Join us to learn how to include art, music, and writing into your work with clients. Sarah Heath from UAB Arts in Medicine, Aria Mandt, MT-BC from UAB Music Therapy, and Steve Mason, LPC-S, ADC will be presenting.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to describe core principles of Arts in Medicine practice and summarize how these approaches support wellbeing, emotional processing, and resilience in medical and mental health contexts.
2. Participants will be able to participate in and reflect on an arts-based experiential activity, identifying at least one way such practices could be ethically and appropriately adapted for use within their professional scope of practice.

3. Explain how music impacts emotional regulation, memory, and the nervous system in therapeutic contexts.

4. Identify at least three music-based interventions appropriate for individual, group, or family therapy

5. Explain the therapeutic benefits of writing and journaling for emotional regulation and cognitive processing.

6. Identify structured and unstructured journaling techniques for use in therapy and between sessions.

Each portion will be one hour with a 5-minute break between sessions. There will be a Q & A session at the end of the workshop.

Requirements for the workshop for CE requirements–Cameras must remain on the entire time during the presentations and an evaluation must be completed at the end.

Any questions can be emailed to info@newdirectionweb.com

Speaker Bios

Aria Mandt has been a board-certified music therapist since 2015, after earning her BM in music therapy from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. She relocated to Birmingham and became part of the UAB Medicine music therapy team in March 2016. Over the past decade at UAB, Aria has taken on various roles, including internship supervisor, presenter, and clinician, serving nearly all UAB Hospital’s inpatient populations. In 2017, she obtained her NICU-MT certificate to offer specialized music therapy services to the delicate neonatal population, continuing her work in UAB’s Level IV NICU ever since. Most recently, in August 2022, Aria transitioned to the position of Music Therapy Clinical Specialist. In this role, she serves as Internship Director, provides both formal and informal mentorship to colleagues, and plays a vital role on the Rehab Services Education Committee, focusing on clinical education and development within the music therapy department. As of 2025, Aria additionally serves as co-chair of the Alabama Music Therapy State Task Force, committed to increasing advocacy and access to music therapy services in the state of Alabama.

Sarah Heath received her BFA from the University of Kansas, her MFA from the University of Georgia, and her MSW from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Sarah works as an Artist in Residence for UAB Arts in Medicine, in addition to that Sarah has been on faculty in the Department of Art and Art History at UAB since 2016 and is also a Program Therapist at Accanto Eating Disorder Recovery Centers. Both in her clinical practice and in her classroom, Sarah is a true believer in the power of art to aid in discovery and in healing. Sarah is committed to
serving her community through volunteering and outreach. She has led classes, lectures, workshops, and community outreach through the arts at Utah State University, Auburn University, University of Tennessee, Salem Art Works, Piedmont College, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Alabama Center for Architecture, The Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Birmingham Museum of Art, Children’s Hospital, UAB Hospitals, St. Vincent Hospitals, The Dance Foundation, Sloss Metal Arts, The Interfaith Hospitality House, MAKEbhm, ArtPlay, YWCA of Central Alabama, Jesse’s Place Center for Women and Children, Camp Sawyerville, aTeam Ministries, Aletheia house, First Light Shelter, Episcopal Place Senior Living and more.

Steve Mason is a highly experienced Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), and approved Supervising Counselor (LPC-S) with more than 20 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2003) and earned his LPC in 2007. Steve provides counseling services to individuals ages 12 and older, working with adolescents, adults, and older adults, as well as couples and families, addressing a broad range of mental health, substance use, relational, and life-transition concerns.

Steve has presented at numerous professional conferences on a variety of clinical topics and regularly provides training and consultation for businesses, organizations, and nonprofit agencies. He previously served as an adjunct faculty member at Alabama A&M University and remains deeply committed to counselor education, frequently training and supervising counseling interns and clinicians in training. His passion lies in helping clients navigate life’s challenges and experience meaningful growth, while also investing in the development of future professionals in the counseling field.