposed Pilot Study”  

  Location: Bride Room (limited to 15 people)

  Presenter: Todd Jakubisin

  This proposed pilot study presents the therapeutic impact and potential that analogous storytelling in a group setting has on individuals’ executive functioning as it relates to problem-solving and emotional regulation for adolescents preparing for independent living. 

  ·       “Experiencing a Disaster, Trauma, and Creative Interventions” 

  Location: Farmhouse West Wing (limited to 50 people)

  Presenter: Madeline Skemp, LPCC-S, LPAT, ATR-BC 

  This presentation will focus on the impact of a disaster from a societal and cultural perspective through a trauma-informed lens. This presenter will also discuss how creativity can improve resiliency with those who have experienced disaster, resilience in vicarious trauma, and interventions to support this goal. 

  1:30 – 3:00 PM:

  Workshops*

  *Workshops do not require pre-registration this year, but may be limited to a first come, first serve based on supplies and room capacities.

  ·       “Compassion Fatigue in the Face of Disaster: Healing for Therapists through Art and Movement” 

• Presenters: Monica C. Brown, LPC, ATR-P Dr. Megan Seaman, PhD, LPC, NCC, RYT

  Counselors, therapists, and first responders who are exposed to ongoing trauma are highly susceptible to compassion fatigue. This workshop combines self-compassion strategies with Natalie Roger’s Creative Connection model – an expressive arts experiential to foster resilience and increase empathy.  

  ·       “Art Therapy and Somatic Approaches to Crisis Stabilization”

  Location: Farmhouse East Wing (limited to 32 people)

  Presenter: Areka Foster, PhD, LPCC-S, LPAT, ATR-BC, SEP

  This interactive workshop introduces participants to effective, body-centered approaches for crisis stabilization. Attendees will identify 2–3 key strategies to support clients during acute distress, while actively engaging in somatic techniques that promote regulation and grounding. Additionally, participants will explore creative methods for integrating art therapy with somatic practices, enhancing their capacity to respond to crisis with embodied, expressive, and trauma-informed interventions.

  3:00 – 3:15 PM:  

  Break

  Light refreshments: snacks, water, coffee

  3:15 – 4:15 PM:  

  Paper Presentations

·      “Digital Art Therapy”

• Location: Bride Room (limited to 15 people)
  Presenter: Kimberly Bennett
  (accompanied by Heather Denning, MA, LPAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, LSW)
  
  Digital media is still a medium that does not see as much clinical application compared to other traditional media. This presentation aims to give an overview onto early applications, ethical concerns, and media qualities of different digital art approaches. An intervention is also included to help introduce participants to try out the medium.  

• NOTE for attendees: Please bring your tablet or computer, preferably with stylus or touch compatibility if possible! 

·      “Picture of Resiliency: Working with Girls Who Have been Sexually Abused and Trafficked in Nepal through Expressive Arts Therapy”

• Location: Farmhouse West Wing (limited to 50 people)
  Presenter: Katherine Jackson, Ph.D., LPAT, ATR-BC

• Participants will learn about the Antardrisit safe house in Nepal and how young women and girls who have been victims of sex crimes have utilized creative arts therapy to foster growth and healing. This presentation will explore the young women’s stories in a narrative framework. 

  3:15 – 4:45 PM:  

  Workshops*

  *Workshops do not require pre-registration this year, but may be limited to a first come, first serve based on supplies and room capacities.

  ·       "Weaving Stories: Exploring Personal Expression and Cultural Heritage Through Textile Art"

  Location: Ballroom (limited to 50 people)

  Presenters: Diane Fleisch Hughes LPAT, ATR-BC, LPCC-S

  Participants will explore the traditional craft of weaving while creating meaningful, personalized textile art. Using cardboard looms, yarn, and written affirmations, they’ll connect hands-on creativity with self-expression and contemporary themes, highlighting how ancient practices can inspire hope and dialogue in today’s world. 

  ·        “Art Therapy Open Studio with Found Objects” 

  Location: Farmhouse East Wing (limited to 32 people)

  Presenters: Matthew Koshar, MA, LPC, ATR, Jamie Mansfield, BA, and Cheryl Pete, MA, ATR-BC, LPAT 

  This interactive workshop invites clinicians to explore the therapeutic possibilities of found and nontraditional objects through the lens of crisis work. Participants will engage in discussion about the role of art therapy in crisis situations, with emphasis on ethical responsibilities and best practices. Through hands-on artmaking in an open studio format, attendees will experiment with found materials to support adaptability, emotional processing, and resilience in clinical work. Reflections will integrate practical and theoretical perspectives on working responsively and ethically in dynamic environments. 

  4:45 – 5:15 PM:  

  Networking

  • Add to BATA 2025 Collaborative Art Making project
  • Presenters check spaces for tomorrow

  5:15 PM:  

  Dinner on Your Own

  Explore list of options for restaurants nearby

  Evening Options:  

  ·       Art Exhibition (1 CE):

  “An Appreciative Inquiry (ai) into Therapeutic Potentials of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): Tour and Critical Dialogue of the ‘Transcending Barriers Beyond Time’ art show”

  Rebecca D. Miller, Ph.D., LPC, LPAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, PMH-C; Janet Reed, PhD, RN; and Amber Bennett, BA 

  Attendees will tour, learn about, and discuss their responses to the exhibition, “Transcending Barriers Beyond Time: Visual Reminiscence of Older Adults with Chronic Illnesses Facilitated by Generative AI.”  This exhibition features imagery created by over 30 older adults with chronic illnesses who participated in a research study where they used Midjourney, a generative AI program that creates imagery based on text prompts, to reminisce on prior life experiences. “Appreciative inquiry” will be used as a tool to guide participants in critical reflection while viewing the art exhibition. A lively interactive discussion based on participants’ reflections and responses will conclude the visit. 

  • 7:00 PM
  • Coburn Gallery, Ashland University 
  • • 331 College Ave, Ashland, OH 44805
    • Phone: (419) 289-5652