Kutenai Art Therapy Institute

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Kutenai Art Therapy Institute

The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute offers a comprehensive and immersive art therapy training program.

The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI) is an art therapy school offering a fully accredited, two-year, graduate-level diploma program. Our curriculum embodies the interplay between creativity, land-based practice, and collective care, expressed through transformative education and community service. Students can take the program in one of two formats: campus hybrid or online hybrid. We are located in the beautiful mountain town of Nelson, British Columbia, on unceded Indigenous territory.

03/27/2026

🌿 Kutenai Art Therapy Institute Introductory Workshop Series⁠
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Curious about art therapy?⁠
Ready to deepen your creative practice in a meaningful, therapeutic way?⁠
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Our Intro Series Workshops are designed for student art therapists, helping professionals, artists, educators, and anyone interested in the transformative power of art-making.⁠
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✨ No advanced art skills required - just curiosity and openness.⁠
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What You’ll Experience⁠
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🎨 Foundations of Art Therapy principles⁠
🧠 Experiential art invitations⁠
💬 Guided reflection and group dialogue⁠
🌿 Mindfulness-based and strength-focused approaches⁠
🤝 Supportive, inclusive learning environments⁠
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Each workshop blends theory and hands-on creative process so you leave with both insight and practical tools you can apply in your work or personal life.⁠
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Why Join?⁠
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✔ Explore art as a tool for emotional awareness⁠
✔ Learn foundational art therapy frameworks⁠
✔ Connect with a creative community⁠
✔ Experience KATI’s unique experiential learning model⁠
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https://www.kutenaiarttherapy.com/calendar
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03/25/2026

🎨 Exploring Art Media in a Therapeutic Arts Studio [406] 🎨⁠
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Online Workshop | Zoom⁠
📅 Tuesdays & Thursdays | April 7 – May 7⁠
⏰ 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST⁠
💲 $535⁠
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Step into an experiential art therapy training space where creativity becomes a pathway for reflection, expression, and connection.⁠
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This immersive workshop invites participants to explore the therapeutic qualities of a wide range of art materials, including paint, collage, clay, fabric, and natural/found materials. Through hands-on art-making, writing, and group dialogue, you’ll deepen your self-awareness while building foundational relational skills used in therapeutic arts settings.⁠
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🌿 What You’ll Experience⁠
• Direct engagement with therapeutic art media⁠
• Creative self-expression and self-reflection⁠
• Writing and group discussion processes⁠
• Introduction to relational skills in a studio setting⁠
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📚 Materials list and readings will be provided by the instructor.⁠
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✨ This workshop can be applied toward the 30-hour admission requirement for the online hybrid diploma program at Kutenai Art Therapy Institute.⁠
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https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kati/1983722/r/fb
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Instructor:⁠
Evie Dunville, BA, BFA, RCAT - an art therapist based in K’jipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia, known for her thoughtful integration of art, writing, and nature in creating accessible spaces for healing and creativity.⁠
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Explore. Create. Reflect.⁠
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03/23/2026

🎶 Selah & Psalms: A 4-Week Online Art Therapy Group 🎶

Saturdays | April 4 – April 25
🕊 9:00 – 11:00 AM PDT | Online (Zoom)
💲 $10/session | $40 total

Take a moment to pause… breathe… and rest.

Selah (say-lah) means “to pause and rest in God’s presence.” This 4-week Christian faith-based art therapy group invites you into a space of sacred stillness, creativity, and reflection as we explore Psalm 23 together.

Through gentle art-making and guided reflection, you’ll be invited to slow down and reconnect—with God, yourself, and a supportive community. No art experience is needed—just a willingness to show up.

🌿 What to Expect
• Creative exploration rooted in faith
• Reflection on Psalm 23
• A safe and supportive studio space
• Opportunities for connection and sharing

📩 Registration: Email the facilitator to introduce yourself and receive an access code: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/am/2122038/r/fb
🗓 Registration closes April 3, 2026

This student-led art therapy group is facilitated by Anne, a second-year student at Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, and is supervised by a registered art therapist in alignment with ethical and educational guidelines.

Come find calm, creativity, and connection.

