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.