Understanding Anxiety and Stress Management
Recognize stress responses and build a personal toolkit for calmer, more intentional days.
Anne Turner Foundation
Don't say you can't do this.
Art, lived experience and education come together to build mental wellness, strengthen self-advocacy and make room for every complex identity.
A burst of gold on a black day: hope is not the absence of struggle, it is the light we learn to find within it.
Our mission
To enrich lives through mental health education, creative expression and the courage to advocate for yourself.
01
Learn with clarity
Accessible education about mental wellness, disability and self-advocacy.
02
Create without judgment
Creative exploration that helps people express what words cannot.
03
Belong as you are
Moderated online spaces shaped by empathy, mutual respect and lived experience.
The person behind the purpose
Meet Anne E. Turner, M.A.
At 78, Anne is an artist, author, educator and mental health advocate whose life proves that learning can take many forms and many years.
Anne's own education was shaped by frequent moves, undiagnosed learning disabilities and mental health challenges. She returned to university one course at a time, graduated with honours from Vancouver Island University, then completed a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies through Athabasca University.
Since participating in an art therapy program at Forward House in Parksville in 2003, Anne has used acrylic paint, chalk, oil pastels, collage and assemblage to explore identity and wellness. Her work and talks invite people to see art as healing, find the language for their needs and keep moving toward their goals.
2003Creative healing journey began
M.A.Integrated Studies, Cultural Studies
NanaimoBritish Columbia, Canada
Books and lived experience
A life of persistence, put into words.
Don't Say You Can't Do This!
Anne's signature book brings together her educational journey, original artwork and research on the effects of normalizing post-secondary practices on students with multiple disabilities and complex identities. It is a story of resilience and a call for meaningful accessibility and accommodation.
Also by Anne
Understanding Anxiety and Stress Management
A practical learning resource that encourages self-understanding, patience and small steps toward emotional well-being.
Learn online
Courses that meet people where they are.
Anne's educational courses connect lived experience with practical reflection. Each topic is designed for online access and thoughtful participation.
Healing Through Art
Explore color, texture and image-making as ways to express emotion and support personal reflection.
Journaling for Mental Health
Use writing prompts and reflective practice to notice patterns, name feelings and make space for growth.
Mental Health in the Elderly
Learn with care and respect about mental wellness, connection and the realities of later life.
These are educational and creative exploration programs, not licensed therapy or a substitute for professional mental health care.
A place to belong
Ten private rooms. One shared promise.
Every group is a welcoming online space with moderation and trained mentors. Choose the room that reflects your season of life, your work or the support you are seeking.
Don't Say You Can't Do This! – Main Community
The central gathering place for learning, encouragement and connection.
The Art of Healing
Creative exploration, expression and reflection through art.
Young Adult Disability & Education Hub
Ages 18 to 25
The Returning Student & Career Advancer
Ages 26 to 40
Lifelong Learning & Late Career
Ages 41 to 60
The Golden Students
Ages 60 and beyond
Mental Wellness in Academia
Understanding, encouragement and shared experience.
Complex Identities & Disability
Space for the many parts that make us who we are.
Supporting Our Students
Care, perspective and community for those who support others.
Educators & Disability Services
Student-centred reflection on access, belonging and accommodation.
Private groups are hosted on Facebook. Visit the Foundation page to learn which community is the right place to begin.
Find us on FacebookIn Anne's words
Hope with its sleeves rolled up.
“You don't stop when people tell you you can't do things. Yes, you can do things. You just have to learn different ways to make those things possible.”
“Healing is a journey, not a destination.”
“I can't tell you how I feel, but could I draw you some pictures?”
“Progress is progress, no matter how small.”
Selected from the Foundation's draft quote bank. Final wording remains subject to Anne's review.
Coming soon
Creative self-advocacy, live and online.
A developing program of Zoom events, short videos and conversations. Event dates are to be confirmed.
Oct 242026, TBC
The Advocacy Map, flagship session
A live online creative exploration of voice, rights and the practical language of self-advocacy.
Zoom event
Nov 52026, TBC
The Advocacy Map, evening edition
A second online session designed to make the experience available at a different time of day.
Zoom event
Dec 22026, TBC
Student and educator session
A focused online conversation about institutional barriers, accommodations and student-centred support.
Zoom event
10 partsIn development
Short video series
Anne's lived experience, educational insight and creative practices shared in focused episodes.
Online video
MonthlyIn development
Enriching Lives: Conversations with Anne Turner
A proposed VIP podcast for deeper conversations about mental wellness, education, art and advocacy.
Online audio
Find trusted support
A clearer path to the right resource.
The Foundation's resource library brings together 19 verified organizations across mental health, disability, education and community support. It is being prepared as a practical starting point for people looking for reliable help.
Mental health informationEducation, support pathways and crisis resources.
Disability and educationAccessibility, accommodations and self-advocacy.
Creative explorationArt, journaling and reflective practices for wellness.
“The role of art in my life has increased my ability to be able to express myself.”