Art & Creativity for Healing Inc

Extremely grateful for Art & Creativity for Healing and its purpose to heal through expression. With various workshops, there are so many thought provoking prompts that encourage expression through color, strokes, patterns, etc. Laurie and her team are incredible and encouraging, I recommend everyone to try a few workshops.

Art & Creativity for Healing offers a unique way to process emotions and find peace through art. I personally witnessed the power of abstract expression to help people heal and express feelings they may not even realize they're holding onto. No prior art experience is needed, participants are guided by expert facilitators to express emotions through colors and shapes. The workshops are a safe space to connect with yourself and others while creating something beautiful. I highly recommend art4healing for anyone seeking a therapeutic and creative outlet.

I truly enjoyed the acrylic painting sessions with Art & Creativity for Healing. The abstract approach allowed me to connect my emotions with colors and express them on canvas. The instructors were fantastic, providing excellent guidance and support. Their mission to give pain a voice through therapeutic art workshops is incredibly impactful, offering healing to adults and children dealing with the emotional effects of abuse, illness, grief, fear, or stress. This organization makes a significant difference in our community.

Ever since my early childhood I have enjoyed crafts of all kinds. As time went on, I became fond of all needle arts and quilting. I have never thought of myself as an artist, and I certainly can’t draw! Those activities always brought me a sense of peace and happiness. It was when I discovered mixed media (paint, etc.) and collage that a whole new world opened up for me. Being able to immerse myself during good and tough times brough me a sense of calm and happiness. I could take a deep breath and create, forgetting anxiety and stress.

When I heard about art4healing I was intrigued. I explored a few programs and was amazed at how these brief experiences allowed me to express thoughts and emotions that I had long held back.

The process is a simple one and you don’t need to be an artist. Just challenge your heart to speak through colors, shapes and movement with just a few paints, a small sponge and a qtip!

I am a believer, and now delighted that I can participate as a substitute facilitator! art4healing is an process!

As a Facilitator, I can say I love Art 4 Healing because it gives people a way to express their emotions and find peace through art. It’s amazing to see how abstract expression can help someone process their feelings and heal.

I've been enamored with Art and Creativity for Healing since I first learned about them, and I've gained a great deal of personal insight from the Workshops I've attended. Their painting workshops utilize the power of creative expression to guide participants through examining and abstractly expressing emotions in a safe space. Partnering with various organizations in the community, they're able to reach and help a diverse group of people.

I am so excited to be involved in Art4Healing. It combines art and helping people, truly amazing. The process of making abstract art taps into creativity and helps you get in touch with your emotions. The program services many populations, children, teens, and adults. It helps the participants to deal with pain, grief and stress. The artwork produced is secondary; the primary goal is learning and discovery through the process.

Art & Creativity for Healing helps people going through hard times express their emotions in an accessible and safe way. The model created by Laurie offers people an opportunity to connect with their feelings through expression, and it can have a transformative effect. I have personally benefited from the workshop on grief after losing a loved one. This is an incredible organization with a true heart for helping others.

Art & Creativity for healing is a genuine nonprofit dedicated to serving all communities at the grassroots. They have made genuine impacts on young children from struggling families, troubled teens, abused women and wounded veterans. Every hour they spend in serving the community is an actual 1:1 impact to the individuals being helped. It gives individuals who struggle with talking/speaking to use other mediums like art to cope with their issues.

I have been involved with this nonprofit since its inception in 2000. They do such great work in the community by facilitating Art4Healing workshops to Wounded Warriors and their children, Troubled Teens struggling with mental health issues, etc. They have worked with over 95,000 children and adults in the past 23 years

I have seen first hand the way Art4healing can change people's lives and help them heal. With the addition of workshops on zoom and an online certification this wonderful nonprofit now reaches people all over the world!

Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. is engaged in the community in such wonderful ways! The Art4Healing workshops they offer provide an outlet for individuals to learn how to express themselves using the "language of color". They create a safe space to make art accessible to any age or experience level... you can find them in schools, community centers, military bases, hospitals, shelters, and more! I have heard incredible stories and seen firsthand how beneficial this program is for the individuals who participate. This organization has a beautiful heart for serving those around them, using art as a way to find healing and belonging. In my own life, I have been amazed at how helpful the workshops have been in processing my own life experiences and emotions. It opened up a new way of expressing myself and I am so grateful for that.

My teen age children enjoyed the opportunity to express themselves via art during some difficult times in their lives. I also had the opportunity to paint my own grief and emotions with these highly trained facilitators. It was a cathartic experience and helpful in letting go and moving on. What a wonderful experience we had with this gifted organization. We are so grateful!1

This nonprofit provided me such support during the unexpected loss of my brother. I’m immensely grateful to the services they offer.

Great experience that you can't find anywhere else! They have a truly unique and important mission!

Art & Creativity has been a life changing experience for me. Art & Creativity has put me into a place of being the artist that I was always meant to be. I take at least one online zoom art class a month with them and explore all different kinds of themes and emotions through abstract art. I'm enthralled with my excitement in using the large variety of colors and mixtures I can make on canvas. This has become one of my favorite things to do in life. I also use my new found talent to help me process my own personal emotional growth. Thank you Art & Creativity for your great work.

This is a GREAT Nonprofit organization that helps so many in our community! The leadership is wonderful and going strong for over 20 years.

We have supported Laurie and ACFH since the begining. What a great organization theat has helped numerous groups of people. Laurie, joe and all the st add and volunteers do an amazing job.

Art and Creativity for Healing is a wonderful outlet for anyone to express their feeling with the language of color. It has helped so many of our nurses deal with stress and post pandemic. Thank you for sharing your wonderful workshops for those in need.

I have been blessed to become an Art4Healing facilitator. This experience has been beyond words...the program, coaching staff and how this program design works is so beautiful and effective. I'm so glad I found this amazing opportunity to be of service to others!

Art4Healing is my regular GO TO self help/self therapy as well as a creative release resource, it is the best! This past year has been one of the most difficult years I’ve faced personally with family trials as well as my brother in law who has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Helping my family process the stress and trauma of such an event through Art and Creativity classes has opened up honest feelings and emotions that were being bottled up and unprocessed. This has been such a positive aid and outlet for my family to work through this difficult time and to stay strong.

