Adults

Silent No Longer Tennessee
Tennessee
  • Community Engagement
  • Community Engagement
  • Sexual Assault
I work with adult survivors of sexual assault and use various forms of art to help them process their trauma and tell their stories. Several of my clients said they wanted to do a project for the 5th anniversary of the #metoo hashtag. I decided to do an art ex…
Just Detention International - South Africa, Gauteng Province
  • Incarceration
  • Incarceration
We witnessed the adaptability of AWBW’s worksheets during our third workshop with women at Atteridgeville Gender Responsive Centre. We planned to facilitate a “Positive Piggies” workshop, inviting participants to consider and acknowledge their positive attribu…
Art Works Collective
Oklahoma
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
I am a case manager working with clients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. This particular group of women live together in a group home and are fairly independent. They hold jobs of varying levels of responsibility, are out in the community…
RUTH Facilitation
California
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Mental Health
  • Staff & Organizational Development
This “Wellness in the Workplace” facilitator story is about how art workshops can thrive in unexpected places. AWBW facilitator Andy shares his experience of bringing art workshops into a high-pressure, analytical workplace. Beginning with small team sessions …
Pathways to Healing
South Carolina
  • Incarceration
  • Incarceration
  • Sexual Assault
This “Vision Seeds” video features Jessica Blizzard of Pathways to Healing in South Carolina. A Windows Facilitator since 2024, Jessica shares what is at the core of her journey as she embarks upon facilitating workshops for individuals living in custody. This…
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
  • Domestic Violence
  • Domestic Violence
At Shepherd’s Door—a safe haven for survivors of domestic violence—a group of women gathered just before Mother’s Day to participate in a guided art experience centered around affirmations, identity, and healing. For many, this was more than a workshop. It was…
University of Missouri – Kansas City
Missouri
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Schools & Universities
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
This "Uplifting Voices: Facilitator Stories" video features Arzie Umali, MPA, who is the Senior Assistant Director of the Women's Center at University of Missouri - Kansas City. As students return to school, it is essential to acknowledge the value of self-…
A Window Between Worlds
California
  • Community Engagement
  • Child Abuse / Neglect
  • Community Engagement
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Mental Health
  • Schools & Universities
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
  • Social Justice
In this Artists Talk video, AWBW Founder, Cathy Salser, dives deep into the heart of AWBW’s mission and the transformative power of art in healing and community building. This special “window of time” is part of the Artists Talk series of the Southern Californ…
Insight Human Services Women's Recovery Center
North Carolina
  • Substance Abuse Recovery
  • Substance Abuse Recovery
We began our art group late one day because a fight broke out between two participants just before we started. I was really worried we would have to ask one or both of the women to leave our treatment program, and for one of them, leaving the program would hav…
Connecticut Alliance for Victims of Violence & Their Families
Connecticut
  • Domestic Violence
  • Advocacy
  • Domestic Violence
  • Sexual Assault
The opportunity to create a Permission Canvas, as an AWBW facilitator, was very timely for me. I realized there are so many things I don’t give myself permission to do. I picked feeling safe and warm because during the training I realized that I had a big conn…
A Greater Hope
California
  • Foster Care
  • Domestic Violence
  • Foster Care
The structure of the AWBW training (online and interactive), coupled with the detailed curriculum that provides easy to follow step by step instructions any paraprofessional can follow, combined with the universally engaging nature of the workshops makes AWBW …
United American Indian Involvement (UAII)
California
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
In this "Uplifting Voices: Facilitator Stories" video, Nikki Crow, a Prevention and Aftercare Care Coordinator at United American Indian Involvement (UAII), shares how the AWBW art workshop "Journey Footprints" honors our resilience and helped one of her parti…
Safe Passage, Inc.
Indiana
  • Domestic Violence
  • Domestic Violence
  • Sexual Assault
This workshop had two participants, both in their mid-fifties. Both ladies are starting completely over after having survived domestic violence and sexual assault. One has just moved into her own housing and the other will be moving into her own apartment by t…
Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse
California
  • Substance Abuse Recovery
  • Court & Legal System
  • Mental Health
  • Substance Abuse Recovery
I work at a substance use disorder and mental health dual diagnosis outpatient facility with adults, most of whom are conditionally released to treatment by courts. Our supplies are limited and I adapted the Affirmation Mandala Shrinky Dink workshop by printin…
United American Indian Involvement (UAII)
California
  • Social Justice
  • Social Justice
In February, UAII hosted the first of 6 workshops in the Women’s Empowerment workshop series. I facilitated a Touchstones workshop during this first session, for over 30 female participants from the UAII L.A. County American Indian/Alaskan Native community. …
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
  • Domestic Violence
  • Domestic Violence
This modified story tree workshop using a floral format allowed participants (survivors of domestic violence at Shepherd’s Door) to access vulnerability while staying grounded in creativity. Participants connected deeply to the symbolism of the flower bloom…
PAVE
Wisconsin
  • Incarceration
  • Incarceration
  • Sexual Assault
This “Vision Seeds” video features Sylvia Ortiz, of PAVE, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. A Windows Facilitator since 2024, Sylvia anchors her vision for supporting Rooted in Resilience, seeing the leadership of each facilitator as branches of a collective tree, and…
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
  • Mental Health
Teresa Smith of Being the Best Me and Cathy Salser of AWBW share the origins of the Butterfly Journey Wheel and invite others to create their own resource for transformation and support.  They created the Butterfly Journey Wheel together as a way to journey…
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
  • Schools & Universities
  • Mental Health
  • Schools & Universities
In the midst of devastating wildfires in LA County, I facilitated an art workshop for staff and students in grades 1-5 to help them explore their emotions through creativity. The fires had left many students and staff grappling with fear, sadness, and uncertai…
Dallas Office of Arts and Culture
Texas
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Community Engagement
  • Facilitator Spotlights
  • Self-Care & Personal Growth
This “Uplifting Voices: Facilitator Stories” video features Martine Philippe, Director of the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. A Windows Facilitator since 2021, Martine shares how she used the AWBW Windows of Connection series to transform culture and climat…
Child and Family Services
New York
Child and Family Services
New York
This “Uplifting Voices: Facilitator Stories” video features Lucy Tschachtli, one of our longest serving facilitators. She first experienced art as a tool for healing in 1991, on AWBW Founder Cathy Salser’s first tour across the country sharing art as…
Homeboy Industries
California
Homeboy Industries
California
This “Uplifting Voices: Facilitator Stories” video features Vivian Jojola, Domestic Violence Prevention Specialist at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, CA. A Windows Facilitator since 2023, Vivian shares about her work with formerly incarcerated and…
Teresa Smith of Being the Best Me and Cathy Salser of AWBW share the origins of the Butterfly Journey Wheel and invite others to create their own resource for transformation and support.  They created the Butterfly Journey Wheel together as a way …
Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse
California
Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse
California
I work at a substance use disorder treatment facility, supporting adults in an outpatient setting. I facilitate a group specifically for clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Recently, I facilitated the Lotus Flower …
Children's Institute, Inc.
