Kathryn Snyder is an artist, board-certified clinical art therapist and researcher in the intersecting fields of art therapy, education, and mental health care. She holds a PhD in Creative Arts Therapies from Drexel University.
Kathryn’s research looks at the literacy benefits and developmental constructs of art therapy with preschool children, with additional research interests in museum and community-based practices in art therapy. Place-based therapy and the creation of communities of care within a relational aesthetic provide the framework for her ongoing research and practice interests. She has expertise in child-centered art therapy, family systems theory, art therapy for chronic stress, participatory and visual research tools, and art therapy in pediatric cancer care.
Kathryn believes art therapy is an essential aspect of health care and education for everyone. The expressive and creative capacities are primary drivers of health, wellbeing, and interpersonal growth across the lifespan. Through her research and private practice, Dr. Snyder works to embed art therapy into schools and museums, reducing barriers and increasing access to mental health care.
PhD, Creative Arts Therapies, Drexel University, 2023
MA, Creative Arts in Therapy, Drexel University, 2000
BA, Fine Arts from Virginia Tech University, 1994
Selected Work
Snyder, K., HaileSalease, R.J., Kaimal, G., & Sood, S. (2023). Assessing social norms, health behavior, and change using visually informed participatory research tools: Social Network Mapping and 2x2 Tables. Journal of Participatory Research Methods.
Snyder, K. (2022). A museum’s centering on healing through community care and social responsibility: A dialogue with Chloe Hayward of The Studio Museum of Harlem (USA). Museological Review, 26, 127-133.
Snyder, K. (2021). The digital art therapy frame: Creating a ‘magic circle’ in teletherapy. International Journal of Art Therapy, 26(3), 104-110.
Snyder, K., Malhotra, B., & Kaimal, G. (2021). Team value and visual voice: Healthcare providers’ perspectives on the contributions and impact of Art Therapy in pediatric hematology/oncology clinics. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 75.