SANGEETA PRASAD

BACKGROUND

I am a registered and board-certified art therapist with over 30 years of experience working with children and adults who have serious mental illnesses and other disabilities. I have worked in various settings, such as schools, inpatient hospitals, and outpatient day treatment facilities. Through my extensive range of experiences, which includes working with people from diverse backgrounds, I have developed an inclusive and compassionate style that helps me work effectively with a diverse group of clients at our studio.

I love sharing my passion for art therapy through presentations, workshops, and teaching. 2015 I started the Indian Art Therapy Discussion Forum (IATDF). I was also on the Board of Directors of The American Art Therapy Association from 2016 to 2018. I am helping design, teach and train at the Master’s of Fine Arts in Art Therapy at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology, ATD, SOFA, in Pune, India. 

I continue to pursue my passion for art by combining traditional Indian art techniques and hand-woven Indian fabrics. Over the last six years, I have learned more about mindfulness and became certified in MBSR (Mindful Based Stress Reduction). In 2023, I received my certificate from the Mindful Meditation Teacher Certificate Program (MMTCP) with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

Some of my publications include two books: “Creative Expressions: Say It with Art” and co-edited “Using Art Therapy with Diverse Populations, Crossing Cultures, and Abilities.” I have contributed several chapters: “My First Year as an Art Therapist in India: Ethical, Cultural, Logistical, and Supervisory Issues” in Audrey Di Maria’s “Exploring Ethical Dilemmas in Art Therapy: 50 Clinicians from 20 Countries Share Their Stories” and another chapter titled “An Art Therapist’s Perspective on Cultural Humility in Diverse Settings: My Journey from India to the United States of America” in Megu Kitazawa’s “Asian Art Therapists: Navigating Art, Diversity, and Culture.” Sowing the Seeds of Art Therapy in India One Seed at a Time. In Bridging the Creative Arts Therapies and Arts in Health: Toward Inspirational Practice. By Donna Betts and Val Huet.

In 2023, I received the prestigious President’s Award from the American Art Therapy Association.

I am a member of the American Art Therapy Association, Potomac Art Therapy Association, and Virginia Art Therapy Association.

Check out my profile on: Therapy Den.

You can reach me at: [email protected] or call 571.482.3010, EXT. 1

Received the 2023 President’s Award From The American Art Therapy Association. 

Award_Sangi

It was an honor to serve as a member
of the National Board of the Art  Therapy Association from 2016 – 2018

What is it about being an artist that helps me to be an art therapist?

Through my paintings, I depict the balance I experience between the Eastern and Western cultures within me. 

I appreciate the delicate details in Indian art.  I use old unusable Indian saris where the gold weaving is still beautiful and intact. I believe each piece has the history of the weaver and the particular memory of the person who has worn the sari. Now I use the fabric to create yet another purpose in my art. 

I also admire free expression and creativity in modern art and the skill and craftsmanship of traditional artists, thus combining these two aspects in my visual expressions. 

I feel that art is personal and helps me to not only express myself but also connect with people and the world around me. This is what draws me to art therapy.  I hope, through art and mindfulness, to help others find a way to healing and joy in their own lives.