Workshops and Presentations
Western Front Theatre presents: “7 Stories” June 5-14, 2026
Western Edge Theatre director Jonathan Greenway chose the theme of men and mental health for the 2025-2026 season. Trained as an actor, a director, and a drama therapist, he sees his contribution as being “therapeutic community art”.
The theme of this well-known dark comedy is suicide as well as all of the other woes that people come out to talk about. Witnessing a play can provide insights, perspective, and catharsis to audience members. As an adjunct, there will be a community resource table for information about mental health resources in Nanaimo.
I’ll be on hand with a colleague before and after shows with information about a variety of therapy approaches.
Therapy information:
Janet Walker
Expressive Arts Therapist
Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy: visual arts, dance, music, theatre, poetry
Play Therapy
Child-Parent Relationship Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Viktoria Ivanova
Global Therapy with Viktoria
Relationship building skills
EMDR, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, Developmental and Attachment-based Therapy, Internal Family Systems
Munch and Mingle Workshop
Guest artist: Chris Larken, Métis Art Therapist from Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Needle felting, Creative journal writing, Métis traditional designs.
For arts-based therapists, artists, and members of the Métis community.
12-1 pm Pot-luck lunch
1-4 pm Art therapy workshop
Chris Larsen: Biography
Hosted by Janet Walker
The Expressive Arts and Play Therapy Studio
2054 Honeysuckle Terrace, Nanaimo, BC
Munch and Mingle 2026
Meet-ups for Expressive Arts Therapists, Creative Arts Therapists, Play Therapists, Sand Therapists, Somatic Therapists, and clinicians of any theoretical orientation who would like to join us!
My Inner Harbour
149 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, BC (In the Old City Quarter)
First Monday of the Month 12 - 2 pm
We meet on the second Monday if there is a stat holiday on the first Monday
Free. Bring a colleague. Bring your lunch.
Click on any text in bold for link to more information:
January: Music Therapy with Samantha Hains
February: Trauma-informed practice and epigenetic transmission of maternal stress with Janet Walker
March: Felting workshop with Métis Arts Therapist Chris Larson from Manitoba
April: Carl Jung’s Red Book and C.G.Jung’s Life with Lynette Walker
May: Mindfulness with Viktoria Ivanova, Drama Therapy with Jonathan Greenway
June: Dance Therapy with Lynn Switzman
July: Drama Therapy with Jonathan Greenway, Director of Western Edge Theatre
August: Nature and Belonging with Dean Diamond of Hearth Place. Dean will discuss incorporating the therapeutic modalities of Nature, Sandplay, Clay Field, and Focusing Therapies.
September: Expressive Arts Therapy with Ellen Yang (see Ellen’s book: The Secret Language of Autism)
October: Trans identification through an addiction lens with Janet Walker
November: Arts based inquiry practice with Barbara Bickel and Michael Fisher, Co-founders of Studio M*: A research creation lab intersecting the arts, culture & healing
December: Incorporating Spiritual Direction in Psychotherapy with Jessica Schaffer, Director of My Inner Harbour
The December Munch and Mingle will also be a celebration of light and community: bring a candle, some food to share, and a plate and mug.
“EXA and Dementia: The Big Surprise!”
Conference presentation at:
Dreaming Us Forward: Co-Creating Belonging Through the Healing Arts Conference
Sponsored by:
CATA - Canadian Art Therapy Association/ACAT - Association Canadienne d’Art Thérapie
OEATA - Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association
WHEAT - Western Holistic Expressive Arts Institute
Winnipeg, Manitoba
September 27, 2025
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
Expressive Arts Therapy workshop
Shift: Changing Thought Patterns Through Movement and Creative Expression
Incorporating movement, dance, sculpture, writing, and group discussion.
My Inner Harbour
149 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, BC
May 22, 2025
6:00-8:30 pm
Guest presenter Janet Walker
Community Arts Event
Plenary session during the art-infused conference:
Building a Better World Together: A Community-Building Conference
Community arts and interactive music activity for more than 100 participants
Beban Community Centre, Nanaimo, BC
May 17, 2025
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
Interdisciplinary Art Show
Educational, interactive, community art event for the artists (the elders), their families, members of the public, and therapists and artists working with this population.
Eden Garden’s Compassionate Dementia Care
1917 Northfield Road, Nanaimo, BC
May 3, 2025
Curated and facilitated by Janet Walker
Expressive Arts Therapy workshops
Weekly workshops on Mondays 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
September 2024 - ongoing
Eden Gardens Compassionate Dementia Care
1917 Northfield Road, Nanaimo, BC
Expressive Arts Therapy: visual arts, dance, music, theatre, poetry
Giving voice to a rich inner landscape.
