with Erin Price, LGSW, and Samantha Evans
A workshop for caregivers of a loved one at any stage of cancer treatment. We will incorporate writing and creativity to process the topics of self-forgiveness and guilt.
About Erin Price
Erin serves as Smith Center’s Director of Young Adult and Psychosocial Support Programs. She is trained in Integrative Patient Navigation, a Project LEAD graduate, and holds a Masters in Social Work. A seven-year breast cancer survivor, Erin is passionate about providing support and community to other cancer survivors, especially young adults. She works with Smith Center’s DC Young Adult Cancer Community and is also actively involved in the cancer community through Young Survival Coalition, Critical Mass, the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the DC Cancer Action Partnership.
About Samantha Evans
Samantha Evans is getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland. She will be joining the Smith Center as a Social Work Intern until April 2020. Samantha is excited to be joining the team at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. When not studying for graduate school, Samantha spends her free time with her dog, reading, and with friends.
with Sylvia Sturm and Connie Custer
Anyone can learn and use Reiki. This gentle hands-on modality utilizes the power of universal life force energy to harmonize the energies of the body. It is a gift anyone can use daily to instill deep relaxation. When deeply relaxed, the body can begin to use its own inner resources to reduce stress and anxiety and to find a sense of inner peace. As the healing power of energy medicine has become more and more recognized, Reiki has become an important contribution to Integrative Medicine. It has been well researched and is used in hospitals and healing settings throughout the world.
A two-part class in this gentle energy balancing modality with a special emphasis on self-treatment. Students will learn the history of Reiki, identify hand positions for treating self and others, receive attunements to the Reiki energy and practice hands-on sessions. Those attending both classes will receive Reiki 1 certification.
Dates:
There is a $150 fee to participate in this 2-part Reiki 1 Certification program. Participants will graduate the program with a Reiki 1 Certification.
About Sylvia Sturm
Sylvia Sturm, EEM-CLP, RM/T, heads our Energy Balancing volunteer team. Sylvia is a Certified Eden Energy Medicine Clinical Practitioner and a Reiki Master Teacher. For many years she has managed a Reiki Volunteer group at a seniors’ residence and has served for 6 years as a Reiki volunteer in GWU Hospital. She is delighted to now work with a dedicated and wonderful team to address the balancing of one’s subtle energies in order to allow the body to completely relax. She has an independent practice in Kensington, MD. To learn more about Sylvia and subtle energies, please visit her website www.sylviasturm.com.
About Connie Custer
Connie has practiced Reiki since 1998, and received her Reiki Master/Teacher credentials from GW Hospital’s Center for Integrative Medicine. She has been a Reiki volunteer at Life With Cancer and Capital Caring Hospice, and has a certificate in animal Reiki. As part of her energy work, she also practices qigong, and is certified to teach walking qigong.
with Sylvia Sturm and Connie Custer
Anyone can learn and use Reiki. This gentle hands-on modality utilizes the power of universal life force energy to harmonize the energies of the body. It is a gift anyone can use daily to instill deep relaxation. When deeply relaxed, the body can begin to use its own inner resources to reduce stress and anxiety and to find a sense of inner peace. As the healing power of energy medicine has become more and more recognized, Reiki has become an important contribution to Integrative Medicine. It has been well researched and is used in hospitals and healing settings throughout the world.
A two-part class in this gentle energy balancing modality with a special emphasis on self-treatment. Students will learn the history of Reiki, identify hand positions for treating self and others, receive attunements to the Reiki energy and practice hands-on sessions. Those attending both classes will receive Reiki 1 certification.
Dates:
There is a $150 fee to participate in this 2-part Reiki 1 Certification program. Participants will graduate the program with a Reiki 1 Certification.
About Sylvia Sturm
Sylvia Sturm, EEM-CLP, RM/T, heads our Energy Balancing volunteer team. Sylvia is a Certified Eden Energy Medicine Clinical Practitioner and a Reiki Master Teacher. For many years she has managed a Reiki Volunteer group at a seniors’ residence and has served for 6 years as a Reiki volunteer in GWU Hospital. She is delighted to now work with a dedicated and wonderful team to address the balancing of one’s subtle energies in order to allow the body to completely relax. She has an independent practice in Kensington, MD. To learn more about Sylvia and subtle energies, please visit her website www.sylviasturm.com.
