2024 WELLderness Workshops

Join us this summer for free workshops centered around mental health and overall well-being!

These events are limited to ages 14+.

All workshops take place outdoors at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

Located at 1550 Anacostia Ave NE in Washington, DC.

Stress to Strength: Strategies for Stress Management

Sunday, August 4th from 9:00 - 10:30AM

This workshop will be led by clinical intern Stacy Courtney, who is passionate about working with adults from various backgrounds to help them assess their needs and identify their strengths.

Stacy will provide opportunities for participants to learn more about stress, share their experiences, release tension, and discuss building healthy coping patterns. Attendees will learn relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, mindful grounding, and sensory techniques. Stacy will also help participants learn time management strategies in order to prevent experiencing overwhelm.

Connecting with Emotions Through Creative Expression

Sunday, October 20th from 1:00 - 2:30PM

This workshop will be led by practice founder Lottena Wolters, a Licensed Professional Counselor who harbors a strong professional interest in expressive therapy techniques.

Lottena will introduce participants to strategies for emotion regulation, a term that refers to a person's capacity to effectively manage their emotions, which research shows as associated with greater overall well-being. Attendees will explore their feelings and practice expressing their emotions in creative ways - such as through dance, visual arts, and journaling - in order to improve emotion regulation.

Unmasking Potential: An Introduction to Drama Therapy

Sunday, June 30th from 1:00 - 2:30PM

This workshop was led by Alex Smith, one of our clinical interns who is working to merge counseling with their professional background in theatre studies through drama therapy.

Drama therapy can facilitate personal exploration, insight and creativity while providing a safe space for self-expression and the embodiment of emotions. In group settings, drama therapy can also foster development of social skills and interpersonal connection.

Attendees learned how drama therapy can encourage improved communication, empathy and reflection by exploring key concepts and participating in a variety of theatrical exercises.

2023 WELLderness Workshops

Our team members also hosted free outdoor workshops throughout 2023!

Using Mandalas to Practice Gratitude & Mindfulness

Hosted by Jenny Nachbar (LGPC)

Studies have shown that gratitude and mindfulness can help to reduce anxiety and build happiness. This workshop will combine these practices by offering details on identifying and expanding feelings of gratitude, the mindfulness of creating mandalas, and how to draw simple or more complex mandalas.

Participants will create their own mandalas and will have the opportunity to add to a community mandala, as well. No particular skills are required!

Connecting to Our Emotions

Hosted by Lottena Wolters (LPC)

The term emotion regulation refers to a person's capacity to manage their emotions effectively, and research shows that it is associated with greater personal and financial well-being.

Participants in this workshop will explore their feelings and practice expressing emotions in creative ways, including through dance, visual art, journaling and interpersonal communication, in order to promote improved emotion regulation.

Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation

Hosted by Caitrin McKee (RYT)

Have you heard that mindfulness and meditation can be beneficial for your mental health? Interested in giving it a try? This workshop covers a range of introductory techniques, from breath awareness to a body scan.

Participants in the workshop will learn simple exercises to find greater ease during times of stress, all while connecting with others in a beautiful park setting. All exercises will be accessible to beginners; no prior experience is needed!

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Learning to Reduce Stress to Promote Well-being

Hosted by Roxana Raica (LPC)

Most individuals experience stress to varying degrees, and we are all familiar with the word stress - but what is it? How does it affect you? How can you recognize stress in your life? And how do you handle it?

Participants in this workshop will expand self-awareness about one’s own stress, increase understanding of the impact of stress and learn effective ways to manage it.

Releasing Grief and Honoring Loss

Hosted by Brittany Silver (LGPC)

Grief—that emotion that at times can feel like a lump in the throat, or a heaviness in your heart, or perhaps it may feel like a total shock. We all experience grief in different stages, varying emotions, and have unique ways of processing how to release grief and honor our loved ones.

In this workshop, we will create an environment where we can collectively support one another’s grieving journey and use nature to help plant seeds for our healing.