Jacqueline Reynolds, MA, ATR-BC, LPC

Thank you for exploring my site! 
I'm an artist, art therapist, and avid crocheter in Pittsburgh, PA.

Passion to Career
I started painting when I was old enough to grip a brush, and I'm grateful that I had a Pap willing to create watercolor paintings with a squirmy, babbling toddler. While I experimented with different creative approaches, I always returned to my love of painting.  I love playing with color and balancing control with looseness and making a mess.  When I was in high school, my first significant job was at a local YMCA which doubled as a fitness center and homeless shelter.  There I was exposed to the struggles of homeless men and women in the area, which included issues of addiction, mental health, and day to day survival.  With this growing awareness came a passion for social justice, and looking ahead to further education, I became interested in art therapy as a career path to combine my love of art and desire to work in a human service field. I was privileged to be able to pursue this path and focused my work on general trauma treatment and understanding, invaluable for understanding the needs of individuals struggling to survive in an often broken world and system. I currently work as a clinical therapist at a federally qualified health center and practice privately on weekends.  

Credentials
LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor, July 2017
ATR-BC - Board Certified Art Therapist, September 2016
MA - Art Therapy, Marywood University, Scranton, PA
BA - Studio Art, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA

Artist and Art Therapist
I embrace the dual identity of an artist and art therapist, and strive to merge these interests in my artwork.  By painting realistically, I have learned to be still and present with a subject, patiently examining an individual’s surface details and subtleties, and learning what it means to see something without labeling or judgment.  This time spent together is intimate, although I can never assume I know or have authority over a painted subject.  Rather, I embrace feelings of reverence, respect, and fascination.  This method has translated metaphorically into how I strive to interact with clients during my career as an art therapist.  As I continue to work toward my own self-understanding by exploring animal personalities, I hope to emphasize that humans and non-human animals can coexist in solidarity, recognizing our shared roots and that there truly are “many lives worth living.”