OVERVIEW
Dr. Welton studied art education and psychology at Pennsylvania State University before earning a graduate degree in Creative Arts in Therapy: Art Therapy from Drexel University. Her professional journey took a significant turn following a workplace mass shooting incident. This experience propelled her toward further doctoral studies in counselor education and supervision, with a research focus on the shared traumatic experience and practitioner self-care.
Her teaching, counselling-art therapy, and supervision practices reflect an approach to art-making and the significance of constructing meaning. Dr. Welton believes in the importance of connecting with phenomena, oneself, and others to create and hold meaning; shaping our identities and values.
Raised in Western Pennsylvania, she has been shaped by family, community, and nature, much like the landscape of my home state. Her passion for art, nature, accessibility, and the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors converge in her work as a nature-based art therapist. Beyond the “classroom,” you will often find her hiking, painting in the wild, sipping coffee, knitting, paddleboarding, camping, or embarking on new outdoor adventures, visually documenting or expressing her experiences along the way.
MEMBERSHIPS + ASSOCIATIONS
- Canadian Art Therapy Association.
- American Art Therapy Association.