Karina Donald
Director, Art Therapy
Assistant Professor, Art Therapy
Department of Art Education
Karina Donald, PhD, ATR-BC, LMFT Supervisor, is an assistant professor of art therapy at Florida State University. Her research and clinical practice focus on developing culturally responsive approaches to mental health and resilience in under-resourced and underserved communities. Drawing on her experience as both an educator and clinician in the Caribbean and the United States, Dr. Donald explores how creativity, visual expression, and community engagement support emotional healing and well-being across generations. Her scholarship examines the intersections of art therapy, family systems, and trauma-informed care, with particular attention to how families and communities use artmaking and storytelling to process adversity. Clinically, she specializes in treating trauma, anxiety, and depression, with a focus on children, adolescents, and families. Across her work, Dr. Donald emphasizes the importance of leveraging community and family resources to promote resilience and healing.
Contact
Education
Ph.D., Marriage & Family Therapy, Texas Woman’s University
M.A., Art Therapy, George Washington University
B.A, Psychology, Brooklyn College
Teaching Areas
Human Development in Art Therapy
Practicum/Internship
Multicultural Issues in Art Therapy
Family Art Therapy
Research Areas
Trauma & resilience among under-served families
Arts-informed & community-based methods
Ecological & spiritual dimensions of healing
Community art therapy
Select Scholarly/Creative Works & Awards
Donald, K., Lin, C., Morgan, K., Butler, A., Bach, S., & Garcia, E. (2025). Visual metaphors of self-worth and resilience among Caribbean youth community art therapy. International Journal of Art Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2025.2548222
Donald, K., Lin, C., & Li, X. (2025). Visual narratives of resilience: Caribbean families’ coping before and since COVID-19. Family Sciences, 1(2), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/famsci1020011
Donald, K. (2025). Where healing meets method: Community art therapy in the Caribbean. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251350313
Donald, K., South, S., Durrant, L., & Holmes, T. (2024). Multigenerational resilience and self-esteem among Caribbean families. The Family Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807241257484
Donald, K., & Brock, E. (2023). Caribbean family resilience: A mixed methods arts-informed research. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 15(1), 2-23. https://doi.org/10.29034/ijmra.v15n1a1
University Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee, Florida State University (2024)
Donald, K. (2019). No man, or woman, is an island—especially on an island: Practicing art therapy in the West Indies. In A. Di Maria (Ed.). Exploring ethical dilemmas in art therapy: 50 clinicians from 20 countries share their stories. Taylor & Francis.
Dingus Keuhlen, K., Donald, K., Falbo, R., Lekuti, Y., Marrroquin, L., & Ladd, L. (2019). Stop! Collaborate and listen! A content analysis of peer-reviewed articles investigating parenting strategies for managing adolescent internet use. Contemporary Family Therapy, 42(2), 163–174. doi:10.1007/s10591-019-09510-z