About the Authors

Jane Dossick, BS, is currently working in the Psychiatric Daily Group Program, a part of the department of psychiatry of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.  As Activities Therapist, she has developed and implemented a variety of innovative approaches to various group therapies.  In her work, she emphasizes the creative arts as a therapeutic tool in helping patients to more freely express themselves.  She has more than 20 years of experience with diverse patient populations, including the geriatric and chronically ill, and has also worked with groups of physically disabled young adults to aid them in making the often difficult transition from a lengthy hospitalization to community life.  She served as co-producer of The P.O.W., a motion picture dealing with the plight of disabled Vietnam veterans.

Eugene Shea, MSW, CSW, is Assistant Director of the Consultation Center Continuing Day Treatment Program at Transitional Services of New York, Inc.  He functions as an M.I.C.A. specialist and is currently developing treatment services for the dually diagnosed.  He has held day treatment supervisory positions at other locations, including Psychiatric and Addictions Recovery Services (PARS) in Queens, New York, and Coler Memorial Hospital, New York City.  Mr. Shea has used individual and group modalities both to treat substance abusers at Jewish Community Services of Long Island, and in the treatment of psychiatric outpatients at Rockaway Mental Health Center.  Through his experience at the Kingston Learning Center, he developed many innovative techniques for working with learning disabled children; at Maimonides Institute, he continued this work with developmentally disabled children.  He is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, and continues to develop his artistic skills in the areas of painting and illustration.