About our founder

Mike Fogel, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, an art therapist, licensed professional counselor, and author passionate about children, parenting, and playfulness in therapy. Inspired to create a better world, Mike innovated award-winning child therapy programs and businesses: The Art of Friendship Social-Coping Program® (2000), Child and Family Art Therapy Center (2007), Camp Pegasus (2013), and the BetterWorld Affordable Art Therapy Program (2019). In 2006, he received the “Innovative Application of Art Therapy Award” and opened The Child and Family Art Therapy Center (CFATC) the following year.

In recent years, Mike noticed there weren’t many Art Therapy practices specializing in treatment for adults in the Philadelphia area. He and his child-therapy team were often referred parents, grandparents, and young adult clients who had a hard time finding the support they needed. This gap in services revealed an opportunity to create a world-class environment for adults to benefit from Creative Arts Therapy — and for adult-focused Creative Therapists to work. As always, Mike was idealistic in his desire to create the ultimate space for clients to heal and for therapists work. This practice is the realization of this vision.

More About Mike:

Mike treats a wide range of childhood emotional-behavioral challenges at his private group practice. Since 1995, Mike cultivated a specialty in social skills group therapy with neuro-diverse children with High Functioning Autism, ADHD and learning differences. The unique needs of this population stimulated Mike to create a comprehensive program and author a book, The Social-Emotional Guidebook: Motivate Your Child to Master Social & Emotional Coping Skills (2020). The program teaches young people social and emotional coping-skills and the Guidebook enables parents and professionals to support and reinforce skill development.

Mike is involved in lay and clinical education. He was as an adjunct professor and clinical supervisor at Drexel University’s graduate Art Therapy program for years. You’ll find Mike presenting at conferences and workshops around the country. His community service included volunteer positions on the board of directors of the Asperger & Autism Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association. Presently, Mike is thrilled to fulfill his dream of disseminating his loving and creative lessons worldwide through publication and presentation.

Mike lives outside of Philadelphia, PA with his wife, two children, and Penny the Shih-Tsu. He loves comic books, progressive rock music, all things comedic, college basketball, and his Philadelphia Eagles.