About me

Kimberly is a Canadian transpersonal art therapist and a meditation teacher living in Sydney, Australia

International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) | Art Therapy with Kimberly

Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

I’m passionate about art therapy and I have a genuine enthusiasm for helping others find healing, connection, and joy in art. Art therapy has played a huge role in my own healing journey and I want to share that with others.

I was born in the mountains of North Vancouver, British Columbia and I currently live in Sydney, Australia. Although I was born in Canada, I spent most of my childhood living outside of the country. My father was a Diplomat so I was raised in Pakistan, Egypt, Ghana, Jamaica, and Ukraine.

A big part of who I am is because of my big sister, Elizabeth. I would not be in this profession had it not been for her.

My sister and I were 14 months apart and were very close growing up. She began showing signs of a mental health disorder at a very young age. Her moods went dark, her energy changed, she was involved in things that were bizarre and incomprehensible to me. As she got older, she suffered from debilitating cycles of depression and addiction. While we never found out what her condition was, it was likely to be Bipolar I Disorder.

Elizabeth taught me the value in non-judgemental listening when all I wanted to do was solve and fix. I simply could not bare to see my sister in pain, and that feeling of helplessness is a deep wound that I still feel to this day. I owe her more than words can explain for being my sister, and for ultimately teaching me the importance of life. On October 13th, 2013 my sister died. She was only 26 years old. Her loss pierced through the layers of beliefs and foundations on which I saw the world. It led me on a journey towards understanding my own mortality and seeking answers through therapy and spirituality.

Discovering Transpersonal Art Therapy

I’ve been on a harrowing and painful journey through grief which ultimately led to a career in transpersonal art therapy. In many ways, it feels like it found me. I didn’t ever think I’d have a career in art therapy even though I love both art and psychology. Somehow combining the two never clicked. My sister was also a gifted artist and I believe my work pays tribute to her life. I know she would have loved transpersonal art therapy, I know she would have been so proud of me. I just wish that she could have lived long enough to know about that this form of therapy existed.

Art in all of its forms can be a powerful tool for processing emotional pain, reducing anxiety, and increasing feelings of connection. Especially when it’s held in a group. Loneliness and isolation is an epidemic in our modern lives. Feeling seen and heard for who we truly are is so critical.

I don’t see what I do now as work or a career, but more as a life purpose. Everything I went through brought me exactly where I am today. Although it’s not the journey I wanted, I’m grateful for every part of it for making me the person I am today.

Qualifications

Diploma of Meditation Facilitation
(Meditation Teacher Training College, Sydney, Australia. March 2021)
Advanced Diploma Transpersonal Art Therapy & Counselling
(College of Complementary Medicine, Sydney, Australia. August 2020)
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
(Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. March 2013)