The
SERENITY ROOM
BRAINSPOTTING
A Self Spotting Exercise for Goal Clarity and Expansion - Station 1
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
During this class, participants will first ground themselves from a neutral part of their body with an intentional body scan and deep breathing. Participants will then be asked to shift their eyes from left, center, right, up, and down to find the place where their eyes feel the most connected to that grounded part of their body. Once that calmest eye position is found, participants will gaze in that direction for 10 minutes and reflect on a hope, a dream, or a positive goal in their life that they would like to accomplish. The aim of this exercise is to gain greater access, support, and clarity to reach one’s goals.
Brainspotting is a powerful, focused mindfulness healing technique that pinpoints, processes, and releases core Brain-body based sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of challenging symptoms. Brainspotting is a form of diagnosis and treatment that allows individuals to access their own internal healing mechanisms and resources to bring about tremendous healing and recovery. Brainspotting treats traumatic experiences and events, improves artistic and sports performances, and increases access to positive goals and dreams in one’s life.
Facilitator: Domenique Harrison, MPH, MA, AMFT, APCC.
Domenique is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC), and a Black woman who works from a brain-body and relational approach to mental health and wellness. Through Brainspotting, Imago Couples Therapy, and Intergenerational Family Systems Therapy, she supports clients in connecting to their minds and bodies, letting go of non-supportive relationship patterns, and coming to terms with how family histories and experiences harm or help us. More than anything, she helps folks shift from a “survive” to a “thrive” mindset.
Domenique received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Haverford College, a Master’s in Public Health from New York University, and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family therapy from Pepperdine University. She has worked as a therapist for 4 + years.
BREATH WORK
Breathwork Practices – Station 2
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
This class includes breathing techniques to help manage everyday stress. It includes guided breathwork practices infused with essential oils and relaxing sounds. Attendees will walk away with tools to use at work, at home, and in their community.
Facilitator: Jennifer Franklin, MS, 200 RYT, SEL
Jennifer Franklin is a Teacher, Speaker, Sound Healer, Yoga Instructor, and Breathwork facilitator based in Los Angeles. She uses Family Theories, Human Development, and Psychology in her approach to helping individuals, families, and communities. Jennifer has over 10 years of hands-on experience with communities all over Los Angeles County. Jennifer has a deepened understanding of self-care practices, behavior change, and esteem building. Her mission is to help families and communities heal from the inside out.
She received a Master’s of Science Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with Distinction. She also has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health Education and School Health Education. She also completed her training in Trauma Healing and Transformation from Capacitar International.
Capacitar International is a network of Solidarity and Empowerment professionals working in over 40 countries including; the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. They are especially committed to communities affected by violence, poverty, and trauma.
YOGA
Chair Yoga for Presence – Station 3
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Chair Yoga class, is focused on Presence and Play! This class is designed to support you in cultivating mindful awareness of your present moment experience. You are encouraged to practice this entire class in your own body and come back to it whenever you like to feel more present in your life. These moves are meant to be easily accessible in the workplace. Incorporating chair yoga into your daily routine can support developing coping skills during times of stress. A regular practice can support access to mental clarity and calmness, help support body awareness, relax the mind, center attention and help sharpen concentration in some instances. Research has shown that yoga helps with support regulating the nervous system which is directly impacted by stress, anxiety, and depression.
Facilitator: Renee Shanee Tate, RYT-200, MA
Renee is a wellness educator and RYT-200, whose interest in the interactions of psychology, spirituality, yoga, and trauma work has allowed her to blend these topics into offerings that help bring mental awareness from the head to the heart and drops down into the body. She has had the privilege of facilitating intimate yoga classes in communities of color and providing virtual offerings. Renee aspires to continue to build her practice and offerings hoping to help others access the healing that comes from reconnecting with body, mind, and spirit again and again as an act of radical love and intentional soul care.
Renee earned her 200-Hour Yoga Certification in 2019 and is currently pursuing her 300-Hours Yoga Certification. In addition, she holds her master's in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a bachelor's in Sociology. When Renee is not on the mat or in sessions with clients as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, she is reading a book, out in nature getting regulated with Mother Earth, in meditation, or connecting with her community and family.
