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Creative Healing 2010 welcomes Mitch Carmody and Alan Pedersen and their Two Dads Workshop. "As two bereaved fathers we know intimately the long and difficult journey of processing grief in our lives. Our work, our mission, individually and together, is to reach out to the bereaved community at large and bring them hope that there is life after death on both sides of the equation. We learn to embrace our grief and actively try to seek joy again and when it comes accept it without guilt. Taking charge of our grief journey by proactive grieving, we live the loss and accept the daunting challenge to survive. We substantiate our loved ones life by the way we live ours; we reclaim our lives and turn loss to legacy.”
what is creative healing?
Creativity is that astonishing ability of the imagination to produce something uniquely original. Harnessing that magical spark to process loss is what Creative Healing is all about.
Are you grieving or helping someone who is? If so, Creative Healing is designed just for YOU.
This one-of-a-kind program weaves the arts into the bereavement process, actively promoting self-care and self-understanding by unleashing the creativity you already possess.
You grieve in four different ways: spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Strong feelings move into and lodge in your brain stem – the area of the primitive fight-flight response. At the same time, the frontal lobe of your brain shuts down, causing the memory loss, confusion, difficulty focusing and sense of “going crazy” experienced by grievers. Until the frontal brain is opened, grief stays in your body.
When you deal with your grief creatively – drawing, dancing or drumming it, writing it in poetry and prose, coaching and demystifying it, or simply telling its stories - you open the frontal lobe and healing occurs. You become wiser, more whole, and better able to give and receive support.
You deserve the healing this program begins.
Welcome
From Rita Paskowitz, Co-Founder and Director:
Since its inception in 2004, Creative Healing has used the arts to touch the lives of hundreds of people. Professionals in fields such as healthcare, bereavement and education have found the program to be beneficial both personally and professionally, thereby extending its impact far beyond just those who have experienced the workshops.
You see, Creative Healing is not designed to turn you into an artist – although it does offer you the opportunity to flex artistic muscles you may or may not know you have. Its goal is to help you recognize how art can provide creative, energetic and prolonged healing when grief or crisis occurs. There are no prerequisites to attend Creative Healing; the only requirements are an open mind and an open heart – no matter how broken the latter might be.
Rita Paskowitz
Co-Founder and Director
This year, Creative Healing is taking another innovative turn by inviting Mitch Carmody and Alan Pedersen to present their Two Dads Workshop as the focal point of the program. These two men will share their journeys of loss through music, art and dialogue while emphasizing the extraordinary value of proactive grieving. This is an important event for anyone who has lost someone or supports another in bereavement.
Plus, everyone’s favorite percussionist, Michael Fitzsimmons, will perform his musical magic, and I plan on telling a story or two.
As always, Creative Healing is offering six Continuing Education Units to professional attendees. While it might be easier to get CEUs online, participation in a program like this creates personal connection and a sense of community. Let’s face it, there’s no substitute for human interaction, and when you add delicious food in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, you get to experience firsthand what the phrase “caring for caregivers” really means.
So, on behalf of Joy Johnson and Patrick Davis – the other two co-founders of Creative Healing – I’d like to personally invite you to join us on Saturday, April 18, 2010, for a day of discovery, mindfulness and renewal. Trust me – you and the people whose lives you touch will be glad you did.
Remember - We heal others best when we ourselves are healed.