Lucia Capacchione

Lucia Capacchione (1937-2022) was an Italian-American psychologist, art therapist, artist, designer, and author. She authored over twenty books focused on child therapy and self-help, achieving bestseller status. A significant contribution of hers was the development of art therapy techniques, notably the use of 'writing and drawing with the non-dominant hand,' first detailed in her book 'The Power of Your Other Hand.' She also developed methods for inner child work and whole-brain integration through art. Capacchione's career included directing a Head Start program during the War on Poverty and consulting for Walt Disney Imagineering. Her legacy is continued through the Dr. Lucia Capacchione Institute Inc., dedicated to her therapeutic methods.

Capacchione developed several influential therapeutic approaches, including the Creative Journal Method, Inner Child Reparenting Method, Whole-Brain Two-Handed Method, Body-Mind Healing-Arts Method, and Visioning Method, all established in the mid-to-late 1970s and early 1980s. Her discovery of utilizing the non-dominant hand for writing and drawing emerged from a personal period of illness and misdiagnosis in 1973, leading her to express herself through sketchbooks and journals. This method was further explored in her book 'The Power of Your Other Hand' (1988) and her work on inner child recovery, 'Recovery of Your Inner Child' (1991), highlighting the potential for self-healing and accessing inner wisdom through these expressive arts techniques.

Early in her career, Capacchione served as a trainer for the American Montessori Society and later as a Child Development Supervisor for Catholic Charities. She directed a Head Start program, contributing to President Johnson's War on Poverty, and produced documentaries on learning. Her professional reach extended to consulting for Walt Disney Imagineering from 1983 to 1993, where she collaborated with designers on theme park projects. Capacchione was an active member of professional organizations such as the American Art Therapy Association and the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, underscoring her commitment to the field.

Born in Los Angeles in 1937 to Italian immigrants, Lucia Capacchione's early life included exposure to the arts through attending performances at venues like the L.A. Philharmonic. She began formal art training at the Otis Art Institute at age 13. Her academic journey included a Bachelor of Fine Arts and English Literature from Immaculate Heart College, a Master's in Psychology and Art Therapy from Goddard College, and a PhD in Psychology from Summit University of Louisiana. She graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in 1955, the same year as classmate Mary Tyler Moore.