About Art Therapy

Therapy is an individual process that is vulnerable - and therefore so brave - to undertake. Thank you for being here with your curiosity and openness to try something difficult, with the shared hope that you find something meaningful and helpful out of the process.

I work from a relational model, which means that we will take time to get to know each other and for you to decide what you need for growth and healing, and whether I am the right person at this stage of your process. Trust is important and is not always so easy to come by. I will make every effort to help you feel comfortable and willing to share, in service of your needs and goals.

All of you is welcome here! I work with clients at my studio in Kaslo, BC, as well as in the beautiful natural environment we are blessed to be surrounded by. Sitting on the beach, walking in the woods, and other options outdoors are all possibilities. Please reach out to discuss options and tell me a bit about yourself and your needs.

Art therapy is one - but not the only - modality I work with, having graduated from the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute in 2016 and now qualified as a Registered Canadian Art Therapist (2024). This training opened up worlds of possibility for myself (first) and now for my clients, and I integrate many creative, narrative, somatic and nature-based approaches in my work. I also have trained in play therapy and love this approach with not only children and youth, but all of us whose inner child(ren) could use some attention and healing. Ask me about sand tray therapy!

It is my belief that everyone has creative abilities and inclinations – even if these look unconventional or are buried under years of neglect or the practicalities of daily life. Creativity – whether in traditional forms such as painting, drawing and clay work or practices such as collage, bilateral drawing and work with fabric and other textiles – can be a place of exploration and self-expression for all of us. I will support you to explore through the murky (and sometimes messy!) layers of self-doubt, self-judgment and triggers that arise when we open to new ways of doing things. This is the heart of healing and growth, to be witnessed, supported and not judged for how we show up, in each moment. You also do not have to do art in a session; sometimes the focus is more on talking, spending time connecting to the Earth, or examining patterns of behaviour and goals for change.

Important things to know about art therapy: It is not about skill. You do not need any experience with art to benefit. And more often than not, it is about the process, not the final product. As with life, we learn and experience through doing, reflecting, perhaps redirecting and trying again (with lots of rest in between!) I am also a big fan of intentionally "giving up" as an act of empowerment and discernment that can guide you to the next right thing.

I also offer a variety of seasonal workshops – in-person and online – and the occasional retreat. I can collaborate with you if you would like a specific offering tailored, for a group, around a specific need, theme, season, or wish from the heart 💖

The process here, whould you choose to proceed, begins with a 30-minute meeting, at no charge, to see if we’ll be a good fit (this is mainly for you to ask questions and listen to your gut, as well as for me to understand what you are looking for. If you don’t know – that’s okay too!) I am a perpetual student in the art “sitting in the unknown” – as sometimes this is a necessary stop along the path of life. I will be there with you and keep you company, as well as provide tools to support nervous system regulation, re-telling a difficult story, integrating traumatic experiences and building hope and joy into your everyday life (and future!)

You can check out the FAQs below, as well as some of my personal and professional experience, or reach out to connect with any questions you may have. Therapy is a world of discovery and I would be honoured to accompany you on this path as you reconnect with a centered place of knowing and trust.

Approaches

How I approach the therapeutic process:

Relational - we are beings who are shaped by and depend on relationship with others; establishing trust, communicating honestly, and understanding patterns of relationship are the foundations of therapy
Existential - I consider the search for meaning, belonging, and purpose, as well as themes of grief and loss, as central to the human experience
Earth-centered - I take into account your connection to place, your experiences in and with the natural world and the flow of seasonal energy in your life and schedule
Developmental and attachment-oriented - children and adults can find themselves blocked or missing aspects of the developmental process due to trauma and/or ruptured attachment - I will work to help you (and/or your child) reconnect with these parts to bring yourself to wholeness
Intuitive - I combine elements of art therapy, parts work, Jungian psychology and other approaches, and will connect you with resources and practices as I feel inspired/as your interest leads us
Client-led - you are the one walking this path, inviting me and others to accompany you, but always in charge of the process (and I respect you deeply for it!)
Trauma-informed - we will connect with your resources, keep a gentle pace, explore boundaries and stay present to your needs in the moment
Neurodivergence and LGBTQ+ affirming - these aspects of your identity are important to me, and we will explore them in ways that feel appropriate for you

