Heartspace Counselling and Art Therapy
compassion connecting creativity
Past Highlights
Share Dance: In Practice - Mental Health Awareness
November 6, 2022 - New Works (Vancouver, BC)
In this workshop, we will investigate questions such as: What is trauma and how might it express in the body? What does it look like to emotionally regulate, create safe spaces, and express authentically?
Being Trauma-Informed: Regulation and Art Therapy
This workshop explores trauma and its effect on physical and mental health. We will examine what it means to be regulated emotionally and physically, and how being in a regulated state is central to learning. Participants will have experiential opportunities through art-based prompts to practice grounding techniques, enrich personal and professional resources and toolboxes, and understand how a trauma-informed approach can create a safe, supportive environment that is also sustainable and connective.
Annual Training Forum
"Starting with Self: A Somatic Art-Based Approach
to Supporting Self and Others"
October 19, 2022 (co-presented with Sarah Newland)
This session focuses on self-care as community care relating to sustainability in a cyclical nature, starting with connecting and caring for self through a bottom-up somatic approach.
Participants will have experiential learning opportunities to practice centering and grounding techniques as well as experience being present in the body in a regulated state.
The session will also cover the links between self-regulation and the interaction with co-regulating with children, and further explore art-based activities relating to self and collective care, adding to professional toolboxes as a resource.
Q&A + Sharings
Arts in Health, Nova Southeastern University
(Florida, USA)
Sharing about the benefits of art therapy to promote the use of arts in the healthcare space and for mental health.
Followed by a Q&A about the art therapy profession and personal insights to offer university students more understanding on the path of becoming an art therapist and what it entails.
IG Live Chat
"Regulating through Mindfulness and Art"
"Mindfulness and Compassion through Art"
with Stephanie Ng (@art.therapy.heartspace)
& Sonja Lesinski (@art.of.reconnecting)
Live chat where art therapists extend conversations around art, mindfulness, compassion and regulation.
Note: Recordings can be accessed on both IG pages.
Art Therapy and
Mental Health Webinar
Mind and Thoughts (India)
This 1.5-hour session will introduce art therapy and debunk common misconceptions. It will highlight the benefits of art therapy, its link to mindfulness and grounding techniques, and illustrate how art therapy could improve mental health issues with concrete examples.
Participants will also have an opportunity to try out art prompts to gain more understanding and insight into how art therapy can help to improve emotional and mental well-being.
Chinese Family
Support Group
Conducted in Cantonese with Mandarin translation
「藝術治療」
本次工作坊會介紹藝術治療以及常見對藝術治療的誤解，促進大眾對藝術治療的認識。除此以外，也會講述藝術治療的臨床功效以及和正念的關聯。
本次工作坊包含療癒性藝術創作活動，讓參與者體會如何藉由藝術創作改善情緒及增加自我覺察。
Art and Mindfulness Webinar
Mind and Thoughts (India)
This 1.5-hour session aims to help participants improve emotional and mental well-being, gain awareness and insight and enrich self-care practice. It covers the topics of mindfulness, grounding techniques and art-based prompts.
Salud Para La Gente (Califonia, USA)
This session provides healthcare providers an opportunity for self-care with grounding exercises, meditation, and creative art prompts to practice mindfulness and self-compassion through self-expression and reflections.
Art as Therapy Group
Session 1: Ground & Grow
Session 2: Connecting Outside & Within
Session 3: Cultivating Acceptance
Session 4: Embracing Self-Kindness
Session 5: Self-Compassion
This series cultivates mindfulness and compassion through meditation and visualization, music, movement, and art prompts.
Grounding exercises in each session will orient the body and mind in the present moment and practice focused relaxation. Practising mindfulness and compassion can transform judgement into acceptance, increase emotional regulation and improve overall well-being for individuals who struggle with issues such as stress, anxiety, low mood, perfectionism, and chronic pain.
Community-based
Art Therapy Workshop
"Celebrating Identity and the
Wonderfulness of Becoming"
Facilitated by counselling art therapists (Stephanie Ng & April Li) with guided visualizations and art directives for individual and group art-making.
Explore identity and cultural uniqueness, cultivating acceptance and celebrating identity and the wonderfulness of becoming with your community.
藝術治療工作坊
《欣賞你的獨特 成為自己的喜悅》
探索自己的身份和文化獨特性，
培養自我接納，並慶祝成為“我”的美妙！
和我們一起度過一個有冥想引導和
藝術創作的晚上。
無需藝術經驗！