Maristela Ferreira
Faculty member in Art Therapy in the Postgraduate Course in Foundations of Integrative Health and Well-being at the Albert Einstein Israeli Institute of Education and Research, she is the creator of Saúde Criativa, a Therapeutic Atelier located at the Gertel Clinic in São Paulo.
Co-author of the book "O Novo Ser Humano: Mais Saúde Mental no Trabalho"
Art Therapy in Health is a Mind-Body practice that uses the Creative Process in the materiality of Art as a natural resource for emotional management.
About Maristela Ferreira
Art Therapy in Health is a Mind-Body practice that uses the Creative Process in the materiality of Art as a natural resource for benefits such as: emotional regulation during stages of development and suffering, relaxation, mindfulness, development of Creative Intelligence, and well-being – feeling good in your being as a form of Expression, Communication, Creativity, and Self-care.
The curiosity about why Art is beneficial has always guided the path of study. Graduated in Social Communication – Advertising and Propaganda from FAAP in 2003, where she felt the need to use Creativity therapeutically without realizing where this path would lead. She completed a Postgraduate degree in Art Therapy based on Jungian Psychotherapy at Famosp, where her work in art began, from managing artistic materials in the Atelier, to teaching, and eventually becoming a Therapist. It was in the Postgraduate program in Integrative Health and Well-being at the Albert Einstein Institute of Education and Research, where she also now integrates the teaching staff, that the union of Art and Health happened.
She holds certifications in Positive Psychology, Narrative Medicine from Unifesp, Therapeutic Bodywork, and Neuropsychology of Art. Further updates include: Foundations of Self-Care and Self-Compassion for Healthcare Professionals from the Albert Einstein Institute of Education and Research, and The Herbert Benson, MD Course in Mind-Body Medicine from Harvard University. She is the creator of Saúde Criativa, a Therapeutic Atelier where she practices at the Gertel Clinic in São Paulo.
In the book "O Novo Ser Humano: Mais Saude Mental na Era Digital!", Maristela writes the chapter "Art Therapy and Artificial Intelligence: How to Deal with the Challenges of the New Digital World?". She proposes a reflection on the integration of art, health, and technology as ways to face the transformations of contemporary society. She also shares her personal and professional journey, from her childhood interest in art to her work in art therapy and integrative health, highlighting significant experiences that reinforced her belief in the therapeutic power of artistic expression for human and emotional development. In addressing the impacts of the pandemic and the changes brought about by the digital age, the text highlights creativity as an essential tool for emotional balance, resilience, and self-care.
Maristela emphasizes the importance of integrating mind, body, and creative intelligence to deal with the challenges of the modern world, showing how art can contribute to mental health and a more conscious and human relationship with artificial intelligence and new technologies.
Chapter Theme
IMAGINATION - AS A THERAPEUTIC RESOURCE IN TIMES OF ANXIETY
In this chapter, the author proposes a profound reflection on creative imagination as an essential therapeutic resource in times marked by anxiety, hyperconnectivity, and excessive stimuli. Drawing on the contributions of Carl Gustav Jung, Verena Kast, Nise da Silveira, and studies in contemporary neuroscience, the text shows how imagination can act in emotional regulation, in the symbolization of suffering, and in the promotion of mental health. The author differentiates active imagination, developed by Jung as a clinical method of dialogue with the unconscious, from creative imagination, understood as a broader, more accessible, and integrative therapeutic field, present in art therapy, writing, images, the body, and sensory experiences.
Throughout the chapter, the author demonstrates that creating images, drawing, painting, modeling, or accessing symbolic metaphors is not only artistic expression but also a way to reorganize affects, reduce hypervigilance, and strengthen emotional self-regulation.
The text also addresses the relationship between imagination, absorbed attention, and states of presence, highlighting that creativity can function as a technology for emotional care and psychic support.
With clinical sensitivity, the author also discusses the limits of imagination in traumatic contexts, emphasizing that therapeutic care must respect each person's internal time. The chapter presents creative imagination as a human, ethical, and profoundly restorative path to dealing with anxiety and promoting holistic health.