Indigenous kwe, contrary, kokum (grandmother), and art therapy student with over 25 years of experience and knowledge in mental health, education, and child welfare. I am carried by my culture and traditional knowledge in all that I do and work from this lens. Through land, art, music, and movement I help others explore self from within.

Indigenous kwe, contrary, kokum (grandmother), and art therapy student with over 25 years of expe... Read More

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Hello,

My name is Véronique Bélanger, and I accompany individuals on their path of self-discovery, healing, and transformation. As a WHEAT student in Art Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy, a Registered Social Worker, a member of the Ontario College Social Worker and Social Service Worker (OCSWSSW), a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW), and a student member of the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA), I bring together professional training with a deep commitment to holistic healing.

I believe each person carries an inner wisdom waiting to be expressed. Through art, movement, writing, sound, and creative exploration, I witness and support individuals and groups on their journey towards reconnecting with themselves, releasing what no longer serves them, and discovering their resilience.

If you feel called to explore your inner world through art and healing, I warmly invite you to reach out and join me in a session that will be safe and free of judgment, bringing forward curiosity, creativity, and compassion. __ Bonjour,

Je m’appelle Véronique Bélanger, et j’accompagne les personnes sur leur chemin de découverte de soi, de guérison et de transformation. En tant qu’étudiante au WHEAT en art-thérapie et en thérapie par les arts expressifs, travailleuse sociale inscrite, membre de l’Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des techniciens en travail social de l’Ontario (OCSWSSW), membre de l’Association des travailleurs sociaux de l’Ontario (OASW), et membre étudiante de l’Association canadienne d’art-thérapie (CATA), j’allie formation professionnelle et engagement profond envers la guérison holistique.

Je crois que chaque personne porte en elle une sagesse intérieure qui attend simplement d’être exprimée. Par l’entremise de l’art, le mouvement, l’écriture, le son et l’exploration créative, je témoigne et j’accompagne les individus et les groupes dans leur parcours afin qu’il puisse être en mesure de se reconnecter à eux-mêmes, se libérer de ce qui ne leur sert plus et découvrir leur résilience.

Si vous ressentez l’appel d’explorer votre monde intérieur par l’art et la guérison, je vous invite chaleureusement à me contacter et à participer à une séance sécuritaire et sans jugement, où la curiosité, la créativité et la compassion sont au cœur du processus.

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I have lived in the Pembina Valley for the past seventeen years. During that time, I worked at home raising three children, each living with neurodiversity. Once they were in school, I began working with adolescents, initially as an educational assistant and then as an addictions counsellor. I have a degree in counselling with a focus in addiction.

Six years ago, I experienced my own mental health crisis. Throughout my recovery I returned to the arts of my past, music, dance, written word and visual arts as a means to cope and then heal. As a therapist, I realized that something was missing in my training. That was when I began looking into art and therapy. I have found what I was looking for at WHEAT Institute in the area of Expressive Arts Therapy. Expressive Arts Therapy does the meaningful work of therapy using various art modalities - visual arts, movement, music, written word, drama and other imaginative forms - in a supportive setting. It is my joy to start practicing in the area.

I have lived in the Pembina Valley for the past seventeen years. During that time, I worked at ho... Read More

Second Year: Art and Expressive Arts Therapy

Lara is an Art Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy Student dedicated to providing compassionate and person-centered support to individuals on their unique paths of self-discovery and healing. With a diverse educational background in psychology and film production, Lara seamlessly integrates their passion for experimental video, photography, and collage art into their therapeutic practice, creating a dynamic and multimodal experience for their clients.

Passionate about social justice and inclusivity, Lara incorporates feminist, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed frameworks to ensure a culturally sensitive approach in their work. As an advocate and member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ and disability communities, Lara brings a profound understanding of intersectionality to their practice. In sessions, Lara prioritizes collaboration and respects each individual’s autonomy, valuing their clients as the experts of their own lives. They strive to cultivate a therapeutic environment marked by flexibility, empathy, and non-judgment, empowering clients to navigate their journeys with compassion and resilience.

Beyond their studies, Lara has professional experience in victim services, providing supportive counseling and public education to aid in trauma recovery and raise awareness about gender-based violence. Outside of their professional work, Lara enjoys participating in a book club, exploring thrift stores, building LEGO creations, and roller skating.

Lara warmly welcomes clients to connect with them for virtual sessions via Jane.

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“The answers to our questions live in story of who we are. These stories live in our body, in the land we are from, and from the way we paint the world with our expression.” - Tina Overbury

Tina is an Expressive Arts Therapist (in training), storyteller, artist and story/author coach. She works in two capacities: As an emerging Expressive Arts Therapist using expression as a path to healing, and storytelling (visual, spoken, written) and performance as a way to build resilience through connection.

​Her individual and group facilitation work is heavily influenced by the principles of circle work (Evelyn Zellerer, Peace of the Circle and Restorative justice) and Indigenous ways of knowing and being (Norm Leech, The Village Workshop and PowHERhouse). Tina is currently writing her first book, Story from The Core based on her development of twelve core stories rooted in creation stories from around the world, and her last decade of individual care and support of artists and writers. Tina offers: each of us has been entrusted with something rich and beautiful, and it is innate to the story of who we are.

