The dissertation defense is open and will be held both virtually and in-person.
Participants are requested to RSVP to receive the meeting link.
The PhD in Translational Health Sciences Program is proud to announce the Dissertation Defense of:
PhD Candidate: Juliet L. King MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC
Translating Neuroscience for Art Therapy Practice: The Development and Testing of a Knowledge Translation Toolkit for the Treatment of Psychological Trauma
Dissertation Committee Chair: Ulrich Koch, PhD
March 27, 2024
12 p.m. – 2 p.m. EST
While art therapy has shown value in treating mental health and physical concerns, the profession faces challenges due to the complexity of linking the arts to health outcomes. Engaging neuroscience offers insights particularly relevant to the treatment of trauma, given its impact on the brain, nervous system, and body. Effectively translating neuroscience evidence and principles into art therapy practice is an ethical obligation that supports treatment for those who have been exposed to trauma, empowers clinicians, and enhances the research-to-practice pipeline. This sequential mixed methods embedded study included the perspectives of art therapists, a panel of experts, and patient representatives to inform the development and feasibility testing of a Knowledge Translation strategy in the form of an interactive neuro-informed art therapy toolkit for the treatment of psychological trauma. The toolkit product successfully integrated and then translated evidence-based knowledge to end users that was practical, acceptable, and feasible. Clear recommendations for modifying the toolkit properties provide a direct path for future implementation research on a wider scale and with diverse stakeholder groups.