Team

Brian is a dedicated clinical psychology professional completing a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from De La Salle University Manila. With a robust foundation in Management and Information Systems from Ateneo De Manila University, he integrates his diverse skill set to offer holistic mental health services.

He currently also serves as a volunteer Intern Counselor at In Touch Community Services where he provides counseling sessions and has accumulated over 100 hours as a Crisis Line-certified responder. He has also assisted in training new Crisis Line responders and facilitated psychoeducational webinars and workshops.

Previously, Brian worked as a consultant for Mandarin Nest in Boracay, contributing to the pre-opening team and helping achieve top ratings across online travel agencies and review sites in 2023. He assisted in conceptualizing and operationalizing Nest's core values, vision, and culture, and designed orientation programs for new recruits. Additionally, he has extensive experience working in manufacturing as a Sales Manager and Business Analyst, where he improved sales revenue, developed new products, and led projects to enhance company efficiency.

Fluent in English, Filipino, and Chinese (Hokkien), Brian offers a multicultural perspective to his practice. He continues to learn and grow through participation in various seminars and workshops on topics such as trauma healing, organizational development, and leadership.

Brian's background in clinical psychology and business allows him to understand both individual and organizational dynamics, providing effective mental health support to those in need.

Nicole is a registered psychometrician and expressive arts facilitator. She has a background in early intervention and curriculum design for children under 5. She has also worked as a mental health practitioner and mainly focused on psychological assessment. With her love for art and psychology, she aims to fuse them to support mental health and well-being.

Nicole completed her BS in Psychology at De La Salle University, and completing her Master's in Clinical Psychology at the same university.

Cholo is a professional theater artist currently completing his MA in Counseling Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University. Having felt the therapeutic potential of engaging in his own art practice as a theater actor, he seeks to engage with the healing modalities of drama and the expressive arts. Previously, he interned at the Ateneo Bulatao Center for Psychological Services as a volunteer counselor for their Brief Psychological Services unit, providing online psychosocial support for Filipino adults throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He integrates his art and mental health practices as one of the pioneers of Jungle Gym Play Laboratory, a group of interdisciplinary artists exploring the intersection of art, games, and community action. Follow them on IG at @junglegymplaylab.

Vonne is a registered psychologist working in both clinical and community-based settings. She has worked  individuals through their process of dealing with anxiety, depression, life transitions, and in particular supporting women with history of abuse. She is currently the Quality Management Director at Gestalt Wellness Institute.

Vonne also advocates for holistic and spiritual practices for wellbeing, integrating these approaches in supporting clients. She is a Reiki Master-Teacher, a Sacred Cacao Ceremony Facilitator, and a Group Expressive Arts Facilitator trained at The Arts and Health Institute PH, MAGIS Creative Spaces, Inc.

Aside from her work as a clinician and facilitator, Vonne is a licensed professional teacher and is currently a part-time instructor for the undergraduate Psychology program at Cebu Institute of Technology-University. She completed her Masters in Psychology in Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

Athena Lucas is an Art Therapist based in Sydney, Australia. She is a registered professional member of the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA). Her educational background, part of which was at UP College of Fine Arts, includes arts, design and media prior to completing her master’s degree in Art Therapy. She worked as a designer in the advertising world for many years while facilitating art groups in the community as a volunteer. She now works in a mental health hospital in Sydney as an Art Therapist. She is also a part of MAGIS Creative Spaces providing online therapy to Filipino clients.

Wali is a mental health clinician and a Master’s Candidate taking Clinical Psychology at De La Salle University – Manila. His clinical experience includes working as a volunteer counselor handling Pro Bono cases for clients with depression, anxiety, trauma, interpersonal relationship issues, and adjustment concerns. He is also a certified crisis line responder.

As a member of the Rude Mechanicals Theater Company, he used to teach theater to children of various ages. He also volunteers as a teacher and assists in the theater program of Tuloy sa Don Bosco.

His mental health advocacy is focused on being able to provide accessible mental health services and education, psychosocial support for the youth, and incorporating the creative arts in counseling and therapy.

