youth
counselling & art therapy
Discover Youth Art Therapy is an Art Therapy Studio - here to support youth ages 5+ to teens and their families through some of life's challenges through creativity and wellbeing support
NELSON, BC
With ashleigh gureckas, DKATI, RTC
creative therapy
that fits your family
indiviudal therapy
groups & workshops
teen & adult counselling
Your child is amazing.
You just want the best for them.
If you're exploring the idea of therapy, it's likely that your child is currently encountering some difficulties.
There's nothing more heart-wrenching than witnessing your child face challenges. Sometimes, you can pinpoint the underlying issue, but in other instances, it remains a complete mystery
Suddenly, your child starts bursting into tears over minor matters, exhibits constant anger, gets into trouble repeatedly, or even goes silent altogether. You find yourself wiping away their tears and pondering what's really going on.
Maybe your teen is getting into trouble and not acting like themselves out of seemingly nowhere - or maybe they’ve gone through something rough and need some extra support.
If these scenarios feels familiar to you, I'm here to help.
art therapy is
a unique cross between both art and traditional talk therapy, art therapy is a mental health counselling specialty that integrates the creative process as a form of expression.
Art therapy might be a good fit for families who have tried various approaches without success or for those who are a bit unsure about using talk-based strategies alone.
Creative activities are introduced in a playful way to tackle the things that aren't going well or we want to grow and expand skills for.
We all deserve to have a safe place where we feel accepted, supported and encouraged. When things are really challenging, this is more important than ever for your child or teen.
When kids are dealing with something that seems really tough,
they might not be able to fully put it into words.
art therapy helps with..
01
exploring and understanding big feelings like anger, worry, loss, confusion and anxiety while building creative coping strategies
02
processing feelings about a transition (e.g. moving, a new teacher, the arrival of another sibling) or grieving the loss of a pet or a loved one
03
embracing the gifts of exceptionalities like autism, ADHD, giftedness, or learning differences
04
- practicing social skills,
- supporting introverted kids to develop confidence
- developing emotional literacy and intelligence
- supporting self regulation
- building self esteem, self idenity and confidence!
complimentary consultation
You are invited to book a no-pressure caregiver consultation call, and have an opportunity to see if working with an art therapist or counsellor would be right for your family!
get your child started on their journey
Free
consult
service options
therapeutic options
individual therapy
1-to-1 with a therapist
In-person sessions are held at the downtown studio in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Online therapy brings the therapeutic benefits right into the comfort of your own spaces, regardless of geographical location - available for children over age 10 with parent set up
No fancy art materials are needed for art therapy from home!
book a session
Art therapy might be a good fit for families who have tried various approaches without success or for those who are a bit unsure about using talk-based strategies.
making therapy more accessible
therapeutic options
groups, events & artistic workshops
- PD day events
- March Break & Holidays
- After School Groups
*Please contact by e-mail to be notified of upcoming events in Nelson & area
March Break Camp 2024 - Nelson, BC
Therapeutic options
teens & adult counselling
options in-person and online
- teen individual talk based counselling
- 1:1 therapy for parents on their own
- OR parent child dyad sessions focusing on strengthening and enhancing your relationship with your child
book a consult
Pricing & Insurance
pricing
60 mins = 130$
90 mins = 165$
* 45 minutes sessions are pro-rated accordingly, 30 minute trial sessions available!
- BC residents are subject to 5% tax
- Ontario residents (online) are subject to 13% tax
- Sliding Scale is available for families without access to extended benefits/insurance coverage
insurance coverage
Extended health insurance covering “counsellors” in BC reimbursement provided by:
- Alberta Blue Cross
- Alberta School Employee
- Canada Life | Great-West Life
- CVAP | Crime Victim
- Equitable Life of Canada
- Green Shield Canada
- iA Financial Group
- Pacific Blue Cross
- SunLife
- Victor Insurance
payment policy
You will pay upfront when you book, then submit your receipt to your insurance for reimbursement afterwards.
Your session fees go towards the cost of clinical supervision to best/ethically serve you or your children, commercial and professional liability insurance, professional memberships with CATA, ACCT & CRPO to allow you to pay with your health benefits, high quality and unlimited art supplies for in-person sessions, professional development courses and workshops, rent for the in-person studio, zoom membership costs, etc. Thank you!
ashleigh gureckas, DKATI, RTC, RP (QUALIFYING)
Meet Your therapist
Ashleigh Gureckas
Ashleigh is a professional art therapist from Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI) in 2022 with a masters-level diploma of art therapy. She is also a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor with the ACCT, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with CRPO and a professional member of the Canadian Art Therapy Association.
