About the Institute: FACULTY

Judith Greer Essex, MFT, ADTR, REAT. Founder and Director. Trained as a dancer, Judith is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist, a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, and a member of the Academy of Registered Dance Therapists. She is a pioneer in the San Diego art-based therapy movement, respected as an expert in the role of the body and expression in psychological integration. She created dance therapy and expressive arts therapy programs for many clinics, hospitals, and health care venues in the San Diego area. She has taught movement, dance and psychology at SDSU, UIS, UCSD and Alliant University, and movement for actors at the San Diego Repertory Theater Conservatory. She also served as a Master Trainer at the European Graduate School for Expressive Arts Therapy in Saas Fe, Switzerland. Judith earned her BFA in Dance and Theater from BYU, MA in dance movement from UCLA, and her MFT through National University. In 1999 she completed her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study at the European Graduate School, and is currently working on her doctoral dissertation. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors of IEATA and has presented her work at numerous professional conferences.

Wes Chester, MA, Expressive Arts Therapist. Assistant Director. Wes Chester is a musician, poet, artist and author, who has worked in the mental health field since 1996. He earned his Master's Degree magna cum laude at the Europen Graduate School, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. Wes specializies in healing the aesthetic relationship to nature, and is a supportive and caring facilitator. Wes does private practice therapy and coaching, and teaches at the Expressive Arts Institute. Wes also does adjunct teaching in Expressive Arts at local universities, including SDUIS.

VISITING FELLOWS

The Expressive Arts Institute is dedicated to providing students with the broadest possible educational perspective in Expressive Arts Therapy. Faculty are contracted on an annual basis. All instructors meet the standards of the International School of Interdisciplinary Studies (ISIS) and are degreed professionals, with extensive knowledge and practice in their field of expertise.

Madlen Fandrich MA, CAGS, Expressive Arts Psychotherapist. Madlen comes to us from ISIS Zurich, one of the original ISIS programs. She teaches advanced painting studio. She is an exhibiting artist and one of the few female painters in the society of Swiss mountain painters.

Elizabeth McKim: Poet and co-founder of the expressive arts movement. Elizabeth is senior lecturer in the graduate faculty of Lesley University and has performed her work in Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. She has many times been artist-in-residence at EGS and has published four books of poetry as well as a teacher's manual for teaching poetry to children. She teaches writing and the performance of poetry in the oral tradition.

Yaacov Naor, Founding Director,ISIS Tel Aviv. Yaacov fYaacov Naorounded "The Inner Theater-Psychodrama Center"(1983) which became Tel Aviv's ISIS ISRAEL-Psychodrama and Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy Center in 1996.Originally a theater actor and director , Yaacov still relies upon the magic of theater as a therapeutic event. He writes," Intermodal Psychodrama is a special way to meet people and encounter their suffering and joy, turning challenges into a celebration of expression,rituals and feelings. This work helps people find images, form and staging for the inner theater of their lives."

Sandra Wortzel, MA, CAGS, REAT. Founding Director, ISIS Southwest in Tucson, AZ. Sandra is a registered Expressive Arts Therapist and holds a certificate of advanced graduate studies (CAGS) from EGS. She has taught Social and Political Responsibility at the Expressive Arts Institute, San Diego. Sandra is a graduate of Lesley College in expressive arts and serves as a member of the IEATA Board of Directors.

Terri Chester, MA,CAGS, LPC, Founding Director, North Carolina Expressive Arts Training . Terri is a Licensed Profession Counselor, with a Masters Degree from Appalachian State University, and a CAGS from the European Graduate School. She co-founded the North Carolina Training Program in 1996 with Marcus Alexander, who now Directs World Arts Organization in Edmonton Alberta. Terri has many years of university teaching experience, both at Appalachian State and the European Graduate School She is a gifted vocalist, who specializes in helping people find their authentic voice.