California
Children's Institute, Inc.
California
The Community Health Programs at Children’s Institute support care coordination, system navigation, and a full range of support for health services to improve day-to-day living and wellbeing. These programs include Enhanced Care Management, United Me…
Families Together of Orange County
California
Families Together of Orange County
California
I co-facilitate a group called Healthy Relationships for residents of Yale Navigation Center, a 24 hour shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Santa Ana. While at Yale, residents are provided with resources to help in the transition to perma…
South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency
California
South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency
California
On June 20th, I facilitated a virtual community art workshop titled Exploring Your Resiliency Zone. This session was developed in response to the recent wave of fear, panic, and trauma experienced by immigrant communities due to intensified ICE raids…
The Artistry Circle
North Carolina
The Artistry Circle
North Carolina
I facilitated the Vision Flowers art workshop for a group of community members looking to reconnect with their inner voice and reflect on the personal values guiding their lives. Inspired by Manuela Rojas’ Personal Needs Flower, this workshop invited…
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
I facilitated the Brick Wall workshop for survivors of domestic violence at Shepherd’s Door. All seven women engaged fully and authentically in the workshop, each creating a unique interpretation of their brick wall symbolizing the things that protec…
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
This modified story tree workshop using a floral format allowed participants (survivors of domestic violence at Shepherd’s Door) to access vulnerability while staying grounded in creativity. Participants connected deeply to the symbolism of the fl…
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
Shepherd's Door Domestic Violence Resource Center
California
At Shepherd’s Door—a safe haven for survivors of domestic violence—a group of women gathered just before Mother’s Day to participate in a guided art experience centered around affirmations, identity, and healing. For many, this was more than a worksh…
The Adult Skills Center
California
The Adult Skills Center
California
I facilitated the Riding the Grief Coaster art workshop for a group of three adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, aged 35 to 38. All three participants shared a common experience: the loss of a parent. I chose this workshop to …
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
I facilitated a parenting workshop that invited participants to reflect on the qualities they believe make a good parent. Many of the parents in the group have experienced significant challenges—ranging from financial stress to past trauma—and are ac…
Women’s & Children’s Crisis Shelter
California
Women’s & Children’s Crisis Shelter
California
I work at a domestic violence shelter that provides safety and support for victims fleeing abusive intimate partner relationships. Currently, we are housing three families with children ranging in age from 1 to 8 years old. Every year, we participate…
The AMAAD Institute
California
The AMAAD Institute
California
I work for an organization that provides services with a focus among LGBTQ+ people of color. The participants in this workshop were part of a re-entry population, looking to gain facilitating skills as part of their personal and professional developm…
Riverside County District Attorney's Office
California
Riverside County District Attorney's Office
California
Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with gold metals, is a powerful metaphor for life and personal growth. The fragments of broken pottery symbolize the challenges and trauma in our life journey. We acknowledge that our scars do not diminis…
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
I was invited to do a parent workshop at Cardenas Elementary School. We chose the Journey Footprints workshop and translated it into Spanish. The footprint seemed timely for the close of the workshop series. The parents created wonderful art, but whe…
Jewish Family Services
California
Jewish Family Services
California
I am a residential counselor at Jewish Family Service, a domestic violence shelter for women and children. Oftentimes, residents arrive at the shelter feeling hopeless and helpless, believing there’s nothing good in their lives. I chose to facilitate…
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
Los Angeles Unified School District
California
I am a Psychiatric Social Worker for two elementary schools, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children from Pre-K through 5th grade. My role also extends to the adults on campus—teachers, administrators, and support staff.  The teache…
A Window Between Worlds
California
A Window Between Worlds
California
Join Kat, Training and Outreach Coordinator, as she shares about facilitating the "Take a Break, Self Regulate!" art workshop at AWBW's two-day facilitator training. The activity invites participants to reflect on taking breaks and create personalize…

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