Our Mission

Atelier 7, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that uses the powerful medium of expressive art to improve people's lives. Art alleviates suffering and illness, promotes mental health, enhances personal growth, develops community, and prepares individuals for the future. Our work is based upon the study of human development, applied models of psychological assessment and treatment, and the awareness of global dynamics.

The creative process involved in making art is healing and life-enhancing. Expressive art is very therapeutic for individuals living with physical symptoms such as chronic pain and illness such as cancer or coping with stressful circumstances such as displacement or divorce. Art production provides a unique mode for exploration, clarity, growth, and restoration.

Utilized during counseling, art is a pathway to self-understanding. By creating and analyzing visual imagery, subconscious information will surface. Gaining insight is especially useful for individuals with painful memories or conflictual relationships, and those with emotional symptoms such as anxiety or depression. This helps them to understand how they perceive and react to their circumstances and work out healthier ways of responding.

Art equips us for the future. Creating art trains us to synthesize, to combine unrelated elements and invent something new. As we emerge from the informational era and enter into the age of conceptualization, such qualities as imagination, joyfulness, perception, design proficiency, and social dexterity become essential aptitudes. Training in art improves cognition, helping individuals to attain a more productive lifestyle.