ANTONIA VALDEZ - About Antonia

Renaissance Woman
Antonia Valdez

Antonia Valdez learned how to draw and paint by illustrating her children’s book series Land of Lost Socks. During COVID, she began blogging as a form of creative expression. Her articles were published in Mensa Bulletin magazine and Mensa Newsletters. She is secretary and test proctor at Mensa.

Antonia specialized in expressive art therapy at John F. Kennedy University, experimental psychology at University of California San Diego, and clinical psychology at Harvard University. As a psychotherapist, Antonia facilitated creative writing, spirituality, drawing and painting, and wellness counseling groups. She specialized in schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder, helping clients tell their stories through art and play. Antonia also provided social activities for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, witnessing them come to life through musical interaction and authentic movement.

After a traumatic brain injury, Antonia embarked on a transpersonal healing journey of psyche and soma, bridging intellect with art. She utilized her skills and expertise in expressive art therapy to heal through music by studying piano. Learning to draw with perspective helped Antonia navigate through the world that appeared distorted. She painted intuitive abstracts as a form of self expression and read the classics for intellectual stimulation. Revisiting songs she learned on guitar during childhood, helped retrieve long-term memories. Learning new songs on piano and singing in foreign languages helped improve short-term memory. Antonia made vast improvements.

Antonia is a classically trained jazz vocalist, who enjoys singing all genres of music including country, pop, R&B, Motown, blues, and rock. She engages in self-care practices with mindfulness movement, meditation, and connecting with nature. Antonia resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with her husband and their beloved cat Rocky.