My Biography

“Art is the externalized map of our interior self.”

Mie TamuraI was born and raised in the ancient city of Kyoto, Japan, and still remember clearly the beautiful natural surroundings of my home. While art is often difficult to define, I view it as a means to nurture self-empowerment, foster healing and enrich my own personal growth. Creativity helps me to feel alive, reach down to the bones, and awaken myself to the goodness and gifts within me. Not only does paining allow me to express feelings and ideas that are difficult to put into worlds, but it even helps me to understand who I am. Despite one’s limitations, whether real or perceived, art can initiate a positive transformation in one’s life by facilitating self-exploration and self-understanding.

My love of art led me to pursue a career of art therapy, which uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals. Currently I work at an inpatient psychiatry unit to create and facilitate art therapy for both individuals and groups of adults with mental illness and dual diagnosis to inspire growth through a process of self-expression, and ultimately to foster independence. I also work for a domestic violence shelter, facilitating art therapy groups for Asian women and other immigrants from diverse cultural backgrounds. Through my experiences, I have witnessed how art therapy and other expressive therapies are not only powerful tools for validating clients’ strengths and skills, but are also safe approaches for a wide variety of clients with many different struggles. It has been challenging but art therapy fulfills me, because it allows me to share the best, positive aspects of myself and my experiences as they have developed and accumulated throughout my life. To learn more about art therapy, please visit website at  www.arttherapy.org.

EDUCATION:

  • Masters in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy, Adler Professional School of Psychology, Chicago, IL, 2007
  • Bachelor of Arts, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 2001

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATION:

  • Art Therapy Registration (ATR)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Illinois
  • Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor ( LCPC) in the state of Illinois