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.
March 22, 2023
“Meeting with [Ukrainian] people in war via Zoom, with bombs going blasting in the background or hindered by power outages. It brings the reality of their despair to the forefront each week. But it has also been incredibly rewarding. Seeing the resiliency, the courage and bravery in each person, holding their space in the smallest moments has been an honor. And being able to connect with other art therapists, creative therapists, dance therapists and expressive arts therapists around the world each week, gives me hope and inspires me in my personal and professional life. It has by far been one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career.“
What excites (or inspires) you most about your job right now?
My job is in private practice and is not always exciting! But it can be very inspiring. I work primarily with children (and their parents/caregivers) who are in grief and trauma. Providing a safe, clinically informed, compassionate and caring space to explore complex feelings of loss. I use art as a tool to assist them in exploring deep feelings and safely express themselves, helping them understand and contextualize their loss. This work can be intense at times, bearing witness to such deep trauma and grief is hard but it is also very rewarding. Their journey is at times both complex and incredibly challenging, but witnessing their courage to heal and move through their loss, is oftentimes beautiful. This continues to inspire me and my work.
Has working with a particular client group shaped your professional focus or specialty? What have you learned from working with these clients?
I volunteer with First Aid of The Soul (FAS). With FAS, I am the Coordinator of Supervision. At FAS we offer psychosocial support to people in Ukraine and those affected by the war in Ukraine at no cost. We facilitate compassion care groups, group supervision, trainings and individual therapy. It is intense work, as we are psychosocial first responders to the war. Meeting with people in war, via Zoom, with bombs going blasting in the background or hindered by power outages. It brings the reality of their despair to the forefront each week. But it has also been incredibly rewarding.
Seeing the resiliency, the courage and bravery in each person, holding their space in the smallest moments has been an honor. And being able to connect with other art therapists, creative therapists, dance therapists and expressive arts therapists around the world each week, gives me hope and inspires me in my personal and professional life. It has by far been one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career.
How have race, diversity, and/or social justice impacted your work as an art therapist?
I believe that it is vital that we embrace the differences in others, in our lives, cultures, our values; that we listen more than we talk, to help create a world that is accepting and just for all. The imbalance and unfairness that many of my clients face is often at the core of the work we do. It is vital for me to allow for their expression and a space to hold the anger or rage. I find that when we truly listen, we learn. We learn from one another’s experience. And that means I learn from my work with my clients and colleagues too. Adding art and art-making to this process increases our ability to safely express ourselves, share matters that may be different or uncomfortable and bring tough conversations to the forefront. We can work through complicated issues and be supportive to one another through the art-making process too.
What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a career in art therapy?
Art therapy has evolved in the decades since I went to graduate school. I see the profession growing and gaining further recognition. I see students excited to learn about using art in combination with psychology and applying their interests in the clinical setting which gives me further hope that we will continue to strengthen our collective work. Students will sometimes contact me for advice. They may be interested in art therapy as a concept or may be studying art therapy in college. I always ask them, “why did you choose this major” or “what about art and psychology together interests you?” They often respond by sharing a personal experience. They found art to be an avenue of solace or personal expression when they were struggling in life. They found art-making and creating to help calm their anxiety perhaps. And my advice to them is to continue to hold on to that initial feeling. To remain curious and creative (whatever that means to them!) in their pursuit of art therapy.
In 2022, I published my first children’s book, “Spidey Senses. A story to help you learn to use your senses to calm your worries.”
This delightful story specifically addresses children’s worries, helping to teach them to manage and regulate their emotions in a clear, friendly and entertaining way.
About Wendy Bradley, MS, ATR-BC, CLAT
I am a board-certified, licensed art therapist in Connecticut, with over 24 years experience working directly with children and families in pediatric and psychiatric hospitals, and in school-based systems. I have facilitated creative arts therapy and psycho-educational groups for children, teens and parents, and worked as a manager of an early intervention city-wide program for young children where we studied resiliency in early childhood. I have a private practice in Connecticut where I work specifically with bereaved children, families in crisis, children in trauma and with mothers to support them in parenting. I was also an adjunct professor at Quinebaug Valley Community college, where I taught psychology and early childhood education courses for 11 years. I am the Coordinator of Supervision Services for an all volunteer not-for-profit organization, First Aid of the Soul, supporting people affected by the war on Ukraine.
Visit Wendy’s website