I began my career in the hospital setting as a medical social worker and have steadily developed clinical and personal practices over 35 years to include therapeutic and expressive art opportunities for children, families, adults, and groups. Most recently, I realized my long-held dream of co-owning an arts studio in a tranquil rural setting near Portland. Here, I enjoy pulling from decades of training, experience, and my own life journey to guide and support fellow humans in discovering themselves, each other, nature, and what matters most. Come see for yourself. In loose order, my experience includes medical social worker, public school child development specialist, private practice grief and loss therapist, art-based team building facilitator in corporate settings, traveling teaching artist in underserved school districts and in developing countries, studio artist at a buzzy summer culture camp, and an SEL trainer of classroom teachers and teaching artists.

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Amy Ponteri, LPC, LCAT, ATR-BC has been a mental health art therapist for 25+ years. Currently in private practice, she worked for 16 years in the Emergency Department, including the first 2 years of CoVid. She's taught at Lewis & Clark College, facilitated CE events, and she supervises new therapists. In her words: "My hope for these retreats is that healthcare workers get to play and feel seen, that they can be full people amongst peers and see themselves as part of a whole community that requires (and deserves!) care and healing. To do that, I bring in science, art, human connection, and a boombox (ok, a bluetooth speaker).

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Heather Sweeney, RN, MSN, CEN is a critical care nurse with 20+ years of experience in the healthcare field. Currently work in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), her career has spanned both inpatient and outpatient care. She spent over a decade in the Emergency Department, including navigating the challenging first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served as a nurse manager for several years, where she gained valuable leadership experience in managing teams and improving patient care outcomes in fast-paced environments. In her words: "Beyond my clinical know-how, I'm really passionate about supporting healthcare workers in maintaining their enthusiasm for the profession and am committed to helping my colleagues sustain their energy and resilience in such a demanding field. I want to ensure that the well-being of healthcare professionals is prioritized as much as patient care."

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