Editor’s note: Adler University offers a diverse range of learning experiences designed to empower practitioners to drive positive change across its three campuses. This Is Adler is a monthly series highlighting these exceptional programs, courses, and individuals shaping tomorrow’s leaders in advocacy, mental health, and community engagement.

This month, we meet Cassandra Krcmar, an adjunct faculty member and student in the Doctor of Philosophy in Art Therapy program. The Ph.D. in art therapy is now an online program. It offers real-time synchronous sessions through a virtual learning environment several times each semester, allowing students to engage directly with faculty and peers while maintaining the flexibility of online study.

What roles can art therapists play in fostering community change? How can they lead initiatives that enhance inclusivity and equity?

Cassandra Krcmar found the answers to these questions throughout her transformative journey at Adler University. After earning a Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy in 2012, she returned four years later as an adjunct faculty member, eager to share her knowledge with students aspiring to make a difference. Then, in 2021, driven by a desire to amplify her impact and deepen her commitment to advocacy, she enrolled in Adler’s Doctor of Philosophy in Art Therapy program.

“Adler has shown me that practicing art therapy extends far beyond individual healing; it has the power to foster inclusivity and connection within our communities,” Krcmar said.

Leadership skills are a vital component of art therapy and community work. As a doctoral student, Krcmar learned new ways to be an effective leader while taking the art therapy program’s Community Engagement and Socially Responsible Leadership course — a required class that helps Ph.D. students define their guiding values and philosophies in art therapy, teaching, program development, supervision, and advocacy.

“It challenged us to ask ourselves, ‘How do we lead and act in a way that positively impacts our communities through art therapy?’” said Krcmar, who was first drawn to the field after her own personal healing journey through creative expression.

As part of the course, students also identify community spaces where inclusive art therapy practices could make a significant impact, formulating practical strategies to enrich the environment.

“It is one of my favorite classes throughout my academic career and continues to shape my perspective on community engagement, my role as a socially responsible art therapist, and my career pursuits.”

Krcmar’s insights and experiences illuminate the vital role of art therapy in fostering change. Here, she shares what led her to this impactful field, how she plans to implement what she’s learned in the “real-world,” and the power of art therapy in uniting people and communities.

What sparked your interest in art therapy?

I noticed at a young age how art allowed me to express things I couldn’t otherwise find the words for. It helped me know myself on a deeper level and feel a greater connection with myself and the world around me. I wanted to share this opportunity with others looking to heal, explore, or search for a sense of connection or wholeness.

What led you to Adler University?

When it came time for me to find graduate programs in art therapy, Adler University stood out because it had this additional component that set it apart from your basic art therapy program. Its focus on the social justice piece made me realize that art therapy can have a much larger mission.

As someone who has taken the Community Engagement and Socially Responsible Leadership course, how would you describe it to other students?

I took the course in the fall of 2022, early in my Ph.D. It gave me an exciting foundation for the rest of the program and beyond. The special aspect of this course is the application of social responsibility to the actual practice of art therapy.

Through this course, we actively find community spaces that can benefit from inclusive art therapy practices and create a practical plan to implement art therapy programming. Specifically, community engagement field experiences invite students to visit community spaces and create a plan for how art therapy could enhance the experiences of these spaces by making them more inclusive for diverse populations.

How do you plan to implement what you’ve learned from the course in your practice as an art therapist?

That’s a really exciting question because I’m in the process of doing just that. When I first visited a local zoo, I recognized an opportunity for nature- and eco-based art therapy there. While taking the course, I created a hypothetical plan to bring art therapy into that community space. Well, in spring, I’ll be starting my internship with the Community Support Services, which is collaborating with the zoo to host programming. Through that internship, I now have the opportunity to execute those plans, turning them from hypothetical to reality.

From your perspective, how does art help shape or engage communities?

Oh, in so many ways. I could go on and on, but in a nutshell, art unites people and communities by creating dialogue. It bridges communication and furthers understanding. The making and viewing of art invite us to look deeper, explore meaning, and evolve our perspectives and actions. It gives a platform for people and communities to be seen and witnessed.

As you near the end of your Ph.D. program, what are your career goals, and how will this course shape those goals?

One day, I plan to co-create a wellness center inclusive for all abilities. This course has given me the opportunity, time, and guidance to develop programming I plan to utilize after I graduate from Adler University. From designing the mission, identifying the supporting philosophy, and research to planning the logistics, I now have a road map to the art programming I will build.

I am excited for the future students who will experience this class. I believe it can make a difference in how art therapists contribute to social change.