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Click on the links below to read about each student's experience
at Antioch:
- Katy Schumaker
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling
- Leanne Perez
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Child, Couple and Family Therapy
- Coquille Talbert
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling
- Elizabeth Bellmer
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2002
- Carey DeMartini
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2002
- Heidi Ehrenberg
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2001
Katy Schumaker
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling
 As
the proprietor of Café Venus, a small and busy Seattle cafe
and nightclub, Katy Schumaker might seem too busy to add graduate
school to her life. True enough, the university she would attend
would have to accommodate her demanding schedule.
"Not only did Antioch have the only Art Therapy program I
could find in town, Antioch offered classes that would fit into
my busy schedule. The class sizes are small and there is a large
emphasis on personal growth and introspection, important characteristics
every counseling program should have," Schumaker says.
It helped that the financial aid process was a breeze. "Obtaining
partial loans for my education at Antioch was easy as pie. I took
out a third of my tuition in loans and the process was incredibly
easy and user friendly," she says.
She had an opportunity to spend 10 hours a week for a couple of
quarters in a work/study job at the campus Community Counseling
and Psychology Clinic. "I had my pay deposited directly into
my student account. That alleviated my need for loans.
"My 10 hour a week work/study paid for another third of my
tuition and also got me involved in the University on a more personal
and professional level. I highly recommend the work/study aspect,"
says Schumaker, adding that she is enrolled in Students in Service,
a program that assists students in their internship. "It is
almost covering the cost of my one-credit case consult class and
every little bit helps."
She also suggests some employers might assist in the cost of schooling,
especially if the current job is in the same field.
She credits a couple of instructors with drawing her into her Psychology
studies. "Duncan Holloman and Alma Rolfs were two of the instructors
who inspired me the most.
"Alma was my first instructor in Communications and Counseling
and the transition into Antioch was smooth because of her approach
and methods of teaching. She had an attention to detail that I appreciated.
"Duncan's teaching style was calming and soothing and his
insights and attention to each student's particular needs strengthened
my learning experience immensely," she says.
Her best memory so far was attending the American Art Therapy Association
conference in New Orleans last year. "We were able to really
see how our learning would be put into practice as we took workshops,
went to lectures and participated in the rebuilding of New Orleans
post Katrina." To be able to attend, Art Therapy students raised
a third of the funds themselves with bake sales and an auction at
Schumaker's cafe.
Her Antioch education is having an impact on operating a restaurant
as well as on her future career as an art therapist.
"Really, it has benefited both careers I have. But if I focus
on the therapist career, Antioch and the Art Therapy program have
taught me different ways to approach counseling. Because I went
through my own process in basically 'doing what I will be practicing,'
there is less of my own internal static cluttering the space between
therapist and client," she describes, adding "I have learned
more at Antioch than at any other university."
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Leanne Perez
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Child, Couple and Family Therapy
After a 30-year hiatus from higher education, pursuing a graduate
degree was a distant thought for Leanne Perez.
She knew she wanted to finish her B.A. She also knew she wanted
to help children through art. She figured she'd become an art teacher,
but with a different slant, although she wasn't sure what that would
be.
Until she discovered art therapy and Antioch, that is.
"Today," she says, "as I prepare myself for my new
career as an art therapist, I am grateful for my diverse background
gained from 30 years experience ranging from the armed services
to corporate management, as well as my entrepreneurial endeavors
in the design world.
"My choice to attend Antioch was not difficult. I was looking
for a widely diverse population with social consciousness. I am
an 'out-of-the-box' thinker and Antioch encourages, if not requires,
that sort of mindset. It has been a perfect fit as this match helped
to broaden my perspective as well as helped me gain valuable critical
thinking skills. I especially love the 'student-centered' philosophy."
Perez says she's not sure she can pick just one best memory of
her Antioch experience thus far. "Each class and instructor
stands alone; I feel I have excelled to the best of my abilities
as each instructor makes me feel special and unique, addressing
my specific learning needs and desires.
"What makes Antioch special and unique is the faculty. Top-notch
instructors and curriculum help to make this experience superior.
The faculty and administrators are very approachable, which has
contributed to my success here," she notes.
Perez recommends Antioch by describing it as a place to excel.
"The environment sets you up for success, but it is up to
you to do the work. The more work you do, the more you'll get out
of it. It takes self-motivation and discipline," she says.
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Coquille Talbert
Current student
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling
 Antioch's
reputation in the art therapy community is what drew Coquille Talbert
to the University for graduate work.
Talbert said she learned about Antioch at Fairhaven College in
Bellingham, where she took a lot of her classes while an undergraduate
at Western Washington University. Kathleen Ferrara, who taught the
introductory course in art therapy at Fairhaven, also taught art
therapy at Antioch at the time.
Talbert said she did all she could to incorporate art therapy,
feminism, cultural studies and psychology into her undergraduate
studies at Western. Her senior project there was a supervised series
of art therapy sessions at a women’s shelter.
For her art therapy graduate work, Talbert says she knew she wasn't
interested in mainstream learning. "I believe strongly in the
multiple intelligences. Multiple-choice tests are not for me. I
do better explaining my knowledge in papers or discussion. Antioch
provides learning styles that benefit me to my full potential,"
she notes.
