Group Agenda- Past & Present…

Current-

March 25, 2023 Healing & Reclamation Group Agenda- NEWEST!

  1. Welcome by Ellen — ‘Āina (Land)/People Acknowledgement—Mindfulness or Grounding Exercise or Hawaiian Oli “E Ho Mai”
  2.  (Notes:  I will ask permission from the group to Oli, if anyone does not feel comfortable or does not want to participate that is fine. I have attached the lyrics to E Ho Mai and can Oli alone, so no pressure if you want to hear but don’t want to participate.)
  •  During this time, I will ask for you to introduce yourself with your name you want to be called, pronouns and a favorite move, tv show or book you would recommend to others.  I will not ask for us to do any team building exercise.😉
  • Ellen to discuss the group values and agreements as a review. Discuss previous group theme. Welcome.

Theme of the day: “Reclaiming Our Authentic Selves: Values, Preferences & Boundaries ”

Mindful affirmations of the session:

  • Slow & Simmer, calm & clear. (Mindfulness/Calm)
  • Always invitation, never obligation. (Freedom)
  • What you focus on will grow. What you feed, feeds you. (Freedom & Self Responsibility
  • Clear is Kind & Clarity dissolves negative emotion (Clarity & Transparency) – NEW
  • Rhythmic Opener (15-20 minutes) & Group Values/Agreements –
    • Body Centered Activity: Grounded Tree Mediation and Balancing Bird toy!

Topic of discussion (30-40 minutes) “Reclaiming Our Authentic Selves: Values, Preferences & Boundaries ”

Discussion Points

  1. When we are clear with people and ourselves, we are being kind.
  2. Circle of Support- we are not the same with everyone.   (Visual of circle of support)
  3. Values, preferences, and boundaries are related!
  4. We can maintain personal safety by knowing our preferences and boundaries.   

Activities-

  1. Participants will determine their top values. (Values list will be handed out to choose from if you need ideas)
  2. The challenges of sharing or holding boundaries activity. The group will write barriers to boundary setting and place them in a bowl. Ellen will respond to what has been added to the bowl to maintain individual privacy.
  3. Participants will “shop” for their preferences and boundaries during a discovery exercise.
  1. Sharing & Reactions (15 minutes) – Experience of the activities. “Was there something that stood out to you in this activity?” “Where may I want extra support?” “What is something you want to take with you today?” 

(Sharing is ALWAYS optional, so no one is expected to share. Everything will be by choice.)

  • Cultivating, Containing and Closing (15 minutes) –Closing Activity- One word take away.

March 11, 2023 Healing & Reclamation Group Agenda

*PLEASE BRING YOUR JOURNALS!*

H & R Agenda for 3/11/23

  1. Welcome by Ellen — ‘Āina (Land)/People Acknowledgement—Mindfulness or Grounding Exercise or Hawaiian Oli “E Ho Mai”
  2.  (Notes:  I will ask permission from the group to Oli, if anyone does not feel comfortable or does not want to participate that is fine. I have attached the lyrics to E Ho Mai and can Oli alone, so no pressure if you want to hear but don’t want to participate.)
  •  During this time, I will ask for you to introduce yourself with your name you want to be called, pronouns and name a comfort item/person/animal/plant.  I will not ask for us to do any team building exercise.😉
  • Ellen to discuss the group values and agreements as a review. Discuss previous group theme. Welcome.

Theme of the day: “Grounding Ourselves-Cultivating Whole Body Awareness”

Mindful affirmations of the session:

  • Slow & Simmer, calm & clear. (Mindfulness/Calm),
  • Always invitation, never obligation. (Freedom)
  • What you focus on will grow. What you feed, feeds you. (Freedom & Self Responsibility
  1. Rhythmic Opener (15-20 minutes) & Group Values/Agreements –
  2. Body Centered Activity: bilateral stimulation and music. Tapping or playing an instrument along with a song.
  1. Topic of discussion (30-40 minutes) “Grounding Ourselves-Cultivating Whole Body Awareness”
    1. It is commonly accepted- mind/brain controls the body.
    1. Bi-directional communication means- the body holds the potential to influence the mind. This means that if we are stressed, our bodies can be essential in calming our mind. This is not what we have been taught!
    1. When we have experienced multiple traumas, we may have a more difficult time maintaining a state of calm. When the stress response system activates in someone with complex trauma, those individuals may feel like they have a shorter fuse. This can feel like being emotionally overwhelmed and activated beyond what one can handle.
    1. Many people currently are in a state of emotional dysregulation because of this consistently activated stress response system. Without emotional regulation we cannot have connection.  
  1.  Activity 1 – Alternate Nostril breathing
  2. Activity 2- Energetic Massage
  3. Activity 3- Cranial Hold position
  4. Activity 4- Progressive Muscle Relaxation- Noodling
  5. Activity 5- The Grounding Tree Activity
    1. Participants will engage in a tree visualization.
    1. Participants invited to learn about the grounded tree pose.
    1. Participants will create grounding nature jars and select the affirmation that they will utilize for the next few weeks.
  1. Sharing & Reactions (15 minutes) – Experience of the activities.

