Rachel Mae Robbins is a professional art therapist and visual artist dedicated to supporting adults in individual psychotherapy and therapeutic groups. She graduated from the University of Toronto in 2007 with a major in Psychology and a double minor in Visual Studies and Music History. After a 15-year career leading arts education and community engagement in the performing arts, she completed her Art Psychotherapy Diploma at the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy (CiiAT). Her career has involved managing teams and educational programs for organizations such as the Regent Park School of Music, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, TO Live, and Nova Dance.
Through her practice, Mae & You Art Therapy, she offers online art psychotherapy for adults and therapeutic facilitation for groups including newcomers to Canada, individuals experiencing homelessness, and artists exploring creative care practices. She takes an eclectic approach to art psychotherapy while drawing on somatic (body-based), trauma-informed, and person-centered modalities.
www.maeandyouart.com | Instagram: @maeandyouart.therapy
Tell us a bit about your time as a student at U of T. Looking back, do you have a favourite memory?
A montage of memories would include:
Step aerobics at the Athletic Centre. Going to Hart House for weekly acapella rehearsals. Paying less than $2 to get on the TTC. Working as a campus tour guide. Getting 3 a.m. knocks on my door in New College asking if I wanted to get in on the New Ho King delivery order. Watching Lost on my antenna tv. Feeling overwhelmed during Frosh Week. Printing assignments at Robarts. Purple engineers. Sneaky Dee’s.
If you could go back to your first day at U of T, what advice would you give yourself?
Dear 18-year-old Rachel,
You can take up space, your voice has value no matter what your grades are going to be. And please don’t wait until your 30s to begin therapy, your experiences are worth tending to. You're doing great.
Love,
40-year-old Rachel
What is one thing you learned in your psychology classes that you still think about today?
Correlation does not equal causation.
What does a typical day look like for you at work?
Some of my days include working with individuals in online art psychotherapy and facilitating therapeutic art groups while other days are focused on administration, planning, and meetings. I make time for reading current research in the field and keeping up with continuing education requirements. The best part is that I get to be creative every day and am challenged to stay flexible and think on my feet. I love this work and I have no shortage of ideas and lofty goals propelling me forward.
Which experiences from your undergrad have you found to be most useful in your career?
When I was heading off to university, my parents told me that my job was to learn how to learn. What’s stayed with me is a deeper understanding of how I take in, organize, and make sense of information. My time at U of T helped me build a foundation for critical thinking. I began learning how to notice my biases and pay closer attention to where information comes from. That learning continues for me to this day.
How would someone who is interested in the kind of work you do get started on a similar career path?
Visit the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA) website to view the schools in Canada that offer recognized art therapy programs. To practice art therapy in Ontario as a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), visit the CRPO website to see a list of their recognized programs. I highly recommend attending the schools’ information sessions to understand the prerequisites and ask questions.
If you're curious about art therapy but feeling unsure, know that practitioners need to reflect the same range of backgrounds and experiences as the folks seeking support. There’s room for you.
What advice would you give soon-to-be grads that are thinking about what comes next?
I’d like to share four thoughts:
- Look for opportunities to learn about career options in small ways. Maybe that means taking an experiential course or requesting informational interviews with professionals who are already on that path. This allows you to seek out more information before making a significant time or financial commitment. When I was considering my career switch from arts administration to art therapy, I took a part-time therapeutic art certification while I kept my full-time job. That course confirmed I wanted to become a psychotherapist.
- You can change your mind. The only way you’re going to know what’s right for you is to try things out. Rest assured that whether you are seeking change, or if change is forced upon you, it won’t negate your previous experiences. Skills that you learn from one job or degree are often transferable to what comes next.
- I wasn't sure who I was or what I wanted when I graduated from U of T. Most of the core experiences and relationships that have shaped my professional journey happened after graduation. It's ok if you haven't found what you're looking for yet.
- If you take one thing away from this Q&A, let it be encouragement to use the services available to you (e.g. office hours, mentorship, therapy, tutoring, clubs). Seeking out personalized support is an act of bravery, not weakness. Keep searching until you find your people; the ones who lift you up and make it safe to take risks.
Amid the well-deserved celebrations, graduation marks a time for reflection. You're stepping forward from a unique intersection of your own identities and experiences into a world of complex systems. You deserve community and a support system as you figure out what's right for you.
About Field Notes
“Field Notes” is a new Q&A series featuring graduates of U of T Psychology. These Q&As highlight the wide range of career pathways that studying psychology can unlock and offer wise words to students from those who were once in their shoes.
Do you want to share your insights with current and prospective students?
Get in touch with us to get started!