03/19/2026

🌿💚 Earth Heart: Welcoming Spring in the Outdoor Spaces 💚🌿⁠
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In-Person | Cottonwood Lake Regional Park (Nelson, BC)⁠
📅 Saturdays | March 28 & April 18⁠
⏰ 2:00 – 5:00 PM PDT⁠
💲 $10 per session | Adults 18+⁠
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Step into spring with a gentle, creative gathering rooted in nature, connection, and reflection. Earth Heart invites you to reconnect with your eco-self through mindful exploration of the natural world.⁠
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Together, we will engage in simple, sustainable art-making practices using what is already around us- honouring the land, the season, and our place within it. This experience offers space to slow down, notice, and create in relationship with the environment and one another.⁠
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No art experience or materials are needed, just curiosity and a willingness to be present.⁠
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🌱 What to Expect⁠
• Guided nature-based reflections⁠
• Creative exploration using natural and found materials⁠
• Opportunities for quiet individual process and optional group sharing⁠
• A supportive and grounded outdoor experience⁠
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📩 Registration: Please email the facilitator to introduce yourself and receive an access code. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/am/2122252/r/fb
🚗 Participants are responsible for their own transportation.⁠
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📍 Location: Cottonwood Lake Regional Park⁠
The Great Northern Rail Trail, Nelson, BC⁠
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This student-led art therapy group is offered as part of a practicum placement and is supervised by a registered art therapist in alignment with Kutenai Art Therapy Institute ethical and educational guidelines.⁠
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03/18/2026

🌿 Waking Up: Awakening the Layers Within Us 🎨✨

Join us for a community art exhibition welcoming the return of spring and the unfolding of our inner worlds. Awakening the Layers Within Us invites you to explore themes of renewal, reflection, and transformation through art.

🗓️ April 11 | 1–5pm PDT
🗓️ April 12 | 1–4pm PDT
📍 Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, Nelson, BC

Experience meaningful artwork, engage in simple creative activities, and connect with community. Drop in or register - come as you are.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kati/2115570/r/fb

03/12/2026

📣 Final Call for Applications – March 15 Deadline⁠
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Admissions for the 2026–2027 program at Kutenai Art Therapy Institute will close this Sunday, March 15.⁠
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If you are considering deepening your practice in art therapy and expressive arts, this is the final opportunity to submit your application for the upcoming academic year.⁠
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KATI offers a unique learning environment that blends experiential practice, creative exploration, and theoretical foundations to support students in developing meaningful and ethical art therapy practices.⁠
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Applications close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 15.⁠
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We encourage anyone interested to complete their application before the deadline.⁠
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🌿 Learn more and apply: kutenaiarttherapy.com/admissions⁠
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03/11/2026

🌿✨ Enchanted Roots: Journeying Between Earth and Self ✨🌿

Online Art Therapy Group
📅 Wednesdays | April 1 – April 22
⏰ 4:00 – 6:00 PM PST
💻 Online (Zoom)
💲 $40 for all 4 sessions

Step into a gentle creative journey that reconnects you with both your inner landscape and the natural world around you. Enchanted Roots is an online art therapy experience that invites curiosity, imagination, and reflection through grounding practices, nature scavenging, art-making, and optional sharing.

Blending eco-art practices, mindfulness, and fairytale-inspired playfulness, this group explores how everyday surroundings can become portals for symbolism, creativity, and self-discovery. No prior art experience is needed, just a willingness to explore.

Each two-hour session includes guided grounding, art-making with natural or found materials, and optional community sharing. The group is intentionally small (maximum 15 participants) to support a safe and intimate experience.

🌱 What to Bring
• Access to a nearby outdoor space (yard, balcony, park, or indoor plants)
• A surface to create on
• Optional: glue, tape, scissors, pen/pencil
• Journal or notebook
• Stable internet connection and a private space

📩 Registration: Please email the facilitator first to introduce yourself and receive an access code. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mo5/2104631/r/fb

This student-led art therapy group is facilitated by Mishelle Osmanov and Lauren van Eijk as part of a practicum placement and is supervised by a registered art therapist in alignment with Kutenai Art Therapy Institute ethical and educational guidelines.

03/10/2026

Yesterday, we recognized International Women’s Day, a moment to honour the women whose creativity, courage, and care continue to shape our communities and the field of art therapy. At Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, we reflected on the many artists, therapists, educators, and students whose work inspires healing, connection, and transformation through the arts.⁠
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Many aspects of art therapy has long been influenced by women who have used creativity to explore experience, challenge systems, and support wellbeing for individuals and communities. Their contributions remind us that art can be both a form of expression and a powerful tool for resilience, voice, and change.⁠
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International Women’s Day also invited us to reflect on the ongoing work toward equity, inclusion, and recognition for women and gender-diverse individuals in the arts, mental health, and education. Through creativity, collaboration, and community care, we continue to support spaces where diverse voices and experiences are welcomed and valued.⁠
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We are grateful for the many women who have helped shape the past, present, and future of expressive arts and art therapy.⁠
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03/04/2026

REMINDER! Happening tomorrow.