Outstanding work in the nonprofit community in healing hearts and spirits

Previous Board Member. Participated in fundraising gala. Recommended classes for personal participation as well as certification candidates.

Having once been a professional athlete but now having limited mobility, I have found Art & Creativity for Healing an incredible release mentally and emotionally. Im so grateful that this organization exists and that I don’t have to live in California to benefit from this extremely important activity for myself for my overall wellness. Taking advantage of live zoom classes as well as the prerecorded ones made available has been a great blessing in my life.

I discovered Art & Creativity For Healing when I was going through a life changing , and heartbreaking divorce.Through the workshops, I began the slow process of healing , and when I couldn't speak the words, I could paint my feelings. Thank you Art& Creativity For Healing, because you helped my find a new life and I am grateful.

Art & Creativity is on a beautiful mission to make a lasting impact on those who are in need. This program was truly built out of love and care. Because there are so many loving and caring people associated with this program, there is so much personal gain one can get. You get to meet new people, participate in some artistic activities that relate to your life and what your going through, and it allows you to break through all of that noise and just have fun while looking at life differently! Learning so much about myself through the expression of art challenged my interpretation of who I am and what I should be doing. Overall this has been very rewarding for me.

When I first found out about Art & Creativity for Healing, their mission instantly resonated with me and my true belief that pain is sometimes hard to explain with just words. I took my first series of workshops in the bereavement series and I just was moved with not only the method, but how safe I felt being in a room where I could choose what I shared and what I didn't. I had ten years of build up hidden emotions that I was able to tap into with these workshops and leaning into this method full-heartedly.
I also was able to take the certification program with Art & Creativity for Healing and found even more moments that I thought I processed, but ended up painting about. My favorite line that the Founder/Executive Director, Laurie Zagon, says is, "Its expression without exposure". I couldn't recommend this organization or the method enough.

When I began the Art4Healing course last year I was really stressed and just trying to find a way to manage it. As an artist and someone who has studied Art Therapy, I know that Art is very healing so I began the course hoping that I would learn a new way of using art as a healing tool. As I reflect on my journey, I see that I've gained so much more. Through the use of color, Art4Healing helped me view the stress and and anxieties that were overwhelming me in a way that was less scary and intimidating, which in return helped me to not feel so consumed by my emotions. Art4Healing helped me to break down the anxieties that were building up over the years, and view them as a building tool to the person I am today. I learned to not be afraid of the bark colors (negative) because all colors (positive and negative) have a place in the picture of life.

What I love about the Art4Healing method and workshops is that it is a non-threatening approach to expressing feelings and experiences that might not be easily accessed with words. Through this creative process, participants can safely and privately tap into past pain, loss, grief, and fear all of which might have been ignored or repressed. Our minds have a powerful way of protecting us from experiencing re-occurring pain. However, to truly heal from these wounds of the past, this symbolic expression through art encourages participants to release the trapped emotions which weigh heavily on the mind, body, and soul. Through this abstract expression, a layer is shed, a weight is lifted, which makes room for meaningful growth and healing. I personally have found the workshops to be highly effective in accessing those hard-to-reach emotions being blocked by the subconscious. I appreciate how this method of art encourages gut reactions, working quickly to keep the cognitive side of the brain out as the “inner cheerleader” nudges gently towards fluid instinctual movements to show and depict the feelings within.
I love Art and Creativity for Healing's talented and experienced facilitators. Each facilitator brings their own individual style, personality, presence, and spirit to the workshops. I am in awe of the compassion each facilitator possesses and their ability to focus genuinely on each participant. From a participant standpoint, I feel heard, seen, valued and safe to share my most hidden hurts. This connection between facilitator and participant is irreplaceable and a blessing. It is this human connection that draws me further into the workshop and inspires me to explore my healing journey.
In closing, one word comes to mind and that is hope. Art and Creativity for Healing gives me hope in personal healing, hope in a greater purpose and higher calling and hope in humanity in a time we may need to be reminded of the intrinsic good in others.

Art & Creativity for Healing is an outstanding non-profit. I recently completed training to be a certified workshop facilitator and everything about my experience was top-notch. This is an organization I wholeheartedly support and with which I am proud to be affiliated. From the truth of expressive art's power, to the long-term persistence in bringing it to the needy over many years, Art & Creativity for Healing is solid.

Life changing art process that has helped me and those of my community to be able to better process grief, anxiety, post traumatic stress and life’s ups and downs. It can be applied to anyone’s life and you walk out being inspired and relieved wanting to paint another class! Please join us

As a facilitator at Art & Creativity for Healing I have seen miracles at work! I have had the honor of facilitating classes for all ages and demographics. There is something learned from everyone. As students express their own issues and lives on the canvas, there is often and "Ah-Hah" moment of clarity where they learn something new about themselves. I never know what that might be as I am just holding space for exploration. The process alone initiates clearer thinking out of the usual box. It is definitely an adventure witnessing this journey.
I have worked extensively with at-risk teenagers and have witnessed life direction altered as they put their pieces together. There might be a single moment where they decide they need to get a way from a relationship or drugs, or get their act together. I've had senior citizens work out years of trauma right in front of me. I've had Wounded Warriors come up and hug me for creating a space where they can express their fears. And I had a boy, who was thought to be mute, speak up to share his painting. I have seen miracles!
The Art and Creativity for Healing curriculum is extremely valuable as it works on all levels for everyone. There is always something to be learned from the canvas!

I had such a wonderful experience with my first Art & Creativity for Healing workshop I became certified to facilitate these workshops. Studying with Laurie was a fabulous experience as I learned the structure of the workshops and how to discuss clients' art in appropriate and helpful ways. I have been teaching these workshops on my own for 5 years now, and it has been rewarding beyond my wildest dreams. I have since become a Certified Expressive Arts facilitator as a result of the seeds Laurie planted. Thank you for starting it all!

Art & Creativity for Healing is one of the greatest things that has happened to me ever since I moved to the US. As a Board member, I feel privileged to be associated with this wonderful organization and to know Laurie. I love the passion and compassion she brings to this organization as they work towards creating a deep & powerful impact on the society. I strongly believe in their mission and have great respect for they do for mankind. ACFH through its art sessions really provide emotional closure to people in distress enabling them to cope with their anxieties & negative feelings. It enables them to see life from a new lens that is bright, positive and life-changing. ACFH has impacted thousands of people ever since it’s inception and I feel proud to be a part of them and contribute towards their mission.

