The TATI Student Art Therapy Centre (formerly TATI Online Clinic) opened in September 2020 to offer affordable and accessible mental health services to the community, while expanding practicum opportunities for art therapy students, during the challenging and uncertain time of the COVID pandemic.
Who We Are
Services at the Center are provided by students at the Institute, who received training and supervision by experienced art therapists registered with the Canadian Art Therapy Association and the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Service Accessibility
Sessions are by donation ($10-50 per session) to support the operation and administration of the Centre. For those who are able to donate, your contributions will help sustain the accessibility of our service for those who cannot afford individual art therapy sessions otherwise.
***Individual Therapy Intake Closing March 17, 2023***
Due to funding limitations, our individual art therapy services will unfortunately be closing in June 2023. In order to ensure that all participants will receive 8-12 weeks of sessions before services close, our intake process will stop on March 17, 2023. We will not be accepting self-referrals after that date. Thank you for everyone’s understanding.
What is art therapy?
Art therapy combines the creative process and psychotherapy. The art therapist facilitates a supportive, accepting space for the participant to creatively express themselves, gain self-awareness, connect with their own knowledges, and expand their life skills. Using various art forms and mediums as part of this creative therapeutic process, thoughts and feelings can be expressed that would otherwise be difficult to articulate. (Source: Canadian Art Therapy Association)
What does art therapy look like at the Centre?
We offer individual art therapy sessions facilitated using a psychotherapy service management platform, Owl Practice, which is compliant with Canadian privacy regulations. Sessions are confidential. Individual art therapy sessions are brief therapy (12 weekly one-hour sessions), focusing on creative self-expressions, processing emotions, and skills-building on present-awareness, self-care, and problem-solving.
We can work with individuals who:
• are 16 years of age or older
• are residing within Canada (except Quebec)
• are looking to explore and work through non-urgent emotional concerns through arts-making
• have access to stable internet with webcam and microphone, and private space for art therapy sessions
We recognize that many emotional challenges may stem from experiences of violence, trauma, or systemic oppression and marginalization. Due to the short-term format of the art therapy sessions we offer, student art therapists would not be able to support individuals in unpacking or delving into the histories of trauma, but can support individuals in dealing with the effects of these experiences in the here and now.
What art materials do I need for art therapy sessions?
Participants don’t need special art supplies to take part in art therapy sessions. Student art therapists will work creatively with participants to use or upcycle materials that they have at home, as well as make suggestions for exploring other materials if the participants are interested.
Current Centre Participants
Already registered for sessions but have questions about logging in or technical issues?
Please note that we are unable to provide urgent technical support. If experiencing technical difficulties, please send a private message to your student art therapist via Owl messages. Our Tech Tips for Virtual Art Therapy Sessions page may also be helpful.
Contact
Our administrator can respond to questions by email at clinic@tati.on.ca, at the office hours below:
Monday & Friday: 9am-10am
Monday to Wednesday & Friday: 1pm-2:30pm
Monday to Friday: 5pm-6:30pm
TATI Online Art Hive
For those interested in community arts-making in an open group, we offer a virtual art hive on a seasonal basis, organized by TATI student co-facilitators. To find out more about the art hive and register, please visit the TATI Online Art Hive page.
Support the Centre
We are committed to be part of the movement that aims to make mental health services affordable and accessible. Our therapeutic arts sessions are free of charge or by donation. For those who wish to support the ongoing work of the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre, please consider donating through this link.
Current Supervision Team
Jacquie Compton (RCAT, RP, DTATI)
Sharlene Friedman (RCAT, RP, DTATI)
April Penny (RCAT, RP, DTATI)
Suzanne Thomson (RCAT, RP, DTATI)
Patricia Ki (RCAT, RSW, DTATI)
Administrator: Taylor Bourassa (RP, DTATI)
Acknowledgement
We thank the Donner Canadian Foundation for their generous support of funding the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre for 2022-2023.
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Toronto Art Therapy Institute is registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.