About
Cynthia Gustavson, ACSW, LCSW
Cynthia is one of the nation’s original and premier psychotherapist’s who uses poetry in therapy. A professional poet, she discovered that the reading and the writing of poetry, as well as journaling, helped her understand her own life, process what she was experiencing, and heal from emotional wounds. She has written journal articles and books about the subject, as well as conducting workshops and retreats using poetry in therapy in LA, MN, OK, OR, IL, SC, FL and MN, as well as in Sweden, and at the world famous Hilton Head Health Institute in Hilton Head, SC. She has presented regional workshops on the use of poetry in working with gifted and talented children, as well as teaching the concept and practice of poetry therapy at the University of Oklahoma’s Psychiatric Grand Rounds. Her “In-Versing Your Life” workbook series guides a client (reader) into reading , and then responding in writing, to different life issues. The six books deal with: Self-Discovery and Healing, Spiritual Issues, Chronic Pain, Eating Disorders, Children’s issues, and Teen issues.
Cynthia also has extra training at a Christian Seminary in order to discuss and deal with client’s many spiritual questions dealing with value systems, responses to bad things happening to good people, and anger with God over client’s own lives. Her office is in First Lutheran Church in Tulsa. She is comfortable working with all faiths, as well as agnostics and atheists, using a non-judgmental approach.
Cynthia began as an elementary school teacher, is married to a pediatrician and is the mother of two grown children. She uses art therapy as well as poetry and games with children in order to create trust and communicate in non-traditional ways. She finds that teens are especially drawn to poetry, and she uses their own poetry extensively in therapy. However, there is a large population that does not feel comfortable writing, and she honors that, and uses different therapies with them.