Professional Background

Since 1997, I have worked as a certified Expressive Arts Therapist (ExAT) in various capacities, addressing diverse challenges and aspirations. Throughout my career, I have remained dedicated to integrating creative approaches to support individuals in their mental health and personal growth journeys, fostering positive change within psychotherapy and educational contexts. With extensive experience, I am passionate about working with individuals and groups.
     My path into psychotherapy has been deeply personal. During my pre-adolescence, my family embarked on weekly family therapy for three years, which seeded my inclination to the helping profession. Later, I discovered Expressive Arts Therapy (ExAT) and became fascinated with its transformative and nourishing potential. 
     I was lucky to study directly with the foremost ExAT pioneers like Shaun McNiff, Paolo Knill, Natalie Rogers, Stephen Levine, Daria Halprin, Yaakov Nahor, Paul Newham, Margo Fuchs Knill, and others. I was also fortunate to delve further into the realm of therapy, working under the guidance of Fran Harwood, a co-founder of the CREATE Institute, Toronto (previously ISIS-Canada), the first Expressive Arts Therapy program in Canada. 
     I graduated from the CREATE Institute, Toronto, and the European Graduate School, Switzerland, where I earned a Master's in Expressive Arts Therapy with a minor in Psychology. I'm completing my Ph.D. and dissertation, exploring the intersection of traditional theories of personality and psychotherapy with the transformative potential of engaging the imagination and creative expression.
     My professional journey led me to co-found CREATE, Vancouver, and later establish the first Expressive Arts Therapy Certificate Program in British Columbia through an affiliation with Langara College. I served as a core faculty member for eighteen years, coordinating and team-leading the program while teaching courses such as ExAT: Movement-based, ExAT: Visual Arts-based, and ExAT: Personality Theories and Implications. Additionally, I facilitated Introduction to ExAT one-day workshops, fostering an environment of self-development and creativity.
     Drawing from my experiences, I've developed a profound therapeutic appreciation for movement and enactment, which guides my intermodal practice within my studio office. Beyond private practice, the intermodal facilitation with individuals and groups is usually centred on visual arts and creative writing. Finally, the creative psychological exploration and shaping remain fluid, dynamically adapting to the unique context and individual needs. 
     My work fosters healing, cultivating inner and outer movement, and lays the foundation for profound personal transformation and improved reciprocal connections with one's surroundings.