Angela Luna Therapy & Coaching

02/17/2026

In over 15 years of doing trauma work, I've watched so many people struggle with advice to "just breathe" or "tune into your body." When your body doesn't feel safe, that can feel impossible.

I use my expressive arts therapy tools to support breathwork in a way that's more accessible. The Breath, Body, and Art Practice is something I use with my clients, teach in trainings. I have gotten a lot of feedback from participants that it’s a helpful tool that they can incorporate into their work with clients.

So I wanted to share it with you in case you can use it personally or professionally.

The art helps with breathwork because it’s like a buffer. When you're drawing, you have something to do with your hands. You're still breathing, still in your body, but you're not white-knuckling it alone. It's easier.

I wrote up the complete practice in my latest blog post, including why it works and how to do it. You don't need to be good at art or have any particular art supplies. Marker and copy paper work.

Link is in comments.
https://angelalunatherapy.com/minful-art-therapy-breath-body-practice/

01/19/2026

We all know it's been a lot lately. There's collective grief and anger showing up everywhere right now. Real, justified anger about injustice and harm. About systems that fail to protect people. And underneath that anger, grief for the people being hurt and harmed, for the safety that feels out of reach, for the world we wish we lived in.

I've been using expressive arts therapy practices with clients and personally that have been helping.
I know an art practice can feel small compared to the scale of what's happening. But I also know that practices like this accumulate. Art has impact. And we need tools to help us metabolize what we're experiencing so we don't burn out.

There is one practice I call the Empty Vessel Ritual that has been helpful as of late.
Here's how it works in brief:

You sit quietly and reflect on a loss, a person, a sense of safety, and hope for how things could have been.

You write what you're carrying about that loss. You tear or cut the words out.

Then you shape a vessel with your hands using clay, papier-mache, fabric, or whatever materials you have.
You place the torn words into the vessel.

You witness what you've created, this vessel that now holds your grief, your anger, your losses. The vessel gives your grief and anger somewhere to rest, something outside yourself to hold what feels unbearable.

Then you decide what happens next: keep it, bury it, add to it over time, or destroy it as a release.

You can do this alone or gather people together to create a collective ritual. Both can be powerful in my experience.

If you're a therapist or facilitator, feel free to use this with your clients.

This is just one of many things that can support us right now. I'm happy to offer this one thing.
Full practice with all the steps and variations here: https://angelalunatherapy.com/art-therapy-exercise-grief-anger/

01/19/2026

Hey community,

We all know it's been a lot lately. There's collective grief and anger showing up everywhere right now. Real, justified anger about injustice and harm. About systems that fail to protect people. And underneath that anger, grief for the people being hurt and harmed, for the safety that feels out of reach, for the world we wish we lived in.

I've been using expressive arts therapy practices with clients and personally that have been helping.

I know an art practice can feel small compared to the scale of what's happening. But I also know that practices like this accumulate. Art has impact. And we need tools to help us metabolize what we're experiencing so we don't burn out.
There is one practice I call the Empty Vessel Ritual that has been helpful as of late.

Here's how it works in brief:

* You sit quietly and reflect on a loss, a person, a sense of safety, and hope for how things could have been.

* You write what you're carrying about that loss. You tear or cut the words out.

* Then you shape a vessel with your hands using clay, papier-mache, fabric, or whatever materials you have.

* You place the torn words into the vessel.

* You witness what you've created, this vessel that now holds your grief, your anger, your losses. The vessel gives your grief and anger somewhere to rest, something outside yourself to hold what feels unbearable.

* Then you decide what happens next: keep it, bury it, add to it over time, or destroy it as a release.

You can do this alone or gather people together to create a collective ritual. Both can be powerful in my experience.

If you're a therapist or facilitator, feel free to use this with your clients.

This is just one of many things that can support us right now. I'm happy to offer this one thing.

Full practice with all the steps and variations here:

Learn how an expressive art therapy exercise can help to heal collective grief and anger. The Empty Vessel Ritual helps you process emotions and take grounded action.

01/19/2026

We all know it's been a lot lately. There's collective grief and anger showing up everywhere right now. Real, justified anger about injustice and harm. About systems that fail to protect people. And underneath that anger, grief for the people being hurt and harmed, for the safety that feels out of reach, for the world we wish we lived in.

I've been using expressive arts therapy practices with clients and personally that have been helping.
I know an art practice can feel small compared to the scale of what's happening. But I also know that practices like this accumulate. Art has impact. And we need tools to help us metabolize what we're experiencing so we don't burn out.