I have been involved with this organization since 2009 and it has created an outlet for me that I would not have had the confidence to utilize if I had not become acquainted with Art for Healing. This is a wonderful organization.

Coming from a humble background to be a very skilled and experienced CPA, I have always wanted to give back to the community. In searching for an organization where my skills, my quiet yet determined personality and my desire to do good can fit, I met Laurie and ACFH. More than looking good on paper, ACFH is very clear and focused on their mission. They are also budget efficient so they can reach farther and more with whats given to them. Seeing bright eyes and big smiles of the homeless children when I handed them THEIR OWN art boxes fills my heart with joy and love. What a great organization.

Art & Creativity for Healing Inc. gave my years of mental pain a more peaceful place in my heart and mind.

I first came to this organization just to do a stress relief workshop for my business, knowing we would do some painting without alcohol. We even joked saying we could drink in the parking lot afterwards since this was not one of those Painting nights. Well, I didn't need any alcohol to relax or to learn that I need to go back for more painting.

In each workshop, every color of my choice gives my "crazy" thought a meaning. Every layer of paint gives me a chance to cry, to be angry, to forgive... or not, without having to explain to anyone anything. It is abstract painting, so I can do whatever I want. My thoughts about abusive relationships are now on canvas instead of running wild in my mind. I actually can "tell" that person on my canvas, you are the cause of my pain, what I learn from this bad situation and how I will move on. What a freedom! A side note, I had never ever painted before. I failed horribly in my art classes throughout my childhood in Vietnam.

With such a profound method created by Laurie, the organization did not take the pain away, tell me to deny my pain. Instead, it helps me to accept, process and move on. Years of therapists allow me to hang in there and act normal but ACFH heals me, one color at a time.

I am drawn to the passion that the founder Laurie Zagon has for this cause – the desire to serve and care for others through facilitating therapeutic, abstract art workshops so that the hurting can express their feelings with paint and the language of Color. Facilitators hold workshops throughout Orange County and into LA County and San Diego County. I am a certified facilitator in the Art4Healing process through Brandman University. I am also an Art 4 Healing Coach in the Art4Healing International Certification Program. I’ve personally benefited from my experience in workshops led by Laurie Zagon. I have discovered emotional healing through expressing what’s going on inside my heart and mind. Thank you, Laurie and Team. It’s an honor to be part of the tremendous Good Work happening through Art & Creativity For Healing.

I was really blessed at how very kind and compassionate the people were and also how cathartic the experience at Art for Healing was. I love this nonprofit and what they do. I look forward to many more visits to them.

Art is healing. This method is beyond amazing in its ability to open up the mind to access deep often hidden or misunderstood feelings bringing them to clarity. This nonprofit helps through the community as well assisting those who normally wouldn't have access to such a program.

What an incredible organization this is. I stumbled across ACFH around December 2016 when I was looking for a meaningful charity to donate to and have been volunteering since. In my work as a volunteer I have attended many workshops where I have seen first hand how the programs that Laurie has set up through her incredible vision, have help so many. Aiding healing through art is palpable and I feel so incredibly privileged to have witnessed this and be part of this phenomenal organization.

I was introduced to Art & Creativity for Healing through happenstance when I moved from NYC to Laguna and was looking to connect with people and the community. It is magical. The nonprofit reaches out to so many different constituencies, using the creative process to help people express their feelings (verbally or in color) which is essential to support healing. The works of art that people create through this process are also amazing. Everyone associated is kind, generous and really makes a differences in the lives of people who so need their support.

I have been associated with Art for Creativity and Healing since 2002 as a volunteer and teacher. Throughout the years the high-quality programs offered to the community have expanded to reach far beyond the original scope and now include veterans, women's groups, schools and hospitals. Three cheers for this amazing and supportive non-profit and the commitment Laurie Zagon has made through her tireless efforts in bringing art to thousands of participants!

I have taken many workshops at Art & Creativity for Healing and each time I have a unique experience. Sometimes pain from my past has come up and it's amazing how this method allows me to tap into it and get it out on canvas. It's kind of like learning a new language to express myself through color and paint. One workshop helped me experience a deep inner joy about my childhood. Another helped me deal with my anger and fear. All of the workshops I have taken have been a window into my soul and have truly helped me heal. I can't wait to take another workshop!

Years ago I attended a workshop at Art and Creativity for Healing through the school district. I was employed by. I found the experience enjoyable, therapeutic, and valuable. Because of this opportunity, my daughter and her friends, whose parents were going through a divorce at the time were able to attend a session. My friend still remarks about the support and comfort her daughter gained from that experience, and having my daughter there to be her wingman was so wonderful.

Last spring I completed the certification program and am now a qualified facilitator. I believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of abstract art, combined with followup discussion and the curriculum that guides the process. With the disappearance of the arts in our schools, it is more vital than ever for children, especially those in emotional need to have this type of outlet. This program is for everyone, young and old, hurting and joyful. It is a gift to the community.

Sincerely,
Edie Gilligan

I’ve been to several Art & Healing workshops, and every time it is miraculous to witness the results that this type of therapy has on people in such a short period of time. It’s a wonderful organization that strives to give all it can and I adore Laurie, she runs that organization with a lot of love, it’s awe-inspiring!

As a member of the Guild, I had the good fortune to be a participant in an Art and Creativity for Healing workshop. I am NO ARTIST but Laurie assured us all that it didn’t matter. She was right—her voice, her prompts and the music allowed me to focus on my feelings—let them out and flow on my canvas. I typically write my feelings on paper, in a personal journal. For the first time, I expressed myself through color and paint strokes. When I finished my canvas, my feelings and emotions were there for me to reflect on and to learn more about myself. Such a valuable tool!

I was surprised at the depth of emotion I felt during one of my paintings. I thought the death of my son was healed and I had moved on. I found I still had some anger and anguish that came to the surface during my painting. I am so thankful for the opportunity to participate in this healing process and will always cherish my painting.

