Philomena Meffe - OEATA Member Directory

I am an expressive arts therapist with a lifelong dedication to creativity, caregiving, and community engagement. My journey into the arts and healing practices has been shaped by both formal study and deeply lived personal experience.
I am a recent graduate from the Expressive Arts Therapy Training Program at The Create Institute (2021–2025), where I have integrated my decades of art practice, therapeutic exploration, and intuitive caregiving into a professional framework. I continue to expand my knowledge through courses such as Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta, 2020) and advanced studio studies at the Haliburton School of the Arts, Neilson Park Creative Centre, and Toronto School of Art, among others. My academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts in Religion (major) and Psychology (minor) from the University of Toronto (1997–2008).
Before turning fully toward the arts and therapeutic practice, I worked as a programmer/analyst in the corporate sector (1974–1983), where I developed technical and problem-solving skills. In 1983, I dedicated myself to raising a blended family of six children, navigating grief, resilience, and growth. This period became my most formative experience in counselling, nurturing, and supporting others through instinct, empathy, and creativity.
Alongside my family work, I have been actively engaged in community service and volunteerism. I founded The Rachel Project (2019–2023), a grassroots initiative providing household goods to young adults aging out of foster care. For over a decade, I supported my local school through literacy programs, publishing initiatives, and leadership roles on the PTA. Since 2014, I have also acted as Power of Attorney for a neighbour living with Korsakoff Syndrome, ensuring her care and wellbeing.
My personal therapy journey has been integral to my growth, spanning Jungian analysis, integrative bodywork, individual and couples counselling, and most recently, ongoing expressive arts therapy sessions. These experiences have not only deepened my own healing but also strengthened my capacity to hold space for others with empathy, creativity, and authenticity.
As an artist, storytelling is at the heart of my practice. My work often combines visual art with poetry and narrative, exploring themes of memory, resilience, and transformation. I have exhibited in Toronto, Ontario, with solo shows at the Women’s Art Association of Canada and Joseph Carrier Gallery, and group exhibitions at institutions such as the McMichael Gallery, Neilson Park Creative Centre, and Haliburton School of the Arts.
Through this weaving together of art, therapy, and lived experience, I bring a holistic and compassionate approach to expressive arts therapy. My goal is to help others access creativity as a pathway to healing, self-discovery, and connection.