Cathy Moon

Over the course of my professional life, I have worked as an art therapist with people of all ages and in a variety of settings, including a psychiatric hospital where I worked with adolescents and adults, private homes where I worked with children experiencing behavioral health difficulties, and an art gallery where I did private practice work with individuals and families. My current practice is focused on collaborative, community-based work in both Chicago and East Africa. Since 2007, I have co-facilitated ArtWorks, a free weekly art studio currently held at the main branch of the Chicago Public Library. The art studio provides a non-contrived space for people from diverse social and economic positions to become acquainted, with the aim of increasing understanding and compassion and decreasing stigma and stereotyping. I have also worked in Kenya and Tanzania with a non-profit organization, Global Alliance for Africa, since 2007. I collaborate in providing paraprofessional arts therapies trainings for and with East African artists and counselors who, in turn, apply what they learn to the ongoing development of therapeutic arts programs for vulnerable children and families in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

My research interests include critical theory; disability studies related to the social construction of “mental illness;” community-based art therapy as emancipatory practice; collaborative consultation models of developing art therapy in the Global South; the ethics of cross-cultural, international work; the interface of contemporary art and art therapy; and the unique contributions of the artist identity to therapeutic practice.

My current art practice is focused on painting, drawing, collage, found object constructions, and fiber arts. Overall, I tend to work with found or discarded fragments that I piece together, whether through sewing, 3-D constructions, or collages. One of my long-term projects is the creation of 365 written /drawn journal pages and 365 hand-held objects made from fabric, found objects, and text that enable me to focus and reflect on relationships with significant people in my life.

• Moon, C. H. (2019). Foreword. In S. K. Levine, Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy: Poiesis and the Therapeutic Imagination. London: Jessica Kingsley.
• Potash, J. S., Bardot, H., Moon, C. H., Napoli, M. Lyonsmith, A., and Hamilton, M. (2017). Ethical implications of cross-cultural international art therapy, The Arts in Psychotherapy, 56, 74-82. 
• Moon, C. H. (2016). Relational aesthetics and art therapy. In J. A. Rubin (Ed.), Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge. 
• Moon, C. H. (2016). Open studio approach to art therapy. In M. Rosal & D. Gussak (Eds.), The Wiley handbook of art therapy. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons. 
• Moon, B. L., & Moon, C. H. (2015). Don Jones: In Remembrance. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 32(2), 93-94. 
• Moon, C. H. (2015). Letter to a young art therapist. In M. B. Junge & K. Newall, Becoming an art therapist: Enabling growth, change, and action for emerging students in the field.” Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. 
• Moon, C. H. (2014). Theorizing from the margins. ATOL: Art Therapy OnLine, 5(1), Goldsmiths, University of London Journals Online.
• Moon, C. H., & Shuman, V. (2013). The community art studio: Creating a space of solidarity and inclusion. In S. Prasad, P. Howie, & J. Kristel (Eds.), Using art therapy with diverse populations: Crossing cultures and abilities. London: Jessica Kingsley. 
• Moon, C. H. (2013). Developing therapeutic arts programs in Kenya and Tanzania: A collaborative consultation approach. In S. Prasad, P. Howie, & J. Kristel (Eds.), Using Art Therapy with Diverse Populations: Crossing Cultures and Abilities.London: Jessica Kingsley. 
• Moon, C. H. (2010). Media and Materials in Art Therapy: Critical Understandings of Diverse Artistic Vocabularies. London: Routledge. 
• Moon, C. H. (2006). Terrorists, artists, and the world’s wake-up call. Poiesis, A Journal of the Arts & Communication, 8, 139-140. 
• Moon, C. H. (2005). Call and response: Exploring diverse artistic vocabularies. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 18(2).
• Moon, C.H. (2002). Studio Art Therapy: Cultivating the Artist Identity in the Art Therapist. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Also available in Korean and Mandarin editions]
• Moon, C.H. (2001). Prayer, sacrament and grace. In M. F. Hansen (Ed.), Spirituality and art therapy: Living the xonnection. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• Moon, C.H. (2000). Art therapy, profession or idea? A feminist aesthetic perspective. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 17(1).
• Moon, C. H. (1997). Art therapy: Creating the space we will live in. The Arts in Psychotherapy Journal, 24(1).
• Moon, C. H. (1994). Mystery, the guiding image. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 11(1), 18-22.
• Moon, C. H. (1990). The Peter Pan dilemma; Struggling with attachment and emancipation. The Arts in Psychotherapy Journal, 17(2), 171-175.