For Syd Hap, a graduate of Wholebeing Institute’s Certificate in Wholebeing Positive Psychology, art is an avenue for healing as well as creative expression. With a Master’s degree in art therapy from New York University, Syd combines years of in-depth clinical experience and training with her decades-long career as an artist—which included a stint as the official sculptor of Betty Boop products.

Syd was recently interviewed by Sanctuary, an online magazine dedicated to empowering and inspiring women, about her altars project created in memory of her mother. “I felt the need to concretize my grief into a tangible form that I could see and be with. There is much potential for healing when we symbolically ‘show,’ rather than just ‘tell,’ our emotional pain,” Syd says in the profile. “My spirits lifted the moment I started. I was filled with treasured memories, gratitude and appreciation as I arranged my art supplies and gathered tiny objects—photos, bits of recipes in her handwriting, cut words and images—to begin the 30-day process of transforming grief into a celebration of my mother’s life.”

 

See images of Syd’s 30 Altars for my Mother project and read the full interview here.

Syd Hap

Syd Hap

Syd Hap is a mixed-media artist and doll maker. She holds a Master’s degree in Art Therapy from NYU, is certified in positive psychology by Wholebeing Institute, and has post-graduate training in the fields of trauma and addiction. For more than 30 years, she has led art-making workshops and classes for children and adults to explore and express their creativity and imagination. Syd also brings the healing and transformative powers of art-making to those facing specific life challenges. Her broad clinical experience, along with her comprehensive skills as a creative artist, blend together to form her unique treatment approach. She provides a rich and safe environment for deep emotional exploration that helps her clients make positive and lasting changes in their lives.