Who am I today?
I am a mother, artist, immigrant, and psychotherapist-in-training specializing in Expressive Arts Therapy, psychedelic integration, and indigenous healing practices.
With over 17 years of immersion in traditional Peruvian medicine and ongoing postgraduate training in Expressive Arts Psychotherapy, I bridge worlds—between ancient wisdom and modern therapy, between East and West, between the subconscious and conscious mind.
My work is rooted in a simple belief: you are not broken. You are not a problem to be solved. Healing happens when we remember we belong—to ourselves, to each other, to the earth, and to something greater. Whether through expressive arts, sound healing, psychedelic integration, or talk therapy, I create sacred space where all parts of you are welcome.
I support individuals navigating complex trauma, spiritual emergence, psychedelic integration, and the journey back to their authentic selves. I also facilitate workshops, speak at conferences, and mentor practitioners integrating traditional and contemporary healing modalities.
How I got here:
Born in Soviet Union and raised in Ukraine, I immigrated to Canada at 18 to pursue filmmaking and media arts. I was building a career I loved when, at 25, an encounter with ayahuasca changed everything. I left my creative career, sold what I had, and moved to the Peruvian Amazon.
In Peru (2008-2017):
I apprenticed with traditional curanderos Enrique Santiago Paredes Melendes and Reyna Luz Edery, immersing myself in Peruvian Vegetalismo—the sacred plant medicine tradition of the Amazon. What I thought would be a 6-month journey became 8 years of deep training in ceremony, healing, and the languages of the subconscious.
In 2012, I co-founded Canto Luz Centre for Research and Cultural Preservation, an off-the-grid rainforest retreat dedicated to indigenous healing modalities and Amazon sustainability. Over those years, I guided hundreds of people through transformative ceremonial experiences, witnessing profound healing and witnessing the power of creating sacred containers for human transformation.
Returning to Canada (2017-Present):
I returned to Canada to start my family and continue my education in contemporary psychotherapy. I went back to school and am currently completing postgraduate studies in Expressive Arts Therapy at the CREATE Institute in Toronto, where I'm learning to translate the embodied, creative, and somatic wisdom of traditional healing into clinical, ethical therapeutic practice.
Today, I practice as a psychotherapist-in-training, facilitate workshops and speak at conferences on psychedelic integration and expressive arts, and mentor practitioners navigating the intersection of traditional and contemporary healing modalities. I am also part of the sound healing duo Project Mariri, weaving sound, art, and ceremony into community healing spaces.
TRAINING & CREDENTIALS
Education & Professional Training
Traditional Apprenticeship:
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Ongoing apprenticeship in Peruvian Vegetalismo (Amazonian plant medicine tradition) since 2008
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Direct training with master curanderos Enrique Santiago Paredes Melendes and Reyna Luz Edery
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Co-founder & former director of Canto Luz Centre for Research and Cultural Preservation (2012-2017)
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Guided over 1,000 individuals through traditional psychedelic ceremonies and healing work
Contemporary Postgraduate Education:
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Postgraduate studies in Expressive Arts Psychotherapy (EXAT), CREATE Institute, Toronto (in progress)
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Diploma in Applied Psychology (Integral Neuroprogramming), Institute of Advanced Psychotechnologies
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Advanced Diploma in Media Arts, Sheridan College
Professional Memberships & Recognition:
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Student Therapist Member, Ontario Expressive Arts Therapists Association (OEATA)
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Clinical practice under supervision towards Registered Psychotherapist (RP) designation in Ontario
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Speaker and facilitator at major conferences including CATA-OEATA and McKenna Academy
Languages:
English, Russian, Spanish
How I work
My work is about creating sacred space where you can meet yourself without judgment, where you can explore the depths of your experience without having to perform or pretend.
Whether we're working with paint and clay, sitting in meditation, processing a difficult experience, or simply talking about what's alive in you right now—every moment is an opportunity for remembering that you are whole, that you are welcome, that you belong.
As a therapist, I bring warmth, empathy, and a sense of humor into our work together. I leave my own agenda at the door and follow your cues, offering support when you need it and gently challenging you when it serves your growth. I strive to find a balance between seriousness and lightness—honoring the depth of your experience while making space for joy and laughter along the way.
You are not a problem to be solved. You are a mystery to be lived, a song to be sung, a work of art in constant creation. My honor is to witness your unfolding and reflect back the magnificence I see—especially when you can't see it yourself.