Art therapist helps teens envision their goals

Amélie Blanchard, a registered art therapist, is helping teens work through their goals for the coming year in a drop-in vision board session at the Nanaimo Art Gallery on Wednesday, January 24. Photo: Mick Sweetman / CHLY 101.7FM

Amélie Blanchard, a registered art therapist, is facilitating a drop-in vision board session for teens at the Nanaimo Art Gallery on Wednesday, January 24.

“For as long as I can remember, I was really interested in people and art and understanding our psychology,” she said. “I think the first course I took in university was about motivation and behavior, I was fascinated by it. Since I was 14. I wanted to be an art therapist.”

Blanchard started her journey towards becoming one with a degree in fine arts at Concordia Universtiy before moving to Nelson to study art therapy. Her workshop on Wednesday will help teens focus on their goals for the year.

“A vision board can help us get clear on our goals, but it can enhance relaxation, and play,” she said. “Everybody needs some sort of creative play in their life so that we get a break from our brains.”

Blanchard moved to Nanaimo two years ago where she now operated a private practice called Helix Art Therapy. She says there are a lot of misconceptions about art therapy.

“Art therapy is not just for teens,” she said. “Oftentimes we think it's just for kids and that it's so good for them, but it's also good for adults. It really helps us tap into something different than using our brain all the time and seeing things from a different angle and it's really, really powerful.”

The workshop at the Nanaimo Art Gallery is for youth between 12-17 years old and costs $5, or $150 for an annual pass.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.