Ashleigh holds a post-baccalaureate degree in Art Therapy from the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, an Honours Bachelors degree in Psychology and environmental studies. She has years of clinical experience working with children in the West Kootenays, British Columbia in an art therapy capacity. She is also employed to work within local school districts offering groups and individual art therapy services.
Before art therapy, Ashleigh was an English teacher in Japan and spent 9 years as an outdoor educator for school-aged children in Ontario, Canada.
In her art therapy practice, Ashleigh has a trauma-informed lens and integrates body, mind and spirit through a neuroscience informed therapeutic approach combining mindfulness and somatic experiencing. Working with children, her approach is centreed around play, expressive arts while using a client centered approach and attachment-based theory.
MORE ABOUT arT THERAPY
you might be wondering...
Art therapists are trained mental health professionals with a minimum of a master’s level degree who are trained to support you professionally and safely in your healing journey. Art therapists in Canada work within the ethical framework of the Canadian Art Therapy Association, and USA follow the American Art Therapy Association
Art therapy combines talk therapy techniques alongside art making. The art created during sessions can serve as a visual representation of inner thoughts and emotions, allowing the therapist to guide exploration and discussion
Art therapists are trained to help you explore your feelings and experiences through your artwork, but they won't interpret it in the same way an art critic might. The focus is on your personal interpretation and what the art means to you
Art therapy is evidence based - here is a bibliography for references showing art therapy and it’s efficacy
The number of sessions needed can vary based on individual goals and needs. Some people may start to notice positive changes after just a few sessions, while others may benefit from longer-term engagement.
How are art therapists trained?
Art therapists are qualified mental health professionals holding at least a master’s degree, specialize in providing professional and safe support tailored to the unique healing journey of youth and kids. In Canada, Art Therapists adhere to the ethical standards outlined by the Canadian Art Therapy Association, ensuring a secure, ethical and supportive environment for all clients.
is art therapy right for my child or teen?
Your child doesn’t need to identify as an artist to engage in art therapy, only an interest in playing and exploring with creative materials.
Art therapy is more focused on how the process feels, than how the finished product looks.
The process helps us learn about ourselves and our emotions.
How does it work?
Art therapy uses creative processes for non-verbal expression, encouraging individuals to explore emotions and experiences through symbolic representations in artwork. The therapeutic relationship and reflective discussion empowers emotional healing and personal growth. Integrated with traditional therapy, it adapts to individual needs, promoting coping skills through artistic expression.
What if my child doesn’t like art?
Your child can have the option to make art but if they just want to talk instead, we can do that.
Is art therapy just for kids and youth?
No! Quite the contrary. Art therapy is beneficial for adults as well, for many amazing reasons. We offer Counselling/Art Therapy for parents and adults too.
Art Therapy approaches will look different in each session and according to your child’s goals, age, and therapeutic needs.
Some brief examples of why we make what we make....
Slime / sensory play
You may wonder why your child is walking out of the room with a bag of something sticky and gross. Slime and other sensory play is beneficial for many reasons:
- stress/anxiety relief
- opportunity for experimentation
- release of perfectionism
- fun and play
- autonomy and choice
- transitional object to bring home from therapy but not necessarily show what they talked about
multi session projects
Sometimes your child will not bring home their art after each session because they are engaged in a multi-week process. This can be for many reasons:
- perhaps they are simply not finished
- the art will be finished when they are ready to leave therapy
- they don’t want to talk about “how their session was” so they don’t bring home art that may show how they were feeling at the time
- elaborate projects are also connected to building self esteem and accomplishments
spontaneous art
You may wonder why your child made what they made.
Art therapists may often have prepared self-reflective art invitations for your children to do in their session, but spontaneous art making is always encouraged.
As art making can be a fast track to the subconscious, if a child knows what they want to make or how they want to make it - it speaks to the non-verbal and subconcious benefits of art therapy.
owned by
ashleigh gureckas, DKATI, RTC, RP (Qualifying)
We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Sinixt, the Ktunaxa, and the Syilx peoples, and is home to the Métis and many diverse Indigenous persons.