Education and
Training
- Therapeutic Arts Practitioner, Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy, 2024
- Art of Psychology, Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy, 2023
- The Resilient Heart: Trauma Sensitive HeartMath Course, 2022
- Music for Wellness, Berklee College, 2022
- Certified Jack Canfield Success Principles Trainer, April 2017
- The Humber School For Writers, Creative Writing Workshop, October 2016
- Toronto Writer’s Collective* Facilitator Trainer, December 2016 – December 2020
- Certified Building Personal Resilience Coach, HeartMath, November 2016
*Rebranded in 2021 to Writers Collective of Canada
Literacy Experience
- Writers Collective of Canada (Formerly Toronto Writer’s Collective)
- Lead for two initiatives related to the expansion into Mississauga and Peel 2019 – 2021, funded by the Community Foundation of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion Foundation for Arts, Heritage and Culture and Trillium Grow Fund
- · Facilitator from 2015 – 2021 delivering workshops at Baycrest Hospital (Toronto), Renascent Place (Toronto), Open Hub Window (Mississauga), Canadian Mental Health Association – Recovery West (Brampton), Friends and Advocates Peel, MindForward, PowerPlant Contemporary Art Gallery, Visual Arts Mississauga, International Music Day Event
- Lead for development of Virtual On-Line Facilitator Training Sessions for 2020
- Lead Trainer, training facilitators in proprietary methodology, 2017-2020
- Coach/Mentor for Parkdale City of Toronto Public Library, Working for Change, Write On, 10-week series (providing marginalized communities with opportunities), leading to publication of three anthologies launched at the International Festival of Authors, Fall 2017-2019
- Editor for three Front Line Anthologies, 2017 and 2019
- Word on the Street, promotional workshop event with Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy, 2019
Marketing, Promoting Poetry and Wellness
- Toronto Word on The Street, 2019 booth sold over 30 copies of poetry books
- Erin Mills, Indigo, Writers Workbook, Writing for Change and Fuel Your Creativity, March 2019 and July 2019
- Cranberry Christmas Market, Mississauga 2019
Expressive Writing Workshops
- Liberating Language of Emotions, 6 week series Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, Jan – Feb 2022
- Creative Resilience, one hour workshop, University Womens’ Network, Halton, Jan 2022
- Writing Poetry, Mississauga Writers Group, January 2022
- Writing to Heal offered at Visual Arts Mississauga, 4 week program Jan – Feb 2022
- Emotional Literacy 2 hour on-line workshop, VAM, Feb 2022
- Real You; Writing Impactful Artist Statement, VAM, Feb 2022
- Building Your Writing Habits, 2 hour workshop, Melville Church, Belfountain, Oct 2021
- Creative Resilience, An Artful Way to Bounce 8 week program offered on-line and in person at Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, Sept – Oct 2021 and 4 week program Nov – Dec 2021
- Two series of two-week creative writing workshops developed for SAWATRI Theatre, Artful Connections, Wellness Program for South Asian Seniors, Spring 2021
- 90-minute session for Art Gallery of Mississauga’s Border Crossing Initiative, on Artistic Collaborations in partnership with Angela Chao, visual artist, June 2021
- The Writer’s Workshop: Free the Writer Within, Creative Writing Series across the GTA since 2013, offered at Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre since Fall of 2018
- Develop writing tools to support youth mental health for Team Unbreakable- Physical Health for Mental Health, 2018
- Write Your Story, Memoir Writing – Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, Fall 2019
- Half day writing retreat “Creative Resilience” offered at Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, Spring and Summer of 2019
- Half day workshop on writing for artists for Visual Arts Mississauga, 2019
- Workshops for Mind Forward-Mississauga, Peel Halton, Dufferin Acquired Brain Injury Services, integrating wellness and writing, 2019
- Feel It! Experience, Common Ground Café, evening of exploring emotions and well-being through poetry, art and music
- Write To Heal series customized for Wellspring Centre (Cancer Care)– Oakville, 2018-2019
- Full Day Writing Wellness Retreat; Toronto Writers Collective, Summer 2018
