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Artist Interview

Ed Regensburg

________________________________________________________________________

MA, ATR-BC, CHT., LCAT

Certified Art Therapist

Certified Hypnotherapist

| Academic Career |

1.) Where did you earn your undergraduate degree?

SUNY New Paltz

1a.) What did you study during your time there and in what ways did it shape your future?

Art Education / Foundation to working with “Art” and people

2.) Where, and in what did you earn you master’s degree?

Hofstra University / Creative Arts Therapy

2a.) Will you briefly explain what the master’s program in art therapy entailed?

Exploration of the intersection of art and psychology

2c.) Were there any particular professors or mentors that influenced your career as an artist or art therapist?

Bobbie Kaufman, author of Hidden Cries and Silent Screams

| Professional Career |

1.) After earning your master’s degree, what type of licensory and/or professional training were you required to complete before you were legally permitted to practice under the title of art therapist?

Licensed in NYS 2006, no requirements previous

2.) Where was your first position?

North Shore University Hospital

2a.) What population(s) did you work with?

Substance Abuse

2b.) Would you please describe the basic therapeutic goals you hoped to reach through the use of art therapy with this population?

Identification / Release and Understanding of subconscious emotional drivers of behaviors.

3.) Can you briefly list and describe all subsequent positions you held as an art therapist?

(The artist / art therapist referred me to his biography which can be reviewed at http://www.regensburgart.com/practice/pages/practice_bio.html)

From 1975 – 1992 Ed designed, established and supervised clinical Art Therapy programs at North Shore University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Sagamore Children’s Center, Pederson Krag and North Shore Creative Rehabilitation Center.

During that time Regensburg also established an exclusive private practice specializing in art psychotherapy and hypnosis for children and their families, individuals and couples. He also provides supervision, training and consultation to clinical professionals.

Mr. Regensburg’s artwork has been featured in galleries across the country and is included in many private and corporate collections. It includes paintings of ethereal skyscapes and life-sized sculpture that reinterprets totemic themes

Regensburg is also a noted lecturer and workshop leader. From 1984 – 1994 he served as Adjunct Professor of Art Therapy in the graduate Art Therapy program he co-designed at Long Island University. He has been sought out by many organizations for his consultant services including the New York State Office of Mental Health, Long Island Association for Aids Care, Pall Medical Corporation of America and others.

Regensburg is a licensed, board certified professional Art Therapist (LCAT). In addition he is a board certified hypnotherapist, having earned the CHt.-BC distinction from the International Association of Counselors and Therapists in 1992. At that time he established the first Wellness Education and Treatment Through The Arts at Sara’s Center (www.sarascenter.org) for people with special needs, with a focus on psychiatric illness. Unlike traditional programs this model combines creative arts with functional skill building techniques to help people resolve inner conflicts and to heal and grow.

4.) How long after completing Graduate school, were you able to establish a private practice as an art therapist?

Immediately

4a.) What type (if any) of additional licensure was required to establish a private practice in New York state?

N/A (The currently required licensure had not yet been implied in New York State)

4b.) Did you have a particular population you wished to service in your private practice?

Not initially

4c.) Do you use a particular or specific medium in your private practice, for example the medium you were formerly trained to use as an undergraduate art student? If so please explain why you think this particular medium works best in your private practice. If not please explain your choices for medium used.

This is a very complex question. I use a variety of techniques I designed based upon their clinical success over the years, across many populations

5.) Do you maintain a separate Studio Art Practice? If so will you please explain how you categorize your self as an artist (i.e. painter, sculptor, photographer etc.)

Yes, Painter and Sculptor

5a.) Do you feel your practice as an artist exists separately from your practice as an art therapist?

Yes

5b.) Does your artistic practice serve as a personal therapeutic outlet?

Yes

5c.) Is your art work influenced by your therapeutic practice in anyway? If so please explain.

Yes, it serves as never ending inspiration.

5d.) What obstacles or struggles have you faced in maintaining a studio practice as well as an art therapy practice?

Public acceptance of the field, and thus my relation to it in my own studio practice, usually due to lack of knowledge.

(Images can be found at the artist’s website: http://www.regensburgart.com/index.html )

| Theory |

1.) Will you please explain the theory behind your personal art therapy practice, and how it was developed?

2.)

I consider myself a Phenomenologically Oriented Existentialist. As such I developed the concept I called Transformative Imagery, which speaks to the power of “art” and imagery to change a life.

1a.) What/Whose Psychological model does this theory most closely adhere to?

Reference include, Carl Jung, P.D Ouspensky, Rosalynn Bruyere and many others

1b.) How do you implement this theoretical framework across different populations in need of art therapy? / Is there a need to change your theoretical framework to fit the particular patient(s)?

Always responding to individual need and circumstance referencing archetypal understanding of symbol and color allows for effective treatment planning and intervention “when words alone are not enough”™.

