TATI Online Art Therapy

Living With Intensity Through Radical Acceptance

Virtual art therapy group for adults 16 years or older residing in Canada (except Quebec).

Tuesdays 1:30-3:30pm EST (7 sessions)
July 7 to August 18, 2026
Online via Zoom

Weekly free therapy group exploring the skill of living with intensity through radical acceptance. These sessions are structured to ensure support and guidance, and offer helpful insight for participants in their practice of radical acceptance of the intensity that emerges/arises in us. Rather than an agreement with the injustices that evoke the intense emotional experiences in us, we find ways to hold space for intensity within ourselves and with each other, to respond to injustices in ways that align with our values.

No art experience is necessary, the group will involve art skills sharing, reflective art-making invitations to explore experiences and emotions, and facilitated discussions. Participants will need to have a private space and secure internet connection to attend the group. We also suggest participants have some basic art supplies, such as drawing materials, and we can work with whatever material people have at home.

After the sign-up form is received the Centre coordinator will reach out to you with the centre intake form and service agreement.

Facilitated by:
Rehaana Manek, RP (Qualifying), DTATI, MA (she/they)
Stephanie Poirier, Student Art Therapist (she/her)
Kay Sun, Illustration Intern Student (they/them)

Sign-up form: https://forms.gle/qEE7J1sMkNp8cpu59

Rooting in SWANA Soil, Connecting in Diaspora

Virtual art therapy group for adults age 18+ who identify being South West Asian or North African (SWANA).

Fridays from June 19 to July 24 (6 sessions)
1:00-3:00pm ET
Online via Zoom

The TATI Student Art Therapy Centre can work with individuals located in Canada (except Quebec).

This art therapy group has goals of:

1) Creating and holding a safer space/container for members of the South West Asian North African (SWANA) to come together in community and explore themes of oppression and liberation as well as emotional expression and processing.

2) Highlighting and acknowledging impact of structural/systemic/institutional/colonial violence on individual and collective mental health and well-being.

3) Connecting to, grounding/rooting in, keeping alive cultural art-making traditions.

4) Attending to individual/collective needs, somatic/mind-body integration and exploring coping with difficult emotions

This art-therapy group uses a trauma-informed, anti-oppression, and liberation psychology lens and seeks participants aligned with these approaches. The group is offered through the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre, and co-facilitated by TATI practicum students with supervision by the Centre clinical supervisors.

Co-facilitators:

Mahfam Nikoo (she/her) is an Iranian multi-disciplinary artist and writer, a peer support worker, and art therapy student . She is passionate about 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy, harm reduction approaches to care, and creating moments of reprieve through music, poetry, food, and comedy. Mahfam hopes to bring people closer to themselves and each other through her work and is curious about what each person has to teach. Her psychotherapeutic practice incorporates tools from strengths-based approaches, internal family systems, and trauma-informed care.

Abeer Majeed (she/her) is a student at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. She is a migrant settler from Pakistan currently living in Toronto. Her art practice includes exploring traditional and cultural art-making forms from West Asia, South Asia and Islamic art and participating in movement art builds. Her psychotherapeutic approach focuses on liberation psychology and anti-oppressive, trauma-informed care. 

Sarah Omar (she/her) is dedicated to empowering individuals through creative expression, emotional resilience and well-being. Her therapeutic approach integrates anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and culturally humble practices, fostering an inclusive environment where clients feel seen and validated. She aims to create a decolonized art therapy that prioritizes each client’s cultural and emotional experiences. In addition to English, Sarah also offers therapy in Arabic.

Space is limited to 6 participants and will be selected by alignment with programming goals. If selected, interested individuals will be emailed to set up an initial consult meeting with one of the group co-facilitators to discuss programming details.

To express interest in participating please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3qyGJca2t83oF1SBnzQJy4fMyx10GluZkV8pTkZOJQ_fsAg/viewform

4-Week Art Therapy Group for Adults Living with Eating Disorders & Co-occurring Mental Health Challenges

Thursdays July 16 – August 6 (4 sessions)
5:00 – 6:30 ET
Online via Zoom

Co-facilitated by TATI students Leizu Xie (she/her) and Monique Silver (she/her).

This group is part of a research study exploring whether self-guided, art-based tools can help people navigate eating disorders and other mental health challenges by fostering and supporting creative habits in their self-expression and inner exploration.

Guided by the co-facilitators, participants will be invited to work through an arts-based workbook informed by cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that explores ways of coping and creative self-expressions. Participants will be invited to a 1-hour interview after the final session to share their experience.

This group invites participants who are:

• 18 years of age or older and residing in Canada (except Quebec)
• Able to attend virtual video sessions in a private space
• Experiencing / self-identifying as living with an eating disorder or disorders along with other co-occurring mental health challenges (no requirement to have or disclose diagnoses)

Please note that the group is unable to accommodate people who are currently going through severe mental health distress, acute mental health symptoms, or emotional / physical / medical crises that may make participation in group art therapy feel difficult or further activating.

Participants will receive a digital (PDF) or printed copy of the workbook based on their preference before sessions begin. No prior art-making or art therapy experience necessary.

If interested, please email leizu.lxie@gmail.com before June 30, 2026 to schedule a 30-minute intake meeting for further information.

This is a research study conducted by Leizu Xie for the partial fulfilment of the graduate level diploma at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. This research has been approved by the TATI Research Ethics Committee (May 2026).