- Mississauga Central Library, Literary Festival Workshop, 2017
- Write on the Spot writing prompt series for Mississauga Writers Group, 2016-2018
- Monthly Writing Workshops Studio 89, Community Hub, Sept 2016 to Dec 2017
- York Region – International Women’s Day Writing Workshop, March 2015, 2016
- Writing For Change workshops delivered to raise funds for United Way Halton Hills 2012-2014, and sale of My Words and Writing For Change to raising $10,000 in support community social programs
Speaking Engagements
- Feel It! Exhibit Experience performance Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, March 2022
- Moderator for National Arts for Mental Health Conference, panel session to discuss Physiological Benefits of Arts on Mental Health, Fall 2021
- Invited to present at March 2017, Writers and Editors Network meeting
- Mississauga Central Library 2017 Literary Festival Featured Author
- “Writing Our Stories – Creative Writing Workshop” at Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School, monthly December 2016 – March 2017
- Mississauga Central Library Culture Days Event, October 2016
- Presented at Adler School of Psychology, Written Word Conference, April 2013
- Canadian Conference Board, Ottawa, 2007 and 2009
- National Treasury Department, South Africa, 2008 and 2010
- Humber College, Career Night, 2008, 2019, 2020
Poetry Performances
- Copper Kettle Open Mic, November 2021
- SAVIS (Sexual Assault Violence Intervention Services), Take Back the Night event and fund-raiser, International Anti-violence event, 2019
- Mississauga Arts Council Poetry Night, September 2016
- Feel It!, Studio 89, Common Grounds Café and Dixie Outlet Mall, 2019 and 2020
- Mississauga Writers Group, Mississauga Central Library monthly meetings, 2016-2018 Random Acts of Poetry
Open Mic Radio Features
- HOWL CIUT 89.5FM, University of Toronto Community Radio Showcasing Canadian Music and Poetry, Monthly Open Mic: Featured Jan 2021 December 2021 (15 poems)
Membership and Boards
Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, Board Member and Director of Wellness Programs since 2021
Art Gallery of Mississauga member since 2020
Visual Arts Mississauga member since 2020
100 Women Who Care member since 2020
Arts for Mental Health Committee member since 2018
SAWATRI Theatre Group Board member 2017-2018
Associate Member, League of Canadian Poets, since January 2017
Member of The Ontario Poets Society, since January 2017
Mississauga Arts Council, member since 2016
Canadian Authors Association, member since 2015
Mississauga Writer’s Group, member since 2015; Board member 2017-2018
Humber Project Management Program Advisory Committee member, 2014 – 2021
Board of Directors Member of United Way of Halton and Hamilton 2009-2018
Publications 700+ poems have been published since 2012
Blogs
- Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre Art of Wellness, Monthly Dose of Resilience Blogs, 2022
- Mississauga Arts Council –Guest Blogger: Power of Arts Blog, 2019
- Change Designs, South Africa 2013, Personal Transformation Series Blogs
- The Beginning of Transformation, August 2012
- The Middle of Transformation, February 2013
- The End of Transformation, December 2013
Books
Poetry books
My Words, MyWords Press, 2012
(425 pgs., 361 poems). Launched at Old Mill Toronto
Writing for Change, MyWords Press, 2014
(147pgs, 91 poems). Launched at PAMA, Brampton
Writing for Change, MyWords Press, 2014
(147pgs, 91 poems). Launched at PAMA, Brampton
($10,000 proceeds donated to United Way Halton Hills 2012 – 2016).
Available on Amazon
Non-Fiction, Self-help
- The Writer’s Workbook –Free the Writer Within, Tapping into the Power of Creativity, MyWords Press, 2016 (107pgs, 8 poems), Launched at Evelyn Gregory Toronto Public Library, available on Amazon
- Fuel Your Creativity, with visual Artist Angela Chao, MyWords Press, 2019 (175pgs, 35 poems), Launched at Toronto Word on the Street and Indigo Erin Mills
Interviews
Mississauga Arts Council, Art Studio Visit, Art of Wellness Interview, featured on May 19th 2021, YouTube: https://youtu.be/bbsE2m0KC-U
Imprints of the Journey, Interview Live on Facebook; Healing through writing and writing exercise using Samskara Cards and writing, February 13th, 2021 https://youtu.be/3AA92toP8Y4
Mississauga Creates, featured on May 7th 2020, Episode https://youtu.be/7oP4NtTam5A
Anthologies
