Washington, DC--"Potomac Art Therapy Association announces 2017 Award Recipients!" The Potomac Art Therapy Association (PATA) is the local DC-area affiliate chapter of the national American Art Therapy Association, a non-profit professional organization of over 5,000 members.Our association is dedicated to the belief that making art is healing and life enhancing. The mission of the Potomac Art Therapy Association is to serve its members and the public by developing and promoting knowledge in, and of, the field of art therapy. We offer timely programs, ongoing education, and opportunities for networking and professional development.In addition, the Scholarship Committee works to recognize excellence in art therapy through the following three annual awards.Awardees each receive a year-long membership and a check for $300.00, as well as special recognition on PATA’s website, http://www.potomacarttherapy.org.
The Potomac Art Therapy Association is proud to announce the 2017 award recipients:
2017 Potomac Art Therapy Association Educator Award:Rachel Kreiger Albert, ATR-BC This award is given annually to a member of the Potomac Art Therapy Association (PATA) who demonstrates excellence in professional scholarship though providing supervision and educational outreach to our community.The Scholarship committee was very impressed with Rachel Kreiger Albert’s commitment and achievements in this area.This award recognizes her outstanding leadership as a dedicated art therapist for FCPS. Art therapist and art teacher Rachel Kreiger Albert is honored for her tremendous work this year in leading the way to create a mural at her school which boosted public awareness of art therapy. She evidenced commitment to promotion of the art therapy field through community outreach. This gorgeous mural helps educate the whole community in the impact of art. It generated awareness of art and art therapy and built community feeling throughout the process, and thus promoting the art therapy field.
2017 Potomac Art Therapy Association Distinguished Service Award: Stephanie Tyler, ATR-BC, LCPAT, LCPC This award is presented annually to a member of the Potomac Art Therapy Association (PATA) who demonstrates outstanding volunteer service in helping the Association to fulfill its mission. Marketing and Communications Committee Co-Chair, Stephanie Tyler, ATR-BC, LCPAT, LCPC, was honored with The Potomac Art Therapy Association’s Distinguished Service Award. She has served tirelessly to promote the Potomac Art Therapy Association and art therapy in the DC metro area.Her numerous contributions to the association board, membership and larger art therapy community represent a high standard of conduct as well as a personal and professional commitment to the art therapy community. Stephanie has demonstrated belief in and commitment to art therapy and offered exceptional service in helping PATA to fulfill its mission.
As Marketing and Communications Committee Co-Chair, Stephanie committed significant time to the association.Stephanie has worked on the PATA board for many years, serving more than 5 years on the Board. She has constantly been responsive in updating the website and communicating information, a task that requires focus and attention to detail. Steph has also offered her home for PATA meetings and generally supported PATA in many behind-the-scenes ways. This award recognizes this overall outstanding service.
2017 Potomac Art Therapy Association Nancy Schoebel Scholarship Award: Bani Malhotra Bani Malhotra, for her essay, “Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Art Therapy.” This award is named for Nancy Shoebel (1952-1990), a founding member of the Potomac Art Therapy Association, who was a leader in promoting art therapy in the Washington, DC area. The recipient of the award is an art therapy graduate student who demonstrates excellence in writing on the topic of art therapy; awardees receive a year-long membership and a check for $300.00, as well as special recognition on PATA’s website, http://www.potomacarttherapy.org.
The Scholarship committee found Bani’s essay a very thoughtful consideration of cognitive behavior therapy and art therapy a well-constructed, well referenced and personally significant essay.The tone and clear construction made the essay engaging to read, and for these reasons, Bani is named as this year’s Nancy Schoebel Scholarship Award recipient. Katherine Waters, ATR-BC, PATA Scholarship Committee Chair formally presented these awards on Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the Potomac Art Therapy Association’s annual potluck luncheon at the Goodwin House Alexandria in Virginia. The Potomac Art Therapy Association thanks Kate and committee members, as well as all of our nominators and nominees. For more information about art therapy, please visit http://www.arttherapy.org.