The Artsy Therapist

05/30/2026

Free Public Lecture - Drawing Connections: Comics in Art Therapy Practice

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 12:00 - 1:30pm MDT / 2:00 - 3:30pm EDT
With Rakshanda Khan (she/her), DTATI, RCAT, RP

Online via Zoom

This lecture explores how comics can invite clients into a transitional 'magic circle' of play, narration, and healing. Drawing from the chapter, Rakshanda discusses how comics support a phenomenological encounter with self, helping clients navigate complex themes such as identity and trauma in both individual and group settings.

The session includes hands-on comic art experientials, inviting participants to engage directly with sequential storytelling as a therapeutic tool. No prior drawing experience is required.

To attend please register here by June 8:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjuVxWMmce60kDIlx4FBLbqWGeLbco6rObZnY4cVNLA-MKnQ/viewform

05/17/2026

Art therapy blends psychotherapy with the creative process to promote healing and self-exploration. Art therapy is for all ages and all neurotypes! Especially those who feel "stuck" using only their words.

This zine outlines the Scribble technique which is a method to access the unconscious mind.

The "Why":
In this space, your scribble is not just a drawing; it’s a site of resistance against the pressure to stay silent or act "fine”. By making a mark, you are reclaiming your story within the noise.

The Intent:
Before you scribble, choose one of these questions to hold lightly in your mind. Don’t try to answer it with words, just let the question sit:

What am I feeling in my body or mind right now? 

Is there a relationship in my life that needs attention?

What outside stress or pressures are impacting me right now?

The Material:
Grab one simple tool, like a crayon, pencil, or even a paper clip! Use whatever tools you have at your disposal. Start to get curious about the material you chose, why the pencil, why this piece of wire?

The 3D Tangible.
Now, let’s move from the page to the palm. Take your paperclip or “Scribble Wire” and shape your own tangle. Twist, bend, and pull the wire into your own 3D scribble. Let it become a physical expression of a feeling you’re untangling. Prefer a flatter path? Your “Scribble Sticker” attached to this zine can be an alternative canvas to mark your mood.

Share Your Journey. Don’t let your process end on the page, take a photo of your scribble or your ‘Scribble Wire’ and share your work with the community using and tagging

Special thanks to .states for bringing this zine from concept to tangible life :)

05/17/2026

Type 1 diabetes is not a lifestyle disease. It’s an autoimmune condition. And the stigma? It leads to delayed care, discrimination, and trauma.

This mixed media watercolor artwork is a commissioned project representing the experiences and comments of a group of young folks with Type 1 Diabetes.

The voiceover is from a video by Danica Doble.

05/04/2026

This weekend we gathered together with .or.a4palestine to answer some self-reflective prompts through artmaking. These are questions to help us address and prevent burnout.

We asked:

⚡ What are the parts of ourselves that show up in this work?

🌘 What are the parts of ourselves that hide or are eclipsed for us to do this work?

🕯️ Which parts need support and care?

Here is some of the artwork that emerged (swipe through) 👉🏽

The art mirrored back to us:

Love for Palestine. Anger and rage at the terror wreaked upon innocent lives. Grief for all the pain and loss. 'Heart pockets' of safety, care and protection. Faith and Hope that it won't be like this forever.

Fierce love for a liberated world and a free Palestine — free, whole, and alive.

And woven through our collective piece:

How do we work together and support each other in community ?

How do we show up in resistance through the rage, the grief, the love, and the apathetic silence as the world witnesses horror upon horror? As our Palestinian friends suffer violence & losses beyond comprehension.

Thank you to everyone who showed up with their full tender selves & who continue to show up everyday.

Free Palestine.

05/02/2026

Just one amazing visitor showed up to our art hive at and it was kind of perfect. She chose to stay off camera, but the conversation was excellent! (Namely art, life, and some incredible chicken bao)

05/02/2026

🎨💬 Family Wellness Night at Bayview Hill Elementary was all about coming together to connect and create as families.

From reflective listening to active listening and attunement, about 60 families practiced the art of truly hearing each other while making art side by side. 🖌️🧡

We explored the Window of Tolerance, understanding how family members can feel overwhelmed or shut down and discovered how creativity can help co-regulate.

Thank you to every family who showed up, listened deeply, and made space for connection. Thank you also to all staff members & volunteers who helped with the set up and clean up! :)

04/10/2026

🎨 FREE Community Art Hive 🐝

You’re invited to a cozy afternoon of creativity & connection!

📍 Crepe Star Aurora (14800 Yonge St, Unit 106)
📅 April 25, 2026 ⏰ 2–5 PM

All ages + abilities welcome ✨
All art materials provided — just bring yourself!

🍰 Dessert + cafe treats available
🖼️ Mini art kits also available for purchase if you can’t make it

Let’s make art together 💛

04/07/2026

Source research:

Letsoalo, M. (2025, May 19). Neurodivergent attachment theory. SSRN. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5264844

What this slide deck presents:

A summary of NAT's critique of classical attachment theory

Five proposed neurodivergent attachment styles

Distinctions between neurotypical and neurodivergent attachment expressions

This content is a derivative summary. All theoretical claims originate with Letsoalo (2025).

04/01/2026

A child’s nervous system isn’t something they can calm down by themselves just because we tell them to. 🧠💔

They co-regulate first. Then they learn to self-regulate.

Co-regulation isn’t about fixing the problem or stopping the tears right away. It’s about using your calm to invite their chaos to settle. It’s a biological need, not a parenting technique.

When we consistently offer a regulated presence we aren’t just stopping a tantrum. We are wiring their brain for secure attachment.

We are teaching their body that:
🔹 You are safe with me.
🔹 You don’t have to carry this alone.
🔹 Even when this big feeling passes, I’ll still be here.

And when a child knows, deep in their body, that they are safe and seen, the tension melts. That's when the shoulders drop, the breath deepens, and the smiles return :)

03/31/2026