Parenting right now can feel disorienting, like we are being asked to raise children in a world that no longer makes sense. Systems that were supposed to support us are crumbling, violence and hate are on the rise, and we’re carrying both the visible and invisible weight of trying to hold it all together.
This series invites us to pause in the chaos, slow down, and use art as a way of navigating the surreal. Through creative practice, we’ll explore our relationship with ourselves, our children, our communities, and the systems pressing in on us, using our imaginations of how we can parent not from fear, but from vision and liberation.
In collaboration with Professional Art Therapist, Tina Tam, MAR is offering a new 4-week Art as Therapy virtual group offering.
Details:
- Open to everyone interested in anti-racism and healing
- No art experience is necessary
- Four (4) Friday mornings from October 3rd to October 31st (skipping October 10th)
- Virtually through Zoom, 9:30am to 11:00am PST
- Must be able to attend all 4 sessions
- A sketchbook will be provided to new Art as Therapy participants
- Use whatever materials you have at home
- Limited space available
Each week we will explore a new theme and art invitations to help us take steps towards our collective healing and courageous, anti-racism action.
Program Facilitator: Tina Tam 譚玉婷
Mother, Human Rights Educator, and Professional Art Therapist
Tina is a Canadian-born Chinese daughter of immigrants from South China and Hong Kong. Tina’s family journey in Canada began in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, and she grew up mostly in Tkaronto/Toronto. Her professional work in finance rights education has taken her all over the world. She has spent over 20 years in the social services field focused on child and family violence prevention, child and youth-friendly community development, and advocacy in child rights, human rights, and anti-racism. Tina is a mother of two children and now lives on the west coast of Turtle Island on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Peoples with her family. She is a Professional Art Therapist and has clinical experience with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, MAR, CiiAT Virtual Art Therapy Clinic, Health Justice Society, and UVIC Nursing. She is also currently working at a BC mental health policy advocacy organization. Art making has been a part of Tina’s life since childhood, and art therapy has been so important to her own healing and self-care journey. She recognizes the need for more access to mental health support for racialized communities and is striving to contribute to decolonizing, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist practices.