About Connie Custer
Connie has practiced Reiki since 1998, and received her Reiki Master/Teacher credentials from GW Hospital’s Center for Integrative Medicine. She has been a Reiki volunteer at Life With Cancer and Capital Caring Hospice, and has a certificate in animal Reiki. As part of her energy work, she also practices qigong, and is certified to teach walking qigong.
with Erin Price, LGSW, and Samantha Evans
PLEASE NOTE: This program is now full, however, if you would like to be added to the waitlist please complete the form below and we will let you know if space opens up.
This one day retreat is designed to empower cancer patients who have completed treatment and are in remission. The goal of the retreat is to build community and be a part of a supportive environment for healing.
During this retreat you will experience:
- A respite from daily life
- Delicious, whole foods, health-supportive lunch
- An education session about healthy eating and nutrition
- A creativity session to tap into greater self-understanding
- A community of other individuals who have shared experiences
There is a $45 registration fee associated with this Retreat. Please contact erin@smithcenter.org to pay after you have completed the form below.
PLEASE NOTE: This program is now full, however, if you would like to be added to the waitlist please complete the form below and we will let you know if space opens up.
About Erin Price
Erin serves as Smith Center’s Director of Young Adult and Psychosocial Support Programs. She is trained in Integrative Patient Navigation, a Project LEAD graduate, and holds a Masters in Social Work. A seven-year breast cancer survivor, Erin is passionate about providing support and community to other cancer survivors, especially young adults. She works with Smith Center’s DC Young Adult Cancer Community and is also actively involved in the cancer community through Young Survival Coalition, Critical Mass, the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the DC Cancer Action Partnership.
About Samantha Evans
Samantha Evans is getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland. She will be joining the Smith Center as a Social Work Intern until April 2020. Samantha is excited to be joining the team at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. When not studying for graduate school, Samantha spends her free time with her dog, reading, and with friends.
with Rick Black, an international prize-winning haiku poet
Take some of your most cherished and beloved memories — and turn them into haiku or short poems to share with others. When you’re feeling low and just need an extra boost, it will help remind you of your favorite times and people. An experienced poet will help you along the way to make these poems memorable for you and others.
Suggested Donation: $20
About Rick Black
A poet, book artist and photographer, Rick Black is the founder and owner of Turtle Light Press, a small publishing company that specializes in handcrafted books, fine art prints and note cards.
In recent years, Rick has won several awards for his own poetry as well as books that he has published. He has given readings at the Library of Congress and elsewhere around the country. He often takes bike rides in the region and can be spotted taking photographs in and around Arlington, Falls Church, and Washington, D.C.
As he has gotten to know the area, he has begun turning his digital photos into artistic paintings – luminous, colorful and playful. His images have been selected to adorn the rooms of the Hilton Garden Inn in Falls Church. He has exhibited widely in the mid-Atlantic region and his work can be found in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
For close to twenty years, he worked as a journalist, including a three-year stint in the Jerusalem bureau of The New York Times. He also has freelanced for numerous national newspapers and magazines, including The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, and other publications.
To see more of Rick’s books or his artistic photographs, please visit his website: www.turtlelightpress.com
with Ravenna Raven & Jenny Hegland
Join poets Ravenna Raven and Jenny Hegland for a 5-15 minute conversation as they write custom poems that are composed, typewritten, and given to each participant.
Participants can arrive anytime between 12:00 and 3:00pm and wait their turn for a conversation with one of the poets. Tea and water are always available in the Nook while you wait.
About the poets
Ravenna Raven is a poet, educator, and sewing artist living in Washington, D.C. She spent her childhood in a 250-year-old farmhouse in rural New Jersey, reading and writing stories to entertain herself. While studying poetry as a graduate student at the University of Maryland, she began developing and teaching courses for creative writing, reading development, and inquiry research. Ravenna is a listener poet with a nonprofit that promotes good listening in hospitals and healing spaces while supporting patient and staff wellbeing and the humanization of healthcare. Her upcoming projects will combine her love of language with a passion for sewing and garment design to create custom, one-of-a-kind wearable poems.
