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A. Brief Personal Story and History
1. Efficacy of sound-wave therapy, voice, theatre and movement training
2. Prevention hypothesis
B. Arts Programs that Educate, Heal, Evolve Healthy Self
1. Research, background on the power of the arts in healing and development
2. Examples of efficacy and personal stories (DVD / video excerpt)
C. On Your Feet! -- Self Acceptance Through Arts and Mindfulness based Activities
1. Arts based activity/exercises
2. Mindfulness based activity/exercises
II. A Parent’s Perspective - Doris Smeltzer (45 minutes)
A. Holding the Mirror Backwards
1. Brief overview of Andrea’s life via 3-min video;
2. Treatment miss-steps and consequences
B. Turning the Mirror Around: Essential “reflections” to provide family members
1. Marathon metaphor
2. Deadliness—halting behaviors
3. Function of denial
4. Secrecy & shame
5. Grieving the past & accepting a new “normal”
C. Dyad “Reflections” Activity: How to hold the mirror so that families can “see”
III. Break (15 minutes)
IV. A Patient’s Perspective - Jenni Schaefer (45 minutes)
A. Brief Personal Story
1. Efficacy of “Ed” metaphor
2. Experiential exercise using metaphor
B. Power of Arts in Healing
1. Reflection of Robyn’s story and common themes
2. Finding a voice beyond Ed with music
3. Performance of song with guitar
C. Family Support and Innovative Care
1. Reflection of Doris’ story and common themes
2. How to engage the family utilizing specific tools
V. Closing and Panel Discussion with Robyn, Doris, and Jenni (30 minutes)
Robyn will specifically share the courageous journey of creating arts programs that inspire families to heal, how they alter patients and families’ outlooks once in treatment, and will offer creative solutions, resources and practical exercises that allow clinicians to teach assertiveness, mindfulness, self-esteem and body acceptance through arts based activities.
Doris will focus on the essential “reflections” that would have been the most valuable for her to “see” during her daughter’s treatment. Weaving her daughter’s poetry throughout, Doris will share the epiphanies that have come not only by extensive personal research but the often more illuminating lens of parental hindsight. Doris will turn the therapeutic mirror around so that professionals and lay people alike walk away with concrete approaches to improving care.
Jenni will discuss her journey of healing with a focus on the unique and successful techniques utilized along the way. From the powerful “Ed” metaphor to singing to learning how to play an instrument, she will bring recovery to life in a way that is not often described. This viewpoint from a patient will both remind clinicians of how important their work is each day but also give them tangible tools to help their own clients.
In this presentation, participants will learn through didactic presentation and experiential exercises: 1) the power of arts in the healing process 2) stories of courage, hope and healing 3) a parent’s unique vantage point, and 4) practical exercises.
This presentation will both inspire and provide specific tools to change lives.
A consultant with Center for Change, Jenni Schaefer is a singer/songwriter, speaker, and author of "Goodbye Ed, Hello Me” and “Life Without Ed” (McGraw-Hill). Jenni is a regular guest on national radio and television shows including Dr. Phil and Entertainment Tonight, a contributor to mainstream magazines and collections like the Chicken Soup series, and a popular speaker at schools, conferences, and other venues. Her work has been recognized in publications including The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, the Chicago Tribune, and more. Residing in Austin, Texas, she recently released her debut music CD titled "phoenix, Tennessee." For more information, visit www.jennischaefer.com.
Robyn Hussa, MFA, RYT is Founder and President of the NORMAL In Schools nonprofit, and co-Founder and Founding Executive Director of the Drama Desk and Obie award-winning New York theatre company Transport Group. With 20 years of teaching experience in mindfulness and arts based programs, she has created dozens of arts based learning initiatives. She holds an MFA from the University of Virginia, RYT with Yoga Alliance and is a member of all the professional acting unions (AEA, AFTRA, SAG) as well as the professional organizations for eating disorders (AED and iaedp). www.robynhussa.com.
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Doris Smeltzer, MA
Doris Smeltzer is a career educator. Since her daughter Andrea (19) died after one year of bulimic behaviors, she has devoted her life to eating disorder prevention through Andrea’s Voice Foundation (www.AndreasVoice.org)--the non-profit she co-founded with her husband. She holds a master’s in counseling psychology, is the author of Andrea’s Voice: Silenced by Bulimia, the Gürze Books’ “Advice for Parents” blog and co-author of Chapter 21 in, Treatment of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice. Smeltzer is developing an educational curriculum for the eating disorder field based on interviews with experts from her Internet radio show.