Please see website bio for more detailed information. www.psychimagery.com

Artist Opportunities

NY Based Opportunities

http://thecreativecenter.org/NYCHAIRP/

http://www.lmcc.net/news/story/deadline_extended_to_jan_25_open_call_for_applications_space_for_art_in

http://www.movmnt.com/?kttMuOTl

http://www.wsworkshop.org/_art_opp/intern_clay.html

http://www.woodstockguild.org/artist_in_residence/apply.html

National Opportunities

http://www.armoryart.org

http://www.terraincognitostudios.com/residency.html

http://www.stpeteclay.com/

ArtistsHelpingChildren.org

http://www.andersonranch.org/about/employment/index.php?page=summer-internships

Trade art for Healthcare NYC

Interesting!

http://www.nyfa.org/level3.asp?id=377&fid=6&sid=17

The end is just the Beginning

I am looking for the words to summarize the experience. I have found many new questions, which I will spend my near and distant future answering - and questioning. This experience has been so rich and I strongly feel that it was one of those 'meant to be things' Above all that I have learned - I am happiest to walk away knowing that this is the right path for me.

When looking for the volunteer opportunity, I was searching for any chance to see art therapy - I would have carried buckets of water from a well if someone was letting me simply observe their sessions! I was not looking for a particular patient population, although I have an idea of what population I want to specialize in - which is not what I was working with at FREE (MRDD and Autistic). What is so wonderful about working with a population that is not my ideal/goal population is that I know I can still be happy and believe in it! After graduate school I will most likely not be able to work with the population I want immediately. It will also take years before I can establish a private practice. This is so wonderful because it will allow me to explore this field - who it can help - how it can help -with what - and why!!

I am so eager to learn more! I want to read and question and research! I am hoping to find an opportunity to assist/volunteer/intern with an art therapist or art specialist - or even work in a community art group with the goal of healing or nurturing through art.

I feel so fulfilled - this experience has made me so happy! Everyday has been exciting and interesting. I finally feel like I am able to give back what I got. At the same time I have been rediscovering at! I have not drawn this much in at least a year - in fact I've always disliked drawing because I can't get what's in my head, out - on the paper - not the way I want it anyway. Drawing what I feel - what is inside my heart just comes right out! It pours out in bright purple and pink and green and blue! Having realized that artistically expressing myself can be done as purely emotional expression - without the academic mumbo-jumbo that I am hindered by in school - I will continue to draw at the end of each day - or right when I need to!

I am also Excited to cross the boundary and bring some of these pure expressions into my ceramic art! The expressive release won't be restricted here because it already exists on paper - its pure feeling can remain there, while existing in the ceramic work as well - but this art-making will just be a wonderful experience that I love and can't not do - but it doesn't have to be my outlet entirely! My outlet does will not be restricted by an assignment!

There is so much joy pulsing through me at the moment that it is hard to face the sad elephant in the room - the experience is coming to an end - but right now it just feels like just this experience is coming to an end and there are so many more waiting around the corner - this was just the beginning!

Thoughts on Completion

Following are my thoughts in images, regarding the end of my time shadowing art therapists.

Last Week | 1/20/10

Saying goodbye at the Islandia site (where we run a program with mentally impaired adults) was smoother than I'd expected. The clients did express that they would miss me verbally, as well as with gifts of art work - which I am very touched by. They did not express the sense of abandonment that I noted with the Fancy Free group in Farmingdale, or even the core group of autistic children. The clients at Islandia were often in a more stable mood than the other groups and were perhaps more able to handle the news of my departure.

During supervision today I had the chance to discuss the entire experience with my supervisor Ed Regensburg. I was thrilled to hear that he thought my enthusiasm, sophisticated questions and genuine interest in art therapy would make me a great candidate to study art therapy at the masters level. We were able to discuss m anxieties regarding departure, and he reminded me that most of these clients have experienced at least 100 different care givers and even family members coming in and out of their lives - not that it lessens the impact that I made, or how they will react to it - but just a reminder that they will react like they have with all these caregivers that came before me - so I cannot take to heart to seriously if they are anger or hurt at my departure. Ed reiterated that we announced my presence as one that would be temporary, and have been reminding the clients of this throughout my time there. He advised me to fully process how I felt about leaving to avoid any emotional break downs on my part while saying goodbye to the Fancy Free group and the Helping Hands group tomorrow.

Lauren joined our session towards the end and provided me with feedback as to how I had done. I was very happy to hear what she thought, as I hold a great respect for her as an art therapist. I truly enjoyed working by her side and learning from her. Lauren congratulated me for my enthusiasm, and dedication. She told me that she was impressed with my openness and ability to communicate with all the groups, something that is not easy or comfortable for many people. Lauren felt that I was able to follow her lead very well, while asserting myself and being an active presence in every group. She believe that I have a natural inclination for therapeutic work (whether I choose art therapy or not), and agreed with Ed that my questions and interest would make me a positive candidate in a graduate degree program. In terms of critical feedback (which is so important) Lauren noted that I would have benefited from deflecting personal questions from the clients, as it is suggested that you do not reveal too much personal information to the clients. She also explained that many of the clients attempted to latch onto me for extra attention. She was understanding and related to her past experience saying that it is easy to become involved in a conversation about how the client feel, or to ask "do you want to talk about it", but as art therapists, and especially with the particular client population we have (who are prone to behavioral and emotional outbursts) it is responsibility to contain the expression of these emotion in the artwork - and to allow that to serve as their outlet.

Lauren thanked me for my help over the last month and ensured me that it was going to be a hard transition to doing all the work alone. Lauren has been an amazing mentor. I am happy to have her as a contact in the world of art therapy!

I am so thankful to both Ed and Lauren and all the groups I worked with, for this truly fulfilling experience!