There is one practice I call the Empty Vessel Ritual that has been helpful as of late.

Here's how it works in brief:

You sit quietly and reflect on a loss, a person, a sense of safety, and hope for how things could have been.
You write what you're carrying about that loss. You tear or cut the words out.

Then you shape a vessel with your hands using clay, papier-mache, fabric, or whatever materials you have.
You place the torn words into the vessel.

You witness what you've created, this vessel that now holds your grief, your anger, your losses. The vessel gives your grief and anger somewhere to rest, something outside yourself to hold what feels unbearable.

Then you decide what happens next: keep it, bury it, add to it over time, or destroy it as a release.
You can do this alone or gather people together to create a collective ritual. Both can be powerful in my experience.

If you're a therapist or facilitator, feel free to use this with your clients.
This is just one of many things that can support us right now. I'm happy to offer this one thing.

Full practice with all the steps and variations here: https://angelalunatherapy.com/art-therapy-exercise-grief-anger/

11/24/2025

When I first stepped into CIIS in San Francisco over 18 years ago, I had no idea how my life was about to shift. I was planning to commute from Sacramento and join the weekend program… and then I met the expressive arts therapy cohort. Something about their energy and light hit me hard. I literally heard a voice inside me say, "I'm home!" So I decided to pack things up in Sac-o-tomatoes (affectionately called, because Sac has the best tomatoes!) and move to the Bay to get my Master's in Expressive Arts Therapy.

That moment set the trajectory for everything I do now. This field has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. It's my calling. I'm grateful I get to do this work and keep growing deeper into it every day.

Recently, I posted a casual offer to answer questions about becoming an expressive arts therapist. Over 100 people responded, and I got a ton of emails asking me to share my experience. I was so surprised and also juiced up by the idea that I could help folks follow this path, so I ended up creating a full 45-minute presentation, a downloadable resource, and a blog post (I'm genuinely proud of these!)

If you're curious about entering this field or know someone who is, I'm sharing all of it here.

Video: https://youtu.be/OH67rSZN4qg?si=zW819PfG0WHP0Gi7
Blog: Link in comments
Downloadable Houndout: Link in comments

I'm also now offering one-on-one creative career coaching for those seriously exploring this profession.

This field keeps deepening for me, and it's a perfect match with my specialization in complex trauma work. If you're feeling that pull toward this work, DM me or send a message through my contact. I LOVE working with anyone drawn to do creative healing work.

►💥 Learn more about the Holistic Trauma Healing Card Deck here:https://angelalunatherapy.com/the-holistic-trauma-healing-card-deck/▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬...

11/18/2025

Hi everyone,

I'm doing a free presentation tomorrow for anyone who's been thinking about expressive arts therapy as a profession. If you're considering the field, are already a therapist wanting to add creative approaches, or are just curious about what this work actually looks like, I encourage you to sign up!

Tomorrow (Wednesday, November 20th) at noon Pacific

https://angelalunatherapy1.newzenler.com/7125/files/691cdd4973d89_1763499337_art-therapy-vs-expressive-arts-therapy-quick-guide.pdf

We'll talk about:

* Art Therapy vs. Expressive Arts Therapy. What's the difference?
* Post-graduate requirements for licensure
* My path from grad school to practice owner, trainer, and product creator
* Open Q&A. Bring your questions!

I'll also share a handout with details and practical next steps for anyone who wants to explore further.

Register here

https://angelalunatherapy1.newzenler.com/7125/files/691cdd4973d89_1763499337_art-therapy-vs-expressive-arts-therapy-quick-guide.pdf

Even if you can't make it live, you can register and access the recording.

Feel free to also download the guide below (scroll to the bottom of the "freebies" page for access.)

https://angelalunatherapy.com/freebies/

See you there,

Luna

www.angelalunatherapy.com

10/21/2025

Hello friends,

After getting inquiries from around 60 people (on Reddit) on art therapy as a career path, I decided to host a free Q&A focusing on how to pursue a career in Expressive Arts Therapy.

It is a one-hour call where I will share my path and different options in the field, followed by a Q&A session.

If you or someone you know is interested, you can sign up here.

Here is the link: https://angelalunatherapy1.newzenler.com/live-webinar/learn-about-expressive-art-therapy-as-a-profession/register

10/21/2025

Healing doesn’t always look like talking. Sometimes it looks like paint under your fingernails and a page full of scribbled feelings that finally get to breathe.

You don’t have to be “creative” to heal with art therapy. You just have to be willing to explore what’s been stuck.

