“Elissa is a talented artist and therapist and it was a joy to have her speak and share her passion and profession.  I so enjoyed learning about art therapy and especially enjoyed how talented Elissa is at it.  Elissa is excellent at what she does and our community is lucky to have her. I hope we can have her back so even more people can benefit!”

- Debbie Peterson, Eastern Monmouth County Chapter Leader
Holistic Moms Network

“The relationship between my daughter and my family was heading down a negative-abusive path. I didn’t know what to do. It was suggested that my daughter have individual therapy. I needed to get back some control as a parent which was lost to my (almost) 12 year old. Over time, you taught me better ways to communicate with my daughter. I’ve gained confidence in my parenting (saying no and following through). Knowing I could share what was happening at home with you helped me to feel less on my own at times. Not having my husband but knowing that you and I would discuss things and you would make suggestions on how to get through a problem really helped. Your positive words helped me too; knowing I was doing something right. Now, I feel closer to my daughter. We at times fall back into our old habits but I remind myself of everything we have discussed and I am able to move forward. I focus on what I am proud of and hope she’ll realize how much I love her. Thank you for all your support. You’ve helped us as a family and you were also there for me too!”

-Mother of Tween

“My daughter and I had many differences of opinion and miscommunications. We were stuck in a vicious cycle of disappointments, yelling and sarcasm. My biggest concern was my daughter’s “lying.” I felt like if I didn’t find help we would grow apart. It felt like a WAR, a constant battle. She would roll her eyes and talk in a nasty tone. After 6 months we learned to communicate our feelings more openly. We both really came to see what it looks like from the other’s perspective. Elissa’s guidance and gentle persuasion led us to respect eachother. She taught us how to really communicate not just “talk to” eachother. The negativity has been greatly reduced/almost eliminated. I don’t know exactly what went on when Elissa was with my daughter but it was very effective! I have a new and improved vision of my daughter. I see how “good” she is and I have seen her efforts create a new relationship. It is nice to see that she really does care! I know that she understands how much I care too. Our family is peaceful, loving and supportive. She can now understand how her attitudes and behaviors effect others (and the same for me).”

- Mother of Teen

“Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to my class.  Your presentation was Inspiring.  Your interactive approach to explain the therapeutic benefits of Art Therapy was informative and FUN!  I look forward to the chance to have you speak to my future classes.”

- Kimberly Pillsbury, Psychology Professor
Georgian Court University

“We loved having your calming spirit, creative energy and expertise in using art as a therapeutic modality to reach our children.  Since many of our children come from a myriad of different situations, using art to help them express their feelings and find a voice for what they may not be able to express with words has been such a benefit to their healing process and growth.  Art creates a common platform for the children to connect with one another in a way that they may not have been able to do before.  Thank you for providing our children with this opportunity!”

- Marion Fitzgerald, Program Coordinator of the
Circle of Friends Program/CPC Behavioral Healthcare

“My tween daughter had no tools to deal with her anger and frustration. She was at a point where she was threatening to break loved objects. She even broke her spelling bee trophy! I knew I had some issues with anger and expressing frustration. I felt so bad about myself as a role model – I needed help! After 3 months many, many useful tools have become part of my daughter’s tool box of choices she makes when she feels angry or frustrated. There is barely any arguing or disagreements anymore and I attribute this to our time with Elissa – she is amazing! I am so hopeful. So happy about the choices my daughter is making. She is distinguishing subtle differences in ways of behaving. All thanks to the team work Elissa, myself and my husband have created. She is a positive, patient and optimistic force in our family!”

- Mother of Tween

“Our son was dealing with frustration and anger and needed help working through his emotions in a positive way. He also needed to grow his self -esteem. Our son has learned to openly and effectively communicate his thoughts and feelings in a positive healthy way. He is happier and more outgoing. He has found his way to voice things without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Additionally, the creative aspect of each session really boosted his self esteem and engaged and opened him up to achieving the goals we had put in place with Elissa. We are thankful for our time at Higher Art. It was an amazing resource for our son as well as for our parenting skills. We recommend this approach to any parent who feels that their child is struggling in some way. He was always eager to attend each session and we consistently saw a positive result after each one.”

-Mother of Child

“My daughter has anxiety disorder and trichotillomania. She pulls her eyelashes and eyebrows out and has trouble expressing what she is feeling. After 3 months many useful tips and ideas have helped my daughter learn to self soothe. She now has a number of different ways to try and combat her anxiety. I feel like my daughter has grown. Now, she has a much easier time expressing how she is feeling and what is bothering her.”

-Mother of Child

“You are an excellent therapist and such a beautiful person. You are so in touch with your people – both the children AND the parents. Your compassion, ability to reflect and “therapize” what we share is a polished gift and we are so fortunate to have met you. When we first came to you we were tired and scared but ready to keep going. Slowly and steadily you supported us in our journey and we will never forget this.”

- Mother of Child

“My daughter was speaking very rudely in our home, she gave us a hard time when it came to her homework and we wanted her to be more verbal about what was happening around her. He frustration would quickly turn into anger. After a few months my daughter began to speak with me about different issues that were going on at school, home, with friends, family and siblings. Now, my daughter is so verbal and able to explain what bothers her. She is in control of her actions. She thinks before she reacts. The relation between art and talking about your problems is a great way to feel comfortable in what you want to talk about. My daughter looked forward to every session and we solved alot of problems together.”

- Mother of Child

“Before coming to Higher Art there was a lot of confusion on my part in how to deal with a teenage daughter and setting boundaries. After a few months I learned that many of the issues were my own and how I dealt with circumstances. And that affected my daughter’s behavior. Now I feel more empowered on how to deal with situations that arise. Thank you Elissa!”

-Father of Teen

“I’m an “older adult,” age almost 3/4 century!  I never really pursued making art, although I love to view it, and have curated many many art exhibits…Last year I deeply felt the urge to learn how to make art, but was really afraid.  I felt it was too late.  I spoke to a friend of mine who’s a social worker, and she suggested I should try art therapy.  I researched art therapists via the internet and found you.  I have always had an interest in the arts, but as an attorney for the last 20 years, I’d felt “relegated” to the status of art “consumer.”  From an early age I loved dance, music, poetry, books of all kinds, and visual art.  However, in third grade, I’d been “scarred” by a mean teacher, and felt inadequate as a maker of art. You have been so patient, kind, supportive and giving.  I cannot thank you enough for giving me the confidence to play with the various media and to make art that I want to frame.  You are a wonderful person and a wonderful teacher.  I enjoy each session so much that the initial one hour appointments flew by too fast and I asked for an hour and a half.”

- Client (Mother & Grandmother)

“When we started at Higher Art, my daughter was struggling with OCD issues and tremendous anxiety regarding stressful family situations. There was possible self-mutilation and thoughts of this which needed to be addressed urgently. After working with Elissa my daughter was able to focus on her strengths and improve her self-confidence, rather than focus on the aspects of her life that were beyond her control. My daughter now takes challenging situations and is able to examine what she can do to help herself. She is able to reach inside and label her feelings and effectively communicate them and her needs to her family. Elissa has been invaluable in my daughter’s healing. Now, I see my daughter interacting with her siblings about these situations that were too scary to mention previously. Now, I see a confident, sassy 12 year old who takes on challenges without hesitation. She is able to voice concerns and work through many worries alone. She is able to reach out for help when she needs it and laugh about issues that used to make her tremble with fear. Elissa has been instrumental in her success.”

- Mother of Child

“Elissa presented at a program called “Art and Soul” at Temple Shalom in Aberdeen, New Jersey.  She explained how art can be used to express our emotions and how this can benefit both children and adults. We had the opportunity to create something  to express ourselves using different art materials.  All the adults who participated in the workshop thought Elissa was very professional and we all had a wonderful time.  Feedback from program participants was extremely positive. This is a sampling of what they said,  ”delightful, wonderful, informative, and fun” and they would definitely recommend her to work with their children using art therapy.”