Yi Jen Chang

Yi Jen Chang
MA Cand. Expressive Arts Therapy, MSc. Neuroscience

I come from Taiwan, a country that, like Ukraine, has long faced threats from powerful nations. This shared struggle deepens my empathy for Ukraine and for all those resisting oppression and striving to live with dignity. I hope to do my part in supporting justice and contributing to the cause of freedom and peace.

As an expressive arts facilitator, I believe in creativity’s transformative power to heal, empower, and drive social change. I earned my certification from the Expressive Arts Institute Berlin in 2023 and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Expressive Arts Therapy at the European Graduate School. My passion lies in using creative approaches to foster social justice, restore dignity, and promote peacebuilding and systemic change. This calling led me to the Icelandic Red Cross, where I support refugees and asylum seekers through expressive arts. I am also part of The Liminal Expressive Arts Collective in Berlin, where I lead themed workshops that encourage self-exploration and connection, supporting individuals in navigating their personal journeys through arts and embodied practices.

Before transitioning to expressive arts, I spent a decade in life sciences and hold a Master’s in Neuroscience from the Charité Berlin. From pursuing the beauty of precision to embracing wholeness of human experience, from seeking meaning behind data to seeing things as they are, I’ve found these two disciplines nourish each other beautifully, offering fresh insights into how we engage with life.

I am curious how neuroscience-informed practices can deepen our work and am committed to a lifelong research on creativity’s role in transformation. How can poiesis facilitate change in a tender, generative, and deeply human way? Can creativity be a universal language—one that transcends differences and invites curiosity, play, and compassion into how we make sense of the world and connect with one another? These questions continue to shape my work and exploration.