Who we are
Director and Chairperson
Lydia Atira Tan
Lydia Tan is an Expressive Art Therapist and yoga teacher. She is the director and founder of The Art2Healing Project, and has been working as an art therapist since 2003. The scope of her work and projects consists of setting up creative art therapy programs in after-care shelters and NGOs; training and capacity building in creative art therapy with social workers, psychologists and caretakers in developing countries; Expressive Art Therapy Research to lobby for effective curative and preventive policies; and art as a tool for raising awareness and advocacy. She has worked extensively with anti-trafficking NGOs and child protection agencies in refugee settings in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos PDR and Nepal. Her passion is in inspiring women from all over the world on a path of self-love, transformation, healing and joy through creative art therapies, yoga and dance, meditation and ritual.
Project Coordinator and Vice-Chairperson
Nyrelle Bade
Nyrelle has been working with the Art2Healing Project since early 2009. She is the longest standing board member and volunteer of the Art2Healing Project. She has a background in administration and currently works in private practice as an arts therapist working predominantly with women and children. In her role as Vice Chair, she supports the vision of the Art2Healing Project in practical terms in the areas of: local logistics, finance, administration, technical support, networking, and liaison with local volunteers.
Senior Advisor and Co-Facilitator
Carla van Laar
With twenty years experience in working with people through the arts, Carla is a committed advocate of the arts as healing, empowering and delighting for the body, mind and spirit. After studying fine arts (painting) as a young woman, Carla became interested in Community Arts and completed a number of public artworks and artist in residencies with local councils and schools. Carla's interest in the Arts in therapy was sparked by exposure to art therapy at the Royal Children's Hospital when visiting with her son. Carla completed her Master of Creative Arts Therapy in 2001 and since then has worked in full time positions in community, education, health and justice institutions as a Project Co-ordinator, Clinician and Manager. Carla has co-authored chapters in "Healing the Inner City Child" (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) and "Knowing Differently - Arts based and collaborative research" (Nova Publishers) and is the author and illustrator of "Bereaved Mother's Heart", an arts therapy resource for working with loss and grief. Currently completing a Professional Doctorate at MIECAT, teaching Arts Therapy and working in private practice based at her Brunswick Arts Therapy Studio 'aHa', Carla remains committed to the promotion of well-being and happiness through relationships and the arts.
Secretary and Communications Manager
Neema Mohan
Neema has been working with The Art2Healing Project since September 2009. With a Bachelors Degree in Journalism & Public Relations, she works on the Project’s bi-annual newsletters, all promotional material as well as article submissions for various publications to keep the world informed on the important work we do. Neema is passionate about writing, especially about people’s empowerment and helping those in need of courage and healing. Through the Art2Healing Project, Neema has been able to use her writing skills to spread the word about the plight of so many women and children in Asia. When not volunteering, Neema spends time working on her book ideas as well as painting, reading and spending time with nature.
Graphic Designer
Jade Weatherill
Jade Weatherill is a visual artist and graphic designer. She runs her own freelance graphic design business specialising in logo design. Jade uses a different method to create and design through her background in spirituality. Often seeing intuitive visions of logos, design projects and also ideas for her art work, she takes a new approach to design and art which has not been done before. She is the graphic designer for The Art2Healing Project, working on the design of newsletters, website updates and flyers. She is very passionate about becoming an art therapist in the future specialising with children. Jade has an understanding with children and uses her intuition and spirituality as a tool to lead her work and life.
When she isn't working, she is always enjoying life and keeping active with yoga, photography, playing music, meditation and travelling. She lives in Margaret River Western Australia and loves being on the beach, under the trees, away from the built up environment - it is a place to be creative and relax while enjoying life.
Senior Project Advisor
Michael Borenstein
Michael has a background in community development, education, health and health research. He has spent considerable time working in SEA in the area of HIV and injecting drug use. He currently the Coordinator of the Centre for Sexual Health operating across the Central Australian region of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. He is a passionate advocate for the rights of the disenfranchised wherever they may be.
Project Co-Facilitator
Tricia Ong
With a 13-year background in “hands-on” and administrative roles - with children and families from a vast range of socio-economic backgrounds, cultures and illness contexts - in the fields of child care and hospital play therapy, Tricia is now a qualified creative arts therapist, who specializes in women’s reproductive health. Privately, and also partnering with a number of Melbourne women’s health organizations, she has worked with women with endometriosis, ovarian cancer, polycystic ovarian syndrome and women undergoing in-vitro fertilization treatment. In 2009, she seeded a grant for an arts project for women with endometriosis. In 2010, she conducted the “Endometriosis: Online Arts Project”, which culminated in an exhibition at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. In 2011, Tricia is collaborating with Australia’s most reputable women’s health organization to trial, grant-funding dependent, an innovative initiative for women with chronic reproductive health issues. Where possible, Tricia writes and presents on her work. She is a professional member of the Australian Creative Arts Therapy Association and has traveled extensively in Asia: Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Professionally, she uses the arts to improve women’s health and wellbeing, and as a tool for empowerment.
Our Volunteers
Stacey Felice Winograd, Antonia Marison, Erin Knowles, Caro White and Tiffany Mackinson.
Advisory Board:
Jenni Harris, Rosemary Mangiamele, Nikki McCoy, Katherine Cunningham, Chris Caldwell, Martin Peake, Jane Hardwick Collings and Deborah Kalmanowitz