Outside the arts, yet with an approach incorporating creativity, Lisa has been a counselor in self & professional development and mental health since University years where she studied English, teaching and applied music. With her work at Chatham University's Center for Professional Development, through years at a psychosocial rehab agency and behavioral health organization, to employment and training agencies... Lisa has felt part time work within the human dynamics of the counseling profession to be rewarding and even at times complementary to her music and writing. See her Bio if interested in more specifics and do not hesitate to contact with any query on her other creative work over the years.
For years, Lisa was a teaching artist, utilizing creative music workshops and improvisation classes with children and young adults. Much in the manner that her counseling work infuses a myriad of creative aspects, her teaching was interdisciplinary in scope... never mere formal music training. Bio has more specs.
Lisa produced and directed, as well as wrote original music for, a grant-funded performance piece entitled "Presence" in '99. It was based on a short, early literary poem of hers, about finding authentic sense of self. Cross-disciplinary, it was a collaboration involving Jungian therapists, a movement artist and glass artists. It was performed twice, the latter being at the Kelly Strayhorn Theatre in the East Liberty section of Pgh. Many excerpts of it can be viewed on Youtube, where there is also extensive info., artists statements and more in the Description.
Lisa was called upon aplenty as a speaker after her two books were published ('02, '07) and she has credits as well for her mental health workshops and speaking engagements advocating for families of those with mental illness, and even self and professional development in business. See bio if more info is desired.
“Lisa is a dedicated artist with an exceptional vision. Her artistic direction of ‘Presence’ is an example of her commitment to collaboration not only between artists, but also with the community at large. In my dual capacities as a mental health professional and an educator, I see the value of ‘Presence’ to the general public in helping them gain a better understanding of what makes a person healthy in body, mind, spirit and emotion…. It articulates the struggles that are involved as one goes from despair to healing, and epitomizes the collaborative spirit that leads to open communication and evocative dialogue.”–Lilan Laishley, M.S., L.P.C.