Expressive Arts Therapy Program Strengthens Partnership with Glide

By KASEY VARGA, alumni and marketing coordinator for the Expressive Arts Therapy Program

In 2010 the Expressive Arts Therapy program at CIIS initiated a partnership with Glide Memorial Church, which describes itself as "a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate 
suffering and to break the cycles of 
poverty and marginalization."

This partnership was founded on the principles of reciprocal learning, client empowerment, social justice, and the building of long-term sustainable relationships. This fall we are beginning our third year of work with the Family, Youth, and Childcare Center in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. More than 20 students and alumni have been involved with facilitating arts-based staff retreats, running pre-practicum EXA groups for children grades 3-5, acting as aesthetic witnesses, counseling teens, running a dance group for moms, and completing practicum hours, among other things. We are now about to deepen our work with Glide by partnering with Glide Women’s Center, where one of our treasured alums, Khara Scott Bey, currently works.

To help fund our partnership, EXA and Glide will co-host “An Evening of Social Revelry, Silent Auction, and Performances” on Saturday, Sept. 29, in Namaste Hall in the CIIS Main Building. We strongly encourage the CIIS community to attend. This will be a great opportunity to socialize and network with some great people, as well as bid on a wide variety of items (from artwork to healing sessions to a weekend in Napa!). You'll also witness some truly special performances from our alumni and the children of Glide’s Family, Youth, and Childcare Center. 

Glide recently published a short feature detailing the EXA-Glide parternship >>