December 10, 2025 CULMINATING PROJECT Masters in Art Therapy The Culminating Project (CP) provides students in their final year of the program with an opportunity to demonstrate that they possess the essential skills required for the Master’s Degree in Art Therapy. The CP progress requires students to work creatively and independently, to synthesize and integrate learning bridging theory and practice, and to share their understanding of issues relevant to the current practice of art therapy. These skills are demonstrated through the creation of a scholarly paper incorporating research, artistic inquiry and the integration of personal insights with established theory and practice. Students identify a research question which reflects their professional interests, clinical practices, and personal experiences as they relate to the field at large. Students explore their questions first through a completion of a thorough literature review and then through a systematic art based process of inquiry. Finally, students integrate insights which emerged through their artistic and clinical practices with the published literature to generate new knowledge and to move the field forward. CONGRATULATIONS Donna Fedak Nehal Hussein A Mohamed ELIZABETH Mietz Carly McKenzie Maya Policare Stephanie Reph Irene Silva Jessica Symes Never Stop Creating Anxiety is a mental health issue experienced by people worldwide, making the need for therapists to find effective treatment strategies for their clients who suffer from anxiety imperative. This study pro - vides a literature review examining how art therapy, specifically Na - ture-Based Art Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy, can be effective in decreasing anxiety. A gap in the literature exists in applying research specifically to art therapists and in identifying the specific mechanisms that make art therapy effective in anxiety reduction. This researcher embarked on an arts-based inquiry process that incorporat - ed photography while walking in nature (referred to as Photo Nature Walks), mindfulness, journaling, dialoguing with images, and response art to explore feelings of anxiety over a 6-week period. The research - er found that combining Photo Nature Walks, Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy, and Nature-Based Art Therapy is effective in decreasing anxi - ety. Another finding showed that dialoguing with images provides deep meaningful insight into the root causes of anxiety. Key words: anxiety, mindfulness, Photo Nature Walks, nature-based art therapy, mindfulness-based art therapy, nature-based therapy, dialogu - ing, response art Donna Fedak Combining Photo Nature Walks and Response Art to Explore Anxiety “Exploring Identity” Note: Response art created in graphite pencil to explore self-identity. (Graphite pencil on 11 x 14-inch white drawing paper) This art informed study explored how intentionally shifting the artmaking process to begin at the perceptual and affective levels of the Expressive Ther- apies Continuum (ETC) influenced an entry level art therapist’s experience of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The researcher, who experienced anxiety herself, conducted four self-directed research artmaking sessions using watercolor and Robinson’s (2020) Zen-tangle based doodling. She noted the influence of sensory engagement, structured repetition, and material choices on her experiences of emotional regulation and self-awareness. Data gathered included four artworks, reflective journaling, and analytic memos, which were analyzed to identify emergent patterns. Four key themes emerged: structure as a container for freedom; role of materials in emotional regulation; integra- tion of artist and therapist identities; and reduction of anxiety through repe - tition. Findings suggest that beginning with sensory and affective process - ing supported grounding, flow, and reflective self-supervision for the study participant. Such findings provide insights which may be applied in personal practice, and which may have clinical applications when working with anxious clients. Limitations of the study included the use of a single participant, short- term engagement, and restricted media. Future studies should expand sam - ples, media, and sequencing variations to inform evidence-based art-therapy interventions. Keywords: art therapy, expressive therapies continuum (ETC), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Zen-tangle, emotional regulation, personal art practice, material-based intervention Nehal Hussein A Mohamed “Negotiating Artist and Therapist Identities” (2D, 4 art pieces, 12” W x 18H for each piece, watercolor and paint markers.) There are several benefits to facilitating therapy sessions online, along with sever - al drawbacks. Some client populations prefer attending therapy online due to hav - ing mobility issues or a long commute to the therapy office. Art therapists typical - ly conduct sessions with traditional art materials, and digital art is not frequently used. For some clients, using an easily sanitized device like a tablet for creating art is ideal due to immunocompromising medical conditions. Complaints made against online therapy include less emotional expression and connectedness compared to traditional therapy. Video games are widely popular for recreational use, but they have also been used as therapeutic interventions to treat clients with various conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study, the researcher aimed to answer the question, how could a video game be used to create a virtual art therapy studio? The researcher was the sole participant in the study. Ses - sions were spent creating a game that includes a virtual art therapy studio as an artistic inquiry. The platform Roblox Studio was used for the creation of the game because it is free to use, along with its ease of use for first-time game creators. After the creation of the game, a small focus group was conducted to help test the game’s functionality with multiple players. Data collection included photo and video recordings as well as research journaling responses. The findings explored insights related to Roblox as a therapeutic space, its benefits, and its challenges. Key Words: Art Therapy, Telehealth, Teletherapy, Digital Art, Video Games, Roblox Elizabeth Mietz “Art in Roblox” ( Digital file format, Roblox.com) This collection of dolls emerged from a self-explorative process focused on my experience with perfectionism. Each identi - ty-based doll focused on one theme: perfectionism, authenticity, or self-compassion. Guided by prompts, the dollmaking process - es took me in different directions, offering insight into my per - fectionistic tendencies and a need for future