Expressive Arts Strategies for System-Involved Youth (SIY) Healing from Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD)

Robert Dousa

Training Description

For system involved youth (SIY) dealing with trauma or victimization (including exposure to violence), it is important to provide an outlet for addressing emotional and/or problem behaviors, help them cope with painful experiences, and guide them to view themselves as survivors and not as victims. In this training, we will explore a sampling of creative & expressive arts strategies which provide opportunities to learn new skills, develop new talents, and express thoughts and ideas in creative, helpful ways. These expressive arts activities can support SIY strengthening of problem-solving skills, autonomy, sense of purpose, social competence, and positive emotions which helps SIY change their view themselves from surviving to thriving. Another intention of this training is to grow and support the leadership for healthy community engagement and improved outcomes for all. Practicing and sharing the methods outlined by this workshop will allow us to improve the practice of how we empower (SIY) and their families.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

● Be able to identify at least 2 creative & expressive arts strategies which can support SIY with emotional and/or problem challenges;

● Be able to identify at least 2 coaching strategies for creative & expressive arts healing which can support SIY to develop new talents and express thoughts and ideas in creative, helpful ways; and

● Acquire 2 techniques for performance coaching of self-actualization which can help prepare SIY for participating in creative and expressive arts.

Agenda

10:00-10:05am  Sign-in and Introduction

10:05-10:15am  Explore a sampling of creative & expressive arts healing strategies which can address emotional and/or problem behaviors

10:15-10:30am  Learn how to coach SIY on participating in drama improv insight seeking techniques, that will strengthen their self-concept

10:30-10:45am  Practice in roleplay with colleagues coaching each other on using drama improv insight seeking techniques

10:45-11:00am  Learn group drama improv insight seeking techniques which helps peers support each other to process family conditioning towards healing the inner child

11:00-11:15am  Learn safety boundaries that might be in place, when SIY perform drama improv insight seeking techniques in groups with peers

11:15-11:30am  Learn a sampling of performance coaching tips and self-actualization techniques that strengthen an SIY’s ability to thrive while participating in creative & expressive arts healing activities

11:30-11:45am  Practice in roleplay with colleagues performance coaching tips and self-actualization techniques

11:45am-12:00pm  Questions & Answers + Wrap Up

Meet Our Trainer

Mr. Robert Dousa, for the past 26 years has been working on researching how to support the healing of people, especially young adults suffering from Complex Post Traumatic Disorders (CPTSD) while experiencing and receiving various healing modalities on himself and reading several alternative healing books for personal freedom from trauma. Prior to retirement from the public education system (22 years paid, 3 years volunteer) and most especially (2003-2022) as a Program Manager in the Behavioral Health Department for the Oakland Unified School District’s Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs Intervention program, Robert developed a strengths-based life coaching program, grant funded by the CA Dept of Education, that utilized 15 life coaches (diversity of gender, multi-ethnic, with individual hobby strengths) who utilized a variety of interventions and approaches while implementing inside Oakland schools. Currently, he offers services designed to empower young adults struggling with inner negative talk to find their own inner guiding light and individual gifts, talents, and passions in support of their future… and to also coach parents of SIY to re-establish a positive influential relationship with their children, guiding them towards healing their own inner child in the process. Currently, he is providing individual life coaching, training of intervention approaches, coaching training, and teaching to those individuals and organizations that support system involved youth.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.0) BBS CE hours 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.