Art4Healing is an amazing tool for the expression of emotion, whether pain or joy. The organization, Art and Creativity for Healing, is a fun, yet extremely professional group that has helped so many thousands of people through the years. Laurie, the founder, is a gifted teacher who puts clients immediately at ease with her wonderful style. Her story of coming to create Art4Healing to help others is one that all should hear. The facilitators teaching Art4Healing to various at-risk populations all over southern California are all top-notch, and the volunteers are a lively, passionate group. Personally, I was able to work through a grieving exercise as a participant recently after my father passed. Doing that painting was more than therapeutic. I cannot say enough about this wonderful organization, and all of the outreach that is happening in this broken world!

When I first came to Art for Healing both of my parents had died and I found the Art for Healing workshops so amazing, I ended up taking everything they offered many times and also became a Facilitator. Now as I work with children, teens and adults I see the power of this process to help people express themselves and begin to heal in whatever ways they need to heal. There are so many examples but I will never forget the teen who had been involved in bullying said that for the first time he realized what he did to the other guy and he felt bad. It's a process that can encourage empathy and so much more!

I've had many great experiences with Art and Creativity for Healing. I was invited to a workshop maybe 17 or 18 years ago. I fell in love with the method, and have been taking classes and volunteering whenever I can, ever since. The Art 4 Healing method is so powerful. It guides me to get my analytical brain out of the way and allow my true feelings to come forward. I think of the process as "clarifying"--it always brings insight and clarity to the things going on in my life, often revealing perspectives or answers that I didn't anticipate! In my own life, Art 4 Healing has helped me to process everything from day-to-day stress, to career, to illness, to marriage and motherhood, and more. As a volunteer, I've seen the "magic" of the method work in all kinds of populations--with at-risk youth, with victims of domestic violence, kids at Camp Pendelton, and more. I've seen it bring light, hope and healing to dark, confusing, and painful places in people's lives.

The founder, Laurie Zagon, is a gifted leader and has done a great job bringing her vision to the community and guiding the organization over the years. Her staff is talented and organized, and the organization is well-run. They are driven by true passion and belief in the method, which has proven to be so effective with many different populations over the years. Everything is done with care and thoughtfulness, and there is a warmth and positivity that permeates everything they do.

I hope that ever more and more people will have access to this enriching and healing experience. If everyone could experience Art and Creativity for Healing, the world would be a much better place!

Art for Creativity and Healing comes to CHOC Children's, where I work. I love to see the kids get excited to do art. It really takes the focus off of pain and illness and puts it on fun and creativity. They bring different kinds of activities and projects for all ages. It's a great alternative to toys and T.V., which the kids get tired of. The volunteers are so kind and engaging, and I know our patients are safe with them so I am able to focus on other things. Overall I highly recommend this program.

I personally went three thousand miles from the east coat to the west coast to participate in the 40 hour facilitator certification course. I was recently diagnosed with PTSD from a career in law enforcement and looking for methods to cope with my symptoms. After numerous on line searches I came across Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. I did some exercises at home and knew I needed to learn more.

I was going through a legal battle with the city and department I worked with for over 20+ years. Through the training I came to see how hurt, angry, and emotional the whole process was for me. Laurie Zagon was amazing at teaching, instruction, and dealing with the students whose emotions arose during exercises.

After I saw the amazing help this program offered to me I immediately told the Veterans Outreach Center I was volunteering at about the program. They also saw the benefits in the program for their clients and workshops were offered.

Of course the population I worked with were Vietnam Veterans and they were a little reluctant to attend the workshops but were finally willing to give it a try, as they already tried everything else to deal with the PTSD they were suffering with for over 40+ years.

One of the darkest clients who was so angry at the world took the workshop his comment on the evaluation sheet confirmed what I already believed, this program is necessary to help individuals suffering from many different reasons. His quote "To forget life" and "Find Peace".
After the class he stated to me and I wrote it down "When doing the exercise I was able to forget about the real world and my chest pain subsided". The workshop had been "living with chronic illness".

For the last four or so years I have been facilitating courses at different venues and continue to do so.

We are a military family and all 3 of our boys have gotten to participate in an art for healing workshop at San onofre school. They love the experience and look forward to it each year! My husband and I also had the honor of attending the art for healing gala this year. It was wonderful! Thanks art for healing!!

What an amazing place! The founder and her staff are tirelessly working to give the best opportunities for self expression and renewal to many in awful situations. Not only for individuals who come through the doors but to community needs such as ending human trafficking!

I can’t say enough good things about this organization. My experience with Art & Creativity for Healing goes back to its very beginning when, as a Marriage & Family Therapist, I received a post card in the mail and I wanted to ‘check it out’ before referring clients to workshops. I was immediately ‘sold’ by the process as well as by Laurie with her obvious love, passion and commitment to serving the needs of so many people. Since that time I have referred many clients and have personally attended a few dozen workshops with friends, various family members (including one with my young granddaughter!) and students. For the past 10 or so years, I have brought my graduate psychology students from Pepperdine University each semester to experience what I believe to be a very helpful and therapeutic resource for all therapists.

Art & Creativity for Healing was such a blessing and right when we needed it. My husband and I were able to both enjoy an incredible class with Laurie. My husband served in the Marine Corps for 10 years. He was injured in combat on his second deployment and then deployed twice more after that he was medically retired. We both found so much healing in our paintings. Thank you for all that you do!

This class can reach places of the heart. Ask yourself if you want to grow.

I have seen first hand, as well as experienced, the healing that comes with expressing hidden emotions on the canvas. Because of Lori's insight, and that of her team, bringing this method to those that need it is priceless!

I found this to be one of the most interesting, soul searching things I have done. I loved it and would love to do all the classes.

I've taken a class and hope to take the one in August for volunteering. I've read her book. The work they do speaks to my heart.

I have seen first hand how people open up and paint their feelings, releasing years of pain and stress. Many times the process of this program allows the participants to see their history or situation with a new perspective that brings great relief. It gives participants a new language with which to express themselves.

I have had the privilege and honor of faciliating these workshops for this excellent non-profit. I have worked with veterans, their wives, children, troubled teens, and women survivors of domestic violence. To be able to provide these groups to those struggling for the benefit of self exploration and healing has been extremely rewarding. This organization helps individuals heal and express themselves in ways they cannot with words. I thank Laurie and her non-profit for giving me this opportunity to witness healing through art and creativity. I am sure each person who has been able to attend a workshop has had similar feelings of gratitude.

