Alana Stewart

*Works full time with Therapy Dog, Evie

Alana Stewart (she/her) is a Registered Art Therapist and director of her NDIS registered private practice "Finding Wellbeing Art Therapy & Counselling" and it's studio location Yellow Gum Art Therapy Studio.

Alana has personal connections to disability from within her close family and in her professional work she is passionate about disability rights, human rights and providing trauma-informed, neurodivergent affirming and LGBTQIA+ affirming mental health therapy.

Alana has been in private practice since early 2019 and working in the disability and community service field directly with clients since 2012. She also has an interest in nature-based therapy approaches and is a certified Forest Therapy Guide through the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance, offering private forest therapy experiences around northern suburbs of melbourne in addition to her work in the studio as an Art Therapist.

Qualifications held:

• Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)

• Masters of Art Therapy

• Professional Member of ANZACATA

• PACFA Clinical Member - College of Counselling, Reg.Clinical 30669

• Certified Therapy Dog Handler (Therapy Animals Australia)

• Certified & Accredited Forest Therapy Guide

• Member of the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance (INFTA)

Evie, the therapy dog

Evie works with Alana at Yellow Gum Studio. She is a medium sized (adult knee height) mini groodle born in 2021. Her mum was half golden retriever and half mini poodle and her dad was a mini poodle making her an F1B Groodle. Her fur is a lovely redish brown and non-shedding.

Evie is a fast learner and loves to perform some tricks. She also loves pats and likes to be closeby to people. She enjoys sitting up on her chair to watch people make art or having a nap.

Evie has been trained and certified by Therapy Animals Australia extensively to be safe for working with all kinds of people of all ages. It is important that clients still listen to Alana, her handler, on how to approach Evie to help her ongoing training as a therapy dog.