About Nina Ross
I began my studies at the University of New Mexico in photography in the mid 1970s. During that time, I was also interested in psychology, and began attending dream workshops.
For me, art and psychology were intrinsically connected, and my career has focused on combining these two fields.
Many years later, I was introduced to the work of James Hillman, a Jungian analyst. When I began studying Hillman’s work, called Archetypal Psychology, I felt that I had found home base. Archetypal psychology has its roots in Jungian psychology, and looks through a poetic and mythological lens. The language, the philosophy, and the approach of archetypal psychology made complete sense and appealed to both the artist and the therapist in me. Later, I discovered the field of art therapy, which was a great meeting of both art and psychology. I discovered that I could make images and make meaning together! I have walked the journey that I invite others to walk, having spent four years in Jungian analysis in the mid 1980s. That process took me winding through the ins and outs, and ups and downs of my own psychological makeup, and was invaluable training for working with others.
Over the past 30 years, I have been working with adults in a number of settings, including residential treatment for trauma, private practice, and counseling on Native American pueblos. I have attended trainings in Internal Family Systems, Eating Disorders, Somatic Experiencing, and Trauma Resolution. I am a practitioner of non-dual philosophy, and do help clients to enrich their lives by engaging in spiritual practice. In the work that I do now, I use a number of skills, depending on what people need.
My training enables me to explore in-depth both the creative and turbulent movements of the psyche. I have a deep regard for ‘soul work’ and trust in the healing process as it unfolds uniquely for each individual.
I am currently painting and working on a book, Seized by Beauty, to be published in 2021.
Here is a link to a related article: Seized by Beauty: The Imaginal Basis of Art Therapy (PDF)