Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte: Transforming Lives Through Expressive Arts and Education
Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte is an expressive arts facilitator with extensive training in the field. She completed 220 hours of training at the Expressive Arts Florida Institute in 2020 and further refined her skills in 2022 as a Community Service Wellness Initiative (CSWI) Guide through the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA), where she also serves as Co-Chair of Membership.
Dr. LaPorte is an Associate Professor at Barry University and has a strong academic background, earning her MSW and DSW from Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She has made significant contributions to the curriculum, particularly in trauma-informed interventions using expressive arts. In 2023, she received the Social Work Educator of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers – Florida Chapter (NASW-FL).
Her mentorship extends to graduate assistants, and she conducts virtual self-care sessions for students. Dr. LaPorte is dedicated to community service and has offered expressive arts support groups to LGBTQIA+ individuals. She has also authored peer-reviewed articles and a book of poetry and digital art titled ‘Digital Healing.’
Dr. LaPorte’s goal is to bridge academia, healthcare, and marginalized communities through her initiatives. She envisions expanding the use of expressive arts in education and community-based programs, aiming to depathologize silence as a form of expression.
Her personal practice involves daily engagement in visual arts and writing, serving as a form of mindfulness and emotional self-care. Dr. LaPorte emphasizes the universality and transformative power of expressive arts and encourages its integration into various settings.
She invites individuals to explore the expressive arts opportunities offered by Barry University’s School of Social Work. Dr. LaPorte views her work in expressive arts as a calling and a lifelong passion.
L-R: Heidi facilitating an open studio and group work classes.
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