Joyce VandeGriend is a registered art therapist who specializes in working with children & youth with problems that interfere with school &/or family life.

 

For the past 11 years since graduating from the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute, joyce has been working in the field of art therapy with children, youth, and adults.

 

She has over 25 years experience as a Registered Nurse at B.C. Children's Hospital in the C.A.P.E. (Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency) unit. Children from 4 - 17 years of age were admitted for depression, anxiety, psychosis, abandonment, homelessness, grief & loss, abuse, neglect, attachment disorder, addictions, eating disorders, and complex PTSD.

 

Her  passion has always been working with children and youth.

Her therapeutic approach is non-directed allowing children to explore their feelings via media provided in the art therapy studio. Tightrope Art Therapy & Illustration provides art making to children & youth in art therapy.

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She developed & implemented the art therapy program for 100 patients at the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health & Addiction, providing art therapy one to one and for groups. 

 

Joyce has facilitated groups for: women living with cancer at Rivendell Retreat (Bowen Island), at risk kindergarten children,Vancouver School board teaching assistants,student physiotherapists, youth designing murals: Alternative Secondary School; young women with eating disorders ~ (residential treatment, inpatient hospital unit) & persons with concurrent disorders. An illustrator, she draws and paints premature newborns & palliative infants.Joyce spent 6 months illustrating infants, parents & staff in the Special Care Nursery at B.C. Children's Hospital.  

Joyce continues to illustrate premature & palliative infants in her capacities as artist/art therapist & nurse.