معرفی
Simone Alter-Muri serves as Professor and Director/Funder of undergraduate/graduate Art Therapy/Counseling and Art Education programs at Springfield College within the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Arts and Sciences.
Her academic credentials include:
- Doctorate of Education in Creativity and Child Development, University of Massachusetts Amherst (1990)
- Masters of Education in Art Therapy, Lesley University (1979)
- Bachelors of Arts, University of Massachusetts Boston (1976)
Her research explores critical intersections of art, trauma, and identity through culturally significant frameworks. Key investigations examine tattooing as embodied cultural expression, artistic responses to war and political violence, developmental patterns in children's art, Holocaust-era visual narratives, and therapeutic applications for autism spectrum disorders. Her methodology emphasizes art as both diagnostic tool and healing medium in socio-politically charged contexts.
Prestigious recognitions include:
- 2003 Massachusetts Art Teacher of the Year in Higher Education
- 2002 Art Educator of the Year (Massachusetts Art Education Association)
As program founder and director, she has secured multiple research grants and mentored generations of art therapy practitioners. Her leadership extends to Springfield College's Graduate Council Teacher Preparation Committee and Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Committee, alongside active committee roles in the American Art Therapy Association (Education, Research, and Multicultural Committees) where she maintains Board Certified Art Therapist, Registered Art Therapist, and Art Therapy Certified Supervisor credentials.
