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About IEATA Canada
IEATA Canada is a small group dispersed across our vast country sharing a passion for intermodal
expressive arts. Our goal is to foster a creative community where the gifts and skills of each member can be shared and enhanced.
IEATA Canada works to cultivate connections seasonally through 4 member gatherings per year, which feature a combination of:
- Canadian contributors to intermodal expressive arts
- self-care through intermodal expressive arts experientials
- opportunities to learn from colleagues, share expertise, and share information about IEATA
- discuss ideas on how IEATA Canada can make your membership in IEATA even more valuable and meaningful.
Regional coordinators
The co-coordinators of IEATA Canada are Annemarie van Oploo and Marla Brennnan.
Annemarie van Oploo
Marla Brennan
Annemarie van Oploo
Before I introduce myself, I want to thank Elfrieda Lepp-Kaethler from Steinbach, Manitoba. Frieda has been a professional member of International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) since 2017 and has served as IEATA’s Canadian Regional Coordinator for the past 5 years. I have had the pleasure of working with her as IEATA Canada’s Co-coordinator for the past year, after we met as part of the first cohort in IEATA’s Creative Wellness Service Initiative training. Although Frieda is stepping down from her role at the end of 2023, she will continue to serve in an advisory role. Thank you, Frieda, for your friendship, for all that you have done for IEATA Canada, and all you continue to do to promote the expressive arts!
Hello! My name is Annemarie van Oploo and I live in amiskwaciwaskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). I hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta and a Certificate in Labour Relations & Human Resources from Athabasca University. I am a registered yoga teacher and prenatal yoga teacher and have completed expressive arts training at the Prairie Institute of Expressive Arts Therapy, the Expressive Arts Florida Institute, the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute, and IEATA’s Creative Wellness Service Initiative, among others. I have been a professional member of IEATA since 2018 and am working towards my REACE®. I look forward to serving and learning more from IEATA Canada’s members as Regional Coordinator.
Marla Brennan
Marla
Brennan is bilingual (French), inter-disciplinary performing artist and expert arts educator. Currently a student of Expressive Arts Egypt, Marla has lived the reality of using various art forms to recover from stage 3 cancer and to navigate 12 steps addiction
recovery programs. Located in Oshawa, Ontario Marla travels frequently to Los Angeles and works as a children’s entertainer performing her original act The Juggling Chef.
