June 23, 2025 | Brian Tepper, LCAT, LPAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, MPS, MSA, 2025 Conference Committee Chair
On behalf of the American Art Therapy Association, I am thrilled to announce Tucker Byrant as the keynote speaker for the AATA2025 In-Person Conference to be held Oct. 8 – 11 in Portland, Oregon. Tucker is a nationally renowned poet and keynote speaker. He believes that the tools used by poets to innovate through language and introspection can help drive creative thinking and “unlock change.”
Tucker had been on my radar for a long time, and the Conference Committee believed that he would be a great fit for this year’s conference theme, “Ascending to New Heights.” During his keynote session, Tucker wants us to consider, What’s the one change we would like to make for ourselves? Using the tools of his craft – poetry – he will help us be more empowered advocates, better prepared for change, and open to try new things.
When the work we do, Tucker explains, is constrained by rules and regulation, it often feels like we have no creative liberty to “think outside the box.” However, we all deal with constraints on a daily basis. That’s why, Tucker believes, creativity can only flourish when we learn to think inside the box. We should aim for our wildest aspirations, but “reframe our constraints as a starting point rather than a dead end.” (Watch this one minute video)
We are confident that Tucker Bryant will engage and inspire us as our AATA2025 keynote speaker. I hope you join us on October 11 at 8:30am as we welcome Tucker to our conference!
We also hope you’ll register by June 28 for the conference to receive the lowest discounted rates during Early Bird registration. Prices will go up on June 29! Learn more about the conference here, including pre-conference Advanced-Practice Courses, and the hotel block at the Hilton Portland Downtown.