This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Kiersten Gallagher

Outside the Lines

Creative expression has often been used in the healing process and it is at the core of Smith Center’s philosophy, but fear of judgment and “not being an artist” can often prevent us from tapping into its healing power. Join us for Outside the Lines, where a facilitator will help you reclaim art-making as a healing tool through guided creative projects. Participants who feel comfortable working on their own projects are also welcome to do so.


Outside the Lines is held Bi-Monthly on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

  • December 15
  • January 5 (Social Hour, 1 hour)
  • January 19 (1.5 hours)
  • February 2 (Social Hour, 1 hour)
  • February 16 (1.5 hours)

Suggested donation: $10 per class

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 Kiersten Gallagher

Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Kiersten Gallagher

Outside the Lines

Creative expression has often been used in the healing process and it is at the core of Smith Center’s philosophy, but fear of judgment and “not being an artist” can often prevent us from tapping into its healing power. Join us for Outside the Lines, where a facilitator will help you reclaim art-making as a healing tool through guided creative projects. Participants who feel comfortable working on their own projects are also welcome to do so.


Outside the Lines is held Bi-Monthly on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

  • November 17
  • December 1 (Social Hour)
  • December 22

Suggested donation: $10 per class

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 Kiersten Gallagher

Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Kiersten Gallagher

Outside the Lines

Creative expression has often been used in the healing process and it is at the core of Smith Center’s philosophy, but fear of judgment and “not being an artist” can often prevent us from tapping into its healing power. Join us for Outside the Lines, where a facilitator will help you reclaim art-making as a healing tool through guided creative projects. Participants who feel comfortable working on their own projects are also welcome to do so.


Outside the Lines is held Bi-Monthly on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Upcoming sessions:

  • October 20
  • November 3 (Social Hour)
  • November 17
  • December 1 (Social Hour)
  • December 22

Suggested donation: $10 per class

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 Kiersten Gallagher

Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

If you missed Part 1 of the workshop series, please email carla@smithcenter.org for registration.

with Jamie Katz

 

Awe Photo by Jamie Katz
Awe in New Zealand by Jamie Katz
Awe is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime”. Awe can be broken down into two unique parts: perceived vastness and mental accommodation. Awe has the potential to create positive changes in the way a person experiences the world by making her feel a connection to something greater than herself.
In this workshop, we will watch awe-evoking videos and write about personal awe-inspiring experiences. Since awe is an emotion that can bond groups of people together, reflecting and sharing your experiences is highly encouraged. In the second part of this series, we will reframe our understanding of awe and learn to incorporate these powerful, emotional experiences into our everyday lives.

Experiencing Awe Workshop will be offered in two parts: 

  • Part 1: Thursday, October 14th, 7:00-8:15pm ET
  • Part 2: Thursday, October 28th, 7:00-8:15pm ET

Suggested Donation: $10/session or $15/program (both sessions)

Participants are encouraged to attend both parts to get the most out of the workshop. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend both parts.


About Jamie Katz

Jamie Katz
Jamie Katz is an aspiring social psychologist whose past research has focused on the effects of experiencing awe. She is a DC area native who currently works at American University, and she graduated from the University of Richmond in Virginia. Jamie will pursue a graduate degree in psychology so that she can continue to research healing practices and interventions through a deeper understanding of the brain’s processes of experiencing emotions and social connections.

This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Jamie Katz

Experiencing Awe Photo by Jamie Katz
Awe in New Zealand by Jamie Katz

Experiencing Awe: 2-part Workshop

Awe is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime”. Awe can be broken down into two unique parts: perceived vastness and mental accommodation. Awe has the potential to create positive changes in the way a person experiences the world by making her feel a connection to something greater than herself.
In this workshop, we will watch awe-evoking videos and write about personal awe-inspiring experiences. Since awe is an emotion that can bond groups of people together, reflecting and sharing your experiences is highly encouraged. In the second part of this series, we will reframe our understanding of awe and learn to incorporate these powerful, emotional experiences into our everyday lives.

Experiencing Awe Workshop will be offered in two parts: 

  • Part 1: Thursday, October 14th, 7:00-8:15pm ET
  • Part 2: Thursday, October 28th, 7:00-8:15pm ET

Suggested Donation: $10/session or $15/program (both sessions)

Participants are encouraged to attend both parts to get the most out of the workshop. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend both parts.


About Jamie Katz

Jamie Katz
Jamie Katz is an aspiring social psychologist whose past research has focused on the effects of experiencing awe. She is a DC area native who currently works at American University, and she graduated from the University of Richmond in Virginia. Jamie will pursue a graduate degree in psychology so that she can continue to research healing practices and interventions through a deeper understanding of the brain’s processes of experiencing emotions and social connections.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Judith Sachs

The Breath of Life
Photo © Jacques-Jean Tiziou

The Breath of Life

We are breathing from moment we are born—our steady inhale and exhale is a “given.” But as we age or if we are stressed or ill, our breathing may suffer. This program will provide not just respite, but tools and skills to enhance and improve our breathing throughout our lives.

The Breath of Life is an introduction to techniques based on traditional Chinese Qigong and Indian Pranayama methods. Qi means “life force” and /gong means “work.” Prana means “life force” and /yama means “directed.” The BREATH is the foundation of all movement. The goal is to match the strength and ability of your internal and external body.

