Eastern Virginia Medical School

Faculty Member, Art Therapy & Counseling/Psychiatry

Other Affiliations: European Graduate School (EGS), Arts, Health and Society

About

Matthew Bernier: MCAT, ATR-BC, a registered and board-certified art therapist and a puppeteer, is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Art Therapy and Counseling Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He has extensive experience using art therapy and therapeutic puppetry especially with cases of child abuse and domestic violence. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Art Therapy Association, as a trustee and vice president of the Puppeteers of America, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, and as a member of the Puppetry in Education and Therapy Committee. He has served multiple terms as president and vice president of the Southeastern Virginia Puppetry Guild. He has lectured and led workshops in the U.S., Canada, and Italy on a variety of topics including: art therapy, domestic violence, therapeutic puppetry, masks, artist books, and visual journaling. He is a member of MUSE, an educational performing troupe of creative arts therapists and has performed “Celebrating the Cycle of Life through Art, Dance, Music, and Poetry” many times throughout the U.S. He is the co-editor of Puppetry in education and therapy: Unlocking doors to the mind and heart.  He is a working artist in several media including: masks, artists’ dolls, puppets, artists’ books, and mixed media collage and assemblage. He is currently working on a PhD in Expressive Arts: Therapy, Education, Coaching, Consulting and Social Change at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.

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