4th Annual Integrated Creative Arts Therapy Conference

EVANSTON, IL, February 16, 2019 - Institute for Therapy through the Arts will hold its 4th Annual INTEGRATED CREATIVE ARTS THERAPY CONFERENCE March 29-30 at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). The conference brings together clinicians and medical professionals from all over the world to learn about art, dance/movement, drama and music therapies. This year's theme is, "Standing with our Neighbors," and emphasizes the importance of celebrating diversity and embracing inclusivity when working with people of different cultural backgrounds and varying abilities.

The conference will feature special guest Peter Himmelman, a Grammy and Emmy nominated singer-songwriter, film and television composer, best-selling author and rock and roll performer. Himmelman will give a talk on March 29 titled Discovering, Expressing, and Nurturing Your Innate Creativity to Help Others Do the Same.

Keynote speaker Sangeeta Swamy, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of Music Therapy at Valparaiso University, will speak on the morning of March 29 on exploring ethnic identity through music therapy.

This year's conference will feature a Discovery Series, an opportunity for those less familiar with the creative arts to explore the benefits of incorporating the arts into treatment.

Dr. Marni Rosen, ITA's Practice Director, is hopeful that the Discovery Series will be impactful for attendees. "Whether you want to understand the basics of creative arts therapy, or you're interested in how dance is connected to mental health, there's something here for everyone. I'm thrilled that more people will be exposed to this important work," says Rosen.

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About Institute for Therapy through the Arts

ITA was founded in 1975 as a division of the Music Institute of Chicago and became an independent nonprofit in 2015. The organization has served more than 60,000 clients in its 44-year history and is one of the few community-based creative arts therapy programs in the United States to offer music therapy, drama therapy, art therapy and dance/movement therapy. With a unique approach to healing and a highly skilled team, ITA aims to facilitate healing and growth for individuals, families and communities through Creative Arts Therapy. ITA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on financial contributions in order to provide affordable treatment options to families with low resources.

For more information about the conference go to:

https://itachicago.org/conference