Welcome to The Art Hearth
Not your typical Pyschotherapy
Why come to the Art Hearth?
Perhaps you want change, but therapy hasn't worked for you in the past. Perhaps you want to re-examine who you are. Maybe you have unresolved trauma or blocks. Maybe you want to get more in touch with your creativity. You might want coaching support in a new life direction. Or, maybe you want help building a brand using a creative approach.
The Art Hearth is a place to come, get messy, open things up, try something new, re-configure your life, and play, for the sake of personal change. For all ages who are curious. Come on in!
More about the Expressive Arts
Expressive Arts Therapy was born out of the understanding of art as vital - not optional - to our personal and collective healing, well-being, and thriving. It comes from the understanding that historically, we have always been creative together, and this was an integrated part of our cultures. Those who founded Expressive Arts Therapy witnessed the therapeutic benefits of art, and the psychic, personal, and collective change that happens through art-making. Today, Expressive Arts Therapy carries influences from many lineages, including the fields of Psychology, Jungian Art Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Relational Psychotherapy, and Gestalt Therapy, to name a few. It integrates Western thought with embodied ways of knowing that were once indigenous to all of us. It is a proudly interdisciplinary field that provides an approach to psychotherapy like no other.
The Art Hearth offers both psychotherapy and coaching using expressive arts methods.
More about Therapy
You might come to therapy to:
feel more confident and empowered
work on relationship challenges
feel more authorship of your life
feel more like yourself
re-connect with your creativity
navigate a career change or life transition
manage anxiety or depression
process early childhood experiences or trauma
re-write your story
process a new diagnosis
do legacy work or process your life (palliative)
work through emotional difficulties associated with chronic pain
process dating life, sex, and / or ethical non-monogamy lifestyle
process experience as a neurodivergent, queer, female-identified, or gender-non-conforming folk
process your experience as part of another marginalized /oppressed group
...to name a few!In addition to expressive arts principles, in therapy we will draw on internal family systems, systems theory, attachment theory and developmental psychology. I will help you identify resources, methods, and strategies, as well as with identifying important and formative pieces of your story. I will support you to process, heal, change, and write your story in the ways that you want. I employ a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, anti-colonial, intersectional feminist lens.
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While diagnoses you have received may be helpful to inform our work and your needs, they will not be our primary focus, nor do I consider them something to be "treated". Rather, I take a systems approach to contextualize your experience in the present societal, cultural, relational, and personal circumstances you find yourself in, and we work from there to support you in developing sustainability, stability, empowerment, and resilience to tackle your circumstances.
Expressive Arts in Practice
In a session, we use basic, intuitive art-making techniques, re-capturing a child-like approach to art, or a "beginner's mind", to support authentic, playful engagement with the art materials, and perhaps a re-discovery of the artistic process. This works for any stage of prior experience with art. You will be guided to use this process in a way that is therapeutic and supports (internal and external) change.
We turn to art as a source and a medium, to explore whatever it is you are bringing.We may use paint, crayons, markers, pastels, clay, collage, fabric, writing, spoken word, movement, musical instruments, voice, or drama work, as examples.Some clients choose to use just one or two art forms. You never have to use an art form you don't want to use.
Talk therapy is not excluded from this work, and can be a very important part of what we do. Art may not always happen. Sometimes, we explore symbols and imagery through dialogue or imagination.
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Some things we might do in a session:
draw
write
scribble
paint
sing or sound
dance
sculpt
make puppets
play the xylophone
do drama play
dress up
build a fort
Other therapy modalities and approaches are also used, mentioned in the Therapy section. This blended approach is integrated into all therapy and coaching work.
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To read more about Expressive Arts Therapy, you can visit :
More about Coaching
There is no hard line dividing coaching from therapy, but there are some important differences if you come with coaching as your primary goal.
With coaching, we will focus on goals you have for yourself and how to support and resource toward achieving these goals. This may include:
visioning
brainstorming
developing concrete plans and a timeline
holding you accountable to your goals
delving into your visions and intuitions through art
problem solving & working out logistics
research & identifying community resources
developing your brand through expressive arts methods
developing marketing material and copy
If you have questions and want to chat about this option, reach out to me below!
Who am I?
Hi! I'm Helen.
As someone who is familiar with the feeling of "never quite fitting" and struggling to find her place in the world, I feel called to create spaces for others who feel similarly to be heard and known, and to find their own expression and self-authorship in life.
I am here to validate your lived experience in a culture that is built for a narrow few and excludes many, support you to understand systemic impacts on your experience, and to guide and coach you through building your own self-empowered path through life.
I have an eclectic blend of unconventional life experiences, experiential learning, and formal training that form my present day skills and offerings.
These include: group work and relational training; social justice and environmental activism; a degree in psychology; a post-grad diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy; training in Internal Family Systems; training in systems thinking; experience in grassroots community organizations and organic farming; and training and experience in theatre, writing, and dance.
I have dabbled in many art forms my entire life, including creative prose, poetry, playwriting, acting, improv, dance, spoken word, film editing, photography, painting, singing, and sound editing. Art in any form is my true love, and I love to get other people inspired and creating.
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I identify as a neurodivergent, cis, white, mixed class, Austrian-Canadian female living with invisible disability. I am very aware of my intersectionality and how I have both benefited from and been harmed by colonialism and patriarchy. I strive to call out and work toward reparation of the harms that these systems have caused and continue to cause to all marginalized groups, and to participate in collective healing from and stopping of these harms.
I bring this continually evolving awareness and commitment into my work as a therapist. I employ an anti-colonial, anti-oppressive, intersectional feminist, and systems lens in all of my work. I am always open to talking more about this, and am continually learning and educating myself.I have experience working with folks who identify as:
neurodivergent
autistic, ADHD
lgbtqia+
woman-identified
bipoc
trauma survivors
children & youth
seniors
palliative
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in good standing with the CRPO. I am also a member of the Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association (OEATA) and the Ontario Society of Registered Pyschotherapists (OSRP).
Reach out with any questions and if you want to talk further!
Workshops & Groups
I offer arts-based workshops and groups. Please check back for events.
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If you would like me to provide a workshop or group sessions for an existing group or organization, please get in touch. I am available to provide workshops and programming at community agencies, or for a private group.Themes that may be covered in group work:
finding your voice
women's issues
neurodivergence
youth challenges
stuckness
inner resources
reconnecting with creativity
creative writing
expression through drama
* * * Community Arts Stations * * *
Do you have an event where you could use an Art Station for people to casually come and make art or make a collective mural? Get in touch! Suitable for parties, public events, and more!
Fees
Individual sessions are $120 / 60 mins.
Sliding scale is available to those who need it - just ask!
Most major health plans cover my services to you.
Group session fees vary.
Reach out to talk more!
Contact
Curious? questions? Want to chat? Reach out below to set up a free 20-minute meet and greet where can talk more about how we might work together :)
