Meet Isabel & Hollis!

We are Isabel Shanahan (RDT, LCAT) & Hollis Witherspoon (RDT, LCAT), licensed Creative Arts Therapists, Retreat Leaders, College Professors, and passionate expressive arts facilitators! Both graduates of NYU’s Drama Therapy Masters Program, we met while working closely together at a group clinical practice in Brooklyn, NY. In the process, we discovered a shared desire to work with women and impact meaningful change through creative expression. We developed Creative Women Retreats in order to foster intimate, transformative, and creatively-minded experiences for women of all ages, backgrounds and life stages. In the process, we discovered a fluid partnership, love of cooking, nature-bathing, wandering, creative expression, listening to stories, yoga/meditation, and leaning into humor and vulnerability in our group work.

Isabel (she/her) is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist in NY State, specializing in Creative Arts Therapy and EMDR. Isabel is also an adjunct professor at New York University. She has a background in community theatre making and is a passionate nature enthusiast, including camping, hiking, bonfire making, climbing, skiing, and quiet reflection.

Hollis, (she/her) is a Licensed Creative Arts (Drama) Therapist in NY State with a private practice specializing in Drama Therapy, Psychodrama, and EMDR. She is also an adjunct professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Hollis has an extensive performance background as a theatre and film actor and improv teacher for health, wellness and artistic practices. She adores hiking anywhere in nature, swimming in the ocean, watching comedy, making her way through stacks of library books, baking delectable treats, and traveling the world with her family.

Get in touch - we'd love to hear from you and learn more about how CWR can collaborate with you!