Jenny is a creative facilitator, coach, and social entrepreneur whose life’s work centers around community engagement, participatory leadership, and social justice. She moved to the greater DC area in 2018 after living in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) for three years, where she co-founded and led two disaster recovery nonprofits. Prior to that she worked in higher education for 10 years as a counselor, instructor, and partnership liaison. She holds a M.S. in counseling and a B.S. in communications.
Registration for the October 8 class is now full. If you would like to be added to the waitlist for this event, please email erin@smithcenter.org.
in Partnership with Sephora
Through this free, hands-on class for cancer patients and survivors, learn soothing skincare routines and make up tricks to help restore glow, and the appearance of brows and lashes that may be affected by cancer treatment. The goal is to leave the class feeling confident and empowered and there is no expectation for you to purchase products.
Location: Sephora Capitol Hill, 380 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003
Upcoming Dates:
Note: This class is limited to 6 participants. Priority registration will go to new participants that did not attend in spring 2019.
This class is now full. Please call (202) 483-8600 for any inquiries.
with Chef Kara Garrett
A healthy diet doesn’t mean you always have to skip the dessert! Join Chef Kara to explore wholesome and nutritious holiday desserts to enjoy without the guilt. Learn about sugar’s impact on your body, how to make healthier sugar substitutes in your desserts, and participate in a hands-on baking class of delicious vegan recipes to share with your family & friends. This is a great introductory class for anyone interested in learning the basics of vegan and/or gluten-free baking recipes.
Topics we will cover:
- Substituting refined sugar for more natural sources such as fruits, honey, maple syrup, succanat, and coconut sugar
- Replacing eggs with flax/chia seeds, fruit puree, and other alternatives
- Tips for selecting butter and dairy milk replacements
- Tips for baking with gluten-free flour blends
Menu*:
- Jam-Filled Rugelach
- Cinnamon-Spiced Baked Apples
- Gingerbread Cake
- Cranberry-Walnut Scones
*Menu subject to change based on ingredient availability and class size. All recipes will be vegan. Some recipes may contain gluten and/or nuts. Please alert us to any allergies when registering for the class.
Suggested Donation: $25
This class is limited to 12 participants. Please sign up early to reserve your seat!
About Chef Kara Garrett
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Kara is a health-supportive chef based in Washington, DC. Following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2013, she embraced the challenge of finding a balance between her foodie lifestyle and eating well with cancer. She has adopted a flexible diet plan that focuses on plant-based, sustainable whole foods, but does not restrict indulgences of things she loves. She is passionate about working with others to encourage healthier food choices that energize the body and the soul.
Kara graduated in August 2017 from the Chef Training Program at Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC and spent one month as the sous chef at The Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of New York in Monroe, NY. She is currently enrolled in the Developing Healthy Communities: Nutrition, Behavior, and Physical Activity graduate program at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
With Laura Pole, RN, MSN, PCNS
Winter is a time for coming inside. . . huddling close together with family. . . also focusing on healing from within. Come see how the foods of Winter will warm you, replenish you, and help you create a body that is inhospitable to cancer. You will help Chef Laura prepare your meal and we’ll all sit down together to enjoy one of the greatest gifts of food – eating in good company!
Here’s what you’ll be creating: Moroccan Sweet Potato Lentil Soup; Citrus Kale Apple Salad; Millet Croquettes; Ginger Chocolate Custard. Is your mouth watering yet?
*Please Note: Every individual’s needs are unique. We aim to offer a variety of health-promoting options for each individual to consider, but do not prescribe the specific dietary content of any program for anyone.
Suggested donation: $25, includes a health-supportive meal and all recipes
Our programs are open to the community, and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.
About Laura Pole
Laura Pole, RN, MSN, comes with a diverse educational background including a Masters degree in nursing, chef certification, and professional music training. For over 20 years, she has been merging her careers as a health supportive chef, professional musician, oncology clinical nurse specialist, and a palliative care educator. Laura serves Smith Center in several ways: Director of Nourishment Education Programs, Director of Professional Trainings in Culinary Translation and Co-Creator/Coordinator of Patient Navigation Trainings. Laura is also on faculty for the nationally acclaimed Cancer-Fighting Kitchen workshops.
