Laura Greenstone was a force beyond words who accomplished great works with passion and wit. She was a warm, loving, and creative woman, kind towards all those she encountered. Despite living with invisible disabilities caused by chronic disease, Laura chose to live her life to the fullest and help others overcome adversity. Laura believed strongly in the pleasure and power of art.
As an art therapist, Laura worked to advance the role of trauma-informed counseling in domestic violence and disaster response and recovery. She was the author of many professional publications, lectured in the United States and Europe, and received national and international recognition for her achievements. Laura worked for the last 20 years at Amanda’s Easel, the creative arts program of 180 Turning Lives Around. She impacted countless lives through her work as an art therapist and trauma counselor.
Recently Laura created ‘Artists for Common Humanity’ a self-organizing online artists community for anyone interested in regaining empathy, compassion, and morals in today’s world. Laura wished for this to become a gathering space for artists to engage in civic life and promote human decency. She also embarked on what she termed “A Year of Funny” where she engaged in writing, a study of stand-up comedy, and film-making as a way of capturing the absurdity, irony, and humor of life.
Laura tackled her own medical challenges with grace, strength, and resilience. She was the recipient of a double-organ transplant in 2006 and encouraged everyone to become an organ donor. In one of her recent lectures on Medical Art Therapy, Laura ended by encouraging everyone to “give life and donate.”
A celebration of Laura’s life is planned for a future date. To honor Laura there will be “A Year of Laura” in which friends and colleagues will advance her work and preserve her legacy. Per Laura’s wishes, a scholarship for Masters-level African-American and Afro-Caribbean students in Art Therapy will be established. Donations can be made in Laura Greenstone’s name for this scholarship to the American Art Therapy Association [https://arttherapy.org/]. With this scholarship her kindness, intellect, energy, passions, and compassion will live on.
Laura will continue to be loved and cherished forever by her husband Jack Harris, her mother Joyce Cooper, her father Stephen Edelstein, her brother David Edelstein and all who knew her.
Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels, Ocean, handled all arrangements.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18