I wrote a blog about how art therapy can help with PTSD in simple, body-based ways.

Take a look here ➡️ https://angelalunatherapy.com/art-therapy-for-ptsd/

Discover how art therapy for PTSD helps calm the nervous system, heal trauma, and restore safety in San Pablo, Fair Oaks and Marin.

10/18/2025

I am happy to be offering a free workshop, Creating Parts Work Art Cards: Accessing Inner Wisdom with Mindful Expressive Arts, with the Expressive Arts Summit on November 7th.

There are over 70 people signed up so far! It will be fun, dynamic and meaningful.

I would love to have you join me! Check it out!

When clients feel overwhelmed by inner conflict, hidden strengths, or emotions too complex to name, Parts Work Art Cards offer a tangible way forward. In this interactive workshop, you’ll discover how to combine expressive arts with parts work therapy to help clients externalize, explore, and integrate their inner world.

Through collage and other creative techniques, participants will learn to:
🔹 Craft personalized art cards that give visual form to inner parts
🔹 Transform abstract emotions into accessible, concrete representations
🔹 Guide clients in interacting with their parts to build self-compassion, regulation, and insight
🔹 Adapt this versatile tool for diverse populations, clinical settings, and presenting issues, including trauma, anxiety, and depression

By the end, you’ll walk away with a clear framework and practical skills for integrating parts work art cards into therapy — empowering clients with a safe, engaging tool for ongoing healing and personal growth.

📌 Perfect for counselors, psychotherapists, and expressive arts practitioners seeking creative, clinically grounded techniques for deeper therapeutic work.

Register today!
expressivetherapiessummit dot com/fallvirtual

08/14/2025

Hello loves!

I'm excited to share that I'll be co-leading a beautiful day-long retreat with Alexis, a wonderful sacred medicine healer (website linked below).

If you feel called to a day of deep connection creating an altar in nature and engaging in a deep guided expressive art mandala collage process to transform fear and worry into feelings of unity, resilience, and strength, please DM me for all the details.

We'll be gathering in the hills of San Pablo, with lunch included. This feels like such sacred work, and I'd love to have you join us if it resonates.

06/02/2025

Hey friends!

I'm super excited (and a little nervous!) to share that I'll be showing my art for the very first time at the upcoming La Peña Frida Kahlo event on June 14th from 11-6!

This step is all thanks to the encouragement of my amazing husband, Shak (David Shakiban). Thank you Shaki! I am genuinely grateful and have butterflies in my belly as I open up to share this new adventure with you all.

The event coincides with the No King protest, and in that spirit, this series is a form of protest art.

The series is a blend of mixed media, combining vintage images from the 1940s to the 1970s with modern elements. I blended analog and digital collage techniques.

You can check out some images below for a sneak peek!
Plus, I'll be donating a portion of my proceeds to the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, an amazing organization that provides legal services and support to immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals facing discrimination.

I’d love for you to come by and check out the art prints. If you're interested in any pieces for the protest, feel free to PM me for details on sizes and prints.

The details for the Frida Kahlo event are below. It would mean the world to me to see you there.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/frida-kahlos-birthday-tianguis-community-block-party-registration-1324677077799

Thank you so much for your support! 💕

05/22/2025

I’ve been creating more art lately, with the love and encouragement of my loving hubby, Shaki.

As I move into this next chapter of my work, I’ll be sharing more about art, the artistic process, and art therapy, and how they can support transformation, trauma healing, clarity and deeper connection to self.

I'm excited to share that I’ll be participating in International Soul Art Day next week—and I’d love to invite you to join me.

What is it?

Soul Art Day is a free, global, online creative experience led by visionary artist Laura Hollick. It’s a day where thousands of people around the world gather (virtually) to explore their inner world through art—using painting, collage, bodymapping, and more.

When: Thursday, May 28
Where: Online, at your own pace
Cost: Free to join

Who it’s for: Anyone curious about creativity, healing, and self-discovery—no art experience needed.

This will be my first time joining, and I’ll be diving in with intuitive analogue collage—one of my favorite mediums right now.
It’s a beautiful way to reconnect with your creative self in community with others doing the same.

You can sign up here: https://www.soulartday.com

If you decide to participate, let me know. I’d love to see what we’re creating side by side.

P.S. I’m also offering free 20-minute consultations for new clients curious about art therapy or working with me. Feel free to reach out if you’re feeling the nudge.

Join us for International Soul Art Day! Thousands of people gather to create art together for the day.