Virtual Art Therapy & Psychotherapy
​($100 CAD/50 minutes)

Virtual one-on-one art therapy and psychotherapy sessions can involve just talking or barely any talking at all, depending on your comfort level and needs. Keep in mind that you do NOT need to be an artist to take part in art therapy.

  • Without making any art, we can collaboratively create space for you to share what's on your mind and potentially gain new perspectives or tools to help navigate what you're going through
  • We can discuss your thoughts, emotions, memories or stories as we explore artworks or images that I share on screen  
  • We can discuss images of art that you've made on your own time
  • You can make art while we chat or in silence to focus and then we can reflect on the artwork through writing or discussion
  • I can make art in response to what you've shared or alongside you 

Virtual sessions are currently available to individuals across Ontario.

​MY APPROACH TO THERAPY

I believe that everyone has their own inner wisdom to heal and grow. Like a plant reaching roots into the darkness  underground and stretching its leaves towards the sun, I envision the healing and growth process as a balance between fostering strength and a vision for what is possible while acknowledging, feeling, and finding ways to cope with challenging emotions and experiences. I'm interested in providing space to grow towards a vision of hope, finding meaning in life's challenges, and sharing resources and strategies to focus on beauty and peace.

I'm interested in fostering post-traumatic growth through a non-directive or co-created space that honours your innate wisdom. Everyone’s healing journey is unique and may need something different at different times, so there are many approaches that I draw upon. I'm interested in incorporating elements of mindfulness, self-compassion, eco-art therapy, parts work, positive psychology, and, of course, the power of visual art. No prior art experience is necessary to take part in art therapy! You may want to make art without much talking, you may want to talk without any art making, or any combination in between. Let's chat and see what a good fit might be for you.
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My art

I make different kinds of art, just like we can make different kinds of art in art therapy.

I make pastel drawings on a daily basis, like writing in a journal. It's a way for me to check in with how I'm doing emotionally and to slow down enough to process my emotions. I might scribble to get my anger out, draw a dream I had, or recreate an inspiring image from my daily walk or bike ride. This is often process-based art where the experience itself helps me to release or process emotions. The art may also be symbolic or metaphoric, like an image of a bird in flight representing a sense of freedom or playfulness. It can also be an affirmation of where I would like to focus my attention or what I would like to call into my life.
I use photographs as a way of noticing and appreciating the beauty that's around me. I used to take photos of specific colours, but now now I tend to look for what is beautiful or intriguing to me in the moment. Even without a camera, looking with a "photographer's eye" can help train the mind and body to focus on beauty and safety. This is a way of using art to be mindful, to help regulate the nervous system, and to train the brain to focus on more positive aspects of the world around us.
 I also make art focusing on aesthetic choices with the final product in mind, be it for for an audience in a gallery, other public space, or my own walls. I enjoy sculptural and installation art. Making art for the sake of it has many therapeutic benefits and is known as "art as therapy". It can be a way of expressing yourself, feeling a sense of accomplishment, and inspiring a sense of Flow. In the way that birds need to sing, I think we are all hardwired for creative expression!

What is Art Therapy?

"Art therapy combines the creative process and psychotherapy, facilitating self-exploration and understanding. Using imagery, colour and shape as part of this creative therapeutic process, thoughts and feelings can be expressed that would otherwise be difficult to articulate" (The Canadian Art Therapy Association, 2017).
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I believe art making is a tool that can help us to get in touch with a deeper part of ourselves, helping us to re-imagine the past and envision a brighter future. As we manipulate art materials, we can be moved in return. Through the energy of the movement, we can tap into a force and wisdom greater than our habitual thinking. Art-making can be a way to communicate when words are too challenging or fail to capture the complexity of our experiences. It can help to externalize challenges and to befriend and care for the various aspects of ourselves, such as the nurturing mother, wounded baby, superhero, or critical beast. Art expression can help us to calm and soothe ourselves, contain emotions, and tap into creative problem-solving. ​

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Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change – it can not only move us, it makes us move.  -Ossie Davis

Contact

Be in touch with any questions or comments!

(343) 305-1143
[email protected]

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/86400

If you are in crisis or need someone to talk to immediately, please go to the worldwide crisis line: www.befrienders.org
​Or if you are in Canada visit: www.crisisservicescanada.ca, call: 1.833.456.456, or text 45645.