DEMONSTRATIONS
The Demonstrations are a really special central feature of the Mental Health and Wellness Fall Festival. They are designed to allow participants free access to highly skilled practitioners who will both describe their modalities and facilitate opportunities for you to experience firsthand the power of their craft.
Nature & Mental Health
11:15 - 12:00 pm
Presenter: Laura Mengar, MSW, LCSW, CSAC
Presenter: Katie Lund, Equine Professional
Title: Introduction to Equine Therapy
About the demo: Laura will explore some of the differences between approaches to horses and equine therapies, including ethical and safety considerations. She will demonstrate a few ways of being with horses that can offer support, insight, healing, and growth to participants.
About the presenters: Laura Mengar is an equine therapist at Healing in Rhythm in Oregon WI.
Movement & Mental Health
12:15 - 1:00 pm
Title: Introduction to Ecstatic Dance
About the demo: Dance has always held a sacred place in history, serving as a spiritual, emotional, and community-building activity. With deep roots in shamanic, indigenous, and other ancient ritual, the body’s response to music is powerful healer. Join Colleen for an opportunity to release yourself to the rhythm and freedom of moving your body in deeply connected ways. Dance has always held a sacred place in history, serving as a spiritual, emotional, and community-building activity. With deep roots in shamanic, indigenous, and other ancient ritual, the body’s response to music is powerful healer. Join Colleen for an opportunity to release yourself to the rhythm and freedom of moving your body in deeply connected ways.
About the presenter: Colleen Condon is a life-long explorer of movement, mindfulness, and healing. Ecstatic Dance (free-form movement to music, a type of movement meditation) is one practice that she returns to again and again for the pure joy of movement and for the many gifts the practice offers. She has been attending and facilitating Ecstatic Dance for 17 years, witnessing the power of this practice in herself and in others. When she's not dancing, Colleen is exploring the earth with her sons or teaching yoga at The Yoga Space in Mount Horeb.
Mental Health Panel
1:15 - 2:00 pm
Title: Self-harm and Suicide:
A community conversation
About the demo: Jess Dallman, LPC will facilitate four to six community members through a structured dialogue about self-harm, suicidal ideation, and losses from suicide. The panel will bring this often-taboo topic out from the shadows. We hope that hosting a community conversation will make it easier to talk about how common these feelings and impulses are and how to get appropriate help when needed. If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone. If you want to understand this complex topic better, come and listen to these stories with an open heart and learn how you can be most supportive to others in our community.
About the facilitator: This panel will be facilitated by Jess Dallman, MA LPC NCC IMH-E ACS of Natural Wisdom Counseling. Jess is a psychotherapist, who partners with horses and nature to support people in recovering from stress and trauma. Jess supports individualized journeys to develop a sense of purpose, to build positive and supportive relationships, and to live a fulfilling life. Jess is also the survivor of a sibling who died by suicide in 2013.
Art and Mental Health
2:15 - 3:00 pm
Title: The Art of Story Slam
About the demo: Storytelling is our way of making sense of the world. We use it not only to recount events but to learn from them. As Lisa Krone put it, we are “wired” for storytelling, and can use stories not only to entertain, but to teach, advocate for ourselves, and even grow personally. Join Madison storyteller Zach Shea for a presentation on how to find and shape your own stories.
About the facilitator: Zachary Shea, Mad City Story Slam
Zach is a Madison-based storyteller, theatermaker, and writer. He hosts Mad City Story Slam at Mother Fools along with Mel Hammond, Charles Payne, and Sarah Breland. He is also a co-writer with T.L. Luke’s educational “Auntie Luke” comic series and was recently a co-producer for the Broom Street production of Da Classroom Ain’t Enuf.
Culture & Mental Health
3:15 - 4:00 pm
Facilitated by: Raíces Para el Cambio (Roots4Change)
Title: Connecting Cultural Birth Practices to Perinatal Mental Health
About the demo: Aída and Mary understand that very early experiences shape our lives, including pregnancy, birth, and the post-partum period. They will support participants to understand culturally-relevant approaches to birthing, the role culture plays in preventing post-partum depression and explore how culture can provide the threads to weave a net of belonging for a baby and a family.
