January 24, 2019
Rob Belgrod, ATR-BC, LCAT, works for The Art Therapy Project, offering art therapy groups for adolescents in alternative high schools, adults in substance abuse treatment, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. He also supervises art therapy graduate students and does research with a group at Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital. Having recently joined AATA’s Membership Committee, Rob is excited to “support growing the Association’s membership, specifically advocating for more men to pursue careers in art therapy.”
Following 10 years of service, Rob was Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Navy. He earned his undergraduate degree in Art Therapy from the CUNY Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies program and went on to receive his MPS in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts, New York. His first job as an art therapist at Rikers Island working with incarcerated adolescents influenced his current work in alternative high schools. “I feel it’s really important to give adolescents who end up in the justice system the chance, instead of incarceration, to work through and grow through treatment,” says Rob. “I think art therapy is especially effective because art-making is so approachable for this age group and helps adolescents find a voice and advocate for themselves.”
“Beautiful Reach,” NYxGA DEF Project, by Rob Belgrod. January 2019. Double-Exposed Kodak Gold 200 film.