About Maia Akiva, (she/her), Social Emotional Arts Facilitator
Maia Akiva is a professional speaker, trauma-informed trainer, and a writer in Los Angeles. Her unique approach encourages audiences to embrace their relationships with their emotions and feelings as a path to better mental health. She is a Social Emotional Arts Facilitator and Certificate Holder from the Arts & Healing Initiative program at UCLA.
She is the creator of Mental Health + Creativity a service that offers a unique mental health programming and content. She wrote and created a Mental Health, Addiction and Trauma Creative Writing Curriculum Guide that is being facilitated in Treatment Centers, and in Youth programs, after-school programs in partnership with kid-grit.
Some of her clients includes: Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Center, Resilience Treatment Center for Mental Health, Sanctuary Treatment Center, Forward Recovery, 826LA, CalSac and many more.
She is now training teachers, therapists, writers, mental health staff and organizations on her Mental Health, Addiction and Trauma Creative Writing curriculum. And facilitating “Mental Health Tune-Ups and Team buildings” events for staff, colleges, and groups. And she is partnered with kid-grit to bring the Writing for Wellness program to school and after-school staff.
She is working on building a longer Mental Health and Creativity immersive experience for groups and organizations.
Come say hi at: www.maiaakiva.com
Calming Anxiety Through Writing for Mental Health, Addiction and Trauma
Despite the growing popularity of alternative therapeutic approaches such as Art Therapy, Meditation, and Yoga in treatment centers, creative writing remains an underutilized yet powerful tool for healing. Writing has long been recognized as a means of self-expression, emotional processing, and trauma recovery, yet it is rarely integrated into treatment programs.
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In this interactive presentation, Maia Akiva will share her experience developing and facilitating creative writing groups for individuals navigating mental health challenges, addiction, and trauma. Drawing from a decade of work in various treatment settings, Maia will discuss how creative writing can be a transformative modality, providing clients with a unique space for self-exploration and emotional release.
Participants will not only gain insight into the benefits of creative writing as a therapeutic practice but will also engage in experiential exercises drawn from Maia’s curriculum. Through hands-on participation, attendees will explore how writing can be used effectively in clinical and group settings to foster healing, self-awareness, and resilience.
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This session is designed for clinicians, therapists, counselors, and anyone interested in expanding their therapeutic toolkit. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and a deeper understanding of how creative writing can complement traditional treatment approaches, offering clients an additional pathway toward recovery and emotional well-being.
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Learning Objectives:
1. Explain Mental Health, Addiction and Trauma creative writing
2. Identify the benefits of Mental Health, Addiction, and Trauma creative writing when working with clients and groups especially with Anxiety.
3. Experience examples of Mental Health, Addiction, and Trauma creative writing
Where you can see my presentation:
California Pathways to Practice Symposium, Virtual Speaker Series
Friday, November 14, 2025
8:00 am to 9:30 am Pacific Time
This event is intended to be accessible to all. If financial barriers would otherwise prevent your attendance, please reach out to Robyn@alignedcarecenter.com to discuss financial accommodations. For other accommodations, please click here for more information.
We extend our gratitude to the sponsor of this presentation for making it possible for us to compensate the speaker and make this event accessible. ​
