About

Kit Ripley is an artist, art therapist, counselor, ordained pastor, workshop facilitator, and human rights advocate. Kit was born in the United States, and has spent more than a third of her life doing non-profit work in Thailand. While she was pursuing her MA, she completed a clinical internship in the psychiatric department at Nakorn Ping Hospital in Chiang Mai.

Kit is fluent in Thai and brings over two decades of international experience in working with adolescent survivors of trauma including sexual abuse, domestic violence, trafficking in persons, and systemic oppression.

Kit’s therapeutic approach is rooted in an asset-based biopsychosocial model of health. She uses an integrative strategy influenced by Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy, CBT, EMDR, spiritual formation, ecotherapy, systems theory, and neuroscience. Therapeutic tools include art, movement, music, games, guided imagery, enactment, and words. This creative approach is used to support sensory integration, promote affect regulation, and reinforce neural networks that contribute to emotional well-being, healthy behavior, and positive thinking.

Kit also seeks to empower Thai and expatriate leaders by offering professional development workshops in trauma-informed care, expressive arts, spiritual formation, and conflict transformation.

Education

• MA (Master of Arts) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Art Therapy Specialization, 2023, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, USA

• MDiv (Master of Divinity), 1999, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, USA

• BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Classical Studies, 1993, Bates College, Lewiston, ME, USA

Licensure

• Mental Health Counselor Associate (2024), Washington, USA

• Registered Art Therapist-Provisional (2023), USA

Specialized Training

• Nature-Based Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner (60 hours), Trauma-Informed Practices & Expressive Arts Therapy Institute (2025)

• Certified Neurographica Specialist (50 hours), Psychology of Creativity Institute (2025)

Other Qualifications

• Ordination to Christian Ministry, American Baptist Churches, USA (2002)