The Therapeutic Art Club © is part of Canvas Ateliers: a space where we offer therapeutically inspired art ateliers. In these sessions, the focus is not on the final outcome, but on the process of creating; as a way to express, slow down, and reconnect with yourself. The ateliers will be theme-based and or focused on intuiton offering gentle prompts and creative directions while leaving plenty of room for your own flow and expression.

The first atelier moments will be released soon, and registrations will open shortly.

Art & Therapy

Art and creativity have long been used within art therapy and expressive practices. Working with materials, colors, and forms can create space to explore emotions, thoughts, and experiences that are sometimes difficult to express through words alone.

Creative expression can support:

• releasing tension

• exploring and regulating emotions

• gaining insight into inner processes

• deepening self-connection

• finding calm and focus in a busy world

The act of creating itself - touching materials, following intuition - can have a healing and grounding effect.

About the ateliers

The Therapeutic Art Club is designed as an accessible, welcoming space for anyone who is curious about what creativity can offer in terms of well-being and personal development. The ateliers are gentle, guided, and community-based & with room for your own pace, story, and creative voice.

The focus is on:

• expression

• self-reflection

• slowing down

• personal growth

• creating together in a supportive environment

About the initiator

The Therapeutic Art Club is initiated by Elif Uyanik, psychologist and co-founder of Canvas Ateliers. Elif holds a Bachelor’s and Master's degree from Leiden University. She completed a combined Master’s track in Clinical Psychology and the Research Master in Health Psychology.

She has additional training and certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Integrative Psychodynamic Psychology (Butuncul Dinamik Psikoterapi) , EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - a trauma-focused method), and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques: a body-based stress regulation technique often known as “tapping”). She also brings experience from the clinical psychology field.

These ateliers are thoughtfully created as non-clinical spaces, where art is used as a tool for expression, reflection, and personal development while  guided by psychological insight and a deep respect for the creative process.

*For clarity, these ateliers are not clinical or diagnostic in nature. Elif is not an art therapist in the clinical sense (vaktherapeut in the Netherlands); she is a licensed psychologist (BasisPsycholoog/ Psycholoog NIP) working within the therapeutic art field, and these ateliers are offered for expressive and developmental purposes rather than treatment.

Stay connected

We will be sharing the first dates and registration details soon. Follow Canvas Ateliers via our website and social channels to be the first to join. You can also follow the Blogposts for inspiring content!