change. Materials used in the process included fabric, yarn, poly-fil, poly-pellets, embroidery thread, watercolor paint, and buttons. While at times, the artmaking process was emotionally stimulating, influenced by high expectations for the outcome, other moments promoted creative freedom and a reduced concern for the final product. My interactions with the dolls significantly impacted their meaning, as experienced through dialogue, touch, and emotional respons - es elicited by their presence. Although each doll stands on its own as a meaningful tangible artwork, the collective of dolls acts as a unified story about self-understanding and self-acceptance. Carly McKenzie “The Doll Collection - The Perfect One, The Authentic One, The Tender One ” (Doll 1: (9” x 3.25” x 2”) Doll 2: (9.25” x 4” x 2.5”) Doll 3: (8” x 3.5” x 2”)) It is vital that art therapists combine with other modalities in order to find therapeutic strategies that can work with clients who prefer non-traditional approaches. For instance, combining art and play therapy with the utilization of transitional objects, we can change the way we think about our individuals and their personal narratives. My research and study is meant to address what the experience of a graduate art therapy student is, when creating a transitional object in the form of a cloth album. Com - bining art and play therapy can help a client lessen their emotion - al distress, reduce fears and increase self-esteem and self-con - fidence. Creating a transitional object through art creation, can allow a client to engage in a sensory hands-on process, and give a more personalized attachment to the object created Maya Policare “Paint Tool: Flowers and Fish” Over the years of my art therapy graduate school journey, I faced many challenges mentally and emotionally associated with staying present. This heuristic study explored an art-based technique to build presence and addressed the research question: “what is the experience of a graduate art therapy student using collage to build therapeutic pres - ence?” Geller (2020) wrote extensively on the practice of, and ways to build, therapeutic presence. Geller introduced the PRESENCE acronym to help therapists build presence. PRESENCE stands for pause, relax, enhance breath awareness, sense your inner body; bring awareness to your physical and emotional body, expand sensory awareness outwards, notice what is true in the moment, center and ground, and extend and make contact (Geller, 2020, pp. 9-10). This researcher cre - ated an art-based process incorporating collage and journaling based on Geller’s (2020) PRESENCE acronym. Through 8 one-hour art making sessions the researcher reflected on her experiences in writing, created art, and a dialogued with the art (McNiff, 1998) asking it “What do you need to teach me?” “ This process yielded 4 insights: noticing tensions, expectations, the concept of being perfect, self-care, and believing in myself. Overall, this experience allowed me to learn that I have the capacity to bloom wherever and whenever I want to in the field. Keywords: mentalizing, mindfulness, professional identity, therapeutic presence, and self-compassion. Stephanie Reph “Bloom when nothing else blooms” (Collage on 9x12) This arts-based heuristic research study provides a unique perspective: that of an art therapist diagnosed with epilepsy. The researcher explores her experiences with epilepsy through an integrated approach to artmak - ing which may add a new creative process for exploring this, and other, diagnoses to the art therapy literature. The researcher first offers a re - view of epilepsy and seizure diagnosis and current treatments. She then addresses a gap in the literature: a lack of the voices of those with these diagnoses and a lack of focus on the social and emotional wellbeing of individuals with epilepsy. The researcher conducted a 3-week long study incorporating work with sculpture and mixed media art to address the fol- lowing question: “How does a process of metaphorical exploration help a graduate art therapy student with epilepsy better understand themselves and their experiences?” Art was explored through metaphorical creative writing and dialoging. Findings gathered from this research suggest that art therapy can offer emotional and psychosocial support for people with an epilepsy diagnosis. Key findings included: The value of sculptural processes in expressing complex experiences like seizures, how sculpture can help one to re-imagine their diagnosis, and the impact of the process on self-perception. This approach acknowledges the need for further re - search and advocacy for people diagnosed with epilepsy in the field of art therapy. Key Words: epilepsy, seizures, sculpture, self-perception, art-based research Irene Silva “Vision of Hope” (Height 3’ x 1’- Width) “Revelations” (Mixed media painting on 24” x 36” on canvas) This culminating project explores the four main existential concerns of human existence usings process oriented intuitive painting. The self-study uses an art-based process to explore the topics of death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness and how they can lead towards an understanding of identity, contribute to formulating a personal definition on meaning in life as well as enhance well-being. The art process consisted of making 5 paintings over the duration of 5 weeks using reflective journaling. This process led to uncovering themes within writing as well as emotional associations between imagery created to determine significant insights. The researcher determined that exploring these topics develops acceptance of the self and circumstances, created a sense of urgency for change, promoted presence in the moment, and promoted deep inquiry into the self. Key words: Existentialism, Death, Freedom, Isolation, Meaninglessness, Identity, Well-Being Jessica Symes “ Whispers of the Wind (Final Insights) 24” x 36” (Acrylic and pressed flowers on canvas ) The work shared tonight represents the culmination of a personal, professional and academic journey for these students. The creative contributions shared here represent the expansion of professional knowledge and contribute meaningfully to the body of knowledge of the art therapy profession. I stand humbled by all these students have achieved. Their dedication, resilience, tenacity, and steadfast refusal to give up in the face of significant personal, academic, environmental, and political turmoil is awe inspiring. Please join me in congratulating these students on their hard work! I thank you all for your support, energy, and enthusiasm as we celebrate the students and come together to honor this moment at the closure of their graduate careers here at Cedar Crest College. Dr. Laura Teoli