College of Applied Behavioral Sciences faculty present at statewide conference
Rachel Feldwisch, assistant professor and director of counseling and Emma Eckart, assistant professor of counseling, will each be presenting at the Indiana Counseling Association Conference in Fort Wayne, Ind. on June 7.
Feldwisch’s presentation will examine the similarities and differences between art therapy and creativity in counseling, plus relevant ethical, professional, and multicultural concerns. Attendees will be encouraged to consider how art therapists and creative counselors can work together in mental health, school, and community settings.
“Art therapy and counseling are distinct helping professions that emerged and grew out of different theoretical models and orientations,” Feldwisch explained. “Recently, the two disciplines have crossed paths due to combined graduate programs, shared licensure, and compatible interests. Several clinicians in Indiana dually identify as both counselors and art therapists.”
Meanwhile, Eckart will focus on the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC), addressing the privilege and oppression that is inherent between individuals based on a number of factors, such as class, socioeconomic status, education level, and gender.
“Specifically I will be presenting on how to apply those competencies to counseling work with a client that is part of the military population,” explained Eckart, who served 13 years in the US Navy, including Hurricane Katrina relief efforts & deployments as a helicopter pilot. “In the graduate counseling department we integrate the MSJCC into all of our coursework so that, as counselors, we are aware of how the therapeutic relationship is impacted by privilege and oppression.”
Jacqueline Bondowski ’21 (mental health counseling) will present alongside Eckart, helping to facilitate small group discussions.