About the presenters: Aida is a Kichwa Native and proud mom of an 8 year old son. She was born and raised in the Andes Pijal Otavalo- Ecuador, where honoring childbirth with great kindness and respect are key principles and traditions. Aida firmly believes that coming into the world with love, naturalness, and patience is a human right all should have. Aida is a doula, a community health worker, and a certified lactation consultant She also holds ceritifications in trauma informed care, yoga and reiki. Plus, Aida has lived experiences and knowledge of traditional Indigenous Medicine and Andean Herbalism through the legacy and generational knowledge of her wise ancestors, family members, and elders in her Kichwa Andean community.
Maricela Martinez Munguia is many things, but most importantly she is a mother of three, a loving wife, a member of Raíces Para el Cambio and an owner of the Apapachar Collective LLC. "I became a doula because I saw the need for more of us in the Hispanic community. After training and taking courses to better my understanding of topics related to social justice, trauma-informed care, leadership, breastfeeding, and nutrition, I started to train to become a doula. Over the course of my training, I learned that there is so much that goes into being a doula and that the mental and spiritual health of a mother is just as important as their physical health. Today, as a doula and community health worker, my focus is to serve the women in my community to help them as best as I can during such an important time of their lives."
Physical Health & Mental Health
4:15 - 5:00 pm
Title: Ear Acupuncture for Stress Relief using Acupressure
About the demo: Acupuncture is an effective and efficient way to help regulate the nervous system and can have an effect on sensations of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and other emotional and physical signs of stress. Acupuncture can be integrated into comprehensive treatment plans, such as counseling and/or medications. In this group setting participants will receive acupressure stimulating points on the ear to stimulate relaxation while seated in chairs for 15-30 minutes.
About the practitioner: Kelly Hora, Bluestem Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
Kelly is a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Wisconsin with experience working in private practice, hospital, out-patient and community health settings. She has facilitated group auricular acupuncture treatments for people living in prison, refugee settlements, and veterans experiencing PTSD. She is a former board member of the Wisconsin Society of Acupuncturists and is its current Advocacy Chair. She is a member of the American Society of Acupuncturists Board and former Chair of its Nominating Committee. Kelly seeks to improve access to and understanding about acupuncture through practice, advocacy, and volunteering.
For more information and resources related to Acupuncture, please click here.
Yoga with Live Music + Kirtan
5:00 - 7:00
Title: Yoga and Kirtan
About the Event: Join us atop the ski hill to wind down the day with Yoga and Kirtan! Chairlift rides start at 4:30 PM. Do Yoga, Meditate, listen to live music, and sing along, if you wish! Yoga is a powerful way of balancing the mind and body, through mindful movement and breathwork. Join Sarah Goldsmith (From The Yoga Space) as she leads an accessible Yoga Practice. She will be accompanied by live calming/meditative music, performed by the local Kirtan Group, Supersonic Soul Circle. After a physical practice of Yoga, Supersonic Soul Circle will play a few songs, and invite you to chant along if you feel compelled!
About the practitioner: Sarah Goldsmith, The Yoga Space.
When I went to my very first yoga class, I had a vision in my mind of what it would all look like. I would be flowing through poses to peaceful music. Moving my body in ways that were familiar to me. What I actually experienced in the studio that day, was much more powerful than my body or mind had anticipated. I strongly believe that I left that studio a different person. It was a pivotal moment for me.Over the years, yoga has become not just a physical practice, but a way of life for me. I began to realize that yoga is truly a gift I want to share with others. I believe children benefit from mindfulness and yoga just as much as adults do and I look forward to guiding their young minds on this beautiful journey. I am grateful to learn continuously and be a forever student of yoga. My desire is to create a space for students that feels inclusive and safe. I encourage you to come as you are and be ready to connect with your mind and body on a deeper level.
About the practitioner: Supersonic Soul Circle
Kirtan... With Spunk! Through collective harmony, rhythm, and energy, we become Supersonic… We move through sound to a deeper experience of life.
As practitioners of kirtan, we offer a flavor of mantra music fused with Western musical ingredients, such as folk, rock, jazz, funk, and reggae. We have been practicing Kirtan and Yoga-centric music for over Ten years and love expanding with anyone else who wants to join the journey! We invite you to join us as we celebrate life with some soul-moving Kirtan!
Background: Kirtan is a collective musical journey that involves singing sacred mantras from different spiritual traditions. Mantras are sacred sounds or words, used with intention, devotion, and mindfulness. Group participation in singing the mantras, dancing, or simply clapping along, can empower, elevate consciousness, and bring inner freedom.
Event Map
