Creativity as a Healing Journey - Interview w/ Nerissa Balland (Visual Artist, Author, Therapeutic Arts Practitioner)

Nerissa Balland was five months pregnant when she was diagnosed with cancer. What followed wasn't just a fight for survival. It was a complete unraveling of identity, and a slow, unexpected rebuilding through art. She holds an MFA from Pratt Institute, advanced training in Therapeutic Arts, NLP, CBT, and REBT, and spent nearly two decades in marketing and design before her diagnosis shifted the direction of her work.In 2020, she interviewed over 100 young mothers facing cancer. What emerged across those stories became the foundation of her practice and her debut book, Canvas of Courage.Her work centers on a simple but often overlooked truth: healing is not linear, and for many people, it doesn't begin with words. It begins with expression. Nerissa brings this work into hospitals, cancer centers, universities, and wellness organizations, helping people navigate identity, meaning, and what comes next after life-changing experiences.CONNECT WITH [email protected]://www.instagram.com/nerissaballandart