Sept. 10, 2024

The American Art Therapy Association represents a diversity of professionals, students, and organizations across the nation. We recognize and celebrate the work of our members at all levels through our Featured Member series.

What are you most excited about your work as an art therapist?

The work with women that I have been doing for the past year and a half working with photo embroidery.

What have you learned from your clients?

I have learned to be patient with my self, to be me, and to be as compassionate as possible with me.

How have issues of diversity and social justice impacted your work as an art therapist?

It has helped me to open new doors and ways to understand others.

Autorretrato 2024

Photoembroidery
Gabriela Osorio

y vuelvo a florecer

Photoembroidery Gabriela Osorio

What are your hopes for the future of the art therapy profession?

That we can expand more and more this profession in my country, México.

Is there something you would like to share about your journey thus far as an art therapist?

That you will grow and grow as a human being in the best and subtle way posible, all through art.

What keeps you excited about the AATA community?

I have been a member since approximately 2009. I have always learned something deep with my colleages—they all are inspiring and creative people. These are always uplifting experiences!!!

About Gabriela Osorio Fajardo

Gabriela Osorio Fajardo is a bilingual, creative and eclectic art therapist with more than 20 years of clinical experience. She holds two masters degrees, one in Family Systems in UNIVA in México and the other one in Clinical Art Therapy in Loyola Marymount University.

Gabriela has been teaching for 15 years in different educational levels, up to Masters in the Universidad del Valle de México in Guadalajara, Jalisco. She is also trained as a Montessori guide for children from ages 2 to 6 years old, and teaching creativity and arts for 10 years.

Additionally, Gabriela is a textile artist with an extensive experience and background. She has organized and participated in collective art shows for women in public spaces like “Casona Pardo” in México. She has also trained in Fine Arts with the Emily Carr Institute in Vancouver, Canada, where she met with Canadian art therapists. Active member (15 years) in the American Art Therapy Association in the United States where she has also presented clinical work.

Gabriela currently lives in Zamora, Michoacán, in México where she has her office and works on a project called “Casa Corazón,” which offers art therapy workshops for children, adolescents and adults, among other art workshops like music, painting and embroidery. Gabriela is also the director of the “Open Art therapy Studio ExpresARTE” in San Miguel de Allende in México where she works with adolescents and children since 2019. She is the author of the Art Therapy workbook for children “Manual de Terapia de arte para niños de 6 a 12 años” in Spanish.

Follow Gabriela on Instagram @gabriela.o.fajardo

Join Gabriela Osorio Fajardo on Sept. 24, 2024, at 7pm ET for a virtual CE session:

Mexican Huipil-Making and Photoembroidery to Find Connection: Integrating Textiles, Photo and Embroidery in Clinical Practice.

The event is FREE for AATA student members. Learn more.

Featured Member: Gabriela Osorio Fajardo