DANCING
Move & Meditate – Station 4
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Move and meditate is a therapeutic dance class that helps humans bridge the gap between their body, mind, and emotions. Together we will find and connect to our own inner â through mindful movement that can be done when you are in need of an energy boost, stress relief, or an emotional reset!
Therapeutic Dance and Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is the use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being. Therapeutic Dance improves cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, balance, and coordination. With the body and the mind being so interconnected, students who practice therapeutic dance and movement improvisation/experimentation are able to use both their conscious and subconscious simultaneously. Consistent practice is known to improve self-esteem, increase body awareness, bring about new ways of being/thinking, and can help regulate the nervous systems in times of stress.
Facilitator: Aigner Mathis Yè - 200hr Trauma Informed CYT
Aigner is a 200hr Trauma Informed CYT (certified yoga teacher) in Los Angeles. After years of professional dance training (musical theatre, hip-hop, jazz) and 10 years of practicing yoga, Aigner created Flow Free Yoga to help humans find freedom in their journey by infusing elements of yoga and dance that can be done by anybody. She honors the unique individuality of each and every body and will mindfully guide you to heal together. Expect to breathe, laugh, sweat, and maybe even cry or scream a little as we move to the beat in a dynamic Vinyasa-style dance flow.
COLORING
Individual Station A
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Coloring has the ability to relax the fear center of your brain, the amygdala. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. This generates mindfulness and quietness, which allows your mind to get some rest after a long day at work.
WRITING
Individual Station B
SENSING & MASSAGE
Individual Station C
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Aromatherapy might help relieve stress and boost your mood. Essential oils are easy to use and also inexpensive. You can incorporate different methods alongside other conventional treatments, such as medications and counseling. You can also combine it with other complementary therapies, such as massage and meditation.
Massage therapy is also known to have benefits that assist with depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders, it’s believed that it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and increases serotonin and oxytocin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in stabilizing your mood and promoting sleep, while oxytocin, dubbed the “love hormone,” has anti-anxiety effects and promotes feelings of relaxation.
Facilitator: Carol D Ellis, CMT 58271
Carol is a licensed massage therapist with several years’ experience and knows the importance of creating balance in your life. She carefully listens to your concerns and intuitively customizes your massage session with a blend of nurturing massage modalities, aromatherapy and appropriate levels of therapeutic pressure-- while delivering a massage experience that can leave you feeling deeply relaxed and rejuvenated.
SAND PLAY
Individual Station D
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Playing with sand works well to reduce anxiety because it increases mindfulness of the present moment, calms the mind, and reduces stress to help give yourself a break. If you want it to, sand play can involve using small objects to create settings and worlds
Facilitator: Jeneba Young, AMFT
Jeneba Young (pronounced jeh-neh-ba) is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Jeneba holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Texas A&M University, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University, Jeneba focuses on individuals and couples of color.
BODY AFFIRMATION
Individual Station E
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
The power of affirming oneself is a long-standing practice in changing your own cognition and how you view yourself and how you help the world to see you. When you feel good about yourself it helps to lower depressive symptoms and anxiety while boosting your sense of self.
Facilitator: Tabitha Taylor – PsyD, LMFT
Dr. Tabitha Taylor is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Southern California. She also received an M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University and a Psy.D in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Tabitha’s emphasis is on helping black women heal from the stigma and pressure of being; the strong black woman.
PLAY
Individual Station F
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Play for adults is critical in our stressful lives. Play has been shown to release endorphins, improve brain functionality, and stimulate creativity. And it can even help to keep us young and feeling energetic. Studies show that play improves memory and stimulates the growth of the cerebral cortex.
MINDFULNESS TRAIL
Individual Station G
Class Summary & Mental Health Benefits:
Walking assists with helping people to relax, refocus and raise serotonin levels. It’s also great in helping individuals to become mindful while decreasing stress, anxiety, and depression. The walking trail is self-led.