It is an honor for me to serve as a member of the Board for Art & Creativity For Healing. For the last 14 years, Laurie and the Volunteers, Guild and Board Members have brought a powerful means of expressing pain and grief through abstract art. This method as allowed for individuals of all ages and from all backgrounds to gain healing and understanding of their experience through their own personal art.
I have had the distinct opportunity to volunteer as a helper of the amazing facilitators for many of our local programs, as well as served at the studio workshops. The impact that the program has for all of the individuals who participate is important for their 1) healing process as well as 2) the communication of their individual experience of their situations to their own family, friends, case workers and therapists.

Art for Healing classes are relaxing and allow participants to find their creativity inside. Truly enjoyable classes...great for children and adults. The Art & Creativity for Healing team are well prepared and organized and encourage expression of all feelings.

Art for healing was a great team building experience. Hard to explain how great the experience was. My co-workers and I all bonded over our different levels of creativity and all got to know each other a little better by explaining out pieces. Laurie put together an amazing class for us, I highly recommend this to any company looking for team building events. Or for people who maybe need a new way to understand their feelings and emotions. It was a great day!

It was fun, and cool. better then what was coming up in my mind. Paint on!

This is my 10th year as a volunteer for the Art4Healing program at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). Through this program it has been a blessing to me to work with kids from ages 4-25 who have cancer. I meet with them one-on-one in their hospital rooms and provide the tools, encouragement and interaction to help them express themselves through art. Even their family members often join in to create an art project that helps them find some release for stress or discouragement. Art 4Healing is an important organization that facilitates many different kinds of healing through art and creativity. Laurie is a very special person who, through her vision, has developed programs for people suffering from several different kinds of pain. What a privilege it is to be part of this non-profit!

As Director of Behavior Intervention and Wellness programming for The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, we have partnered several times with Art & Creativity for Healing with our patients, and we have loved collaborating with them! Their kindness and understanding of our children's needs has helped our Wellness program move along in the right direction!
Kelly McKinnon-Bermingham

I was privileged to attend the Arts and Healing training with Lauri and her staff some years ago now. It was a powerful and informing experience for me. I have used the information I received to teach young children, Seniors as well as at a local woman's drug rehab facility. I am tremendously thankful for the training I received as well as a life-long skill that I can share for the rest of my life.

I donated several pieces of my art work to Ms. Zagon's Art & Creativity for Healing since 2005 to help with their fund raising efforts. It is a wonderful organization which helps a wide array of people; both adults and children. I liked that they have helped sick children in hospitals as well as children who have parents serving in the military. I hope that this nonprofit continues for many, many years. They are definitely worthy of support!

I was introduced to Art & Creativity and Lauri Zagon's Art4Healing program in 2012, when I embarked on my journey to find ways to help facilitate awareness and healing through the process of art. I took the Art4healing Certification Intensive Workshop and discovered how powerful the program was; as I had already been on a journey of healing, it only deepened the awareness of emotional pain, and I was able to heal at an even greater capacity. I am currently facilitating the program in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area and sharing my desire to to fulfill the mission statement of Art & Creativity for Healing... to support emotional healing through art & creative expression for those living in pain, grief, fear or stress.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at Art & Creativity for Healing. I was in a new environment at work and it was very stressful, and somehow I found ACH online and then I went to a class in person. I was so pleased with the class and the fact that I was able to release some of the frustrating emotions I was dealing with. Any time I know someone is stressed, dealing with grief or anything similar I recommend ACH.

The last week of February of this year I was sent to Camp Pendleton to be attached to MAG-39. My mission was to attend the In/Out Patient program for further recovery. Resistant at first, I just wanted to make it through the eight weeks in the hopes that I would be able to continue on with my career. Attending the counseling sessions and group classes helped but after having already been through two rehabilitations, obviously something was missing that was not allowing me to continue to heal. When I arrived and began the program, I was pleased to find out that there were art, dance, yoga, and tai chi classes incorporated into each day. Dancing was already something I already knew helped me stay balanced since it was my career prior to the Marine Corps. Yoga and tai chi, which also involved the use of connecting the mind and body, was also something I was familiar with and found comfort in doing. Then there was the Art4Healing class. I remembered loving art in elementary school but have not done anything remotely close to that since I was that young. When I arrived the first day I found the tables set up in a horse shoe shape, tables covered in plastic, and individual place setting for twelve people already set up. At each place there was a plastic apron, bottle of water, cup, plate, sponges, q-tips, paper towel, and many small containers each with a different color acrylic paint inside. Throughout the class we were instructed to paint with different prompts. We did not have an object to look at to paint, we were to paint our feelings. Sometimes we could use only one or two colors to illustrate the emotions that were brought up inside of us as we listened to each prompt. This is much harder than it sounds. Personally, I found great joy in painting things that were happy or that made me feel good. When asked to paint about fear, pain, sadness, anger, this is where I found difficulty. Coming to this eight week program I did not want to dig deep into my feelings, I was tired of reliving the past two years over and over again and I only came to make my command happy. When I was asked to paint these difficult feelings, I found that it was doing no good keeping them shoved down deep inside me. As I would paint these emotions, the memories would surface, the tears would begin to fill in my eyes, and I could feel some of the same sensations as I had when I had gone through those trying times. This then allowed me to open up more in group and let out some of which I was bottling up. After a couple of weeks, I began to realize how great I felt after the art classes and decided to stop by Michael’s and pick up some canvas and paint to bring to my room. Practically every day and every weekend I would spend time painting in my room. Although I was not painting feelings, I found that finding images online that would be fun to create or creating my own works brought just as much satisfaction and release. The time spent in front of the canvas gave me time to meditate and lower my anxiety level. I loved being able to go to my room at lunch after a rough morning of sessions or being able to do the same at the end of the day and release it all through the creation of something. By the time my eight weeks were drawing to a close in Camp Pendleton, I had a majority of the space on all four walls covered with my paintings from the class and from my free time. When it was time to go back to Yuma, I was not looking forward to returning. Being removed from reminders such as people, places, and things, had helped but the thought of being plopped right in the middle of all of it again made me sick to my stomach and dread would wash through me with the thought of it. Before arriving in Yuma I had put on a positive mindset and was determined that I could stand taller and stronger there. The day I arrived my command had no idea I was coming back. There was no place in a shop for me and they weren’t sure where I was going to go. I was accused of not contacting the unit while I was away and sat in the Administration office for almost two hours. Needless to say, by that point the positive mindset walked out the door and it felt as though I had never left. All the feelings of hatred, disappointment, sadness, and anxiety crept back in. I hadn’t even been back for half a day and I was already ready to flip a table. Other disappointments and frustrations have surfaced since then as well but this time it’s a little different. The day I returned to Yuma, I made sure I had some paint and canvas and for the first several weeks I would paint during my lunch break and I would paint after work. Besides the gym, it has been the only thing to calm me, level me, and help me find a balanced positive spot in my life. As a couple of months have passed, people began to see my artwork during room inspections or when I would randomly post one on Facebook. I created a few Disney characters for my friend’s children and a couple upon request. Several times the question was brought up whether I was starting to make commission on them and that I should because they were very good. Never in my wildest dream did I think that I would be able to sell art pieces of my own. Then one day I was asked to paint Winnie the Pooh characters for a baby room and that they wanted to pay me for them. I agreed and then really started to wonder if I could do this. I had originally started a blog site for my college class and thought this would also be a great place to display my artwork. I posted paintings and then advertised my blog on Facebook. Within 10 minutes someone already wanted to buy two of them. More were sold and then the requests came in for me to create works to their specifications. So far I have sold twelve pieces and hope that I am able to continue. With the recent paintings sold I have decided to start giving 10% of the profit to the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation. It only feels right to give something to a good cause with being blessed enough to be able to sell things I’ve created. If it wasn’t for the Art4Healing class in Camp Pendleton, I’m not sure I’d be in the mental and physical shape I am in now. Thank you so much for such a wonderful and rewarding opportunity. I am forever grateful for this healing tool.

