About Us
The Arts & Wellness Program
The Arts & Wellness Program is an innovation project, prescribing the “Arts as Medicine”.
Following a standard Arts on Prescription model, and based in the Social Determinants of Health, The Arts & Wellness Program connects clients to active and receptive arts education and creative experiences – addressing their specific mental health needs and increasing equitable access to Trauma Informed arts & cultural activities.
Program Mission
The Arts & Wellness Program offers individualized Trauma Informed and Social Emotional Learning Arts-based recovery support for individuals with mental illness, and/or experiencing issues related to surviving or witnessing trauma.
By establishing a tested, data-informed framework for community sourced, arts-based interventions, The Arts & Wellness Program will increase points of access to Trauma Informed and Social Emotional Learning Arts education and creative activities for transitional-age youth throughout Ventura County, with significant potential for integration into existing Ventura County systems of care.
Meet the core team
The Arts & Wellness Program is powered by the creativity of our dynamic team of artists.
Nicole Taylor: Founding Director of The Arts & Wellness Program, Arts & Wellness Coach, Program concept, development & management
Mineli Arakelian: Arts & Wellness Coach, Administrative liaison for Music Matterz Music Therapy Practice, Arts Prescription design
Ellie Barakat: Arts & Wellness Community Network Artist, UX/UI design, Arts & Wellness Program app development, Program workflows, Graphic planning
Kate Webb Berk: Arts & Wellness Coach, Remote Arts Prescription design
Sonja Busum: Administrative assistant, Billing & accounts
Jill Covell: Arts & Wellness Coach, Marketing & PR, Arts Prescription design
Cory Hills: Arts & Wellness Community Network Artist; Curriculum design, Stakeholder asset mapping, Onboarding workflows
Eddy Jimenez: Arts & Wellness Coach, Arts Prescription design
Arcelia Martinez: Arts & Wellness Community Network Artist, ADA Compliance, Translation, Program documentation
Maria Mayo: Arts & Wellness Coach, Program documentation, Arts Prescription design
Katrina Pineda: Arts & Wellness Coach, Website design, Branding, Arts & health research, Remote Arts Prescription design