You don't need a diagnosis to reap the benefits of drama therapy. All you need is the desire to create, play and grow.
About Us
Lara Gold, MA (she/her/hers)
Co-Founder
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After experiencing the healing power of acting in her own life, Lara became interested in finding ways to use drama for therapeutic purposes. Lara specializes in using creative modalities with communities who have experienced trauma to inspire hope and healing. She is adept at working with groups and individuals grappling with depression, anxiety, grief, sexuality, gender and body image issues. As a queer practitioner, Lara is committed to strengthening her community through resilience building and storytelling. Lara sources her background in theater, dance and drama therapy to develop healing arts-based curriculum, train facilitators and direct theater in the Greater Los Angeles area. She received her Bachelor’s degree in dance from UC Irvine, a certification in Meisner actor training from The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Drama Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies.
Aileen B. Cho, MA, LMFT, RDT/BCT, CEDS (she/her/hers)
Co-Founder
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Aileen's personal experience of growing up frequently–moving and navigating multicultural spaces and relationships have helped her develop a keen sensitivity and awareness around cross-cultural issues and the intersections between historical, intergenerational, societal and personal trauma. She is a 2nd generation, bilingual Korean-American psychotherapist and a Registered Drama Therapist and Board Certified Trainer. She earned her M.A. in Counseling Psychology & Drama Therapy at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and her B.A. in Theatre (Area of Focus in Psychology) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Aileen is a practitioner and faculty/trainer in Developmental Transformations (DvT), a past director of the iWest institute in San Francisco and a current co-faculty member of the Hot Pot Institute in Hong Kong. She is an adjunct faculty in the CIIS Drama Therapy program. Aileen has been a troupe member of the Living Arts Playback Ensemble in the Bay Area, a performer and past director of Theatre for Change at CIIS and has created, directed and consulted for countless Self-Revelatory Performances in the past decade.
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