Drena is a graduate of the Pratt Institute masters program in Creative Arts Therapy and the NYU School of Social Work. She is an adjunct instructor at New York University in the graduate Art Therapy department and an adjunct lecturer at the School of Social Work. Drena's approach combines art and talk therapy to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression related to current life challenges, childhood abuse, trauma, daily stress, and work-related burnout. She presents regularly on the problem of secondary and vicarious trauma in the helping professions. Drena recognizes the power of the creative process combined with cognitive-behavioral interventions in moving clients from "stuck" places that keep them from enjoying life fully. She holds an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design from the University of Florida. Her personal art runs the gamut from other-worldly abstract paintings to realistic portraits.
About Us
New York Creative Arts Therapists PLLC is a licensed provider of adult, child and family therapy using the arts.
Click here to meet our guest facilitators.
Nadia received her Masters in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute and has over ten years of experience providing individual and group art therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. Her integrated use of artmaking, talk, narrative work, and humor has helped her clients come to terms with trauma, stress, relational and developmental issues. She also specializes in working with children, adults, couples and families dealing with ADHD. She is thrilled at the recent advances in neuroscientific research, and how this is informing new ways of using art and creativity to explore meaning, soothe the senses, and regulate emotions. In addition to a background in film and video, she has a special interest in women's autobiographical comics, and has been making her own cartoon art for over 15 years. Nadia also has extensive experience mentoring other therapists in their professional development, and is a visiting instructor at L'Atelier, a Masters level art therapy training program in Geneva, Switzerland, affiliated with the European Graduate School.
Sally received her Masters in Psychology for Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy at Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, California. She worked at the Child and Family Study Center at Cedars Sinai Hospital with special needs and emotionally disturbed children and their families. She also has experience in other clinical settings working with trauma, anger management, learning and developmental disabilities, and mood disorders. Additionally, Sally worked extensively in school and group settings helping children and adults with social skills and emotional regulation. In addition to joining the clinical team at New York Creative Arts Therapists, PLLC, Sally is currently a Program Specialist for the POINT program at the WJCS, providing therapeutic services to developmentally disabled adults. Sally has a BA from NYU in Art History and Fine Art, and has practiced art extensively through her life. She believes art allows a means to express the stories and human elements that words cannot always convey, and that creative expression is an integral part of the therapeutic process for regulating, healing, processing, growth and transformation.
Dana received her Master’s degree in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts. She has worked in hospital, community, and in-home settings helping both adults and children dealing with the effects of trauma, abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. Dana brings a multicultural sensitivity to her clinical work doing individual art therapy as well as group and family therapy using talk and art interventions. Dana integrates mindfulness and artmaking into the psychotherapy process to create a non-threatening environment for change to occur. She is inspired by the healing effects of creative expression and recognizes the importance of human connections. In addition to her training in art therapy practice, Dana has extensive knowledge of fine arts and theatrical design. Dana is excited to join the NY Creative Arts Therapists team.
