Nora received a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in English Literature, with a focus in creative writing. Her desire to integrate her life-long creative arts experiences with psychology took her to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where in 1986 she completed her masters at Lesley College in Expressive Arts Therapy, with a focus in art therapy.

Nora is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Colorado (LPC) and a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and a Nationally Board Certified Art Therapist (-BC). She continues her education in Jungian Studies with the C.G. Jung Institute of Colorado, and is currently in training with the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. Although she is not an analyst, her therapeutic approach is greatly impacted by the training and the Analysts who pave the way. Nora has also completed Part I of EMDR and has had in depth experience with the tools of Focusing, NLP, and Active Imagination. Over the years, Nora has been inspired by such teachers and mentors as Ronald Wallace, Larry Junkins, Marion Woodman, Cathy Malchiodi, Shaun McNiff, Mary Sue Moore, Alan Schore, Peter London, Gayle Peterson, Joan Raphael-Leff, Penny Simkin, Peter Levine, and Sheila Kitzinger. Although workshops, trainings, and certifications are useful tools to deepen the psychological work, they do not guarantee nor replace the rapport between therapist and client, which research shows, is the most important aspect of successful psychotherapy. For further information go to Why Seek Therapy and How It Works.

In her masters thesis on pregnant women Nora used art therapy as a tool for transformation with a phenomenological and exploratory perspective and a series of four drawings. Up to that point there had been no prior art therapy research with this population, but living above a midwife led to indirect education about the psychology of the perinatal journey. This unique exposure led to using art therapy with pregnant women as a way to honor their passage and psychologically prepare them for childbirth. Nora's unique interest in perinatal research led to a pilot study based at a Denver area hospital using an art therapy research protocol. This resulted in published research.

Working with women in transition means that Nora has offered guidance for a wide range of emotional challenges. She is comfortable with such issues as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and trauma-related issues, and life transitions associated with relationships and family, career changes, creative blockages and grief and loss. Over the years she has come in contact with such populations as infants and mothers, adolescents in residential treatment, individuals with medical illnesses, couples recovering from traumatic losses and elders with advanced dementia. She has led art psychotherapy groups and individual sessions in various settings, including in-patient hospitals, psychiatric centers, schools and therapeutic nurseries. For 8 years she taught graduate level art therapy classes at Naropa University in Boulder, CO. For more than 15 years she has enjoyed inspiring individuals and groups to follow the threads of their imagination and deepen their purpose in life.

© Copyright 2002-2005. Nora Swan-Foster
Web Design by Q Digital Studio