Dr. Or Shalev

Dr. Or Shalev joined the faculty of the Visual Art Therapy Program in 2025, following teaching and clinical supervision experience in M.A. programs in art therapy across several academic institutions in Israel and abroad. Dr. Shalev is a visual art therapist, clinical supervisor, and active researcher, specializing in trauma and in the clinical and research-related applications of art within therapeutic processes.

Dr. Shalev completed her Ph.D. at the School of Creative Arts Therapies at the University of Haifa. Her doctoral dissertation examined the role of drawings in processing military stress experiences within an integrative group intervention for combat veterans, combining the analysis of artistic products with in-depth interviews with both participants and facilitators. She completed her M.A. studies summa cum laude, at Haifa University as well. Her thesis explored the relationship between children’s drawings of the projective task “Person Picking an Apple from a Tree” and their perceptions of parental attitudes.

Her current research focuses on the use of art as a medium for the expression, processing, and understanding of complex emotional experiences, particularly in the contexts of trauma, burnout, and well-being. Her work integrates qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, and includes the analysis of artistic products alongside interviews, self-report measures, and clinical case studies. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed international journals in the fields of art therapy, mental health, and trauma, and she regularly presents her work at conferences in Israel and internationally.

In addition to her academic work, Dr. Shalev maintains a private clinical practice in which she provides therapy and clinical supervision for adolescents and adults, following years of experience in public mental health settings. She is also actively engaged in voluntary professional service within the Israeli Association of Creative and Expressive Therapies (YAHAT). As part of her involvement, she established and led both the Student Committee and a national initiative supporting early-career therapists. Following the events of October 7, she served as the Northern Region Coordinator of the “Safe Studio” project, supporting the establishment and operation of art-based community spaces providing initial emotional support for survivors, evacuees, and military families. She also served as an academic editor of the Safe Studio Anthology, which documented therapeutic work conducted within the project. Currently, Dr. Shalev represents YAHAT in collaborations with international professional organizations in visual art therapy and contributes to fostering professional dialogue and exchange at the global level.