Nice to meet you!
I’m Amy Tschupruk (she/her), a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and Art Therapy Student training at Toronto Art Therapy Institute.
I grew up in Northern Ontario (Treaty 9 Territory), where I developed a deep appreciation for the rugged landscapes and the grounding experience of being immersed in nature. Much of my childhood was spent drawing, painting, and experimenting with creative projects. Exploring the outdoors and making art helped cultivate my curiosity, imagination, and inquisitive nature.
My educational background is a mix of history studies and creative arts (both traditional and digital). In 2022, I enrolled in the Toronto Art Therapy Institute, motivated by a desire to blend my passion for creativity with a deeper connection to personal and collective well-being.
I’m currently writing a thesis on how art therapy can support climate anxiety/eco distress as we witness (and have varying levels of complicity in) the rapid transformation of our planet. I am a member of Climate Psychology Alliance North America, a network of mental health professionals working to collaborate and share resources on this developing field.
Experience
Kids Help Phone Crisis Text Line Volunteer
Fall 2022
Completed a comprehensive 36-hour training program and provided emotional support to texters in distress. Focused on offering coping strategies, fostering a sense of relief, providing resources, and supporting individuals navigating challenges.
Disability Day Program Art Therapy Student
February 2024-March 2024
Supported the lead art therapist in the final weeks of this 10 week art therapy program for adults with disabilities. Program goals included self-expression, exploring emotions, social connection, community collaboration, and highlighting inner strengths.
Long Term Care Home Art Therapy Student
March 2024-August 2024
A co-facilitating art therapy student and I were responsible for organizing programming and directives for a weekly group. Most clients in this group had a dementia-related diagnosis, and many had physical disabilities. The goals for this group were mainly around encouraging engagement, connection, and a sense of autonomy.
Sunnybrook Hospital Art Therapy Student
September 2024-December 2024
Responsible for assisting with multiple art therapy groups, as well as conducting my own one-on-one sessions with clients. Goals varied depending on individual and group needs. Some clients were long-term residents of the facility, while others were awaiting discharge.
TDSB Public School
February 2025-Present
Co-organizing and co-faciliting a weekly artmaking group (grades 6, 7 & 8), as well as one-on-one sessions with children of varying ages. Weekly individual sessions occur on an ongoing basis for referred children who may benefit from art therapy.
Education
Toronto Art Therapy Institute
Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy
2023-Present
My education at Toronto Art Therapy Institute included the following topics:
Ethics in art therapy
Assessment techniques
Counselling skills
Trauma-informed art therapy
Mindfulness
Grief & loss
Substance use & addiction
Eating & Body Image
Severe & persistent mental illness
Working in medical settings
Introduction to CBT & DBT
Various theoretical orientations (ex: Psychodynamic, Liberation Psychology)
Cultural humility
I was trained on working one-one-one, with couples, families, and groups (although I am currently solely practicing one-on-one and with groups). We received training on child and adolescent development, as well as working with older adults. Other client identity-specific courses included:
LGBTQ+ affirmative practice
Disability justice
Art therapy with Indigenous peoples
Refugees/Newcomers
Neurodivergence