After a summer of planning, which centered youth and family advocates' leadership in designing the event, the Trauma Transformed Youth and Family Day of Healing was a beautiful experience! How could it not be when greeted with the dynamic duo in the title photo above? 
Featuring 9 Wellness Stations designed to reflect the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, the morning activities were followed by a World Cafe style (the Wellness Cafe) discussion of the meaning of, and need for, healing in daily life.
Youth and Family Day of Healing ended with a Wellness Cookout and awards ceremony for participants who earned the most participation points. Points were earned by visiting Wellness stations, and by fulfilling a variety of wellness tasks: finding the hidden stress balls could net a few points, as could taking and posting an event photo to Instagram. Other activities boosted up participants' point totals, included drinking water, as well as talking to others about your best ways to heal from trauma, and ways of integrating wellness strategies into your life.
Participants tracked their points through the day by earning stamps, recorded by event facilitators, on their Wellness Passport. Throughout the day, participants could pick up educational materials about wellness, as well as information about community resources. Within the Wellness Passport, the 8 Dimensions of Wellness are explained, and activities that reflect one of the dimensions of wellness are highlighted.
THE WELLNESS STATIONS
SOCIAL WELLNESS: Calming Bottles
One of the most popular station stops! Choose your own glitter colors, and then get help creating a magic bottle. The beauty of the magic bottle is that watching it flow helps you stay in the present moment, just as in meditation. The ability to draw one's focus to the present moment in the midst of disturbing thoughts about the past; or anxious thoughts about the future, can measurably reduce stress.
PHYSICAL WELLNESS: Healing Bubbles and Windmills
Bubbles and Windmills help teach breathing technique, and allow the participants to experience the healing, self-regulating powers of breathing deeply.
INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS: Mindful Doodling (w/ Collaboration Doodle Option):
Art activities relieve stress, in part by providing outlets other than talking, for expressing experiences and thoughts.
ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS: WRAP- Wellness Recovery Action Plan
This wellness recovery plan featured the opportunity to design your ideal living space... IN PLAYDOUGH!!!
PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS: All Bodies Yoga
Expert instructors were on hand to teach yoga movement and meditation techniques, to all bodies... from the eldest to the youngest!
SOCIAL WELLNESS: Wellness Collaging
Another popular table was the wellness collage, where participants were guided in creating vision boards that reflect their own personal stories, as well as reflecting their coping and healing strategies.
DIY Lotions and Body Scrubs
Scents, sugar, spices and herbs were available to add to lotions and scrubs. Happy participants left with 1, 2, 3, 4... it was a bit addictive!
Instagram Healing with Stories
Telling stories- all kinds of stories, is healing in and of itself. At the Instagram booth, participants could create photo or video stories to post immediately to Instagram. To see the stories they shared, as well as more photos of the day, check out #t2triumphs on Instagram, as well as on Twitter on the @acestoohigh Twitter profile page.
Healing Altar
As in many healing spaces, a healing altar was provided at this event, as a space to retreat, reflect, and leave behind positive, affirming messages.
Grand Prize Winner
Several prize bags were given out to the most active participants, and the contents included items that reflected each of the 8 Domains of Wellness. The most active participant earned over 1,000 points (!), and received the prize bag, a $100 Visa gift card, and a gift certificate for a massage. The Emcee told her, "Now you're going to be healthy for years!"
Stay tuned for Part II of Day of Healing, for comments from participants during the Wellness Cafe, and a peek at the Wellness Cookout!
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