OUR STORY
Your Story Matters. Let's Write the Next Chapter Together.
Born from a belief that healing happens through connection, creativity, and courage, START Creative Arts Therapy Services has been rewriting the rules of therapy since 2020.
Our Story
→ The Beginning: March 2020
START Creative Arts Therapy Services was founded by Dina Palma right before the world changed forever.
What began as an online therapy practice born of necessity quickly became something more intentional: a space where traditional talk therapy meets the transformative power of creative expression.
Dina brought her experience from working at South Oaks Hospital inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse facility, where she witnessed firsthand how the arts could reach people in ways words alone couldn't. She saw clients who felt stuck in their stories begin to move, create, and heal when given permission to express themselves differently.
→ Building Something Different
We're not your typical therapy practice.
From the start, we knew we wanted to break stigmas and challenge the rules that don't work, both in therapy and between therapists. We wanted to create a village, not just a practice. A place where creatives, artists, musicians, and anyone seeking something more could find their people and their voice.
What started as one therapist's vision has grown into a team of specialized clinicians, each bringing their unique expertise in creative modalities. We've recently been approved as a CEU provider for LCATs in New York, allowing us to support not just clients but fellow therapists in their growth, too.
→ Where We Are Today
Today, START serves clients across New York State through both virtual and in-person sessions at our West Islip office.
We've built a community that values authenticity over perfection, connection over diagnosis, and courage over comfort. We're bold, honest, and we say things out loud that people are afraid to say, or that artists and creatives have said boldly without words.
OUR MISSION
We Exist To Help You Feel Heard, Seen, Safe, & Understood.
Our mission is simple but radical: to be approachable yet informative, relatable without disclosing, in your face but warm and soft.
We want to expose the arts without being cheesy. We want you to think, "They get it." We're here to highlight creatives who are doing the work and to build a therapeutic artist community that celebrates both the process and the courage it takes to show up.
→ We believe in:
Breaking stigmas around mental health, creativity, and what therapy "should" look like
Building a community where artists, creatives, and seekers find their village and sense of belonging
Inspiring brave starts for dreams you've held for years, things you've been afraid to try
Honoring your whole story with all its messy, bright, quiet, brave, still-changing parts
Making space for you to speak, move, and create freely
OUR PROCESS & APPROACH
Restorative Treatment for Stress, Trauma & Anxiety
At START, we specialize in three core areas: Stress, Anxiety, and Trauma. These can show up differently in your life, leading to struggles with mood, relationships, identity, communication, sleep, self-harm, grief, and more. We meet you wherever you are.
Our Therapeutic Foundation
We integrate evidence-based approaches with creative expression:
Internal Family Systems (IFS) for exploring different parts of yourself
Creative Arts Therapy (Art, Dance & Movement, Drama, Music, Writing)
EMDR & Trauma-Informed Care for processing difficult experiences
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for challenging patterns
Narrative Therapy for rewriting your story with intention
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for emotional regulation and distress tolerance
What Makes Us Different
We use creativity as the language of healing.
Whether through painting, music, movement, performance, or writing, we help you express what words alone can't capture.
We show up as real humans.
You won't find clinical distance here. We bring empathy, authenticity, and our whole selves to the therapeutic relationship.
We personalize everything.
Your treatment isn't one-size-fits-all. We match you with therapists who specialize in your specific needs.
We build community.
Through in-person community experiences, events, and creative projects, we foster connection beyond the therapy room.
Our Specialties
Processing difficult experiences and building resilience through creative expression
Anxiety →
Learning to manage worry, fear, and panic in ways that feel grounding and sustainable
Neurodiversity Affirming Support →
Honoring how your brain works and helping you thrive on your own terms
Honoring what you've lost while finding ways to carry it forward with you
Postpartum & Perinatal Mental Health →
Supporting new and expecting parents through the emotional challenges of pregnancy, birth, and beyond
Celebrating identity, navigating transitions, and creating spaces where you truly belong
Managing anger, depression, overwhelm, and the ups and downs of being human
Finding light in the darkness and reconnecting with what makes life feel worth living
Understanding the root of your anger and learning healthier ways to express and release it
Ready to START Something New?
You don't have to do this alone. You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to begin.