Belle O. Mapa is a multipassionate storyteller, artist, mental health advocate, digital marketing specialist, and expressive arts facilitator.  

Graduating with a BFA in Creative Writing from Ateneo de Manila University in 2017, she started journaling for self-care workshops following a period of grief and burnout. She has held space for corporate teams, young adults, and women's circles. 

After seven years balancing creative facilitation with a full-time marketing job, Belle joined the pioneer batch of certified Expressive Arts Facilitators at The Arts and Health Institute. Combining mindfulness with art-making and poetry, Belle believes the blank page is a safe space. 

Marisa is a licensed psychologist who has used music, play, and other expressive arts modalities in her therapy practice for 25 years. Her work with clients has addressed a wide range of concerns, including special needs and autism, dementia and aging, surviving sexual abuse, trauma, depression and other mental health challenges, and school-related psychosocial issues. Her work has brought her to different contexts of practice, including private clinic practice, inpatient visits, and community groups. Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer for Music and Wellness in UP College of Music.

Marisa took her BA Psychology at The Catholic University of America and obtained her MA Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University in 2000. She holds a certificate for postgraduate studies in Expressive Arts Therapy, Education & Consulting in the European Graduate School in Switzerland where she hopes to finish her doctorate studies.

Maria Mison is a multidisciplinary artist-teacher with a wide range of experience and integration, in theater (PETA artist-teacher, Philippine Educational Theater Association), independent game design (lyrical pedagogy for tabletop RPGs), and somatics-dance practice (daloy, kontragapi, afro-latin dance). She is currently undertaking an MA in Art Education from University of the Philippines Diliman, and is part of the pioneer graduate batch of expressive arts group facilitators from The Arts and Health Institute under MAGIS Creative Spaces.

Maria has also had shamanic and dreamwork experience since 2016. She has spoken on decolonizing knowledge systems with regards to Indigenous healing and wisdom bodies at the 2024 Prince Mahidol Awards Conference, and is a guest resource speaker on Decolonial Medicine for the graduate program at Harvard School of Public Health.

Maria aims to make healing as in-depth, accessible, and available to all kinds of populations, in the hopes of making it as fun, enlivening and an enabled task, as much as it is able! She is happy to meet you. ✿

Dan is a mental health clinician and candidate for an MSc in Clinical Psychology at De La Salle University Manila. His clinical practice includes working with clients with depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationship issues, trauma, anger management, and schizophrenia. He also serves as a crisis line responder for local clientele in the Philippines.

He also has demonstrated experience in web and application development, and has the professional goal of pursuing projects where his interests in mental health and tech intersect.

Ina is a registered art therapist with the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA) and a registered counsellor with the Australian Counsellors Association (ACA).

Since completing her Master of Art therapy in Western Sydney University, Ina has begun her practice in Australia by supporting Aboriginal children in art therapy and providing behavioral support plans for their carers, school and communities. Ina is also a provider with MAGIS Creative Spaces and is able to support a range of Filipino and Philippine-based clients through art therapy online.

Ina is a practicing artist and illustrator and had once upon a time had spread the joy of art-making and art as an art teacher.

Therese is a licensed psychologist who specializes in counseling and psychotherapy for  neurotypical adolescents and young adults. She has a diverse range of experience with clients' individual concerns ranging from work- or school-related stress, interpersonal challenges, to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma. She is currently seeing clients through Magis Creative Spaces and her private practice. She is also a volunteer in the government's Mental Health E-Konsulta program. Therese completed her MA in Psychology, concentration in Counseling Psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2017. In the same year, she also took the Psychologist's Board Exam and placed as the 7th top-notcher. She has been a practicing psychologist since then.

Therese is a passionate mental health advocate. She puts this to practice whenever she facilitates talks on Mental Health Awareness for different audiences and in how she handles her classes as a part-time faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University's Department of Psychology. She also participates in research projects to contribute to the knowledge and evidence-based interventions in the field of psychology. She hopes that these efforts will lead to a deeper understanding of mental health, less shame in seeking professional help, and more compassion towards mental health concerns.

