Meet your Art Therapist, Darlene Becker
I am a registered Art Therapist with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (#16-059), and I’m a Licensed Certified Art Therapist (#10206267) in the State of Oregon.
I have lived in Bend since 2006, where I am fortunate to be able to spend a significant amount of time outdoors with my family, recreating, being active and just enjoying the beautiful nature that surrounds us. I love to spend the winter in the mountains skiing and have found a new love of the river as I am learning to surf our local river wave — reminding me it’s never to late to learn a new skill or develop a passion!
My Background
I received my Master’s Degree in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2002. Throughout my career I have worked with ages 3-25 in a variety of settings including: wilderness therapy, residential treatment, day treatment, corrections, community based programs and schools.
I enjoyed working in the school setting, which led me to get my teaching credential from California State University Monterey Bay in Special Education in 2005. I taught high school and middle school for several years and then was eager to return to Art Therapy.
In 2013, I founded a non-profit community art studio, called Base Camp Studio, where we offered individual and group art therapy as well as a variety of open-ended art experiences, community projects, events and camps.
I returned to the schools in 2019 to integrate my background in Education and Mental Health, where I currently support a tier 3 mental health intervention across K-12. This role has enabled me to receive extensive training in trauma responsive practices, brain-based regulation, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Interested in growing my skills, in 2024 I began the process of getting my LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor). I am currently a Registered Associate with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. After supervision hours are completed, I will be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Oregon .
After hearing so many parents say, “I took them to therapy but they wouldn’t talk” I decided it was time to begin Bend Art Therapy and get back to doing this work that I love. I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Bend Community in this way.
Please reach out with any questions you may have or if you’d like to learn more about the services I can provide.
Why I love to practice Art Therapy
I am honored to facilitate engagement in the creative process.
I find the process to be inspiring and empowering! I am grateful to have the opportunity to witness individuals discover things about themselves and their experience and create ways to cope, heal and grow.
I often hear parents say, “We took them to therapy, but they just wouldn’t talk.” I love being able to offer a non-verbal way for individuals to express themselves, communicate, explore and sometimes just play. The sensory experience helps us to get into our bodies and feel, rather than just think and speak. Creating something, especially within a therapeutic relationship, offers individuals a container to safely engage in the therapeutic work and to forge a path that is uniquely their own.
Creativity builds agency. By making something uniquely yours, you can break free from being stuck and actively shape your own path. No matter your age, the sheer pride of realizing, “I made that!” is a powerful feeling that can spark incredible positive momentum.
Interested in making an appointment or curious to learn more? Please send us a message and we will get back to you right away.