Trauma and division are everywhere around us, which has further isolated children and adolescents and exacerbated many of our mental health concerns. Along with increases in overall rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, many human rights organizations estimate that rates of human trafficking cases have risen by 185% in the midst of the Covid pandemic.
This is a hard population to reach as they are stuck in survival mode and continuously being retraumatized.
We may struggle to see this impact—as we are all in a collective state of overwhelm—leading us to misinterpret the trauma responses and behaviours of our clients and ourselves.
Join Dana Wyss, PhD, ATR-BC, as she shows you how expressive arts can act as a bridge between us and these clients, and how we uniquely address social and emotional needs for ourselves and our clients.
Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, is a board-certified art therapist, a marriage and family therapist, holds a doctorate in expressive therapies, and is the coauthor of The Invisible String Workbook. As director of training at a psychiatric hospital, secure group home, and non-public school, Dr. Wyss specializes in clinical supervision, staff training, and treatment of complex developmental trauma. Her 20 plus years of an expressive therapies background has led her to create individual and group programs integrating art, music, poetry, dance and animal-assisted therapy in the healing process for clients and the self-care of staff. She has a passion for helping individuals reconnect with their passion, creativity, and hope. Dr. Wyss is a national trainer and consultant for The Center for Trauma Training and a state-wide trainer and consultant to provide workshops and raise awareness of commercial sexual exploitation of children and young adults.
Dr. Wyss received her undergraduate education from Florida State University where her studies focused on psychology, art, and English. After a few years traveling the world, she settled in Southern California working as a group leader for children with complex developmental trauma. She then pursed a master’s degree from Loyola Marymount University where she learned the true healing nature of expressive therapies. Dr. Wyss Worked and created art throughout the next few years. her love of art, research, and desire to expand her education led her to Lesley University where she completed her doctorate. Although she has many research interests, her current research focuses are using art-based research to build empathy and understanding for self-injurious behaviors, the use of exotic animal assisted therapy in residential treatment, and the impact and effect of non-traditional materials in art therapy sessions and group therapy. Dr. Wyss resides in Southern California where she continues to love to travel the world and create her own art for self-care and healing.
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Expressive Arts with Commercially, Sexually, Exploited Youth
Why the Arts Work
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