About me
I’ve always been drawn to many forms of expression — movement, painting, creative writing and performing arts.
My professional journey in Expressive Arts began in 2021 with an art therapy course. I am now finishing an MA in Expressive Arts Therapy with a minor in Psychology at The European Graduation School, where my research focuses on embodied perception and the process of becoming.
I offer 1:1 and group sessions as a space for deep listening, navigating change and discovering new possibilities. Creativity serves not only as expression but as a source of clarity, resilience, and vitality.
I collaborate with companies to bring fresh perspectives to the workplace. My multi-disciplinary experience, including years in user experience design and research, provides an additional layer of understanding and the capability to develop outcome-oriented programs.
Polina Yakymenko
Expressive Arts Facilitator
Designer & Researcher
My projects
Mar 2026 - now
Community Arts sessions
The Fee Space: Community Lab
I facilitate group sessions for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Through creative, multi-sensory arts practices, I support expression, connection, and resilience — helping participants strengthen their resources, feel seen, and build agency. The work balances personal growth with shared learning, creating an inclusive space where women can experience mutual support and belonging.
Sep 2024 - Aug, 2026
Master’s Thesis Research on Pre-Reflective Self and Embodied Perception
The European Graduate School
My research sits at the intersection of the pre-reflective self (Zahavi), embodied perception (Merleau-Ponty), and poiesis (Heidegger, Levine), explored through Expressive Arts-Based Research and phenomenological inquiry.
Apr 2023 - Aug 2025
The Liminal - Expressive Arts Collective in Berlin
@the.liminal.expressivearts
Co-founding member of the collective that hosts Expressive Arts circles for an international audience. This project involved preparing and facilitating group sessions, using art-based activities to support creative expression, self-discovery, and community building. Examples of session themes I co-facilitated include:
Blankness as Potential: A Collective Unfolding of Form and Story • The Art of Letting Go • The Forest: The Play of the Senses • Sensing into Now, Ready for What's Next • The Fire Within • Eros & Thanatos • “I” in Relation • 間 (Ma): The Space In-Between • Nurturing Hope
Feb 2025 - May 2025
Creating Your Kali Myth: Recognising the role of anger
Creating Your Kali Myth
Workshop series exploring anger through expressive arts, inspired by the archetype of Kali. Participants worked with anger using art-based and embodied practices, reimagining their unique Kali in their own shapes, colours, sounds, movements, and rhythms.
My training
Sep 2022 - Jun 2023
Expressive Arts Facilitation
at step ahead! Expressive Arts Institute Berlin
2022 - now
MA in Expressive Arts Therapy with a Minor in Psychology
at The European Graduate School
Jul 2021 - Dec 2021
"Art Therapy Certificates: Foundation & Advanced"
courses totalling 120 hours at the International Training Company "Osnova" and National Pedagogical Dragomanov University
Creative sessions in Berlin and online
Are you on a journey of self-discovery? A team going through a change or looking to connect? Expressive Arts sessions provide a creative platform to explore feelings, challenges, and open up possibilities.
