CREATIVE ARTS/ART THERAPISTS

Cristina Ramos is a registered Art Therapist and a member of the French Syndicate of Art Therapists. She has a Master's degree in Art Therapy and Plastic Education for Social Inclusion. Additionally, she holds a degree in Psychopedagogy and a degree in Social Education. Cristina has vast experience working with people with diverse backgrounds and trauma, and has facilitated an online art therapy mission for The Red Pencil in France (February – June 2022).

Soraya Obeid is a registered Art Therapist from the American Credentials Board of Art Therapy. After attaining her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Art Therapy from Lesley University, Soraya came on board The Red Pencil’s Lebanon mission as a resident art therapist in 2019. Drawing from her experience working with Syrian refugees during The Red Pencil’s 2019/2020 Lebanon mission, she has published work about art therapy interventions with Syrian refugee youths.

Alaa AlHajji is a registered Art Therapist with the American Art Therapy Association, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). She obtained a Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling from Drexel University in 2018. Harnessing her professional art therapy knowledge and project management skills, she has organised several art therapy programmes such as a Mobile Art Studio project for Arab refugee children. In The Red Pencil’s Lebanon mission (2020-2021), Alaa provided online art therapy sessions for individual children undergoing treatment at hospitals, as well as online training sessions for school tutors and hospital staff.

Yen Chua is an artist, art therapist and educator from Singapore. Yen is a member and one of the co-founders of the Art Therapists' Association Singapore. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from San Francisco Art Institute (US), a Master of Arts from National Institute of Education (Singapore) and a Master in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts (Singapore). She has experience conducting art therapy for individuals and groups with social-emotional issues, inmates, children with special needs, cancer patients, teenagers with behavioural problems and elderly clients. In 2021, Yen participated in The Red Pencil's Online Art Therapy Mission in India.

Li Ping is a registered Art Psychotherapist with the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA). Prior to attaining an MA in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts, she received her Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Social Work in National University of Singapore (NUS). With a keen interest to work with children, Li Ping has interacted with children with diverse issues including those affected by cancer, special needs, abuse, trauma, and poverty, both on a professional and voluntary basis. She currently works as an Art Psychotherapist at a charity organisation serving children and youth with special needs in Singapore.

Christine Tok is the founder of “The Garden of Art Therapy. Eden” and an Art Therapist/Trainer since 2010. Christine’s zeal for creating art and genuine concern for others makes her a passionate, compassionate and effective Art Therapist. A former early childhood education veteran; Christine is an ardent educator. Besides imparting invaluable knowledge and skillsets to students from all walks of life in her private classes and workshops, Christine’s wide range of experience includes teaching a self-written curriculum for a short course in LASALLE College of the Arts.

Kelly Reedy is an art psychotherapist, artist, and art educator. Prior to attaining an MA in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts Singapore in 2015, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin, and Master of Education from Hunter College. She is also the founder of ArtWorks for Wellbeing, Awareness, & Learning, a therapeutic arts-based consultancy that aims to help each client nurture a sense of wellbeing, discover deeper self-awareness and learn to unleash his or her creative potential through art making, leading to new perspectives and the possibility of change.

Emmanuela Halim is an Art Therapist and Developmental Play Practitioner, registered with The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association. She received her master’s degree in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts in 2016, and her past experiences include practicing art therapy with older adults in a senior activity center as well as with children and adolescents in a hospital.

Dr. Ara Parker is a registered art therapist (RCAT), a registered psychotherapist (CRPO) and Canadian certified counsellor (CCC). A graduate of Lesley University's Masters of Arts, Expressive Therapies program, she is currently an Assistant Professor of Expressive Therapies at her alma mater. Dr. Ara Parker is a Red Pencil ambassador.

Francisca Solar earned her Masters of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy and a minor in Psychology from the European Graduate School in Switzerland. Presently, she is situated at Chile – working both as a freelance therapist as well as a facilitator for expressive arts workshops.

Kirstie Nel completed her masters degree in Creative Arts Therapies with a specialization in Art Therapy from the University of Haifa in Israel. She currently resides in South Africa and is working towards her professional registration with the Health Professional Council of South Africa. She has experience working with kids, adolescents, adults, elderly as well as persons with intellectual and physical disabilities. She has worked in schools, residential and day care facilities and outpatient addiction centers within multicultural and multilingual settings.

Amanda Chen is a certified and experienced Art Therapist (MA-AT 2015 Masters in Art Therapy) and Arts Educator (Registered with MOE-AMIS). Amanda has taken on various assignments from The Red Pencil (Singapore) on many occasions. She is the founder of the social enterprise, Art for Good, which aims to create art projects with the intention of doing good by giving back to society and the community..

Dr. Penelope Orr is a board certified registered art therapist (ATR-BC) and an art therapy credentialed supervisor (ATCS). She is presently the Director of Art Therapy at Edinboro University – where she developed a Masters of Arts in Art Therapy program.

Dr. Daphna Kehila is an independent expressive arts therapist who has been based in Singapore for the past 15 years. As an advisor, she has provided support to The Red Pencil's art therapy programmes. Daphna received her MA in Expressive Arts Therapy and her PhD in Adult Learning and Development from Lesley University (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA). Daphna is also a yoga therapist who often seeks new ways to incorporate the practice of yoga into the art therapy process.

Whaea Sharon Reynolds is of Ngati Kahangunu and Tuhoe descent and resides in Otautahi (Christchurch), New Zealand. She earned her Diploma in Art Therapy from Health and Harmony College in Brisbane, Australia. Whaea Sharon is the Company Director and Lead Community Arts Therapist of The HIVE NZ Ltd with the mission to “bring healing and hope to the nations through creative means”.

Angeline Kin has participated in various projects of The Red Pencil working with both children and adolescents. Apart from being a part time Art Psychotherapist & Counsellor at The Centre For Psychology, she also has her own private practice called 'Art & Soul' offering individual art therapy and group workshops.

After her role as a laboratory analyst, Shulian worked as a full-time primary school counsellor for over 6 years. Now, she is a practicing art therapist after receiving her master’s degree in Art Therapy from LASALLE College of the Arts in 2019.