August 31, 2017
Elizabeth Aliberti, MA, ATR-BC, LPC works in private practice and acts as both a direct therapist and clinical supervisor for staff on the evening and overnight shifts at Deschutes Recovery Center, a 16 bed secure residential treatment facility which serves adults with severe and persistent mental illness. Her favorite component of the AATA membership is the annual conference, about which she states, “I use the annual AATA conference as a self-care weekend for myself and look forward to it every year.”
She earned her Masters of Arts in Art Therapy with a specialization in Counseling from Seton Hill University in 2012 and completed a practicum at VA Hospital in Pittsburgh. There, Aliberti “saw how the power of art could permeate the walls of even the most guarded veterans.” After graduating, Aliberti moved to Bend, Oregon. Through her work at Deschutes Recovery, she appreciates “that I can help others discover parts of themselves they thought they had lost or never knew existed.”
Ms. Aliberti stays engaged in her community and recently facilitated a community art show aimed at fighting stigma around mental illness and highlighting the power of creative expression in recovery. She describes the event, Bending Perspectives: Bridging Communities Through Art, as “a great way to connect to other art therapists in our community this year; the event provided us an opportunity to promote each other and the field of art therapy.”
“View from Broken Top in the Fall” by Elizabeth Aliberti. Acrylic on canvas. Fall, 2015.
Artist statement: “This piece reflects the need for balance between work, play, family, and my own artistic endeavors. I am constantly inspired by the beauty and wisdom of nature that surrounds us.”