Biography

Shoshana Simons, Ph.D., RDT is Professor and former Program Chair of CIIS’ M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Expressive Arts Concentration. She teaches Family and Couple Dynamics, Multicultural Counseling and the Therapeutic Relationship, and Narrative Expressive Arts Family Therapy. She is a voice actor and arts-based coach and consultant with Key of Life Academy. She is also adjunct faculty at the Northwest Creative and Expressive Arts Institute, Seattle, WA, where she offers a Certificate in NarrARTive Expressive Arts Coaching. Shoshana has 35+ years of experience in community-building with peoples across dimensions of difference and similarity in many settings including with children and adults in the fields of play, education, antiracism, counseling psychology, organizational development, and community work.

Originally from London, UK, Shoshana originally came to the USA to complete a clinical traineeship at The Stone Center, Wellesley College, MA. She returned to the Stone Center in 1998 as Training Director for The Open Circle Program, training elementary school teachers and leaders to implement a ground-breaking SEL curriculum using peer-based and whole systems approaches.

Shoshana has worked as a therapist in the UK and USA and has taught in the fields of counseling psychology and intercultural relations at Goddard College, VT, University of Vermont, and Lesley University, MA. She was formerly core faculty in CIIS’ Ph.D. in Transformative Studies and M.A. in Transformative Leadership programs.

Shoshana’s scholar-artist-practitioner interests include narrative and systemic expressive arts practices, indigenous healing traditions, expressive arts in coaching and leadership, expressive arts in medicine, participatory action inquiry, and arts-based research methods.

Education

M.A. in Sociology and Social Policy, London Metropolitan University, UK.

M.A. in in Human Development, The Fielding Graduate Institute, CA.

Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems, The Fielding Graduate Institute, CA.

Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) Omega Transpersonal Drama Therapy Program,Boston, MA

Certificate in Holistic Coaching, Wisdom of the Whole Coaching Academy.

Publications

Simons, S and E. Abell (2000) How much can you bend before you break? an experience of using constructionist consulting as a tool for organizational learning in the corporate world European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 9(2). 159-175

Seigle, P, Sankowski, L and Simons, S (2003) How can we foster respect within school communities? Opening the circle in Perspectives. Massachusetts Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Boston, MA

Simons, S. (2008) Transforming paralysis into action using drama therapy Dramascope Vol 29, No. 2

Simons, S. The heart of hearing: a story of transformative leadership & sustainable development in a small New England city in ReVision: Special Issue on Transformative Leadership pp 63-69 Winter 2010 Vol30 (3 and 4)

Simons, S. Ripples across the pond in Context: Journal of Family Therapy October 2010 No. 11

Simons, S and R. Gafni (2013) Fine tuning the listening heart: weaving together the teaching of Jewish ethics & socioemotional learning (Ed.) Kress, Jeffrey Growing Jewish Minds, Growing Jewish Souls: Promoting Spiritual, Social and Emotional Growth in Jewish Education. NYC: URJ Press

Simons, S. (2013) Temenos in the Tenderloin: Transpersonal drama and expressive arts therapy in an inner city church-based community The Heart and Soul of Psychotherapy: A Transpersonal Approach through Theater Arts ed. Linden, S. Trafford Press

Simons, S (2022) Narrative Expressive Arts Therapy in Handbook of Expressive Arts Therapy, (Ed.) Malchiodi, Cathy. Guilford Press

Simons, S Pebbles in the Mayyim Hayyim in Context 183 October 2022 Exploring Jewish identity in systemic practice (Eds. Hughes, C., S. Harris) Association of Family Therapy, UK

“I Don’t Know But Together we Do! Narrative Expressive Arts in Counseling, Coaching & Community Building eds. Drake, Danielle and Shoshana Simons Autonomous Press (forthcoming publication, January 2025)

Podcasts

Shoshana Simons, Interview with Will Sherwin, MFT, San Francisco, Bay Area  
Narrative Therapy Network

Shoshana Simons, Interview with Andy Cahill, The Wonder Dome  
Elevating Suppressed Truths

Danielle Drake & Shoshana Simons Interview with Reina Lombardi, The Creative 
Therapist Podcast