ART THERAPY
Sarah Byrne
Expressive Art Therapist
.png)
Sarah is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin from which she earned a B.Ed Honours Degree. She has been teaching for over twenty years and is a huge advocate for the arts within education.
Originally from Ireland, she moved to Vancouver in 2011 where she has been immersed inthe world of Special Education and where she also discovered her passion for helping students to learn through therapeutic methods. Sarah became certified as an OGP (Orton Gillingham Practitioner) in 2023 completing her practicum through REACH North Vancouver. She also completed the diploma course in Expressive Arts Therapy through VATI (Vancouver Art Therapy Institute) and is a certified Expressive Arts Therapist with a Registered Therapeutic Counselor accreditation through the ACCT (Association of
Cooperative Counseling Therapists of Canada). Sarah plans to continue her studies in Expressive Arts Therapy by undertaking the Masters Program starting July 2025 through the European Graduate School in Switzerland.
Sarah offers both 1:1 Orton Gillingham sessions as well as Expressive Arts Therapy sessions for all ages.
As Sarah continues to work, full time, as a teacher at KGMS (Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School) in North Vancouver she has limited availability and currently has a waitlist.
Please email her at sbyrneexat@gmail.com if you have an interest to learn more about Orton Gillingham or Expressive Arts Therapy sessions and secure a spot or join the waitlist.
Despina Pelekos
Expressive Art Therapist Intern
Despina (she/they) has a background in social work and most recently worked at the Canadian Mental Health Association for 9 years. Despina worked with youth and adults living with mental health and addictions, and supported them in their recovery journeys. Despina has worked as a Social Worker in health settings and in the non-profit sector for 16 years and has experience working with seniors with loss of autonomy, families, youth and adults. She has worked in crisis situations, and has formal training in Cognitive Restructuring, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and ASSIST. They are also trauma informed, and work from a client centred approach.
Despina is originally from Montreal, QC where she completed a Bachelor of Social Work degree at McGill University in 2010 and moved to Ottawa, ON where she earned a Master degree in Social Work from the University of Ottawa in 2015. In September 2024, they moved to Vancouver and are currently attending Expressive Art Therapy Program to earn their Diploma from the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute (VATI).
Despina loves art and her current art practice consists of painting, drawing, writing and dancing (primarily hip hop). They are passionate about helping others through their challenges with the help of the arts and look forward to working with neurodiverse children and families.
Despina is currently accepting clients for 1:1 sessions and is available on weekdays after 5pm and from 10am - 2pm on Saturday's.
Colleen Wickenheiser
Expressive Art Therapist Intern
My name is Colleen and I am an Expressive Arts Therapy student at Vancouver Art Therapy Institute. I have an Education degree and a Masters in Counselling from the University of Saskatchewan. I have experience working with children and adults in a variety of settings and I love to support people to be their best selves wherever they happen to be in their lives.
​
I love all forms of art and self expression. In sessions I provide a safe environment for children and adults to explore and express who they are, where they’re at and how they’re feeling through art and play and my supportive presence. Through being supported in self expression and creativity we can live happier, healthier and more connected lives.
Andrea Denny-Jiles
Expressive Art Therapist Intern
Andrea, known as Dre (she/they), has grown up in Vancouver and gratefully acknowledges that she is an uninvited guest working and living on unceded and ancestral territories of the xwmÉ™θkwÉ™yÌ“É™m (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sÉ™lilwÉ™taɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Dre is currently attending an Expressive Arts Therapy Diploma program at the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute (VATI). She has also started her education at the European Graduate School
where she will earn her Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy in June of 2026.
Dre holds a Bachelors of Liberal Arts and Science, with a focus on psychology, feminist art practices and cultural studies, from Quest University Canada and a fine arts Diploma from Emily Carr university.
Dre grew up with dyslexia and ADHD and as such, has personal experience with being a neurodiverse child. She has worked as a mental health facilitator for teens, mental health support
for children with autism and has interned as an art therapist for folks affected by FASD.
They have a background in theatre, dance and visual arts. Her past works have been centered around community building, engagement and joy.
Dre is passionate about the creative process and its ability to promote self expression and introspection. She aims to support others in finding their creative voice and works in a resource
oriented methodology.
Dre is currently accepting clients for 1:1 sessions and is available on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm and Fridays from 3:30-4:30pm.
Golnoosh Zeynali Expressive Art Therapist Intern
Golnoosh is an Expressive Arts Therapy student with a deep passion for creativity and its transformative impact on emotional well being. She holds a degree in Art from Iran and began studying music at the age of nine. Originally from Tehran, she moved to Vancouver fourteen years ago, where she continues to explore the intersection of art and therapy.
Drawing from her background in visual arts and music, Golnoosh integrates these creative modalities into her therapeutic work. She supports elementary students, after-school programs, and adult clients, fostering self expression, healing, and personal growth. Through her work, she empowers individuals to use creativity as
a tool for deeper self discovery and emotional resilience.
​
Golnoosh is currently accepting clients for 1:1 sessions and is available on Mondays from 1pm - 3pm.
Hanna Bowen
Expressive Art Therapist
Hanna (she/her) is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC), Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, and certified Play Therapist (certification expected May 2025). Her approach embraces the sensory, non-verbal intelligence of the creative mind, helping individuals reconnect with their innate ability to play and support their well-being at any stage in life.
​
Hanna works with children (3+), teens, and adults using creative and play modalities to address a range of therapeutic goals, from nervous system support to emotional processing.
​
After a 10-year career in the apparel industry as a colour designer, and as a neurodivergent individual, Hanna made the decision to shift into meaningful, soulful work. She re-trained as a therapist at the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute and is also pursuing an MA in Expressive Arts Therapy with Psychology.
​
Hanna is accepting new clients on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
To schedule a free 15-minute discovery call, email her at hannasbowen@gmail.com. Her website is coming soon!