Autor: Vivian Nix-Early

A clinical psychologist, board-certified music therapist, educator, and musician by training, Dr. Vivian Nix-Early is the owner of a private clinical & consulting practice, and co-founded Builda Bridge International in 1997 with university colleague Dr. J. Nathan Corbitt. Builda Bridge is a non-profit 501(c)3 therapeutic arts intervention organization that has engaged hundreds of artists and the transformative power of art-making to address poverty & suffering and to bring hope, healing, and resilience to children, families, indigenous artists and communities in the USA and in more than 30 countries around the world. Dr. Nix-Early and Dr. Corbitt established trauma-informed arts-focused programs in Philadelphia»s network of homeless shelters, refugee communities and schools. In 2003, they co-authored the book Taking it to the streets: Using the Arts to Transform your Community. Dr. Nix-Early has over 30 years of experience in higher education administration and senior academic leadership, serving as the founding Dean of the Campolo School for Social Change at Eastern University in Philadelphia. Before going to Eastern University in 1995, Dr. Vivian served for 16 years as psychologist, faculty, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Interim Associate Provost at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. A woman of deep faith with a passion to see young people thrive, Dr. Vivian has been an active leader in her Star of Hope Baptist Church, providing leadership for its youth ministries beginning in 1980. Dr. Nix-Early received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from New York University in 1979, and a post-graduate Certificate in Creative Arts Therapy-Music Therapy from Drexel University in 2009. She retired from all formal administrative and teaching posts in 2017, and moved to central Florida, where she continues to write, create, consult and serve according to God»s calling.