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We are thrilled to introduce you to our four most recent graduates! Each of these women has completed both Level One and Level Two of Expressive Arts Florida Institute's Certificate Training Program. This is a huge accomplishment, and marks the culmination of a deep personal and professional journey in intermodal expressive arts.
Lee Mattia, Boynton Beach, Florida, USA Lee brings to her work a passion for creative expression which has been a positive and  sustaining force throughout her life. Intuitively aware of the relationship between creativity and personal well-being, she uses creative expression as a tool to bring awareness and healing to her own life challenges and engages in some form of art making on a regular basis. Her personal experience with the healing powers of creative expression developed into a strong desire to seek out a body of knowledge which would support her inner knowing from a left-brain perspective and allow her to share creative process with others. In 2010 this pursuit led Lee to the door of Expressive Arts Florida and after participating in a morning session of Art as a Healing Practice, she knew she was where she was supposed to be and her life was never the same again. Expressive arts changed her life! Currently facilitating a group of women 'baby boomers' at a community center in Delray Beach, Florida, her goal is to use the intermodal arts as a way for the group to deepen their own self-discovery process, becoming a transformative catalyst for new awareness and healing. She loves facilitating creative process, especially for those individuals who do not think they are artists or are not confident in their art making. At the heart of her work, is her passion to help others tune into their own creative gifts and make a difference in their lives. Not sure what the future holds as a new facilitator in the field, Lee is exploring other opportunities to bring this work into her community. Originally from the Jersey Shore, Lee lives with her husband in Boynton Beach, Florida where they raised their two sons before becoming 'empty nesters'. She brings to her work over 17 years' of empathy and experience working in the health care industry, and as an artist, she brings both her passion and experience in art making. " Creativity is a way of life for me. It is essential and simply who I am." Annie Rousseau, Courtenay, B.C., Canada Annie Rousseau is an Expressive Arts Educator and Consultant, and a proud graduate of  Expressive Arts Florida Institute. Her purpose is to empower authentic expression in individuals through creative expression and the power of witnessing. Her passion is helping people unfold to their own personal insights by tapping the wisdom of the unconscious mind through visual art, movement, music and writing. She is constantly enriched in her own life by assisting people in discovering this inner connection to themselves and a deeper universal wisdom. She also stays true to her belief by keeping alive her own practice in art, writing and movement. She has over 20 years experience as a facilitator and trainer, and is trained in expressive arts, psychology, fine arts, Hakomi counseling, coaching and creative business planning. Her company Circle Tree Studios in Courtenay, B.C. offers workshops and retreats, as well as on-line offerings using art to transform your life and your business. (www.annierousseau.ca) Annie loves designing Expressive arts experiences for authentic expression and for healing and is inspired to work with populations like women with cancer, new immigrants, hospice volunteers, therapists, men and women in recovery, and many more yet to be discovered. For the past ten years she has been traveling and facilitating workshops in process painting for The Painting Experience in both the US and across Canada. (www.processarts.com) She also provides on line support to process painters anywhere in the world to be able to learn this healing process and paint from home. She also coaches individuals to find a way to move forward creatively in both their personal lives and businesses. Annie has excellent skills in working with individuals and groups and loves helping people find their right path in life. Annie has a full life with work and family, a husband, 4 daughters and a new grandson. She values community, the natural world and the arts. Annie is a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) and is working towards becoming a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator (REACE). Sue Keston, Boulder, Colorado, USA When Sue was five years old, she began her first commercial art endeavor by selling her crayon  drawings door to door. Later on, she got a BA in fine art and design, and enjoyed a career as a graphic designer for the publishing and recording industries. Her volunteer work with equine-assisted psychotherapy led her to the University of Denver, where she earned a Masters in Social Work, and became a certified animal-assisted social worker. Eventually, Sue found her way to Expressive Arts Florida to pursue the possibilities for combining her passions for art and psychotherapy. She feels very blessed that her winding path led her to Sarasota, where she was able to explore her creativity, and connect with other expressive artists.
Jennifer Hellwig, Bradenton, Florida, USA Jennifer Hellwig lives in Bradenton, FL, and has worked in the field of healthcare and health  communication for nearly two decades. Jen's undergraduate training is in nutrition and she holds the credential of registered dietitian. Her graduate training is in communications. Currently she works for a national nursing association based in Washington, DC, as managing editor of its clinical practice journal for women's health nurses. Jen was an enthusiastic and prolific artist as a child, but, like many people, let it fall by the wayside in favor of more "practical" pursuits in adolescence and adulthood. She rediscovered her love of creative expression a few years ago when she took a course in Art & Healing with Victoria and Kathleen at Ringling College in Sarasota, and ultimately enrolled in the now defunct Art & Healing certificate program at Ringling. She transferred into the certificate program at EAFI and completed her Level Two training in October of this year. From the beginning, Jen's motivation for participating in the program was more for personal enrichment than as a professional path, but she holds open the possibility of participating in expressive arts in a professional capacity someday in either the near or distant future. In the meantime, she gets much fulfillment from her personal practice. Jen's current favorite forms of visual art making include Touch Drawing, collage, mixed-media and acrylic painting. Are YOU ready for Expressive Arts Training? Learn more.... | 
