Ayana Spivak
MA, RP
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background and education:
I graduated from Moscow State University of Psychology & Education with a Master’s degree in Psychology and continued my education as a Dance Movement Psychotherapist at the Institute of Practical Psychology and Psychoanalysis (Moscow, Russia). Later I became an Expressive Arts Therapist at The CREATE Institute (Creative Integrative Arts Therapies Training Program) in Toronto, Canada. I continue to deepen my knowledge of approaches to psychotherapy, studying the Somatic approach to therapy of Trauma and having been certified in Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
I have been working with groups and individuals in various contexts (psychotherapy, business consulting, and dance teaching) since 1994. For the last 15 years, I have been developing my private psychotherapy practice with a focus on a humanistic, client-centered, somatic, and arts-based approach to psychotherapy.
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Being an Associate Faculty at the CREATE Institute, am happy to share my knowledge and experience in the field of Expressive Arts Therapy. As a certified supervisor, I am also supporting emerging psychotherapists who use arts-based and somatic approaches in their practice.
In collaboration with different social agencies, I facilitate Dance and Expressive Arts Therapy groups for people with developmental or ambulatory disabilities and seniors with dementia.
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I speak both English and Russian.
professional affiliations:
I am registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario as well as a professional member and Board Member of OEATA (Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association).