My daughter will be President of the Art for Healing club at her high school this year. The club members work with the special needs kids at our school. Both the flub members and the kids that they work with (along with the teachers) benefit from the art projects that are done through this wonderful philanthropy. Thank you Laurie!

Personally and professionally I have found Laurie Zagon's Art & Creativity for Healing workshops to be exceptional.

Personally, the painting exercises Laurie developed helped me process the emotional and physical pain I experienced with my diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Rather than go into detail I posted details of my own experiences some years ago at http://judithwesterfield.com/2012/01/28/art-creativity-for-healing/

As a psychotherapist I continually refer many of my clients to the Art & Creativity workshops and training. The easy, yet powerful techniques and non-judgmental focus of Art & Creativity for Healing help them give expression to the inexpressible that is beyond the spoken language.

I was lucky enough to have attended a workshop with Art & Creativity for Healing and it was a truly wonderful and therapeutic experience. Everyone involved with the workshop was supportive, encouraging and passionate about what they do. I am currently in graduate school to become an MFT and Registered art therapist and I understand the healing power of art. I plan on taking their certification class as soon as I graduate because I want to be more involved in spreading art for healing. Truly a top notch organization!

I worked for Art and Creativity for Healing several years ago as a facilitator of classes - the work that the students accomplished was so rewarding it would bring you to tears. For children, especially teenagers, to express themselves with art, rather than words, is wonderful.

I hope this company continues to succeed and provide such a fulfilling service to people in need.

Art & Creativity for Healing is an amazing organization. The teachers that work with the children and adults are one of a kind. The organization helps people express their feelings and emotions through paint on a canvas when many times the ability to verbalize the emotions and feelings are not possible at that time. I have volunteered for several classes, with children, women and soldiers, and it amazes me every time how expressive these canvas' become and how they truly speak the word that can not be spoken. I am also amazed that by the end of a class and sometime a series of classes how the words are now finding a voice and it was found by easing through the process of putting feelings on to a canvas. Truly amazing organization, so amazing I joined the Board of Directors to become more involved.

Art & Creativity for Healing is a wonderful non-profit organization that truly makes a difference. Clients are introduced to a medium that allows them to safely & non-verbally express their feelings using color on canvas in an abstract form. As a volunteer, participant and facilitator, I've witnessed how this process has positively impacted people and helped them break through barriers or plateaus to a healing place. It's a transformative process where a client may experience trepidation beforehand about taking an "art workshop," but afterwards he/she feels so at peace & relaxed that there's a very strong desire to repeat the process as many times as available. The founder is very passionate about the process and effectively uses all the available resources to reach as many people as possible. Her enthusiasm and caring spirit extends to all staff and volunteers.

I have been volunteering at a domestic violence shelter for 7 years. The shelter is lucky enough to have Art and Creativity come to the shelter once a week. The clients are constantly saying that it is one of the most helpful classes that they participate in. They take such pride in their art work and feel better for getting out things that they are not able to express in any other way.

I have been involved with Art and Creativity for Healing since 2012 and I am the HeARTS for Healing Womens Guild President. I have participated in workshops and I have taken the facilitating certification program. I have seen first hand what this wonderful organization has to offer the community through the healing of art. Laurie Zagon is passionate about Art and Creativity for Healing. She is a compassionate, encouraging and a gifted leader.
Art and Creativity for Healing has been a true blessing in my life.

Before I ever heard of this wonderful organization called Art & Creativity for Healing, I was clueless about Abstract Art and could honestly say it never made sense to me. However, after taking a class my eyes have been opened to the endless possibilities of seeing someone's art work come alive. It is alive with feelings, expressions, and beauty. As a hobby I love taking pictures, and for me it is a way to capture the moment with my camera. As for painting on a blank white canvass, I was able to express my very own creativity in ways that help release thoughts and feelings that come alive through color. Amazing!

Art & Creative for Healing simply said changes lives. In my short time working as a volunteer, I have witness the effect of Lauries art program on battered women, children who's parents are at war and at risk teens. This non profit organization touches the heart of everyone it comes in contact with, including it's volunteers. Art is an amazing tool, Laurie has created a system to use this tool to heal. This is a spectacular non profit.

Art & Creativity for Healing is an organization with integrity, fiscal responsibility and accountability. As their CPA I am intimately familiar with their finances. Their practices are impeccable and their administrative overhead is extremely low. Money is managed conservatively with great care. They serve the community with love and compassion. They are a healing presence for so many and I highly recommend them.

