Using Mindfulness Expressive Arts, Storytelling and Play to Support System Involved Youth with Emotional Resilience

Ursula Elsa and Angelina Manriquez

Training Description

This mindfulness based training will offer youth workers culturally relevant and engaging tools,

practices, and strategies for supporting system involved youth in developing emotional awareness

and resilience through embodied practices and play. We will explore trauma informed mindfulness

and activities to engage play, expressive arts activities and use storytelling for developing emotional

literacy. Participants will receive guidance and tangible practices to support facilitation of

mindfulness based play practices for system involved youth.

Learning Objectives

● Explore and understand how mindfulness, storytelling, and play can be supportive and culturally relevant for system involved youth

● Engage in at least 1 culturally relevant activity to support youth in reflecting on their connection to play and the imaginal realm to cultivate emotional resilience

● Explore at least 1 activity for supporting youth in learning emotional literacy through storytelling

● Identify at least 1 mindfulness based strategy for co-regulation using play

● Learn and practice at least 2 activities for integrating play and expressive arts activities for system involved youth

● Learn at least 2 mindfulness activities and practices to help youth and families reduce stress and anxiety

Agenda 

11:00-11:30am  Welcome, Housekeeping, Intros and Mindfulness Practice

11:30am-12:00pm  Introduction to Mindfulness for Youth and Families

12:00-12:30pm  Activity 1: Emotional Awareness, Curiosity and Understanding through Storytelling

12:30-2:00pm  Activities 2 and 3: Mindfulness Based Play and Expressive Arts Practices

2:00-2:45pm  Lunch (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

2:45-3:15pm  Mindfulness Practices for Emotional Regulation and Resilience

3:15-4:15pm  Activity 4: Facilitating Resourcing and Co-regulation through Mindfulness Based Play

4:15-4:30pm  Adapting Activities

4:30-5:00pm  Closing and Feedback

Meet Our Trainers

Ursula Elsa (they/she) was born and raised in the beautiful land of the Bay Area, Ohlone Territory. She has been teaching mindfulness and nature connection to youth in the Bay Area for 8 years and is currently leading rites of passage and nature connection programming for Gaia Passages. Ursula is passionate about creating programming for LGBTQI+ and neurodiverse communities. She is also a trained doula and an advocate of parent’s rights in the birth community. 

As a mindfulness teacher, Angelina Manriquez has found her art as a way to reach children beyond the classroom. Through meaningful storytelling that children can relate to, Angelina hopes to transform difficult life experience into healing and movement for all generations to come. Angelina holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and teaches throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a Co Author and Designer of two children's books, Master of Mindfulness: How To Be Your Own Superhero In Times of Stress, and Breath Friends Forever

This course meets the qualifications for (5.25) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.