WHEAT Institute - Winnipeg Holistic Expressive Arts Therapy Institute

Our Grandmother, Elder Linda Manitowabi. Taking a moment to appreciate her gentle strength and wise presence. She is an important part of WHEAT’s foundation as a place of learning. Sharing gratitude for the many threads of life that create the tapestry of learning as we know it here. Chi miigwetch, Linda, and thank you for launching a beautiful summer of learning with us.

Today, June 21, Many Nations, One Heartbeat ᐊᐧᐦᑯᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ Wáhkóhtowin begins with a sacred fire and welcomes all visitors to a day of ceremony, remembrance, resilience, and celebration.

Programming includes a community powwow, performances by Indigenous artists, interactive art activations, markets and food trucks, activities for children and youth, culture-sharing talks, skateboarding and spray-paint demonstrations, and more. Led by Treaty 1 Elders, youth, and knowledge keepers, the day will honour Residential School and Sixties Scoop Survivors, celebrate Indigenous languages and traditions, and provide opportunities for reflection, healing, learning, and community connection.

Check out the full 11 days of programming here: https://www.theforks.com/blog/517/11-days-of-free-programming-and-celebration-at-the-forks

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

Many Nations, One Heartbeat ᐊᐧᐦᑯᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ Wáhkóhtowin is a major 11-day celebration taking place at The Forks in Winnipeg from National Indigenous Peoples Day through Canada Day. Curated by Kíwétinohk Consulting, this free, family-friendly event showcases the cultures, stories, and connections that continue to shape Manitoba today.

"ᐊᐧᐦᑯᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ Wáhkóhtowin reminds us that we are all in relationship, with the land, with one another, and with the generations before and after us," said Victoria Perrie, CEO, Kíwétinohk Consulting. "It has been a gift to watch this work take shape and to see a second year unfold that continues to honour the teachings behind the name."

"Every part of this program was built with care and conversation, leaving space for stories to be told, for hands to create, for feet to move, and for people to simply be together,” said Tess Ray Houston, Creative Director, Kíwétinohk Consulting.

Check out the full programming at https://www.theforks.com/blog/517/11-days-of-free-programming-and-celebration-at-the-forks

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

Quelle belle fin de session! En 2026, c’est la première fois que WHEAT offre trois cours en français :

Fondements des arts thérapeutiques
Continuum des arts expressifs
Autocompassion et soins communautaires

Sept des huit participantes célèbrent leurs apprentissages avec rires et reconnaissance. Elles lèvent leur verre au nouveau Certificat en arts créatifs et expressifs qui commencera officiellement en janvier 2027.

What a wonderful end to the semester! In 2026, WHEAT offered three courses in French for the first time:

Foundations of Therapeutic Arts
Expressive Arts Continuum
Self-Compassion and Community Health

Seven of the eight participants celebrate their learning with laughter and gratitude. They raise their glasses to the new Creative and Expressive Arts Certificate in French, which will officially be launched in January 2027.

Congratulations to WHEAT Art Therapy Graduate, Abby Bohun, on the publication of her research project in the Canadian Journal of Art Therapy, the official journal of the Canadian Art Therapy Association!

Title: Through the Lens of an Anxious Art Therapist: An Art-Based Heuristic Inquiry

Authors: Abby Bohun, BA, DWHEAT and Mary Norton, PhD, MPS-AT

Abstract: Anxiety is often misunderstood and stigmatized, including for mental health professionals who experience anxiety or other mental health challenges. Although there is research on art therapy for anxiety symptoms, little is known about the lived experiences of art therapists with anxiety. This art-based heuristic inquiry explores the first author’s lived experience as an art therapy student with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Following Moustakas’ six phases of heuristic inquiry and Allen’s Open Studio Process, she created a series of ten art images and witness writings about her experiences with GAD and analyzed them qualitatively. Themes identified include fight, flight, or freeze; reoccurring sensations; the unknown and developing an understanding; and the lack of control versus wanting control. The first author created a digital art show to share her insights and foster dialogue. Findings highlight the potential of art-based heuristic inquiry for self-awareness, public awareness and stigma reduction, and for art therapist well-being. While not generalizable, this study contributes to research on therapists’ mental health experiences and may encourage therapists to explore and share their own experiences through art. Building on the inquiry, this article also considers ethics of sharing art about lived experiences.

Access the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/26907240.2026.2627694

Making rattles on the Eastern shore of Lake Manitoba with Skye Wikjord and Tatum Albert in our Métis Creative Arts Certificate. Working with the hide, creating the designs, calling on the ancestors: the time together is always sacred, deeply moving, and joyous. Join us in August for the new cohort launch. Reach out at [email protected].

Registration for the Métis Creative Arts Certificate launching this August will remain open until the end of June!

This unique certificate program celebrates the richness of Métis culture through creative exploration in hide work, beading, storytelling, writing, felting, film, fiddling, and other traditional arts. The program includes immersive learning experiences at Painted Sky Studio on Lake Manitoba in St. Laurent, along with online offerings.

Ideal for artists, educators, therapists, cultural workers, helpers, and anyone wishing to deepen their connection to Métis identity or better commit as allies in the Indigenous resurgence.

Email [email protected] to book your free consultation call with WHEAT Director, Darci Adam.

“The body says what words cannot.” — Martha Graham

Tanja Woloshen’s Movement: Being Butoh Body course is offered as part of our Creative and Expressive Arts Certificate, as well as our Expressive Arts Therapy and Dual Art & Expressive Arts Therapy Diploma programs.

Registration is still open for the fall cohort of the Creative and Expressive Arts Certificate launching in November.

To book a free consultation call with WHEAT Director Darci Adam, please email [email protected]

The best days of our lives: art, the lake, the land - strengthening our sense of personal identity. If you are Métis or an ally, come join us in the Métis Creative Arts Certificate launching in August on the Homeland of the Red River Métis in St.Laurent, MB. This program was life changing for many in its inaugural offering last year. Reach out at [email protected]. This is the life!