Ara Parker

Luther brings together many of my interests - clinical, pedagogical, research, arts-based practice and community engagement - in a spiritually-informed community of learning that integrates the arts, psychotherapy and spiritualities. It has been a pleasure (since arriving in 2021) to develop undergraduate and graduate coursework in the areas of Art Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy and Art as Therapy, alongside teaching the Professional Studies & Ethics and Practicum courses. As Graduate Coordinator for the Department of Spirituality & Psychotherapy (2023-), I appreciate advising PhD students on their research and supporting colleagues and students involved with both the MA and PhD programs in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy. I have a keen interest in nurturing and promoting existing and new initiatives in interdisciplinary programming on campus in the areas of arts-based research and arts and spiritualities programming. I sit on the Senate for Wilfrid Laurier University as a representative of Martin Luther University College.

Previously, I was a core Expressive Arts Therapy faculty member in Expressive Therapies (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA (2018-2021) and Chair of the Department of Spirituality and Psychotherapy (Master's degree programs in Art Therapy and Clinical Counseling) and Art Therapy teaching faculty at St. Stephen's College affiliated with the University of Alberta (2012-2018).

My Doctor of Ministry (2019) at St. Stephen's College focuses on the formative and spiritual aspects of art therapy education and practice, reflecting on arts-based research methods. I earned my Master of Arts (1997) degree from Lesley University, concurrently with clinical studies at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts (York, 1980), as well as a Bachelor of Journalism (Carleton, 1982).

As an ambassador for the global humanitarian organization The Red Pencil International since 2018, I have also served on missions to Thailand as an Expressive Arts Therapist, Consultant & Trainer and clinical supervisor. Prior to my work in Expressive Therapies and higher education, I enjoyed a substantial career in arts management and produced and hosted arts-based educational television for TV Ontario, Knowledge Network and CBC.

I maintain a private practice in clinical supervision of art therapists, expressive arts therapists and psychotherapists. I am a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) with the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) and a Registered Art Therapist (RCAT) with the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA).