

ABOUT ME

Photo Credit: jjillianphotography
Welcome- I'm glad you're here.
My name is Alexa Palmer, founder and creator of Living Architecture.
I am a licensed creative arts therapist in the state of New York, Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist, and Graduate Laban Certified Movement Analyst. I also currently supervise first and second year graduate dance/movement therapy students and new clinicians. Before my career as a clinician, I was a dancer, performer, choreographer, athlete and student. I always knew, both personally and anecdotally, the possibility of deeper healing and self integration through movement.
Over the past 8 years, I have worked in inpatient and outpatient psychiatry with individuals ranging from 5 years of age to 93 years of age with a variety of different mental health concerns and strengths.
The first 4 years of my career I spent facilitating a variety of different group and individual therapy sessions to clients on inpatient units in the Bronx and in Brooklyn NY. I later transitioned and continue to work in a Partial Hospitalization Program in the Bronx, a step down day program for people discharged from these inpatient units.
I have been consistently amazed at the key role movement, body awareness, and creativity, hold within the healing and goal achievement process- whatever that process may look like.
Through movement, we can find integration of all aspects of ourselves. I look forward to working with you.
~ Alexa
Credentials
Bard College B.A
2012
Dance Performance and Choreography
French Language and Literature
Columbia College Chicago M.A
2014+2015
Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling
Graduate Laban Certified Movement Analyst
Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist
For Inpatient/Outpatient Adult Psychiatry
Teaching Assistant-ship
Embodied Education Institute of Chicago
Laban Movement Analysis 2+3
under Supervision of Stacey Hurst
2021.2022-Present
Marketing Assistant
Embodied Education Institute of Chicago
2022- Present
Professional Affiliations
Member
&
Secretary for NYSADTA
2016
New York State American Dance Therapy
Association
President for NYSADTA
2019
New York State American Dance Therapy
Association
Member
American Dance Therapy Association
New York State Chapter
2014-present
Presentations
Presented thesis research at the National ADTA Conference
2014
Guest Lecturer in Research Methods Class
Columbia College Chicago
2014
Provided in-service to Stroke Education and Support Group
New York Presbyterian/New York Methodist
2017
Facilitated didactic to Chaplain residents on use of CAT as intervention
New York Presbyterian/New York Methodist
2018
Psychiatry Grand Rounds Lectures
NYP Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
North Central Bronx Hospital
Jacobi Medical Center
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Presented didactic to psychology extern students
North Central Bronx Hospital
2020.2021.2022
Publications
Published Article
American Journal of Dance Therapy
The Lived Experience of Dance/Movement Therapists Working with Patients with Eating Disorders
DOI 10.1007/s10465-015-9198-5
2015
Article Recognition:
Recipient of the Journalism Award by
Marian Chace Foundation
2014
Published Blog
“Living Laban” for the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago
2019
Published Chapter
From Ember to Fire:
Igniting Your Career
Creative Arts Therapy Careers
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2141-4574
2022
Workshops
“What is Dance/Movement Therapy”
Bard College
2014
“Breaking Down Key Terminology to Build Up Practice:
A Kinesthetic Exploration of Empathy”
(with Cecilia Fontanessi, RDMT, CMA, PhD)
Gibney Dance
2019