Hello and welcome!
I’m Dr. Laura Dessauer
I’m a licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Mental Health Counselor in New York and practice as a Board Certified Art Therapist in Florida. I see clients year-round online via telehealth and at the art studio office in Sarasota, Florida.
I am passionate about tapping into creativity to confidently communicate and creatively connect. In my art therapy private practice, I playfully blend cognitive behavioral skills, art-making, and creative problem-solving to help clients create individualized social, emotional, and behavioral interventions that “stick to their brain”.
When I’m not making art you’ll find me in nature at a park, beach, or garden with my equally creative husband and fun loving Weimaraner.
Credentials
Board-certified Art Therapist
Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology
35+ years in the mental health industry
Featured in numerous publications including Parent's Magazine, eHow Parenting, YourTango, FoxNews, PBS This Emotional Life, Business Insider, Working Mother, and Psychology Today
Presenter at the Eighteenth Annual National Expressive Therapy Conference, National American Art Therapy Association 40th Anniversary Conference, and American Art Therapy Association Institute for Creative Education in Art Therapy (ICE/AT).
The Creativity Queen, LLC, was the winner of the 2007 Small Business of the Year Award (SCORE).
Author & Creator
Contributing author of “Healing with Art and Soul: Engaging One’s Self Through Art Modalities” (Cambridge Scholars, 2009)
Creator of the “Art Therapy Card Deck: 50 Therapeutic Interventions for Challenging Children who Shut Down, Meltdown, or Act Out”
Created international online training courses for therapists and online community for Parents and Professionals.
Developed Art Therapy trainings nationally and presented for PESI, Inc.
Relaxation CD, “The Creativity Queen’s Superfabulicious Self-Soothing CD”
Therapeutic coloring book, “The Creativity Queen’s Superfabulicious Colorific Adventure Book”
Here’s why I do what I do.
As long as I can remember I loved art, and as I grew older and became a teen I went through a challenging period where I used art to express and communicate feelings that were difficult to put into words. When I heard of the profession of art therapy in high school I knew that this was what I was meant to do. Art has been my constant companion during many heartbreaking and challenging life moments. It’s been a silent witness, a beacon of hope, it’s held the space, and offered it’s nonjudgmental presence.
I pursued an education in art and psychology at New York University, then went to Nazareth College of Rochester for my master's degree in art therapy, and completed my doctorate degree in counseling psychology at Argosy University in Sarasota, FL. Throughout the years I worked with children and families at several ARCs and at alternative high schools, middle schools, day treatment programs, and pre-trial youth programs. In 2005 I moved to Florida and spent time working with families at various Florida agencies and schools, and via my own art therapy private practice.
Over the span of three and a half decades, and having the privilege of working with 1,000’s of individuals, I noticed that the most rapid progress made towards change involved focusing on my client’s creative strengths, not deficits.
As you can see, I’m passionate about supporting you to find creative ways to communicate and express feelings so you feel happier and more confident!
I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to various parenting groups, agencies, schools and professionals offering presentations on using art therapy to help children manage behaviors, tantrums and meltdowns.
Connect with me to Learn More!
Signature Talks
For Parents
7 creative ways to get control of your kids so they learn how to positively manage their behaviors and feelings, and you stay sane!
Using the Creative Parenting from the Head and Heart System
For Professionals
Art Therapy: 77 Creative Interventions for Challenging Children who Shut Down, Meltdown, or Act Out ”