April Abesamis Knighton

Lecturer, Art Therapy (2025). Education: MAAT 2012, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Trustee Merit Scholar; BA 2005, The University of Texas–Pan American, Magna Cum Laude. Credentials: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC); Registered Art Therapist; Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor; Certified Clinical Child & Adolescent Anxiety Treatment Professional.

April Abesamis Knighton (she/her) is a lecturer in the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. With over 13 years of experience in art therapy and counseling, she has worked in diverse settings, including private practice, academia, hospital, and non-profit organizations. She established the roles and responsibilities of the art therapy position at the SAIC Wellness Center, where she also led campus-wide mental health initiatives, including suicide prevention and federal grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid through the National Council of Behavioral Health and is deeply committed to advancing mental health education and support. One of April’s key research interests explores the connection between art therapy and neuroscience, collaborating with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to further this work.

April offers art therapy and counseling through a private practice as well as community-based programs, focusing on substance use, trauma, depression, anxiety, family, and AAPI support. Grounded in attachment and developmental theories, and utilizing integrative and trauma-informed modalities, she centers collective healing through compassion and meaningful connection in her approach to treatment and care.

April is a Filipino-American immigrant artist with her work appearing in shows primarily in Chicago, Michigan, and New York City.

An Introduction to Art Therapy Techniques in Working with Child and Adolescent Survivors, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault: 60-Hour Child Counselor Training, 2018; Sexual Assault and Healing Through the Arts Webinar, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 2018 and 2016; Creative Practices and Mental Health on College Campuses, American Art Therapy Association Conference, 2016; Art Therapy Techniques in Working with Child and Adolescent Survivors, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault: 60-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training, 2016; Creative Approaches to Increasing Flourishing Among SAIC Students, Flourishing Summit of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2014; Student Engagement as Key to Effectively Promoting Good Mental Health and Flourishing at SAIC, Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) Student Affairs Conference, 2014.