The vision of Creative Crisis Care is to create an environment of comfort and self acceptance during periods of recovery from crisis, substance abuse and mental health issues through the arts. It's our wish that participants recognize that they are the best experts on their own lives. We offer unique solutions through interactive games, role playing, and the arts, including theater, movement, mime, writing and fine arts interlaced with engaging discussion. These fun and uplifting workshops and theatrical presentations are available for mental health facilities, schools, colleges and churches. Janet Berkowitz, the founder, is a peer specialist who has designed and facilitated programs for over 40 years based on her lived experience with addiction and mental health disorders as well as her talents as a mime, director, dancer and artist.
Creative Crisis Care workshops are experiential events that rely heavily on the arts and role playing to uncover the patterns that lead to crisis and the tools that guide us safely through difficult times. We are looking to put a creative spin on recovery to keep it fresh and motivating. Read More...
Ours is a theater of the heart, where performance is the process, not the goal. We offer mime pieces and skits regarding mental health issues, addiction and severe depression. Some of the work is interactive during which audience members become actors and decide best outcomes Read More...
Ongoing classes deal with crisis related issues by breaking them down into workable parts. First we build a strong foundation by designing a wellness toolbox to fall back on during difficult times. Then we study the triggers and signs that lead to crisis. Safe and creative ways to move through actual crisis Read More...
"Janet Berkowitz is a beacon of light in this world. There is saying that goes, “Where angels fear to tread.” There is a reason why “angels” fear to tread into the realm of mental health, especially with regard to suicide awareness and prevention. Very few experts in this world can successfully navigate and cross-pollinate within the realms of therapy, spirituality and artistic expression. Janet does this effortlessly and what she practices in her Suicide Awareness groups goes beyond mastery of the subject; it is nothing short of Angelship."
Michael Shoeman, Director - Karmic Margin Call Project
“I am amazed at what Janet has to offer.”
Maria Kirchner - Chief Clinical Psychologist, NJ Deptartment of Health
"Janet and Phil are talented and creative facilitators who took on the challenging subject of suicide and presented it in a way that was as entertaining as it was profound. The cooperative exercises were fully engaging and helped us to better understand each other and ourselves in new and amazing ways."
Cindy Gambrill – Manager of Riverbank Self-help Center
“It is with great pleasure that I commend Janet Berkowitz for her professional competence and excellent ability to work effectively with others. In my capacity as Director and founder of Footlights Drama Workshop, I have found Janet to be an excellent teacher and coach of children of all ages. She is extremely creative and innovative, bringing new and exciting material to our workshops.”
Bobbi Blumenthal, Director - Footlights Drama Workshop
"...patients in the Dual Diagnosis Program, with whom Janet has had contact, have been consistently positive and highly complimentary of her efforts. Any individual who is able to secure such consistent positive regard from the patients, has my greatest admiration and my sincerest recommendation."
Greg McBride, M,Ed., CAC, Coordinator - Dual Diagnosis Program at Carrier Foundation
"Janet Berkowitz put on a wonderfully enlightening, informative, and upbeat workshop entitled 'Creative Communication Builders – Taking Suicide Out of the Closet.' Although the topic is certainly somber, no one should prevent themselves from attending for that reason. Janet’s calm, soft way of speaking is very comforting and puts the participants at ease so that they can share in a warm and accepting environment. I found the activities of the workshop to be varied in nature. Several quiet activities mixed with active ones made the whole experience interesting. The most astounding part is that, during the physical activities, the participants were actually laughing out loud, moving around and having a good time. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while!"
Maureen Falkowitz, Program Director - Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Colts Neck, NJ.
“The creative energy and realism that you have put into your workshop flows through everyone that participates. The clients that have been lucky enough to be part of your recovery workshop have thoroughly enjoyed it. You have the ability to enhance the senses and reach their innermost selves. That is truly beneficial to their treatment.”
Lynn Marie Bowers, CAAP, Recreation Coordinator – Today, Inc. Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center
"....You displayed admirable courage during your mime pieces as you expressed the often tumultuous feelings encountered during the experience of mental illness. It was clear that your performance touched the audience in a manner not achievable through a verbal description of one's illness. In addition, your message of hope that was clearer than any conveyed through the spoken word."
Kimberly Deneka, Assistant Director - Mental Health Association of Monmouth County
“I just wanted to say thank you. I was at the suicide prevention talk you did on Feb 28 at St Marys in Colts Neck for DBSA. I had just gotten out of the hospital that afternoon because I wanted to commit suicide. Your program helped me to realize that I had no reason to be ashamed because I wanted to end it all.”
Regina - Member of Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (Colts Neck, NJ)