Education
- DSW, Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work 1999.
- MSW, Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work 1987.
- BA Sociology SUNY Oneonta, 1984.
Areas of Interest
Group work in social work, Practice research, Creative innovations in social work practice
Biography
Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte is an Associate Professor at Barry University. She received her MSW in 1987 and DSW in 1999, both from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York, where she taught until 2007, having earned the rank of Associate professor. Before coming to Florida, Dr. LaPorte was an Associate Professor at Lehman College (CUNY) until 2013. She joined the faculty at Barry University as an adjunct in 2014 and as a full-time faculty member in 2015. With over 28 years of teaching experience, she is a seasoned educator and expert in her field. Since coming to Barry University, she has taught various courses, including human development, advanced clinical practice with groups, families, and individuals, Models of clinical Intervention and Evaluation of Clinical Practice in the MSW program, and Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in the Ph.D. program. In addition, she has created and taught a unique course on intermodal and Integrative expressive arts and trauma-informed interventions in the DSW program.
Dr. Heft LaPorte has completed her Level 1 and 2 certificate program with the Expressive Arts Florida Institute (EAFI) and holds a prominent position as the Co-Chair of Membership on the Board of the International Association of Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA). She is also a member of the International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) and teaches at the Florida Institute for Group Facilitation (FIGF). Furthermore, she is a member of the Association of Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE).
Dr. Heft LaPorte is passionate about bringing multimodal and intermodal expressive arts into her teaching, making it accessible to students with diverse interests, abilities, and identities. She offers biweekly open studio expressive arts workshops at Barry University, co-sponsored by the Office of Accessibility Services, the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, and the school of Social work.
Dr. Heft LaPorte has an impressive list of publications and research, having authored, and co-authored 29 articles on group work, social work practice and catastrophic events, HIV and sex education, domestic violence, social work in health care, and the Cuban Jewish Community. Her research extends to the Jewish community both in and outside of Cuba, and she works with students with disabilities and expressive arts. She is also the author of a book of art and Poetry called Digital Healing. Her dedication to promoting healing and wellness through artistic expression is evident through her active engagement in efforts to create community partnerships between academicians, health and mental health professionals, and artists from various disciplines.