I have been involved with Art and Creativity for Healing for two years as a board member and workshop participant. As a board member, I am exposed to so many stories of emotional healing through the workshops we facilitate for wounded warriors, battered women, and homeless children. In my own life, the workshops have guided me though my personal and professional goals in a way I have never experienced in the corporate setting. I am proud to be involved in this organization and would encourage everyone to try a workshop to better understand this important work.

Having volunteered for Art for Healing for the past few years, I am continually amazed and encouraged by what I see in the workshops offered throughout the community. These workshops guide participants through structured exercises using various colors of paint on canvas. By allowing each participant to process their feelings through the use of color, often times enables them to express themselves in a way where earlier they may have had no words for.

I recently took the training to become an art facilitator and it was amazing. I leant so much about my self and I have already given a workshop to several councillors in a rehabilitation centre

I am an artist and a designer. I have been a volunteer, facilitator and a client of Art & Creativity. The organization has helped not only me but my children process their emotions while I was battling breast cancer. My daughter and I still enjoy attending classes 7 years later. This is a great organization and helped so many people of all ages from all walks of life.

My daughter and I found Art & Creativity for Healing in the Fall of 2012. When I first heard about them I didn't really understand what they did. I just thought it would be a nice break for my daughter (then 17 years old) and I to take an art class. Little did I know what we would get out of it.

My daughter was in an accident in April 2011 where she sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. Over the next 2+ years our lives were filled w/ doctors, hospital stays, therapies, medications, battles w/ the school district, etc. The accident took so much from our family - our daughter who had been a 4.2 GPA student was suddenly 9 years behind in things like processing skills, our entire savings went to medical costs, my health was negatively impacted, our relationships were strained, etc.

But that first Saturday at Art & Creativity for Healing we were given a great gift - time away from the medical chaos, time together, and a venue to express feelings that had been "pushed down" for many months. As we worked independently we were able to express feeling on canvases without judgement. We were also able to see some great things that have occurred because of the accident.

When the workshop was over not only did we leave with artwork, but we left with our spirits lifted and encouraged. My daughter said it best when she was asked what she gained from the workshop. She said, "I have a sense of closure I've not been able to get before."

Art & Creativity for Healing truly is a gift to so many and I am so blessed to now be a volunteer with them.

For the past three years I have had the privilege of volunteering for our brave soldiers at Camp Pendleton and at the Naval Hospital San Diego. The men and women are able to express their feelings and emotions through the use of color with paint. These Wounded Warriors deserve everything we can do to help them and show them our appreciation. This is so worthwhile!! When I see the camaraderie and how they enjoy each other's sharing about the "creations" they have made with their paint and design, it just warms my heart to no end!

I've been a volunteer and a guild member for Art & Creativity for Healing for the past 10 months. I've tried becoming involved in a number of volunteer opportunities but I believe this one is the best organized and well run nonprofit I've seen. They've touched so many lives and in each workshop I've volunteered in, I've witnessed just how much people are touched by healing through the use of the arts. Founder, Laurie Zagon, is the perfect person to have started this program. I hope it continues to grow and grow and touch many more lives.

I've been a volunteer at Art & Creativity for three years, it's one of the most rewarding positions I have ever taken. Founder Laurie Zaigon is beyond knowledgable in her field, her clients span far and wide. Her work touches everyone and brings out the best in people no matter what they are going through in their lives. May her work continue to change lives.

Art and Creativity for Healing is an amazing organization that has a hand in helping so many other charitable organizations. Laurie Zagon and her instructors have an amazing ability to bring out emotional and spiritual healing by using a palette of paint colors, keys words and music.
I feel very lucky to be a part of such a wonderful organization.

The founder of Art for Healing , Laurie Zagon, is an amazing woman. She is so supportive and encouraging of everyone who attends her healing workshops. She inspires everyone to express themselves thru art with no judgment on talent or technique. She looks for ways to heal the soul of
each participant and encourages each person to "let their light shine".
It is an honor and a joy to be part of this group. NM

I found Art4Healing on the web when I was searching for sabbatical opportunities after retirement. I was hoping to find an art therapy program but when I found out the requirements for that profession I was discouraged. I would need about 7 years of training. The more I read about Art4Healing the more I recognized that this was my answer. In this program the facilitator is well trained, guides the workshop participants through the process. encourages them to express their feelings and in the process they touch areas within themselves that need healing. A facilitator does not analyze but encourages. If a participant needs more help a councilor reference will be provided. I took one class and made arrangements to attend the intensive summer program. The process is friendly, the results astounding. I am now ready to bring their method and philosophy to the Midwest into areas where this healing process is badly needed.

A profoundly gifted Founder/Director and incredibly enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers make this small charity very mighty! In workshops where children and adults are able to reveal their feelings and deal with some of life's hardest issues - military deployment, grief, death of a loved one, divorce, long tern illness -through the use of paints and a blank canvas, magic happens! Lives are changed and healing begins to happen - all through the use of brilliant color. The paintings created are vivid and beautiful and reflect many thoughts and feelings too hard to express in words. In 2012 almost 1,000 Healing Art Boxes will be delivered to children who otherwise might never have the chance to express themselves with color. Quite a worthy charity!

This program offers the best in healing opportunities through art - ideas that allow so many to heal from grief, anger, and sadness created in homes, family and our culture today. They teach others to carry these techniques to the world and spread its soothing techniques to those in pain and through these activities help them heal and experience joy and peace. Have paint-brush, will heal should be their motto! Their programs of training for therapists and other professionals give amazing breadth and outreach to this organization that will spread even to the mountians of Appalachia and to the people of their small communities.

I had heard about Art 4 Healing for many years. When I finally checked it out I was VERY impressed. The classes are very organized, peaceful and the facilitators are extremely professional and warm. Art Therapy can be an emotional experience for anyone. The facilitators were professional and sympathetic when people cried or appeared shy. Personally, I received great insight on my life from the pieces I created during the Compassion Fatigue class. I highly recommend Art 4 Healing to anyone who has a love of art and would like some therapeutic healing.

I started as a participant when my life seemed pretty dismal and the direction forward alluded me. I took my first Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. (ACFH) course and discovered a new way to think, to process, and to heal. I went from participant, to volunteer, and on to become a former Board Member. I have no art background, and certainly no creative aspirations, yet the classes at ACFH changed my life. I have seen how ACFH has contributed to the healing of children, whose ability to verbalize their pain was so small, but through art found a voice. I have watched businessmen, widows, soldiers, and divorcees find a voice to guide them through their darkest hours through these classes. It is my privilege to recommend Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. to anyone in need of relief from pain and suffering, and hope they continue their amazing work for decades to come.

