QOL Focusing on Adding Art Therapy Interventions to a Counselor’s Tool Bag
Shannon L. Karl, PhD, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, ACS, QCS is a professor in the Department of Counseling within the College of Psychology. She is also a Field-based Clinical Coordinator for counseling students completing practicum/internship covering the greater Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Bay Areas.
Tell me briefly about your recent grant-funded project.
Our project focuses on training community supervisors to implement art therapy interventions in their supervision sessions. This allows counselor trainees to develop additional intervention skills that can be applied across all client populations and clinical settings. This initiative has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for clients throughout much of Florida.
Who is working with you on this project?
Our NSU team includes Drs. Elda Kanzki-Veloso, Mercedes ter Maat, Carly Paro, and Angela Yehl along with College of Psychology doctoral student, Priya Rajesh. We have community partners in three key geographic areas for NSU: South Florida Therapeutic Solutions (Greater Fort Lauderdale area), Boley Centers (Greater Tampa Bay area) and Help Now of Osceola (Greater Orlando area).
What opportunities and/or benefits does this grant bring to the NSU community?
This grant project brings provides clinical training and development opportunities for our community agency partners, NSU counseling students, and post-master’s counseling trainees. Enhancing the skills sets of clinical mental health counselors positively impacts the greater community by increasing the quality of client care.
How does this project connect with your other work at NSU?
Dr. Kanzki-Veloso and I work closely to oversee the clinical training experience in the Department of Counseling. Dr. ter Maat is an art therapy subject matter expert and Drs. Paro-Tomkins and Yehl conduct research aimed at enhancing community wellness.
How has NSU helped you pursue and/or achieve personal and professional goals you have set for yourself? NSU resources used?
The opportunity to engage in community research is priceless. NSU’s support of this community research advances all of our professional goals.
What advice do you have for other grant seekers at NSU?
Develop a great interdisciplinary team and focus on the impact you can make.
What is the next grant proposal or project on your agenda?
We are hoping to expand this current research study and include additional community partners, and NSU student participants to broaden the reach.