- Oprelle, Write Your Soul Publications, “Rise Up”, August 2021, “Gratitude”
- Red Penguin Publications: Ocean Waves, July 2021 “Solstice”
- The Ontario Poetry Society: Arborealis, Fall 2016, “Working Boots”; Verse Afire, May-August 2017 vol2, “The Dust Settles”; By The Wishing Tree, launching Fall 2021, (3 poems
- The Literary Connection, In Our Words Inc.: Volume IV: Then and Now, 2018 (3 poems): Volume V: My Father/My Mother/My Self, 2020 (2 poems)
- Mississauga Writers Group Anthologies: Word Fest, Celebrating the Holidays, 2016 (5 poems); Canada Our Home, July 2017 (5 poems); Word Fest, Celebrating Who We Are, 2017 (4 poems); Our Voices In Verse, 2018 (3 poems); The Earth We Love, 2018 (3 poems); Childs Wonder, 2019 (11 poems); Path to Wellness, 2019 (8 poems)
Online Platforms
- Visual Arts Mississauga, Community Make Art Day “Potluck Recipe” poem, Oct 2022
- League of Canadian Poets, “Shouting Inside Silence” poem about anxiety, Poetry Pause Sept-Nov 2021
- League of Canadian Poets, “When” Fresh Voices 22, June 2021 and Poetry Pause, May 2021
- Mississauga Writers Group, e-Zine: Winter 2016 “Still Standing”; Spring 2017 “Hugs”; Spring 2019: “Shouting Inside the Silence”; May 2020, COVID issue “Pause”; “Endurance”; “Awakened”
- Mindful Word, May 2014, (4 poems)
- Peel Weekly News, Lifestyle Section, Poems featured weekly since July 2020 (62 poems)
Magazines
- Alt-Minds Magazine, Inaugural Issue Vol 1, Issue 1 2018, “I Write to Stain the Page”
- Poetry featured in FreeLit Magazine: Monster Issue: Vol 3, Issue 5, September 2017; “Banishing the Monsters”; Words Issue: Vol 4, Issue 3, May 2018, “Healing Words”; Magic Issue: Vol.3, Issue 6, November 2017, “In Between Miracles and Magic”;
- “Canadian By Choice” published in Canadian Immigrant Magazine, July 2014, (Featured in Fusion section)3 poems)
Collaborative Initiatives
With Fil Plaskota, Creators at Play
- Art of Wellness, Creative Path to Mental Health, 15 minute documentary highlighting value of arts based programming for mental health support.
- Check out the 15 minute documentary:
With Visual Artist Angela Chao combining poetry with art
- Feel It! Exhibit, 2019 (Mississauga Arts Council 2019 Fusion Grant) (7 poems)
- Public Temporary Art: Bell Utility Box at Windwood Trails Park, Mississauga 2020, Grounding
- Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre Artists of Halton & Peel Juried Exhibit, curated by Dick Rampen and Shirley Erskin, November 2019, (2 poems)
With Visual Artist Anna Silgardo (Artists In Momentum)
- Write Art Bell Let’s Talk Day January 2000 & 2020, art wellness session for Bell Canada
- Moderated the ‘Art in Everyday Life – Mental Health Well-Being Symposium’, Central Library Mississauga, November 2018
- Sponsored, Through Glass Exhibitions, Symposium, Workshops, breaking stigma around mental health July 2018
Literary Achievements/ Awards
- Writer In Residence at Visual Arts Mississauga Riverwood, Oct 2021 – Oct 2022
- Art of Wellness Program Lead, Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre Nov 2021 – Nov 2022
- Winner of the Bell, Mississauga Arts Council Arts for Mental Health Award, 2021
- Awarded Mississauga Arts Council, Matchmaker Grant, Creative Resilience, Fall 2021
- Awarded Mississauga Arts Council grant to produce Art of Wellness Creative Path to Mental Health, documentary May 2021 (spotlighting value of arts-based programs supporting mental health. (0ver 1.5 K views)
- Awarded City of Mississauga, Poetry Contest Winner, “Would That I Could”, April 2021
- Poems featured weekly in Peel Weekly News on-line publication since June 2020
- Launched a YouTube Channel to host a series of poems accompanied by photography and music to inspire during COVID 19 pandemic (link noted in Social Media section)
- Awarded Mississauga Arts Council Fusion Grant in partnership with Angela Chao to produce Feel It! Exhibit combined art/poetry in an integrated art exhibit, July 2019
- Heritage Mississauga, Credits Award, Modern Heritage Award, celebrating urban growth and innovation, promoting heritage and creating a sense of place and pride in the Mississauga community through literary arts – poetry, 2019
- Runner up for The Ontario Poets Society Arborealis Contest, 2016
- Canadian Immigrant, Fusion feature in July 2014 Issue:
- Bloor Collegiate Writer of the Year, Awarded by Marshal McLuhan, 1976