The partnership that has been established with Art and Creativity for Healing has been nothing less than AMAZING and life changing for all of our families and children at our Family Resouce Center. Many children have been able to explore their feelings of frustration, grief, anger, confusion, happiness, serenity, and hope! and all via a canvas and paint! I've had an opportunity to be part of these workshops and it is captivating to see children who have been expose to abuse and domestic violence be able to express their feelings, destress and at the same time feel so proud of their artwork! Faciliators do an excellent job in transmiting the power of art.

I have watched Art and Creativity for Healing change my life, as well as the lives of many others during the past 2 years. It is an unobtrusive and gentle, yet revealing method of mending one's internal wounds. It is a powerful organization that has done nothing but good in the past 11 years.

The people in this organization realize not all wounds are visible and providing people a method for processing emotional stress and grief through art and creativity is a godsend for many.

Everyone here is focused on and energized by the organization's mission. The volunteers are dedicated, continuing their work day in and day out, unlike many organizations I've experienced whose volunteers are transient and temporary.

The people at Art & Creativity for Healing touch and support sick children with bedside art visits, injured soldiers recovering from physical or emotional pain, and abused families coping with injury and emotional stress. I've seen the pain begin to heal.

This is an organization that stays on it mission which is: To support emotional healing through art and creative expression for those living with pain, grief fear and stress.

Several years ago I was researching art therapy programs when I came across the wonderful art healing program that Laurie Zagon started and it piqued my curiosity so I flew from Boston out to California to attend a certification workshop. I saw first-hand how effective the carefully guided workshops were and how participants were transformed in a matter of hours. Since then,, I have flown out for yet more training and I have since used what I learned on a regular basis at the elementary school where I teach as well as in my community with cancer support groups, the aged and women and their children at a local crisis center. Laurie and her well-trained staff have inspired me to translate my love of art into a venue to help people to heal. What they have accomplished on the west coast is truly remarkable and sets a good example for the rest of us.

I first came to Art & Healing for my own healing. I was going through a very difficult time in 2001. My 20 year marriage was ending and my son was depressed and getting into drugs & alcohol. I was so overwhelmed. Art & Healing gave me a way to express my feelings and understand the depth of pain in my soul. It helped me look to God for help. I decided to train with Art & Healing to help others. I became certified as a level one facilitator, and volunteered with Art & Healing. As I watched others begin to express their feelings, I was touched by the process and effect it had on people. I began to use my certification with my own groups. I mentor women and used this method I learned to help them. My son eventually became so depressed he took his own life. I now use Art & Healing to comfort those who are grieving. Anytime I am invited to facilitate this methold I come to help. In 2009 I spoke to the Hight School that my son attended on suicide prevention. To my shock I found out that 6 students had lost their parents to suicide. I brought the method to the school for those students and watched how this expression helped these students process their grief. I am so grateful that Art & Healing was created and hope to further my training.

I have been a Board Treasurer with Art & Creativity for Healing for a year and a Board Director just under a year and a half. In that short span of time the organization has made some such a huge impact on the lives of others with the work that they do. They have had to overcome some financial trouble just like everyone else but never stopped any of their programs. The leadership of Laurie Zagon is to be commended. The work they do for military families at Camp Pendleton is nothing short of amazing. The way they work with other organizations such as CHOC and Human Options shows that they not only care about helping people but that they thrive on helping better the community as a whole. I feel very lucky to be a part of such an incredible organization.

I have been involved with Art & Creativity for Healing for nearly eight years now, and served as a board member with the organization for a couple of years. It has been amazing to watch the organization grow into what it is today! The impact that these workshops have on those that it serves is amazing, especially the kids and teens. I've sat in on workshops and I've seen teens, especially, enter a workshop not wanting to have anything to do with the process, then leaving wanting more! The transformation is astounding. I'm particularly excited to hear all of the results that they are getting through their program for military families at Camp Pendleton, the testimonials from the families and wounded warriors illustrate how well the organization is able to connect with, and help these individuals to express their feelings in a way that they might otherwise not be able to.

My introduction with Art and Creativity for Healing was a catapult into my destiny and living out my dream.
Having used art in my personal life for restoration and healing, I began to dream about opening up my own organization that specialized in providing therapeutic methods of using art in expressing one's feelings.
I was beyond ecstatic when a friend of mine told me about the classes and certification that Art and Creativity for Healing offered through the university system. I could not believe that there was actually a training for this type of expression. I immediately signed up for the summer intensive in July 2010 and my life was changed forever.
Laurie Zagon, founder and director of Art and Creativity for Healing, is one of the most generous women I have ever met. What she has given to the mental health field through her work is priceless. The organization believes in empowering its students and clients and giving them a voice through the colors and use of paint.

This is my third year as a member of the Board of Directors where I have seen the organization expand in its reach especially the work that is being done on Camp Pendleton with the children of deployed Marines. We have had a number of charity events to raise money, awareness or provide help in some fashion. Two years ago, I was involved with a campaign to provide these children with art supplies in "shoeboxes". I was able to fund about 60 of these boxes through a campaign at my employer. What struck me most was the feedback of appreciation of what the entire group had done, especially the 600 pairs of shoes donated by Marcus and Sandi Bohi. The gratitude to their generosity was overwhelming as many kids had only one pair of shoes.

I have been involved with ACFH for over five years now. Before I joined the board, I came to their studios to take a class with young girl that i was mentoring at the time. I was able to see first-hand, the tremendous impact that this organization has on people who are suffering and hurting. Although I have been a long-time advocate of arts as a method for healing, this was my first experience really seeing it first hand. Since that day, I have had the great pleasure of working with this organization to support their efforts. I feel privileged and honored to be part of such an amazing organization!

An artist friend told me about AFHC over a year ago, I took a workshop and was hooked. After joining the Guild and meeting others in all roles of AFHC, I decided to become a certified teacher through the Chapman program. These were life changing decisions. I have enjoyed bringing both family members and friends into the various venues that AFHC has provided. It is hard for me to "label" my role, I am now a volunteer, a board member, a client served, and a professional artist.