SUZANNE VALOIS
Expressive Arts Practitioner
artist and founder of
The Art of Being Human, melding creativity and wellness as an approach to a more insightful and balanced life. She has been teaching art in institutions for over 30 years, notably at the National Gallery of Canada for nine years, nationally and internationally, working with people of all ages and abilities.
As an advocate for arts and health, she founded the Arts Health Network of Ottawa, a community partner of Arts Health Network Canada. She has been a presenter at the Canadian Medical Education conference of 2014 and moderated discussions at the Michäelle Jean Foundation Power of the Arts Conference.
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Expressive Arts Practitioner
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founder of Arts Health Network Ottawa
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30 years of bilingual teaching experience with youth, adults, seniors and people with physical and mental challenges
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exhibiting artist nationally and internationally
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educator/guide National Gallery of Canada
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featured in Kulture magazine 2000
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Ottawa Citizen Diplomatica June 8 2005
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Articles: Sage-ing magazine
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Nominated for the 3M Arts and Medicine award 2014
Presently she uses the arts to coach students, residents and physicians of the University of Ottawa Family Medicine, Medicine & Humanities program. adaptive learning strategies for better empathic, communication, observation and critical thinking skills, to improve bedside manner and patient care. As well she created and teaches an elective course for the University of Ottawa Medicine & Humanities program, the first such certificate program in the world.
She teaches counsellors and therapists how to integrate art interventions into their practices. She also works for the City of Ottawa: implementing professional development programs for activity directors in senior care homes and teaching the Art for Health courses at the Ottawa School of Art.
" I believe strongly in engaging in art for the health benefits that it provides and the work of The Art of Being Human resonates deeply with me. I think everyone just needs to give art a try. At 94, I don't know how I'd fill my days without drawing" Daphne Ojig winner of the Order of Canada and Governor Generals Award for Visual Arts.