Using the arts as alternate modes of expression.
Tapping into human beings' most powerful tool: the imagination.
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
Munch and Mingle 2025
For Expressive Arts Therapists and Creative Arts Therapists (Art, Drama, Music, Dance/Movement, and Poetry Therapists), as well as therapists from all theoretical orientations who are would like to join us.
First Monday of the Month, 12 -2 pm
My Inner Harbour, 149 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, BC (Old City Quarter)
Free. Bring a colleague. Bring your lunch.
Network and offer peer consultation.
Share resources and art techniques.
Attend to self care in community.
Peer-led mini-workshops in various art modalities.
Co-hosted by Janet Walker and Laurie Larkin-Boyle
April – Peer support for professional projects: Laurie, PhD courses and thesis; Janet, Interdisciplinary Art Show for Elders
May – Sharing Interdisciplinary Art Show experience, peer support for therapists who are new moms including Larissa Costa and Susie Scott
June – Art Therapy with Carrie Liske – line drawings to show emotions
July – Break
August – Art Therapy with Laurie Larkin-Bowle – partner drawings to music; sharing experience at EGS
September – Mindfulness Practice for clients with Viktoria Ivanova; working together on the BCACC’s QACC Program (Quality Assurance and Continuing Competency Program)
October – Dance Therapy with Lynne Switzman (warm-up); Textiles & Grief workshop (from OEATA conference) with Laurie & Janet
November –Felting Mandalas (from Métis Excursion at OEATA conference) with Laurie & Janet
December – Nature-Based Expressive Arts Therapy with ML Kenneth
Expressive Arts Therapy and Play Therapy for Early Childhood Education
Workshop during the Inquiring Little Minds Professional Development Conference.
For Early Childhood Educators working with children aged 3-12 in daycare and after-school facilities.
August 30, 2024
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
Expressive Arts Therapy, Play Therapy and School Counselling
Workshop for school counsellors working with students in grades K-12, presented during Le Rond-Point, a Professional Development Day for Francophone educators working for the CSF.
CSF - Le Conseil Scolaire Francophone de la C.-B. (The Francophone School Authority of B.C.)
February 16, 2024
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
(Workshop presented in French. Un atelier en français.)
Expressive Arts Therapy
Theme: “Expressive Arts Therapy, Apology, and Forgiveness”
August 21, 2023: A workshop for trained Expressive Arts Therapists working in the mental health field.
August 22, 2023: A workshop for individuals working in the fields of professional arts (visual arts, dance, theatre) and education.
Guest presenter: Dr. Carolina Herbert, Expressive Arts Therapist and supervisor from Wales, based in Cambodia
Presenter Bio: Dr. Caroline Herbert, Alkimia Soul
Hosted by Janet Walker
At the Expressive Arts and Play Therapy Studio
2054 Honeysuckle Terrace, Nanaimo, BC
Expressive Arts Therapy workshops
Expressive Arts Group Work Supporting Employment Training
Workshops for young adults with barriers to employment to help promote job readiness and personal development skills.
Workshops for participants in the Homegrown Employment Training Program
a program designed and run by the Nanaimo Foodshare.
March 6, 2023
July 17, 2023
Workshop presenter Janet Walker
Expressive Arts Therapy for Seniors
Workshop: “Supporting Seniors’ Health Through the Arts”
During La Foire Santé Pour les 55 Ans+ (Health Fair for Seniors 55+)
Produced and hosted by Senior Citizens in New Westminster and Réso-Santé
March 30, 2019
Presenter Janet Walker
(Workshop presented in French. Un atelier en français.)
Play Therapy for Children Who Have Experienced Family Violence
A panel discussion about the film Jusqu’à la garde (English title: “Custody”)
Hosted by the Francophone women’s association “Inform’Elles” at L’Alliance Française de Vancouver.
November 25, 2019
Panelist Janet Walker
(Panel discussion in French. Présentation et discussion en français.)
Expressive Arts Therapists Meet-up Group
Peer support and consultation group for graduates of Expressive Arts Therapy programs in Vancouver and beyond. Peer-led exploration of a variety of artistic modalities. Peer support for finishing Master’s theses, accreditation, marketing, case studies, and further professional development.
Group one: 2009-2011
Group two: 2018-2019
Hosted by Janet Walker