Marilyn Hahn (Surrey, BC)
But the definition of play is elusive. While I think thinking is play, a client once declared a hockey puck to the face was play. I’ve had clients say they’re playing when daydreaming, gouging cardboard with a knife to Taylor Swift’s Cruel Summer […]. Some laugh; others weep or swear. Some paint while others generate AI collages. So then, with so many variations of play unfamiliar to my own sense of play, how am I to facilitate this healing play for each client?

Featuring artwork by Tamiko Potts (Toronto, ON), Julie Chaplin (Smithers, BC), Afsaneh Shafai (Tkaronto/Toronto, ON), Coco Huang (Vancouver, BC), and Mindy Alexander, (Ottawa, ON).

Nature’s Way
Taylor Bourassa-Wilson (Ottawa, ON)

The nature-based therapy that I ascribe to is rooted in these acknowledgments: recognizing the inherent interconnection between us and the more-than-human world, our reliance on and responsibility to the natural world, and the spiritual aspects which invariably show up when in connection with the land. 

Jenna Tregenza (St. Thomas, ON)

As art therapists, we may be working with children who are experiencing nervous system activation, climate anxiety, or other worries tied to feelings of uncertainty in a changing world. These changes, coupled with risk aversion at home, schools, and on playgrounds, means that children need risky play now more than ever to help prepare them for uncertainty throughout their lifespan

Jennifer Lee (Ottawa, ON)

Prioritizing play, both personally and professionally, became a bridge between my inner child and a wiser, evolving self, shaped by humility, growth, and ongoing learning, similar to the bridge for communication I could provide for parents and their children in the therapeutic space.

Nature’s Way
Taylor Bourassa-Wilson (Ottawa, ON)

Close your eyes and breathe. Let your breath meld with the air around you, and feel the expansiveness of your lungs match the expansiveness of the sky above. Do you have a message for the place you’re in? Share it out loud: use your voice to be with the world around you.

Nathalie Smith (Calgary, AB)

Art therapy traditionally relies on dedicated art supplies to facilitate creative expression and emotional processing. However, when working with clients who experience financial constraints, access to such materials may be limited. In these situations, everyday objects can become powerful and meaningful alternatives, serving both as creative tools and as symbolic elements within the therapeutic process.

Candice Chan Pooi Yan, MA, AThR & Natalie Kang Qian Yi, MA, AThR (Singapore)

In this familiar classroom, where early intervention (EI) professionals routinely embrace the unpredictable nature of early childhood, holding space for children with diverse needs, and guiding them toward meaningful developmental goals, today was different. For once, the focus shifted inward as these professionals were invited to explore their own emotional landscapes and replenish their psychological reserves through the creative process of art-making.

Kelsey Mathison (Clinton, ON)

Envisage reviewer Kelsey Mathison shares her thoughts and impressions about Pamela Hayes Malkoff’s new book, The Creative Cognitive Therapy Method: Combining Traditional CBT with Art Therapy for Real Change.

Nature’s Way
Taylor Bourassa-Wilson (Ottawa, ON)

The day drags on and I wish it would never end, because in this slowed pace I can feel what it means to be alive. I understand what it means to be human. My heart beat matches the honk of the geese resonating through the glade as my feet sink deeper into the sloshing mud and my body takes root where I stand.

Ninat Friedland (Toronto, ON)

Envisage reviewer Ninat Friedland shares a comprehensive review of Erica Curtis’ new book, Working with Anger Creatively: 70 Art Therapy-Inspired Activities to Safely Soothe, Harness, and Redirect Anger for Meaningful Change.

Natalie Kang Qian Yi, Yoko Choi Chi Mei, & Dr. Pamela Costes-Onishi (Singapore)

Amongst the many materials used in art therapy, masks have been used as a projective technique in exploring one’s persona, allowing one to bring to consciousness how they see themselves. As such, this offers the individuals an opportunity to engage in an exploration of self-image and identity.

Nature’s Way
Taylor Bourassa-Wilson (Ottawa, ON)

The beauty about preservation is that specific dichotomy between holding on and letting go: the flowers retain some of their vitality, all their memories, and change from what they once were. This change is what begs me to settle and become comfortable with the idea of letting go.

Rooted Storytellers
Kate Moo King-Curtis (Greater Toronto Area, ON)

As a follow-up to our first Rooted Storytellers post and to continue to excite its initiative, I have invited another group of inspiring practitioners, an art therapist, an expressive art therapist, and a fellow art therapy student to answer the following question: What do you envision for art therapy in Canada?

Featuring artwork by Sonia De Grand’Maison (Mashteuiatsh, QC), Dillon Lewchuk (Sooke, BC), Yuko Kyutoku (Acadia, NY), and Anna Leskowsky (Toronto, ON).