Mariel is a registered psychologist who obtained her Master of Arts in Psychology from Southville International School and Colleges, where she also currently works as a college guidance counselor and faculty member of the Psychology Department. As a member of the Rotary Club of Sunvalley Sunrise, she has also taken part in projects such as Psychological First Aid training and psychosocial interventions in Tacloban and within the Rotary community.

Leonard is a psychometrician, psychologist, and part of the current board of directors at the Psychological Association of the Philippines - CALABARZON-MIMAROPA Chapter (Regional). He is also pursuing a doctorate in Psychology, Major in Human Development in De La Salle University - Manila.

Leonard has been a resource speaker for mental health and gender and development in schools and community-based/barangay-based programs. He is also with the Cavite State University - Carmona Campus for academic instruction, student services and welfare, and as project leader in gender and development related research. He is also currently spearheading the beginning of the university’s BS Psychology program.

As a mental health professional, Leonard’s advocacy is in breaking the stigma around the profession, through strengthening the presence and involvement of psychometricians and psychologists in the community.

Jason is a registered psychologist with a demonstrated experience as a certified hypnotherapist. Apart from serving clients through MAGIS Creative Spaces, he is also a practicing psychologist at the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong.

Through his clinical practice, Jason aims to steer away from the stigma against hypnotherapy, and raise awareness for it as an accepted method in dealing with psychological difficulties.

Abbey is a licensed psychologist with approaches that are rooted in person-centered, solutions-focused, trauma-informed, and internal family systems therapies. As a certified yoga and mat pilates instructor, her approach also espouses a holistic perspective to healing and growth, utilizing a combination of relevant body-centered, mindfulness-based, and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Working with individual adults, Abbey has dealt with a variety of issues such as mood disorders, grief and loss, trauma, identity, stress, and life transitions. As a psychotherapist, she describes herself as curious, creative, collaborative, playful, sincere, and steadfast.

Abbey completed her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Jillen is a mental health service provider and expressive arts facilitator for psychosocial programs at MAGIS Creative Spaces, where she integrates psychological and expressive arts-based methods in psychosocial support. As an entrepreneur, she is a co-founder of FAM mnl, a thriving start-up that advocates mental health through its products and social media presence.

She is a psychology graduate completing a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at De La Salle University - Manila and has experience in Psychological Assessment with Virlanie Foundation Inc. as well as Clinical Psychology at Divine Mercy Psychiatric Facility. Jillen is also a licensed Kids Yoga Instructor and Mindfulness Coach. With her background, she has provided numerous trainings and seminars for psychosocial support and psychological awareness.

Abby is a licensed psychologist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from De La Salle University - Manila. She has also received trainings in Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

In her practice, she sees and helps individuals with neurodevelopmental concerns such as autism and ADHD as well as clients who are going through anxiety, mood disorders, interpersonal concerns, and life transitions. Abby is also a certified expressive arts facilitator, and integrates the therapeutic use of the arts with the people she works with. 

Ross is a lifelong learner and passionate about human kindness.  As the mother of a neurodiverse child, she aims to promote the therapeutic use of the arts to support children and parents with their connection to each other and the self.

After being in the Marketing and Sales industry for more than 14 years, Ross had a life-changing experience that led her into a journey for her personal healing. Graduated BA Humanities from University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), Ross wanted to return to her creative self or “Humanness” which led her to join the pioneer batch of certified Expressive Arts Facilitators at The Arts and Health Institute.  Inspired after graduating, Ross finds joy in fusing mindful meditation and expressive arts to help children and adults make healing creative, playful and transformative.  She continues to grow by participating in various sessions centered on parenthood, grief, burnout, and the challenges of Filipino Chinese community.

In her free time, Ross enjoys researching and reading bite-sized information about the why and how of mental health, painting, watching films, discovering new places to eat, connecting and spending time with her loved ones.