About this Event
Water will return what we give it. Let our societies be revived as watersheds.
~ Rita Wong, Declaration of Intent
Are you interested in exploring the metaphor of navigating whitewater as a way to transform trauma?
Join registered psychotherapists and art therapists Shelley Kavanagh and Suzanne Thomson for an experiential workshop designed to support those working with children, youth, and others affected by interpersonal trauma. Through art-making, body-based awareness approaches, and trauma-informed practices, participants will learn how creativity can become a vessel for healing and resilience. No art experience required—just openness, curiosity, and imagination as we journey together mapping pathways for growth, transformation, and community building.
Shelley and Suzanne wish to join with folks who share an interest in drawing wisdom from nature to reconnect with their bodies, develop skills to navigate with what arises, and find ways to slow things down to reclaim their knowledge.
The workshop facilitators are drawing from their extensive history in consulting people who have navigated the turbulence of interpersonal trauma while whitewater rivers have taught them how to cultivate steadiness in the midst of unpredictable terrain. Shelley and Suzanne have learned the importance of:
■ having the right gear…
being prepared to do trauma work; having knowledge about what trauma is, what we need, and how to attend to its effects
■ mapping out the course while remaining flexible to what gets thrown your way…
building on the wisdom of those who have navigated this terrain; having knowledge about trauma-related symptoms and cultivating steadiness to work with whatever arises
■ reading the river…
mindfulness; being aware of what is happening in the moment while holding the view of the horizon
■ developing the skills for running the river…
acknowledging resources and identifying different approaches to move in relationship with the various contexts
■ identifying eddies for safety and calm…
developing skills and strategies to increase safety and stabilization
■ suggesting possible lines to run…
sharing different sources in community for individual and collective care
Together we will build skills and capacity through individual and collective arts and body-based awareness practices. Participants will be invited to illustrate and scribe their skills and learnings throughout the workshop on a full length paddle that will be a tangible reminder they can take with them to draw from as they move towards a work life they desire for themselves, the folks they work alongside, and their extended communities.
Materials will be provided.
Schedule:
Friday, February 6, 2026, between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM EST
Location:
George Hull Centre for Children and Families
81 The East Mall, Etobicoke, ON M8Z 5W3
Questions and Support:
Please send any questions to Lucy Yazar at [email protected] and do not reply to the Eventbrite email since we may not receive the email in a timely manner. We will do our best to reply to emails within 2 business days.
Direct Registrations:
If you'd prefer to register without using Eventbrite (e.g., organizations registering staff), please email us at [email protected] .
Refund Policy:
For our refund policy, please visit: https://georgehullcentre.ca/institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Institute-of-Childhood-Trauma-and-Attachment-Refund-Policy.pdf
Trainers: Shelley Kavanagh(RP, RCAT) and Suzanne Thomson (RP, RCAT)
Shelley Kavanagh (RP, RCAT)
With over 35 years of experience, Shelley Kavanagh is deeply committed to helping adolescents, young adults, and families navigate life’s most challenging emotional and behavioral struggles. A compassionate and skilled practitioner, Shelley specializes in working with individuals who have experienced trauma, face self-harming behaviors, or struggle with intense emotional regulation.
Shelley’s unique approach integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), art therapy, and mindfulness practices, offering clients a safe space to explore, heal, and grow. Her creative and evidence-based methods foster strong therapeutic alliances, empowering her clients to regain control over their emotions and build meaningful connections.
In addition to her private practice, Shelley provides clinical consultation to Fostering Family Relations (FFR) and is a clinician with the Internet Child Exploitation Program, and the SAFE-T Program at The George Hull Centre. Previously she provided decades of clinical services to The Toronto District School Board, and to the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. . She also designs and delivers specialized staff training programs to enhance mental health support across various sectors and has presented both nationally and internationally on the use of art therapy in healing.
Beyond therapy, Shelley is a passionate advocate for art and community engagement. She has led impactful community art activism projects, has contributed to professional development as a clinical supervisor and faculty member at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute, and has shared her expertise at Humber College. Shelley is also a published author, contributing to the groundbreaking work “DBT-Informed Art Therapy in Practice.”
Suzanne Thomson (RP, RCAT) is a ceramic artist, a Zen Buddhist practitioner, registered psychotherapist and art therapist offering psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She has training in contemplative arts, sensorimotor psychotherapy, narrative therapy and trauma-informed approaches. Suzanne has over 35 years of experience integrating these practices to facilitate healing, community building, and social transformation work. She has taught at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute and the University of Toronto.
In 2002 Suzanne developed and launched community-based clay activism in partnership with the Gardiner Museum, resulting in a series of yearly art exhibits in support of social change. This work has continued to evolve giving rise to a thriving community of practice integrating Zen and clay at the museum.
Transformation by Fire: Women Overcoming Violence Through Clay, a 10-year retrospective at the Gardiner Museum facilitated by Suzanne, won the 2013 OMA Award of Excellence in Exhibitions. It is a direct reflection of Suzanne’s deep commitment to working collaboratively to address social justice issues through the arts.
As a naturalist and avid canoeist, Suzanne looks to the mountains and whitewater rivers as her teachers and through direct experience learns from them about how to leap into the fullness of life.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The George Hull Centre for Children and Families, 81 The East Mall, Toronto, Canada
CAD 319.77
