MARINETTE – When considering therapy options, many people envision the different types of “talk therapy” like counseling and clinical psychology. However, Marissa Biswabic is looking to educate the local community on the benefits of art therapy through her new business Creative Routes Mobile Art Studio.
The American Art Therapy Association explains on their website that art therapy involves “active art-making, the creative process and applied psychological theory...to enrich the lives of individuals, families and communities.”
Biswabic, a licensed professional counselor in training and board certified art therapist, added that art therapy is more than just verbal communication, it taps into different parts of the brain and allows people to express themselves even when they can’t find the right words.
She explained that the difference between art therapy and traditional therapy like counseling is that she uses “art making as the tool to help people process the things that they’re going through and achieve the goals that they’re looking to move forward with.”
When working with a client, Biswabic typically begins with collage making as an “introductory” approach, but one of her favorite aspects of art therapy is that she can “tailor these experiences to the people that come.”
Some mediums that are popular include fiber arts with fabric or yarn and sculpting with clay, which doubles as a sensory experience.
Biswabic, who has always held a love for art, studied psychology and studio arts at UW-Oshkosh before earning her master’s degree in art therapy at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. After earning her degrees, Biswabic moved back to the tri-city area.
She came to realize that if she wanted to practice art therapy in rural communities and extend the reach of who she could work with, she would need to take a fresh approach.
She explained, “One thing that I had noticed is that transportation, and sometimes financial concerns, are reasons why people might not seek mental health services. So I thought ‘How cool would it be if I could put together a mobile studio space and meet people where they’re at so they don’t have to worry about driving to find me?’”
In November, Biswabic officially started her business Creative Routes Mobile Art Studio by purchasing a school bus, which she plans to operate “like a foodtruck, but for creative art making.”
Biswabic explained that her ultimate goal is to work with existing resources in the area to create a schedule of where the Creative Routes bus will be to make attending group or individual sessions more accessible.
“The idea is that I can roll up to the curb, be around and get people curious about what art therapy is,” she added.
While Biswabic hopes to have the bus completed by the end of the summer, she has been busy in the community hosting pop-up art events.
“Queer Craft: An Open Art Studio Support Group” meets on a monthly basis at the Marinette Community REC Center. As an open art studio and support group, this event invites attendees to “explore, create and express yourself in a welcoming, affirming space.”
Some other events Biswabic has brought her art therapy expertise to include a fiber arts support group and upcoming Kentucky Derby hat crafting event at Spirit House in Menominee, Mich., as well as speaking on a panel for International Women’s Day at UW-Green Bay’s Marinette campus.
As more people learn about art therapy and develop an interest, the American Art Therapy Association adds that art therapy is open to people of every skill level.
“Oftentimes, we’re always our biggest critic. Sometimes the largest barrier to getting the benefits [from art therapy] is us standing in the way of ourselves,” Biswabic said.
She added, “There’s one thing that I like to tell people, [do] you know the saying that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words?’ Well, art therapists really believe that is true.”
Marissa Biswabic of Creative Routes Mobile Art Studio offers a variety of individual and group services as well as workshops. For more information on her services or to follow along on her journey of bringing a creative space to the tri-city area, visit www.creativeroutes.org or Creative Routes Mobile Art Studio on Facebook and Instagram.
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