Meet Alexa Pinsker | Art Therapist and Counselor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexa Pinsker and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Alexa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The intention behind starting my own art therapy practice was to expand awareness and accessibility to the field, and practice of art therapy. A large part of art therapy is introducing it to new people and educating on the therapeutic benefits of art, as a means of healing through both the process of creating art; as well as processing the finished art product with the therapist. I have worked in many settings as an Art Therapist, including an eating disorder recovery center, a residential treatment center for adults with pervasive and serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder) as well as working with adults with Dementia in a memory care unit. Currently I work as a school counselor and as an art therapist , which creates a meaningful balance for working with a broad range of mental health and social emotional issues in my community. Having an option to make art as a form of self-expression is powerful.
What should our readers know about your business?
During the pandemic, art therapists and mental health professionals switched to working through video tele-health platforms. As a licensed therapist I was trained to work with clients in person and specifically using art therapy in a studio like setting with clients. As an art therapist and counselor, I needed to quickly find ways to adapt the art making process through remote sessions. I developed my own art therapy directives and art therapy exercises that could be done during video sessions as well as in between sessions. I am still able to see the incredible benefits of the art making process, as well as sharing the art therapy product through a video platform which has allowed me to reach a wider range of clients that may not normally have access to an art therapist.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favorite places to eat in Boulder would be the newly reopened Brasserie 1010 where you can get French inspired dishes such as mussels, frites, baked brie and martinis (for under ten dollars during happy hour too)! There is a small Nepalese/Tibetan community in Boulder, and I would also recommend getting steamed momos and chai, from Tibet Kitchen. The most beautiful place to get tea is the Dushanbe tea house and it is located right next to the Boulder Creek Path. I also enjoy taking visitors on day trips to Colorado’s hot springs. My personal favorite are the Mt. Princeton hot springs, which are a few hours drive from the front range area. Soaking in the natural hot spring waters of Chalk Creek in the fresh air among the boulders and the cliffs is both serene and rejuvenating. The nearby towns of Buena Vista and Salida are interesting places to explore while at Mt. Princeton. The springs are particularly beautiful at night with the stars on a clear night. I also love taking friends hiking to the peak of Mt. Sanitas ,or for a drive up Flagstaff Mountain which both have amazing views of Boulder. Having a drink or dinner at the Flagstaff House is also lovely for a special occasion. In the fall I’ll take visitors on a drive along the peak-to-peak highway to see the aspens change into their golden splendor. Before we get too much snow, a drive on Trail Ridge Rd. which goes through the entire Rocky Mountain National Park is a spectacular way to see the park and to spot elk and other wildlife along the way.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mentor and professor from Naropa University, Sue Wallingford. Sue inspired the act of creation, and helped initiate a service learning project in which graduate students extended our services beyond the local community, and participated in a service learning practicum working with survivors of sex trafficking in Cambodia. Sue passed away during the pandemic which was deeply felt by her students and the art therapy community. I am still inspired by her mentorship and remember her creativity, genuine empathy and humor in using art as a conduit for healing, expression and authenticity. I am also inspired by Edith Kramer, one of the founders of the field of Art Therapy. Specifically Kramer’s notion of the “Art Therapist’s Third Hand.” This concept refers to an art therapist’s ability to facilitate a person’s artistic process by teaching clients how to use materials, or offering help in the actual art making process to further facilitate the act of self-expression. To me, the ability to openly express oneself and to feel supported in that process is both profound and powerful, and if I may help someone on that path through art therapy I feel grateful.
Website: www.alexapinsker.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-pinsker-7b074a63/