Create Space for What is: Self-Compassion
I am beginning to realize that I cannot do it all. Writing weekly or every other week blog posts and sending weekly newsletters is not sustainable when I am working full time on top of a private practice consisting of workshops, supervision, consultation and psychotherapy. And though I have not been practicing that level of […]
Art Retreat
What happens when you bring three art therapist friends together at the cottage on a warm and beautiful weekend? Contemplative outdoor art of course! A few weekends ago I was lucky enough to be at a cottage with my 2 dear friends and colleagues who are also art therapists. We had thankfully planned this getaway […]
Creating Joy
This time of year can be daunting for many. Surrounded by invitations to find joy through consumerism. Giving, getting and satisfaction outside of ourselves can often become the focus, even when we do not want it to be. The arbitrary year-end sometimes is also a factor that contributes to a year in review, followed by […]
The Space to Create: Decluttering and Creativity
For the month of August I have been off work: no clinical work, no teaching and no workshops. Every August I take the month to rejuvenate and spend time with family. I get to spend more time in the garden, riding my bike and creating. This time, much of my creative energy has […]
Adventures in Art Journaling
Well Spring is finally here in Toronto with warm weather, sunshine and spring showers. Though I am outdoors more, I still turn to my art journaling as my main mode for inner solace. You may be wondering why I am such a big art journaling fan. It all started back even before I was training […]
Creative Inner Work and Balance
In November I held my last workshop for 2017. I was honoured to lead one of my Creative Self-Care workshops in my home studio with a full house so to speak. It was exciting to have some new and old faces join me in this self-care series. One of the things that I spoke […]
Creative Momentum
I’m feeling really inspired after our mountain bike trip to Mount Saint Anne, near Quebec City, where the UCI Mountain-bike World-Cup races were held. Even though the rest of my family are much stronger cross-country mountain bikers, and are into downhill mountain bike riding (unlike myself who will take a climb over a downhill anytime) I really appreciated taking my […]
Creative Process: the Underbelly of Self-Care
When we step into our own creative voice we step into our Self; who we are becomes strengthened by our creative connection through art making. Experimentation, letting go of outcome, and play are all aspects that allow us to come into our own creative voice. This voice is the underbelly of our authentic Self. […]
Letting Go into Creative Flow
In February I ran my Painting with Your Muse intuitive painting workshop with another wonderful group of muses. It has been five years since I began running this workshop and for more than 20 years that I have been following an intuitive process myself when painting. There is a flow state that happens when one follows their intuition this […]
Tapping into Creativity
When I was much younger, less cares, or so it seems in retrospect (but its all relative really) I use to just naturally gravitate toward activities which I enjoyed. I never carved out time for self-care, I just did it. Yes, I scheduled in massage appointments (even more than I do now) and went to […]