Talbert credits Jayashree George, core faculty member, for inspiring
her from the very first day. "On that first day of class,"
she describes, "we did process painting. When I said I was
done, Jayashree George said, 'Is there anything else you can add
to it?' When I looked again, I decided to continue painting. I ended
up changing the whole painting. What a good experience to be pushed
further to experience more."
Being proud of herself is among her best Antioch memories so far.
"When I was telling my parents about what I had been learning
at Antioch, my father said, 'Wow, it sounds like you are having
experiences that you never would have had otherwise.'
"At Antioch, you will be known by your name. You will not
be lost in a sea of humanity. You will be first a human and friend
and then a student: not a number. I cannot walk down the hall here
without someone smiling at me or calling me by my name. It is rare
these days to find such a positive and personal experience in a
university."
She tells prospective students Antioch is challenging.
"I like a challenge," she says. "You are challenged
to think of things and have experiences that you may never have
had without being a student here. You talk to people out of class
that you may never have thought to talk to before and learn their
stories."
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Elizabeth Bellmer
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2002
 Elizabeth
Bellmer chose Antioch Seattle because of its diverse culture and
opportunities to design her learning around her career goals.
"I was looking for a school that would be able to accommodate
my work schedule and also would be able to support my personal growth,"
she says. "I found the educators, staff and administration
all available and interested in my personal and professional success."
With her Antioch education, she was able to switch to a career
in mental health after working many years in the legal field.
"I have accomplished things during my Antioch experience that I
never would have imagined," she says as she describes presentations
she has made at national and state conferences and the paper she
co-authored for a respected academic journal.
Ask her to describe her best Antioch memory and Bellmer says there
are too many to mention. "Becoming a published author certainly
tops the list," she adds.
She notes Antioch has been instrumental in her ability to work
as an activist for the mentally ill who are incarcerated, making
a difference in the lives of those unable to effectively help themselves.
"I would highly recommend Antioch’s psychology programs,"
Bellmer says. "They are well thought of in the community. The
education is excellent. Students are encouraged and supported to
do and be their best. It is a place where individuals are challenged
to grow and make a difference in their lives and in the lives of
others."
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Carey DeMartini
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2002
A master’s in psychology has opened many doors for Carey
DeMartini, who now works as a yoga and art therapist.
"My degree helped me access my source of creativity, self-confidence
and vision necessary to do what I love," she says. "The dual
art therapy and psychology degree was a challenging endeavor that
was well worth the time and effort.
"My education at Antioch means everything to me in terms of
where I am now in my career. Since I graduated from Antioch, I have
had the honor of doing art therapy in a variety of settings. I feel
fortunate to have realized my goal of being an art therapist and
Antioch helped make that possible."
She describes the lasting impression three Psychology faculty members
in particular have had on her.
"Janice Hoshino is truly inspiring. She has poured so much
of her heart into creating the Art Therapy program and I am so grateful
for her efforts. Janice is so generous with her time and interested
in the academic and professional outcomes of her students. She is
extremely knowledgable about the field of art therapy and willing
to share her insight and resources with students. I feel fortunate
to have had the opportunity to learn from her.
"Ned Farley is so inspiring to me in terms of his work with
existential psychology. I am appreciative of his encouragement and
guidance for me to define and develop my own theoretical orientation.
"Ann Blake was my Psychopathology and Psychodiagnostics instructor.
She helped me hone my familiarity with the AP writing style.
"When I recommend Antioch to prospective students I tell them
not only will they have some excellent teachers, but also their
peers will be great sources of inspiration, knowledge and experience."
Her experience as an Antioch student continues to unfold and she
predicts it will throughout her life. She says she met and became
friends with many people at Antioch. She still sees many of them
on a regular basis.
"As a student at Antioch, I was often reminded by many of my inspiring
peers how one person can make a difference. Although I don't see
myself as a community activist, I do work at a nonprofit wellness
center that offers free and/or sliding-scale services to anyone
who needs them," DeMartini says.
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Heidi Ehrenberg
M.A. Psychology, Art Therapy with Mental Health Counseling, 2001
According to Heidi Ehrenberg, Antioch's School of Applied Psychology,
Counseling and Family Therapy changed her from the inside out.
"Now I'm sharing these changes with others," she says.
Ehrenberg is a school counselor in an atmosphere she describes
as challenging, exciting and very supportive.
"Working as a school counselor, I'm able to use art therapy 80
percent of the time I’m engaged with students," she notes.
She selected Antioch after receiving her bachelor's degree from
the Evergreen State College. "I preferred a more intimate setting,
with a psychology program that was more clinical and less research-oriented,"
she says.
When she was a student at Antioch, her father was diagnosed with
cancer. It was a precarious situation for two years before he died.
"When I returned to school," she describes, "I found a warm
and wonderful card of caring and support signed by all the faculty.
They were there. For me, they were always there."
What would she tell future students about Antioch's psychology
programs?
"I recommend students look at the program from all sides. Walk
around it, ask a lot of questions, talk, talk, talk to students
and faculty both past and present. My decision to commit to the
program helped me to look deep within myself and really see what
was important to me.
"What was I all about? How could I grow and change and understand
myself so I could help others to grow and change and understand
who they are? I am constantly amazed by the intimate, personal issues
people share and entrust me with as we work together in uncovering
their unique strengths."
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