Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
School of Health Sciences presents
THE BEAUTY OF ART THERAPY THROUGH TIME, RESEARCH, AND ITS APPLICATION WITH VETERANS
This panel explores the profound beauty found within the field of art therapy, beauty that initially draws practitioners in, continues to inspire their work, and shapes the questions they ask and the knowledge they seek. Panelists will reflect on how art therapy serves as both a clinical tool and a source of inspiration, helping individuals communicate experiences that words often cannot capture. Special attention will be given to the role of art therapy in diverse settings, including mental health, higher education, and work with veteran populations.
The session will include an introductory art therapy experiential, “Draw a Person in the Rain,” a simple but powerful exercise that demonstrates how visual expression can reveal insights into emotional resilience and stress. Through this activity and the panel discussion, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, psychological, and communicative power of art therapy, and how it continues to evolve as both a practice and a discipline.
Panelists:
- Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, Associate Professor, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling, Hofstra University
- David Gussak, Professor, Art Therapy Program, Florida State University
- Sojung Park, Assistant Professor, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling, Hofstra University
- Fred Sganga, Executive Director of the Long Island State Veterans Home. Stony Brook University
Moderator: Morgan E. Gaydos, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Counseling and Mental Health Professions
Learn more: https://www.hofstra.edu/ps25
School of Health Sciences presents
THE BEAUTY OF ART THERAPY THROUGH TIME, RESEARCH, AND ITS APPLICATION WITH VETERANS
This panel explores the profound beauty found within the field of art therapy, beauty that initially draws practitioners in, continues to inspire their work, and shapes the questions they ask and the knowledge they seek. Panelists will reflect on how art therapy serves as both a clinical tool and a source of inspiration, helping individuals communicate experiences that words often cannot capture. Special attention will be given to the role of art therapy in diverse settings, including mental health, higher education, and work with veteran populations.
The session will include an introductory art therapy experiential, “Draw a Person in the Rain,” a simple but powerful exercise that demonstrates how visual expression can reveal insights into emotional resilience and stress. Through this activity and the panel discussion, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, psychological, and communicative power of art therapy, and how it continues to evolve as both a practice and a discipline.
Panelists:
- Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, Associate Professor, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling, Hofstra University
- David Gussak, Professor, Art Therapy Program, Florida State University
- Sojung Park, Assistant Professor, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling, Hofstra University
- Fred Sganga, Executive Director of the Long Island State Veterans Home. Stony Brook University
Moderator: Morgan E. Gaydos, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Counseling and Mental Health Professions
Learn more: https://www.hofstra.edu/ps25