About Christine

The Short Version

BA, University of Ottawa, 2002
Postpartum Doula Training, DONA, 2009
DKATI, Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, 2016
Registered Canadian Art Therapist, Canadian Art Therapy Association, 2024

(1000 hours of client care, ongoing supervision and professional development)

Additional Trainings:

Neufeld Institute, Intensive I, 2022 (online, 20 hours) and various supplemental courses
Centre for Expressive Therapy, Sand Play Therapy, Parksville, BC (in-person, 4 days), 2023
Online workshops: Focusing, Internal Family Systems, Bi-lateral drawing, Polyvagal theory and more, 2017 - 2025
Hospice Training through the Hospice Society of North Kootenay Lake, 2016
Ongoing professional supervision by Jennifer Schwartz, RCAT

My work is trauma-informed and is rooted in attachment theory, developmental psychology, and feminism. I orient through an anti-oppressive lens and make effort to challenge systems in our society that work in opposition to health, peace and justice. I will integrate elements of Jungian psychology, parts work (inspired by but not strictly Internal Family Systems), dreamwork and take family dynamics into account as your interests and needs invite. I aim to walk alongside your exploration of Self, history and future, and offering a supportive hand through art directives, gentle questions, and resources as you are open to them. Though therapy is a vulnerable and challenging process that can feel uncomfortable at times, no part of therapy is forced and you are able to end your sessions at any point (though I do appreciate communication about this!)

I am LGBTQ2IA+ affirming, deeply interested in Traditional Chinese medicine and other paths of alternative health, and personally practice tarot and celebrate the Celtic Wheel of the Year (in connection with my Scottish and Irish background); however, I do not impose my views or beliefs on my clients and share this as a form of relationship building. I have come recently to understand myself better through the compassionate lenses of ADHD (no formal diagnosis) and identify as a highly sensitive person. I welcome and respect clients from all walks of life, whether our paths have overlapped or not.

The Long Version

I began my therapy training in 2014 at the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute in Nelson, BC, but my curiosity about (and experience with) therapy began long before that, when my Mom was diagnosed with cancer in 1996. I was still a teenager at the time, but remember feeling that our family could benefit from some additional support. I flipped through the psychologist listings of our huge Yellow Pages tome, feeling quite clueless and alone. Though we sadly did not end up getting any support, I see this (along with my imaginative and reflective nature as a child) as the root of my interest in psychotherapy.

Many years later, through many life experiences including travel to Ireland and India, two bachelor’s degrees, marriage, childbirth and parenting, and a divorce, as well as time living on both West and East coasts of Canada, I found myself again – this time in my mid 30s – contemplating a career path that would give me the tools to support others through what I had already experienced – grief, displacement, betrayal, parenting challenges, confusion and lots of “life transitions.”

Having made my way to the beautiful Kootenays, I was fortunate to connect with and be accepted into the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, an established educational nest offering a rich and transformation experience for its students – at least, for me. This intensive Masters-level program brought me to the doorway of a new career, connected me with teachers, trainings and perspectives I had never encountered before, and gave me the confidence and support to launch myself from the nest and learn to fly on my own.

Since 2017, I have run Fireside Art Therapy as a private practice in Kaslo, BC, offering in-person therapy as well as workshops and retreats. In this role I have also worked with hospice clients and new mothers. In 2020, I began work in community mental health, seeing children and teens as well as parents who have experienced the traumatic effects of domestic violence. I continue to do this work with a passion for the healing and growth that is possible for each person, no matter what age, when given a listening ear, a safe place and some basic tools of expression.

In my free time, I love canoeing, napping, sewing, travelling and spending time with my young adult daughter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact

Curious about how we might work together? Please reach out.

I offer a 30-minute call, Zoom or meeting to see if we are a fit, at no charge (and no obligation)