Joan Phillips

Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified, Licensed Marital and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Mom, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Art Therapist, Okie, Traveler, Teacher, Poet, Artist, Gardener, Grandma.

No matter where you go, there you are.

Joan Phillips was a major contributor in the field of Art Therapy. She was a founding member in the Art Therapy Association of Oklahoma. Throughout her career she published several journal articles and papers in the field of Art Therapy and the Expressive Therapies. Joan’s work often included helping trauma survivors. From the Joplin tornado and the Moore tornadoes, to Hurricane Katrina Survivors, and those who survived the April 19th Bombing. Corporations utilized Joan’s expertise as a crisis responder to aide employees in coping with difficult employee relationships, job loss and workplace death or violence.

Joan owned and practiced at The Art Therapy Center in Norman since 1990. Her private practice included individual counseling, marital and family therapy and art therapy. Joan was a clinical supervisor for many individuals training to become art therapists, counselors, or marriage and family therapists. She held a position as therapist in many institutions in the state throughout her career.

Joan was on the faculty of many colleges and universities. She started at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK in 1994 and was on staff at the time of her death. She held positions in Human Relations Department as a Graduate Adjunct Assistant Professor and as an undergraduate instructor in the Art Department. She also taught classes in Art Therapy for New York University, Florida State University, Mt. Mary College/Milwaukee, University of Phoenix, Norman and Oklahoma City Campuses, University of Central Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City University. She was honored with several top awards including; “Most Inspiring Faculty” award, voted by student athletes at University of Oklahoma and presented at the Athletic Academic Awards ceremony, spring 2002. She received the Distinguished Service Award, given by AATA and awarded at the AATA National Conference in Philadelphia, November 1996. Joan generously gave her time and support as a founding member (1981) and former President (1992), of the Art Therapy Association of Oklahoma. She received the ATAO award for Distinguished Service Award in 1991.

Joan lived in Athlone, Ireland for four months on a Fulbright scholar/research award in 2011. She then arranged a yearly traveling creative therapies class for students and the public while art therapists and other clinicians attended for continuing education workshop and retreat. Joan was a poet and loved writing and taking pictures. She published High Road, Low Road. Village Books Press, Cheyenne, OK, in 2009. Joan was known for her wonderful observational style and gift of capturing the moment. Many have received an impromptu line or two in an email or a spontaneous whimsical gift from Joan. She was working on a new book of poetry when she passed away. Joan would want it to be known that her greatest works and legacy are her two beautiful daughters and her two amazing grandsons.

EDUCATION

PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphasis in art therapy (10/04)

MS Psychology/Art Therapy, Emporia State University, Emporia, KS.

MA Psychology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. (8/77)

BA Psychology, BA Philosophy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (6/75)