April 19, 2018
Kimberly Nguyễn is a second-year student of Emporia State University’s Art Therapy and Clinical Counseling Dual Curriculum Program. She earned her BA of Art History degree from the University of Oklahoma, where she met AATA Past-President, Dr. Joan Phillips, PhD, ATR-BC. Dr. Phillips and the Art Therapy Association of Oklahoma (ATAO) guided her pursuit of becoming an art therapy professional. Nguyễn has actively volunteered through her local chapters, first as Secretary of ATAO and now as a member of the Kansas Art Therapy Association member (KATA).
Nguyễn values her AATA membership for the connections it facilitates to the art therapy community. “As a student, AATA helped me with my professional development by providing opportunities to network with influential art therapists,” she says. Nguyễn presented at the 2017 conference with Jessica Stallings, ATR-BC, and Melanie Heindl, ATR-BC, on social justice work in the field. Of the 2017 conference, she notes, “I connected with graduate students from other schools about what their multicultural experiences were like.”
Nguyễn is looking forward to presenting with Stallings again during the 2018 conference in Miami, FL. They will be joined by a panel of Nguyễn’s fellow classmates to discuss the experiences of art therapy graduate students of color.
Ms. Nguyễn is passionate about accessibility of mental health care, especially among the Vietnamese American population. For the future of the profession, she hopes to see “more marginalized groups gain access to art therapy.” She adds, “I am also looking forward to see diversity grow amongst art therapy students and professionals.”
“Quê Hương” by Kimberly Nguyễn. 2014. Print.