Dingaroo Community

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Kristen Annastasia, MA

 

            Art Therapist and Marriage Family Therapist (MFT Intern)

            Collaborative and innovative projects in mental health, education, and the cultural arts

 

 

 

August 2007 – May 2010    60-unit Master of Arts in Psychology  Phillips Graduate Institute

                                             Double Major: Marriage and Family Therapy / Art Therapy

 

1995 – 1997    Advanced Commercial Art / Digital Art  McFatter Vocational Tech  •  Davie, Florida                                  Adobe Illustrator 6.0 (520+ hours);

                        QuarkXPress 3.32 (520+ hours);

                        Photoshop 5.0 (175+ hours)

 

1988 – 1991    Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Minor in Art  California State University at Northridge

                        Golden Key National Honor Society Member  •  Cum Laude  •  Dean’s List

 

1986 – 1988    Associate of Arts in Humanities  College of the Canyons

                        Alpha Gamma Sigma Member (California Honor Society)

                        Phi Theta Kappa Member (National Honor Fraternity)

 

 

 

August 2008 – June 2010    Phillips Graduate Institute Psychotherapy Trainee

 

January 2000    Certified Domestic Violence Advocate Service Provider

                         40-hour training required by the State of California to

                         provide direct services to survivors of domestic violence

 

 

 

            CAMFT: California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists

            AATA: American Art Therapy Association  (click link for more information about Art Therapy)

 

 

 

August 2008 – June 2010    Trainee Psychotherapist for college student population

            Health Center, Glendale Community College  •  Glendale, California

            • Individuals, Families, and Children (over 300 direct client hours)

            • Men’s Group: Using Creativity to Find Direction (Weekly: November, 2009 – June, 2010)

 

 

May – July, 2006    Frontline and Overnight Staff for Addiction Treatment Facility

            Serenity Manor Addiction Treatment Facility (30 to 90-day detox)  •  Malibu, California

            • Assisted new private facility set up, organization, and cared for first clients

            • Groups: Creative Arts Processing and daily addiction recovery support

 

1991 – 1994    Child Care Worker, Severely Emotionally Disturbed Adolescent Boys (1:6 ratio)        

            Hathaway Children’s Village Residential Treatment Facility  •  Lake View Terrace, California

            • Medication distribution up to 5 times per day for up to 11 boys (3 years without error)

            • Professional Assault Response Trained (PART)

            • Weekly Inservice trainings

 

 

 

INDEPENDENT FILM  (2003 – Present)

            WGA Registered Screenwriter – Co-Writer and Mental Health Consultant

                        A Cult For Two – Strange Bela Entertainment  (registered August 2010)

            Actor / Voice-Over Artist

                        In Medias Res Feature Film – Sin (voice-over) – Strange Bela Entertainment  (in post)

                        Romantic Weirdos Feature Film – Nurse – Strange Bela Entertainment ©2009

            Mental Health Consultant, Physical Special Effects, Props, Set Design, and some Costuming

                        In Medias Res Feature Film – Strange Bela Entertainment  (in post production)

                        Romantic Weirdos Feature Film – Strange Bela Entertainment ©2009

                        Ghost Hunting 101 Award Winning Short Student Film – Joe Perry, CalArts student  (2003)

            The Dope On Legacy Short Film – the neuroscience behind 3 steps to feeling good

                        Available on YouTube – Dingaroo Press ©2008

            How Paris Hilton Saved The World Short Film – social commentary on addiction in the U.S.

                        Available on YouTube – Dingaroo Press ©2007

 

DIGITAL COMMERCIAL ARTIST (1995 – Present)

            Publishing and Design Services – Dingaroo Press serving the cultural and healing arts  (founded 2002)

            Art Director / Graphic Artist – G&G Print Shop, Woodland Hills California  (1998 – 2006)

            Freelance Digital Artist  (1995 – Present)

 

AUTHOR / ILLUSTRATOR

            Ongoing development of stories, screenplays, and curriculum for children and adults

            Fine Karmedy: Poems of an Incorruptible Fool  hyperlinked poetry eBook  (Dingaroo Press ©2007)

            Sacred Spiral, An Everlasting Coloring eBook  (Dingaroo Press ©2007)

            Flying Our Colors, An Everlasting Coloring eBook  (Dingaroo Press ©2007)

            Various Articles and Essays – community-level newsletters  (1995 – 1998)

 

VISUAL FINE ARTIST

            Sculptor, Painter, Steel, Natural Materials, and Mixed-Media  (1991 – Present)

            Broward County Art Guild – Best In Show  (1996)

                        Exhibition List available upon request

 

PERFORMANCE ARTIST

            Performance Poet  (2000 – Present)

                        Females On Fire CD release party, Hollywood CA – Warrior Girl Music Label  (2005)

                        Gilli Moon Living Room Sessions, invitation  – Talking Stick in Santa Monica (2004 – 2005)

                        Sundays Open-Mic Poetry Jam, weekly regular – Coffee Junction, Tarzana CA  (2000 – 2001)

            Children’s Stage Emcee and Storyteller – costumed as the Dingaroo Story Shark  (December 2008)

                        Eco Gift 2008 at the Santa Monica Civic Center, Santa Monica CA – AIP Entertainment, LLC

            Afro-Cuban Folkloric Ritual Dance – group study with live Bata drummers and singers  (1999)

                        Master Teacher Margaux Dinerman who studied and lived in Cuba

            Drum Circle Facilitator, Brazilian Samba Drumming corporate team-building  (1998)

                        BeatsWork event held in Virginia – Catalyst Event Management

            Performance Art at Gallery Opening Event – Women’s Institute for Creativity, Inc.

