expressive arts therapy & community wellness center
ARTrelief ™
art making for emotional, physical, mental, spiritual & social health
OUR THERAPISTS
Keren Arroyo-Mora, LMHC, ATR-BC
keren@artrelief.info
Art Therapy Supervisor
Board Certified Art Therapist
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Fluent in Spanish
Alexis Ask, MA, MHC-DMT
Certified Dance/Movement Therapist
MA, Mental Health Counselor
Advanced Spanish
Every experience and emotion we have is lived in and through the body. I understand the body as the primary place where we experience, process, and make meaning of our lives. Movement is essential for development across the lifespan, it is also a way to move through stuckness, communicate what words cannot, and reconnect with playfulness, joy, and a sense of aliveness. I am a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist and a master's-level Clinical Mental Health Counselor with a bachelor's degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. I come to this work with a background in healthcare and a deep commitment to caring for the whole person. My approach integrates dance/movement therapy, developmental movement, sensory processing and integration, play, and the creative arts with evidence-based counseling approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), honoring the ongoing interplay between acceptance and change. I believe growth happens through cultivating awareness of the body, strengthening emotional and nervous system regulation, and expanding each person's capacity to navigate life's challenges with greater flexibility and authenticity. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, families, and groups in a variety of clinical settings. Whether supporting developmental needs, processing trauma and grief, navigating life transitions, or fostering emotional resilience, I strive to create a collaborative, playful, and compassionate therapeutic space where clients can reconnect with themselves and others.
I am a Drama Therapist
I hold a master's degree in Art Therapy and Creative Development, as well as a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and Art Education.
I strive to create a calm and energetic environment for my clients, often utilizing humor to encourage reflection without judgment. I specialize in combining art therapy techniques with a strength-based approach to help clients build their resilience. My approach is person-centered, meaning that we will work together to develop new coping skills and increase self-awareness so that the client can live a fulfilling life based on their values.
Over the course of my 12 years as a teacher and more recently as an Art Therapist, I have gained experience working with children (ages 2-18), adults, and families. I have specifically worked with those who have experienced violence or domestic violence, providing individual and family therapy. I also have experience working with adults who are going through mid-crisis situations and addiction. My philosophy is that "the client is the expert of their narrative, and I'm here to support and provide you with psycho-education," informed by my background in teaching and person-centered approach. I am a strong believer in the healing power of art and the benefits of therapy in a person's life. I invite clients to sit with me and work together to find solutions that fit their unique situation.
Robin Beaudoin, MA, MHC-EXT
robin@artrelief.info
Certified Expressive Arts Therapist
MA, Mental Health Counselor
Conversational Spanish
I am an expressive arts therapist with an educational background in clinical mental health counseling, expressive arts therapy, and creative writing. Having worked primarily with youth and young adults in outpatient, residential, and (therapeutic) school-based settings, I approach therapy with a systems-level understanding of multiple barriers that many vulnerable populations face in their communities.
The transformative nature of play and expressive arts can challenge large-scale social inequity, but it is most effective in my work both as a tool for processing, coping with, and managing difficult emotions or experiences and as a method for discovery and engagement. I promote client-led and strengths-based approaches to modalities like collaging, zine-making, roleplaying, improvisation, and others and incorporate skills-based therapies like CBT/DBT, narrative therapy, and parts work that pair well with these creative styles.
In addition to the creative arts, I have clinical interests in harm reduction and transformative justice within the therapeutic space and in the context of community, sexual and reproductive health education, neurodiversity, and queer identity. My goals with individuals and families across all ages lie in collaboration and advocacy, promoting equity and liberation, and to always remain a curious and playful campaigner of joy.
Sivan Rose Elefson, LMHC, R-DMT
sivan@artrelief.info
Clinical Supervisor
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Registered Dance/Movement Therapist
Fluent in Hebrew
I’m a music therapist with a lifelong passion for the transformative power of music. My journey began as a classical pianist, and for many years, that was how I connected with the world. I later became drawn to the deeper emotional and human aspects of music — how it can heal, communicate, and create connection — and that path led me to music therapy.
I’m a Board-Certified Music Therapist with additional certification in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) and experience at the Nordoff-Robbins Center. I take a music-centered, person-centered, and strengths-based approach, always focusing on holistic, trauma-informed, and family-centered care. I'm passionate about supporting and empowering both individuals and their loved ones through music.
I also see music as a powerful and unique community builder. Whether you're singing with strangers at a live concert or improvising with someone you just met, music creates moments of connection that transcend language and background. It reminds us that we’re not alone, and that we can find belonging and understanding through sound.
I'm thrilled to be part of the ARTrelief team as a Music Therapist and look forward to meeting each individual who walks through my door. It’s a gift to collaborate in exploring how music can support your goals, enrich your life, and help you connect more deeply with your own voice. Together, we will co-create a space that feels safe, joyful, and full of possibility.
