Delora Putnam-Bryant, MSAT, ATR-BC

My name is Delora Putnam-Bryant I am from Milwaukee WI one of the nation’s segregated cities in the United States. I am proud to have attended two Historical Black Universities (HBCU), Jackson State University and Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. I received her Master of Science degree from Mount Mary (College) University in Art Therapy in 2012. I am currently the only African American board-certified Art Therapist in Wisconsin.

A few months after graduating, I was employed as an Experiential Therapist for Rogers Behavioral Health for 10 years one of the state’s largest mental health hospitals. I worked with Children, Adolescents and Adults. Social justice is an important part of my work, while at Rogers I wanted maintain equality for the individuals I served and within the workplace. Prior to leaving Rogers in 2021, I started and lead the Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that include Black and Indigenous People of Color. This was a safe space for employee to express tho­­ughts and opinions without judgement, retaliation, or other risk within the workplace.

The Art Therapy House Inc. is a private practice that I partnered, along with four other art therapists, until 2022. Currently I serve as president of the Wisconsin Art Therapy Association. I currently lead the Multicultural quilt making project at the conferences each year. The quilt celebrates our diversity as art therapist.

I am an educator, who believes that the learning space must provide safety, group cohesion, challenge self-awareness while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Like a therapeutic group, its members should be acknowledged and heard, supported, and respected regardless of their belief’s values, thoughts, or actions. Safe space is essential to me because, without it, one cannot be authentic which can hinder self-awareness. I use transparency as a safety tool with students, I openly discuss my thoughts on race, my struggles, and how I navigate life in our world. The color of my skin is always apparent, allowing the normalization of race discussion.

Art making is one of the greatest tools to build group cohesion. The space of art making allows individuals to be unique and vulnerable. Through the art, students are challenged to look at themselves, their family history, and their actions regarding other cultures. Diversity, equity, and inclusion must be discussed openly, honestly, and gently. In my classroom, students will be encouraged to evaluate their worldviews and if their contribution to the community is harmful or helpful. As aspiring art therapists, my role is to guide the students through this process to increase awareness of cultural and social issues.