Natalia Apic and Meg Harnum are both students in the Department of Creative Arts Therapies (Art Therapy Option) at Concordia University. They met through their internship at Concordia’s Center for the Arts in Human Development during the 2022/2023 school year where they co-facilitated art therapy groups for adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Natalia holds a BA in Biology Health Science and Fine Arts (Studio) from Bishop’s University. She also completed a graduated certificate in Child-Centred Play Therapy at Concordia in the spring of 2023. Meg holds a BFA in Community-based Art Education with a minor in psychology from Concordia.
This past summer, Natalia Apic and Meg Harnum received an Art Hives Internship Grant to begin an art hive for new parents. As young mothers, Natalia and Meg felt that there was a need for more support for this population and wanted to create a space where new parents/caregivers could unwind and make art while connecting with one another over the joys and challenges of parenthood. From June to August, the duo were able to facilitate 13 hives: three at a family/community centre in Villeray/Rosemont called La Cabane, five at a family/community centre in Pointe St. Charles called Families en Action, and five at the Pointe St. Charles Library. The hives took place on Monday and Tuesday mornings from 9:30-12:30 and were extremely well received by the community, with the final hives of the summer receiving over twenty participants (the majority of which were moms with newborns in tow). The funding has been extended into the fall and Natalia continues to facilitate the art hives for new parents in PSC on Monday mornings, moving back and forth each week between the library and Families en Action. Meg is planning to return as co-facilitator in January.
For more information visit: https://arthives.org/arthives/new-parent-art-hive