She is also an artist, having created pieces for film, the stage, and publication. Most recently, she was published in Poeisis, an academic journal of Expressive Arts and Communication, and her 90 minute solo show, OMYGOD about ‘the women we burned, the babies we buried and Gods we worship’, has screened to global audiences. Her work is rooted in myth, mysticism, and always with a spirit of PLAY. Tina is a mom to three children now 15, 21 and 23 and lives on Bowen Island surrounded by trees, the ocean and wind.

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Maria-Hélèna P. B.F.A., M.A. Pronouns: She/They Second Year: Art and Expressive Arts Therapy

My name is Maria-Hélèna, and my pronouns are she and they. I’m a lifelong artist with a background in visual art, multimedia, theatre, photography, writing, movement, eco-arts, installations and music. I am also a mother/parent, caregiver and community carer. My journey brought me to art therapy because I believe in the transformative, healing and liberating potential of every artform, and that art is as natural to humans as is dreaming. As a certified yoga teacher with decades of personal practice in yoga and meditation, I incorporate body and breath-centered practices, somatic awareness, mindfulness and meditation into my art therapy and expressive arts practice.

Using the creative process combined with body-centered awareness and mindfulness, working with individuals and groups to promote wellness, cope with stress, and care for themselves and others through self-inquiry. Our therapeutic relationship would be built on trust, safety, confidentiality, and bearing witness as I accompany you on your journey to well-being, healing and growth. On the basis of affinity and lived experiences, I wish to support parents, caregivers, first responders, front-line health care workers, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodiverse and neuroqueer individuals as well as those facing mental or physical health challenges, including disability and chronic illness, and those whose identities have been historically marginalized or who do not fit into the margins.

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I gratefully acknowledge the privilege to live and practice on the traditional land of the Kanyen’keha:ka and Anishinaabemowin people under the Two Row Wampum and am committed to respectful application Indigenous solidarity, allyship and trauma-sensitive approaches to healing.

In art therapy and expressive arts therapy practice, I work with individuals and groups utilizing humanistic, anti-oppressive and mindfulness-based approaches with a social justice lens. Sessions are available online, or in-person in Eastern Ontario, and discovery meetings are available to learn more about one another and the work we might do together. I look forward to serving you.

Maria-Hélèna P. B.F.A., M.A. Pronouns: She/They Second Year: Art and Expressive Arts Therapy My... Read More

After a 20+ year career as a hairdresser and an acclaimed craftsperson, I feel Art and Expressive Arts Therapy is the perfect next step for my life journey. My background has given me a unique insight into the power of self-expression and the impact of societal expectations on our self-image. I am an unapologetically fat, neurodivergent, therapist-in-training.

I aim to provide care that is accessible to all bodies and peoples. My work is grounded in anti-racism, anti-oppression, sex-positive, 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming, and Disability justice and viewed through an Intersectional lens. I strive to be aware of my privilege while challenging the systems of oppression that surround me. I believe in creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful space where no subject is taboo.

My current focus is on weight stigma and body-trauma caused by Diet-culture. I come at this work from a Fat liberation and Health at Every Size (HAES) perspective. This work is deeply personal and as a believer in lifelong learning, I know I have many more lessons to learn on this topic, but I hope we can discover some joy for life and our bodies together.

After a 20+ year career as a hairdresser and an acclaimed craftsperson, I feel Art and Expressive... Read More

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Faith Rae is an art therapist-in-training, artist, and educator. Art has profoundly changed her life as it is her form of personal therapy. Painting, mixed media and installation have allowed Rae to explore her evolving identity and metaphorically analyze its ‘layers’ through various media. At an early age, creating art helped her gain self-confidence and a sense of purpose. Rae wants to share her gift of art by the fulfillment and wellness it can bring to other people’s lives. She is interested in working in the community, schools, and retirement facilities to raise awareness of art therapy. She is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and is proud to support her community in this field.

Faith Rae is an art therapist-in-training, artist, and educator. Art has profoundly changed her l... Read More

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Brigitte Watts is a 57-year-old matriarch of the Nisga’a Nation from Gingolx, BC, known by her hereditary name, W̓ii nimhoon, meaning “Big Salmon Lady.” Currently residing in Terrace, BC, she works as an employment and training coordinator at K5T System LP and is completing her practicum in Expressive Arts and Art Therapy, focusing on land-based methods rooted in traditional Indigenous practices.

As a devoted mother and grandmother, Brigitte actively supports her elderly mother and guides her family in preserving their cultural practices within the Nisga’a maternal house system. A recognized leader in her community, she is known for her ceremonial practices and connections to spirituality and land-based healing.

Brigitte has overcome personal challenges, including addiction and trauma, leading her to a profound healing path. She has been mostly clean and sober for over 21 years. Passionate about exploring the connection between therapeutic expressive arts and Indigenous healing ceremonies, she believes these methods are vital for the well-being of Indigenous peoples, emphasizing love, honor, and respect in the healing process.

Brigitte envisions a future where land-based healing techniques are aligned with scientific therapeutic methods, fostering a world where Indigenous spirituality is respected and integrated into daily life. Her vision encourages individuals to embody their cultural heritage, fostering a more inclusive and harmonious society where spirituality and psychological well-being coexist.

Brigitte Watts is a 57-year-old matriarch of the Nisga’a Nation from Gingolx, BC, known by her he... Read More