In this episode, Sue and Mike are joined by Jenne Newman, the Co-founder of Blackbird Healing Arts Collective. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapies from Concordia University. Jenne is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and a Registered Art Therapist with the Canadian Art Therapy Association.

Jenne shares her passion and experience with art from a young age and how art and creativity, imagination is such a great way to make meaning in the world. Art therapy is the marriage between psychology and art. This methodology engages both sides of the brain and helps build new neural pathways and connections in our brain to deal with stress, trauma, mental health, and addiction issues. Art therapy engages the body, emotions, as well as the spiritual self. The role of an art therapist is to hold space in a therapeutic setting and guide the therapeutic process to support healing and growth. There are many benefits of art therapy such as getting in touch with inner strengths and resilience, building empathy, self-compassion, and expression, letting go of self-judgement, fear, and shame. Jenne is a very skilled therapist’ whose approach is person centred, strength based, and trauma informed.