About Sharon
A Labor of Love
I come from a long line of mental health professionals and artists, and learned an emotional vocabulary early on. I was raised with an appreciation for creative expression through formal instruction and traditional approaches-- but more importantly-- through an expressive home environment where living creatively, "thinking outside of the box," and finding one's own path were values instilled early on. Drawing was my main outlet as a child, my first use of "art as therapy" to help process daily stressors and big feelings. In college I studied Fine Art and Humanities, and found a safe haven in an oil painting class with a beloved professor who granted me permission to fully experiment and explore my creative process without fear.
I began my career as an art teacher and ESOL instructor for adults and immigrant families, which sparked a deep interest in using art as a means of connection and communication among those of different backgrounds. I continued to utilize my own art process to better understand my experiences, and decided to do a deeper dive into the therapeutic impact of artmaking within the context of psychotherapy by training in Creative Arts Therapy at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. I have since worked as a licensed Creative Arts Therapist with children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of treatment settings in both the public and private sectors throughout NYC in a clinical career that has spanned 13 years. Art therapy is truly my “labor of love.”
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My own "matrescence" and professional journey is intertwined; despite being a mental health professional myself with access to many wellness resources, I was initially floored by how challenging it was to feel “whole” in the destabilizing postpartum period, and struggled with the demands, isolation, and ambivalence that the birth of a parent can bring. I've found renewed purpose and healing in working in the realm of perinatal mental health and completed advanced training through Seleni Institute and certification through Postpartum Support International shortly before the birth of my second child. Now, based on my own experience as a professional and personal caretaker, I am passionate about serving others who identify with this role in some capacity, and helping them access their own creative resilience in order to (re)connect with the best version of themselves. I am honored to work as a Perinatal Mental Health Certified Art Psychotherapist and accompany others on their personal and family building journeys.
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