(Sharing is ALWAYS optional, so no one is expected to share. Everything will be by choice.)

  • Cultivating, Containing and Closing (15 minutes) – Why we end with cultivating, containing and closing. Activity- Word to take away.

February 25, 2023- Healing & Reclamation Group Agenda

H & R Agenda for 2/25/2023

  1. Welcome by Ellen — ‘Āina (Land)/People Acknowledgement—Mindfulness or Grounding Exercise or Hawaiian Oli “E Ho Mai” (Notes:  I will ask permission from the group to Oli, if anyone does not feel comfortable or does not want to participate that is fine. I have attached the lyrics to E Ho Mai and can Oli alone, so no pressure if you want to hear but don’t want to participate.)
  •  During this time, I will ask for you to introduce yourself with your name you want to be called, pronouns and favorite smell/taste.  I will not ask for us to do any team building exercise.😉
  •  Ellen to discuss the group values and agreements as a review. Discuss previous group theme. Welcome new folks.

Themes of the day: “Cultivating Calm with Rhythm and Reward”

Mindful affirmation:

  • Slow & Simmer, calm & clear. (Mindfulness/Calm),
  1. Rhythmic Opener (15-20 minutes) & Group Values/Agreements –
  2. Body Awareness & Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
  3. Body Centered Activity: bilateral stimulation and music. Tapping or playing an instrument along with a song.
  1. Topic of discussion (30-40 minutes) “Cultivating Calm with Rhythm and Reward”
  • Activity 1- Rhythm regulates. We each have to find our own rhythm. We are always figuring out our rhythm- what works for us and doesn’t, we will each make our own egg.– Making rhythm eggs-
  • Activity 2- Rewards, reward.– Do an activity that requires engaging your hands or whole body. We will participate in different sensory activities.  Participants will be able to make their own -Rhythm & Reward grounding kit.- Participants will play with various sensory items; water beads, sand, playdoh, Pipe cleaners, bubbles, pinwheels, and/or another fidgets with the intent on finding what works best for them for soothing. Participants will also be able to add cards of other grounding activities that they may enjoy at home but were modeled or discussed by Ellen.
  1. Sharing & Reactions (15 minutes) – Experience of the activities.(Sharing is ALWAYS optional, so no one is expected to share. Everything will be by choice.)
  • Cultivating, Containing and Closing (15 minutes) – Why we end with cultivating, containing and closing. Activity- Word to take away.

H & R Agenda for 2/11/2023

  1. Welcome by Ellen — ‘Āina (Land)/People Acknowledgement—Mindfulness or Grounding Exercise or Hawaiian Oli “E Ho Mai” Notes:  I will ask permission from the group to Oli, if anyone does not feel comfortable or does not want to participate that is fine. I have attached the lyrics to E Ho Mai and can Oli alone, so no pressure if you want to hear but don’t want to participate. During this time, I will ask for you to introduce yourself with your name, pronouns and favorite food.  I will not ask for us to do any team building exercise.😉
  2. Rhythmic Opener (15-20 minutes) & Group Values/Agreements – Body Centered Activity: bilateral stimulation, tapping as a group or breathing exercise. Ellen to discuss the group values and agreements.
  3. Topic of discussion (15-20 minutes) “Creating an Environment for Growth: Intentional Cultivation”- This activity will have participants plant new seeds and select some intentions for their individual growth. We will be planting actual seeds and the supplies will be given.
  4. Sharing & Reactions (30 minutes) – Experience of planting seeds and discussion of what the activity meant to you. (Sharing is ALWAYS optional, so no one is expected to share. Everything will be by choice.)
  5. Cultivating, Containing and Closing (10 minutes) – Why we end with cultivating, containing and closing. Activity- Container visualization.