National Art Therapy Conference 2021

Antrea Pitta began volunteering from a very young age, which ultimately led her to undertake her Master of Science in Art Psychotherapy from Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University. She worked across Scotland in educational settings with at-risk adolescents by liaising with education and psychological teams, carers, teachers and other professionals for a whole integrative approach. She worked with students in both one-to-one and group art therapy sessions. Antrea facilitated art therapy for adults who struggled with addictions and adolescents affected by their or someone else’s use. All ages engaged through extremely messy play, often reflected by the significant trauma they have experienced. The sensitive and dynamic approach that art therapy unfolds, enabled adolescents and adults to feel safe but also contained to express their emotions through art and play, which reflected on their treatment process. Antrea is now in London supporting children and their families who are fleeing from Domestic Violence.

Diana Kayafa is an HCPC and BAAT registered Art Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with a Diploma in Integrative Supervision and an academic background in psychology. Diana is a core member of staff at the MA in Art Psychotherapy programme at Goldsmiths university and has been teaching in the field of the arts therapies as a guest lecturer in various universities around the world for 10 years. Diana’s clinical expertise lies in Palliative Care and Bereavement while she has worked extensively in adult mental health settings, mainstream and special needs education, and is currently in private practice. She works as a Registration Assessor for the HCPC. On an international level, Diana has been a founding member and supervisor for the 4ArTS (International Encounters for Arts Therapies Students) which was initially linked with ECArTE (European Consortium for Arts Therapies in Education). Diana also works for the Art Psychotherapy training programme in Greece which is accredited by the European Association of Psychotherapists and contributes to the promotion of the profession in the country through conferences, individual talks and collaborations with other arts therapies professionals.

Fran is a state registered Art Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and with the British Association of Art Therapists. She also has an extensive training in counselling. She has worked in a variety of settings with a wide range of clients. These include children, adults with mental health issues, eating disorders and personality disorders as well as people who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities and those suffering from dementia. Her special interest is working with adopted and looked after children within the school setting and on an individual basis in her private practice. She worked as a lecturer at Oaklands College teaching courses in the ‘care’ sector, assertive training and workshops on how to use art within care establishments. Fran worked as a lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire on the MA Art Therapy Programme for many year. She retired from her position at the university in order to return to more clinical work. Other prior experience includes assisting in setting up a Women’s Refuge and working for many years as the co-ordinator before training as an art therapist. She is currently supervising qualified art therapists plus the management team of an eating disorders unit, where she was recently the in house art therapist.

Hephzibah Kaplan RATh is a UK-trained art psychotherapist and psychotherapy supervisor. She qualified in psychodynamic art therapy in 1998 and in transpersonal psychotherapy supervision in 2005. From 2004-2010 she was art therapist at the Arbours Crisis Centre, one of the last remaining therapeutic communities, set up by Dr. Joseph Berke who worked closely with R.D. Laing at Kingsley Hall. In 2010 Hephzibah set up London Art Therapy Centre, the first group practice for art therapy in central London where she is Director and has her current practice, seeing adults, children, art therapy trainees and supervisees. She has presented and taught art therapy to health care professionals in Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, South Africa and the UK.

Sophia Cowx is a Trauma-Informed Art Psychotherapist trained in EMDR. She is registered with HCPC, BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists) and the EMDR Association UK & Ireland. She currently works as an Art Psychotherapist in Secondary Adult Mental Health Care across two NHS Trusts alongside her private practice where she is working towards EMDR accreditation.She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons.) in South Africa in 1997. She qualified as an Art Psychotherapist in the UK in 2008. Post qualification she took on a number of honorary roles before paid practice working with adults diagnosed with personality disorder and addiction (NHS) as well as military veterans diagnosed with PTSD (Combat Stress). In 2017, under British-Ukrainian Aid, she travelled to Ukraine to work with Warm Souls, a charity running retreats and art workshops for active volunteer soldiers and veterans enduring PTSD. In 2017 she ran a trauma-informed workshop for art counsellors in South Africa at Lefika La Phodiso. In 2016 she founded “The Poppy Collective” as a form of art activism. Under the auspices of this group she has hosted Art Psychotherapy-informed refugee-themed community events, at home, on the streets and in her local museum. Projects by The Poppy Collective are organically developing alongside her Art Psychotherapy practice.