Workshops for children and families

 Did you know that we have more than five senses? When we are in sync with our sensory world, we can process what's happening smoothly. When we are out of sync with our sensory world, that’s when sensory overload and meltdowns can happen. In this workshop, we will learn about our sensory preferences, sensory triggers, and sensory soothers, so we can build our own unique sensory profile to better experience the world around us and communicate what we need to others. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by your environment, this workshop is for you. 

 How do you feel your feelings? What happens when feelings get really BIG and overwhelming? Where do you feel them in your body? How can you take good care of your feelings and yourself? In this workshop, we will explore our emotions and how to sit with them, how to take care of them and how to respectfully share them with others. We will create our own emotion monster and emotion monster profile to take home. 

 Did you know that one of the best ways to support your emotional body is through creativity? When you are being creative, your brain can get into a state of creative flow, and it releases chemicals that help to calm your body and mind. In this workshop, we will create different forms of process art and explore how it helps us to regulate our nervous system, and express ourselves in wonderful and joyful ways. 

 Some people think being neurodivergent is a superpower, and it is, but it can also be challenging to understand ourselves and communicate what we need to the people around us. In this workshop, we will explore the different ways of being neurodivergent, and how we can better understand our wonderfully unique brain. We will learn strategies to help manage the joys and challenges that come with being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world. 

 Imagine that an alien has acquired you for a pet. How would you communicate your wants and needs? What would that alien need to do to take good care of you? In this workshop, we will dive into what self care really looks like and how we can best communicate what we need to all the people around us. Participants will come away with a customized “How To” manual. 

 Are you a visual learner? Do you remember things better when they make you laugh? Did you know that you can create unique mind maps that help you process and organize information better? In this workshop we will explore the basics of mind mapping and how this technique can help us better explore ideas and retain information. 

Did you know that practicing gratitude is an art that can calm your brain and body? When you feel grateful for something, you are actually creating positive connections in your brain that can make you feel happy and content, and you can actually use this as a strategy to help you regulate your emotions. It’s not always easy to find things to be grateful for when life gets hard, but you can set yourself up for success by creating a mini book for yourself to remind you of what you feel grateful for.

 Do you like to doodle and draw? Can you draw circles, curves, lines, and squares? Zentangling is an art form where you repeat patterns and shapes in a way that helps you get your brain into a flow state. It can be tricky at first but once you get the hang of it, it can be incredibly calming and regulating. Zentangling is a great strategy to use when you want to regulate your emotions but you have no idea what to draw. Just let the doodling lead you!