                        Women’s History Month Exhibition, South Beach gallery opening – Miami Florida  (1997)

            Traditional & Modern Dance – including choreography, through various college-level courses  (1987)

 

 

 

November 2009     Informational guest speaker to introduce counseling services to student population

                               Life Skills Course at Glendale Community College  •  Glendale, California

 

2000 – 2006     Monthly Facilitator: Arts & Creativity workshop series for domestic violence survivors

                         Haven Two Transitional Shelter  •  Haven Hills, Inc.  •  Canoga Park, California

 

January – April 2004    Weekly Facilitator: Community Outreach support groups for violence survivors

                                      Haven Hills, Inc.  •  Canoga Park, California

 

 

 

Unfolding Flowers Program Designer Master’s Thesis Project (November, 2006 – May, 2010)

            Action Research Program Design to create resilience to partner violence and prevent child abuse

            by breaking the intergenerational cycle of family abuse in young adulthood, pre-parenthood.

            TWO-PART DESIGN:

            • Bridge-to-Unfolding Framework for Experiential Recovery (Flexible, Scalable, Replicable)

              Flexible Framework of Sustainability for the delivery of mental health to populations of need.

              Synergistic 3-Point Purpose:

                   Talent Development, Mental Health Services, and Community Contribution

            • Residential Arts Empowerment Program (Developed from the BUFER System Framework)

 

K-5 Literacy Tutor – Winnetka Elementary (November 2007 – May 2010)

            Federal Work Study, Community Service Position  •  Phillips Graduate Institute, Encino CA

 

Art Teacher, Independent Contractor – Scholastic Advantage Enrichment Programs (2005 – 2006)

            Visual Arts: Sculpture and Mask Making

                        Charter Public High School, San Fernando Valley  •  Los Angeles Unified School District

            After School Visual Arts: Cartooning Series and Sculpture Series

                        Elementary Level Gifted (GATE Program) students   •  Glendale Unified School District

            After School Drumming & Dance   

            Elementary Level students   •  Los Angeles Unified School District

 

K-5 Dance Teacher, Summer Camp – David Posnak Jewish Community Center (Summer 1997)

            Davie, Florida

 

K-5 Art Teacher, Public School – Nova Center for Applied Research and Professional Dev. (1996 – 1997)

            Broward County Public Schools, Southern Florida

 

K-2 Primary Teacher – Nova Center for Applied Research and Professional Development (1996)

            Interim Substitute for Emotionally Handicapped Cluster

            Co-taught full curriculum to multi-grade-level classroom of EH and SEH students

            Broward County Public Schools, Southern Florida

 

K-5 Specials Teacher – Nova Center for Applied Research and Professional Development (1995 – 1996)

            Interim Substitute for students in both the Emotionally Handicapped Cluster

                 and Behavior Disordered Program

            Taught Reading, Art, Music and Physical Education

            Broward County Public Schools, Southern Florida

 

Volunteer Speaker – for domestic violence shelter groups in Southern Florida (1996)

 

Vice President, Art Director, Workshop Instructor, Program Developer (1995 – 1997)

            Women’s Institute for Creativity, Inc. – Non-Profit Cultural Arts Education, Community Organization

            Mission: Empowering Women Through the Creative Process

 

 

 

October 2009              Art Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation (30 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Caroline Peterson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC

 

June 2009                   Sandplay Therapy: Workshop in The Sacred Healing (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Cynthia A. Henrie, MFT, Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress

 

April 2008                  Attachment Theory (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Kathy Kravits, MA, RN, ATR

 

April 2008                  Eating Disorders: Understanding, Assessing and Treating your Client (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Jodi Poretskin, MA

 

April 2008                  Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment of Adults Sexually Abused as Children (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Ellen Faulk, MA

 

April 2008                  Memory in Learning and Love (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Richard Carr, PsyD

 

April 2008                  The Living Stage: An Introduction to Psychodrama & Sociometry (6 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Elizabeth Plummer, PhD

 

April 2008                  A Hands-On Introduction to Dreamwork (3 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Sandy Ginsberg, MS

 

November 1993          Working with Sexually Abused Males as Victims and Offenders (6 hrs)

                                    Instructor: Timothy L. Fitzharris, PhD

 

 

 

            Excellent references available upon request