📖 The Golden Salamander: A Celebratory Book Launch⁠
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Free • Online (Zoom)⁠
Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST⁠
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Kutenai Art Therapy Institute warmly invites you to an online launch of⁠
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The Golden Salamander: Environmental Education and Art Therapy⁠
by Monica Carpendale and Will Crow Parker.⁠
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This book is a dialogue between art therapy and environmental education, between mother and son, exploring nature, story, eco literacy, and creative expression. Beginning in winter’s darkness and moving toward the light, it invites us to reawaken perception and respond through art.⁠
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Ideal for educators, art therapists, counsellors, social workers, parents, and child & youth care workers.⁠
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Join us to hear Monica and Will share insights into the creative process and the ecological heart of this work.

Register at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kati/2085843/r/fb
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03/03/2026

🌸 Seasonal Open Studio: Spring⁠
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Online • Zoom⁠
Tuesdays, March 24 – April 21, 2026 | 4:00–6:00 PM PT⁠
$10 per session⁠
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Join us for a gentle, creative exploration of spring’s themes and sensations. Come for one session or all five. Participants are invited to respond to each weekly theme or create spontaneous art in a supportive, welcoming space. No art experience or special materials required.⁠
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🌦 Weekly Themes⁠
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March 24 – Clouds & Rain⁠
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March 31 – Buds, Bulbs & Blossoms⁠
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April 7 – Showers & Rainbows⁠
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April 14 – Hatching, Buzzing & Special Deliveries⁠
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April 21 – Sunshine & Warmth⁠
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This student-led art therapy group is offered as part of a practicum placement and is supervised by a Registered Art Therapist in alignment with Kutenai Art Therapy Institute ethical and educational guidelines.⁠
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Join this group with facilitators and Miranda Crabtree and Brita Ralph to pause, notice, create and welcome spring through art. ⁠
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Register: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mc3/2090148/r/fb
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02/26/2026

📖 The Golden Salamander: A Celebratory Book Launch⁠
⁠
Free • Online (Zoom)⁠
Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST⁠
⁠
Kutenai Art Therapy Institute warmly invites you to an online launch of⁠
⁠
The Golden Salamander: Environmental Education and Art Therapy⁠
by Monica Carpendale and Will Crow Parker.⁠
⁠
This book is a dialogue between art therapy and environmental education, between mother and son, exploring nature, story, eco literacy, and creative expression. Beginning in winter’s darkness and moving toward the light, it invites us to reawaken perception and respond through art.⁠
⁠
Ideal for educators, art therapists, counsellors, social workers, parents, and child & youth care workers.⁠
⁠
Join us to hear Monica and Will share insights into the creative process and the ecological heart of this work.

Register at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kati/2085843/r/fb
⁠

02/25/2026

💗 Pink Shirt Day | Choose Kindness. Create Courage. 💗

Today we wear pink to stand against bullying, and to stand for compassion, courage, and community.

At Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI), we believe that creative expression can help transform harm into healing. Art therapy offers safe spaces where people of all ages can explore emotions, process experiences, and rebuild self-worth through image, colour, movement, and story.

Bullying impacts mental health, identity, and belonging. Healing happens when individuals feel seen, heard, and supported.

🎨 Through art therapy we can:
• Strengthen emotional resilience
• Build self-compassion
• Foster empathy and perspective-taking
• Support safe expression of difficult experiences
• Cultivate inclusive, respectful communities

Pink Shirt Day reminds us that kindness is not passive, it is an active practice. It asks us to notice, to interrupt harm, and to create environments where everyone belongs.

Today, and every day, we invite you to choose words that uplift, actions that protect, and creativity that connects.

💗 When we create together, we build safer spaces together.

Address

191 Baker Street 2nd Floor
Nelson, BC
V1L4H1

Website

https://www.kutenaiarttherapy.com/

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Our Story

The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI) is dedicated to the belief that the creative process is healing and life enhancing. The Institute offers art therapy services to children, youth and adults, an accredited post-baccalaureate art therapy diploma program and professional development opportunities in expressive arts therapies and ecological identity. The KATI program integrates art therapy theory, practice and research. The Institute is situated in the small heritage town of Nelson, BC, and emphasizes an awareness of the therapeutic needs of rural communities, with a focus on training culturally sensitive and responsive art therapists. The program is offered in 2 different formats: a campus program with planned clinical placements; and a distance program with immersive onsite course work and individually established clinical placements in home communities. The Kutenai Art Therapy Institute is a community-based creative program. We are always doing new things: making art, writing books, making movies, putting on workshops, conferences and symposiums. Check out our workshops and events section. Over the last few years we have hosted national and international art and expressive arts therapists. Monica Carpendale, the founder and academic dean, is a published author, film producer, and international presenter.