Calina Bobis, MA, MT-BC
MA, Music Therapy
Board Certified Music Therapist
MA Candidate, Marriage and Family Therapy
Fluent in Romanian
I am a licensed clinician with over 20 years of experience providing high-quality, trauma-informed care to individuals, families, and groups experiencing social exclusion and complex life challenges. My work across diverse clinical and community settings has shaped a flexible, culturally responsive, and client centered approach to mental health care.
I am an experienced psychotherapist specializing in holistic and creative therapeutic practices, including expressive arts and Dance/Movement Therapy. I bring a strong record of effective clinical engagement across non-traditional and community-based environments, with extensive knowledge of counseling principles, group facilitation, and interventions for complex mental health needs. I am deeply committed to ongoing professional development and to supporting authentic growth through reflective and relational clinical practice.
My training allows me to tailor evidence-informed strategies to the unique needs of each client system. I value collaborative work that honors each individual’s voice within the context of their family, peer group, and community. I approach therapy through an integrated understanding of the mind–body connection, supporting clients in identifying barriers to connection, resilience, and well-being.
I work with individuals, couples, and families from a whole-person perspective—integrating body, mind, and emotional experience. My approach blends traditional psychotherapy with expressive and movement-based modalities to support empowerment, connection, and lasting change. My goal is to guide clients and families toward greater self-awareness, stability, and vitality through a warm, collaborative therapeutic relationship.
Clara Drew, MA-MHC, ATR-P
MA, Mental Health Counselor
Provisional Registered Art Therapist
I am a master’s-level clinician specializing in art therapy, with a background in expressive therapies and mental health counseling. I believe art can be a powerful tool for communication, self-expression, and empowerment across all stages of life. My experience in diverse clinical and community settings has shaped a person-centered, strengths-based approach grounded in cultural awareness, trauma-informed care, and flexibility.
I have worked with clients across the lifespan, particularly children, adolescents, and older adults, in both outpatient and community-based settings. My work integrates art therapy with DBT-informed, strength and skills-based interventions to support emotional growth and resilience. My goal is to foster a collaborative therapeutic relationship that empowers clients to build self-understanding, develop effective coping strategies, and create meaningful, lasting change in their own life journey.
Emma Hatch, MA, MHC-DMT
MA, Mental Health Counselor
Certified Dance/Movement Therapist
I hold a Master of Arts degree in mental health counseling with a dance therapy specialization, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance with a ballet emphasis. From my own experiences as a dancer, I value the feelings of community, empowerment, and joy that can be fostered through moving with others, and I seek to provide similar experiences for others.
I have experience working with children, adolescents, and families in a variety of childcare and educational settings, including outpatient clinics, residential facilities, after-school programs, and a therapeutic day school. I also have experience with facilitating expressive arts programming for adults with developmental disabilities. I operate with an understanding that felt senses of safety and trust on a deep and body-based level, and I seek to empower clients through a strengths-based and relational approach that includes and values the whole being.
Paola "Pao" Mendez, MA, MH, RAT-P
pao@artrelief.info
MA, Mental Health Counselor
Provisional Registered Art Therapist
Fluent in Spanish
Aishwarya Shridhar, M.S.
aishwarya@artrelief.info
M.S., Mental Health Counselor
M.A., Social Work: Community Organization
and Development Practice
Fluent in Hindi and Tamil
After several years of experience working with understanding the needs of diverse populations as a researcher, I got my degree in Mental Health Counseling with the goal of improving the mental health of members of our community while maintaining their individuality and self-expression. The use of expressive arts in therapeutic ways has always been of interest to me, and my own experiences as a dancer have me believe in the transformative power of art. I aim to integrate the use of various forms of counseling approaches such as CBT, Narrative therapy, and Motivational Interviewing along with creative tools. I like to be flexible in my use of approaches, trying to find what works best in the moment for my clients and their needs. I also believe in the importance of cultural diversity as a crucial aspect of any approach and the therapeutic value it can offer. My main goal is to come to a deep understanding of the client and their world and help them use the tools and strengths they possess within themselves to overcome challenges.
I am a master’s-level clinician with a specialization in art therapy. I come into this work with a passion for exploring and incorporating various forms of expressive arts into my personal life and therapeutic work - from visual art all the way over to drama and music.
As an art therapist, I enjoy using creativity as a tool for self-expression, self-compassion, and self-exploration. Art can be such a powerful avenue for exploring the thoughts and feelings that are difficult to put into words. I also enjoy incorporating other forms of expressive arts, such as writing, music, and movement. No artistic experience required!
I have worked across all ages, from end-of-life care to pediatric health. I integrate art therapy to support participants in their journey of navigating trauma, life transitions, identity exploration, grief, and other challenges that may arise along the way. I believe our experiences are not only shaped by our personal lives, but also by our communities, identities, relationships, and the world around us. I strive to create an inclusive space where you can be playful, authentic, and fully yourself.