Judith Sachs, a 20-year practitioner of qigong (from the Chinese tai chi tradition) and a 30-year practitioner of pranayama (from the Indian yogic tradition), gives us options from movement to stillness to improve the structure, volume and duration of the breath.

The class begins with a rudimentary physiological explanation of lung function as well as a picture of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which regulate the stress response. We work with the breath to change “fight or flight” to “feed and breed” – with emphasis on the exhalation. The movement of a simple standing qigong set contrasts with the quiet of a seated pranayama. These two forms give us insight into how to use not just the “in” and “out” but the pauses in between breaths.

Most students feel release and relaxation after just one session. From there, they are able to build their own practice at home.

Suggested Donation: $10


About Judith Sachs

Judith Sachs is a certified Dance for Parkinsons® teacher who runs a program called ANYONE CAN DANCE® in Philadelphia. She has an extensive background in martial arts and started this class to get people aware of the potential of the breath – very important at a time when we are all concerned about staying well. You can read more about her at www.anyonecandance.org.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Candida DeLuise, LICSW

This workshop presents evidence-based meditation techniques to help us focus and be more fully present. We will learn several mindfulness practices to enhance awareness and joy in everyday life. Group practice creates a powerful synergy.


About Candida DeLuise, LICSW

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy – Reiki, Energy work, Buddhist Psychology

As a contemplative psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience, Candida integrates mindfulness and psycho-spiritual approaches into the therapy process. She has worked with clients on transitions, relationships, trauma, mood disorders, chronic illness and aging issues. Creating a safe and nurturing space, she draws on mind-body awareness and Buddhist psychology. Candida is also a Reiki practitioner and life celebrant, crafting rituals to honor significant events. She is licensed in D.C. to officiate weddings and loves working with couples to create a custom ceremony that highlights their unique relationship. An experienced coach, consultant and Buddhist practitioner, Candida teaches meditation and leads workshops on mindfulness in everyday life. She works with artists in the creative process, and with individuals and groups committed to social change. She believes that as we reconnect to our inherent wisdom, we empower ourselves to live a more full and expansive life. 240-462-9550
candidadeluise@gmail.com

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Smith Center Movement Facilitators & 2Unstoppable

Gentle Yoga in the Gallery

Join us and get to know our incredible partner 2Unstoppable and Smith Center’s dedicated team of movement/exercise program facilitators.

 

Our team of experts will share how to cope with low motivation, how to increase your stamina and strength (especially during and after your cancer treatment) and how to take the next step and explore trying something new in a safe, comfortable and non-competitive environment. Learn how to implement a regular exercise program – one that meets you and your body where it is today.


Smith Center Recurring Movement Programs: 

  • Qigong
    • Bi-Monthly on Mondays, 7-8pm with Kevin
  • Chair Yoga
    • Weekly on Tuesdays, 12-1pm with Beth
  • Gentle PM Yoga
    • Weekly on Tuesdays, 6-7:15pm with Yael
  • Body Groove
    • Weekly on Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30pm with Johnnette
  • Gentle AM Yoga
    • Weekly on Thursdays, 10:15-11:30am with Kiersten

2Unstoppable Recurring Movement Programs: 

  • Yoga4Cancer
    • Monthly on Saturdays, 1:30-3pm
  • Virtual Meet-Up
    • Monthly on Sundays, 7-8pm
  • Walk-n-Talk
    • Monthly on Weekends
  • And More!
    • E.G. Squat Challenge, Zumba Gold, Upper Body Challenge

About 2Unstoppable

2Unstoppable is a non-profit organization founded by two women with a personal history of Breast Cancer and who realized the many benefits of staying active during and after treatment.  We now want to help other women on their cancer journeys experience a better quality of life and improved outcomes through exercise.

About Beth Lawrence, RYT500

Beth Lawrence Gentle Yoga Chair Yoga Instructor Smith Center

Beth discovered yoga in early 2002 as a mother of six month old twins. She was looking to get back into shape after their birth. In yoga, she found far more than she anticipated- an age old practice designed to help people relieve stress- both mental and physical. After a few years of regular practice, she knew she wanted to share her positive experiences with others. She has been leading yoga classes in the DC area since 2007 after completing her 200 hour yoga teacher training at Nth Degree Yoga with Martha Rosen. In 2011, she went back to earn her RYT500. Her personal practice is inspired by Integral Yoga and Sivananda Yoga, both of which incorporate body and mind into the practice.

About Ilana Gamerman, RN, MSN

I am an avid exerciser for over 20 years.  Exercise helps me focus, clears my thoughts, and basically makes me feel good.  I guess that is why I am so committed to exercise and rely on it so much.  So, when diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, it is no surprise that I turned to exercise to help me get through the difficult diagnosis phase all the way to post treatment.  Whether it was a walk or an easy class at the gym, moving made me feel better and more importantly gave me a sense of control. I know how difficult it is to summon the energy to “move” during this time and having supportive friends helped so much.  A better quality of life and outcomes through exercise is what I hope to help every person faced with a cancer diagnosis achieve.

Ilana Gamerman is a Registered Nurse with a Masters degree in Nursing Informatics.  Her combined passion for helping people and for exercise is what drives her motivation to help every woman diagnosed with cancer become unstoppable. Ilana’s co-founding of 2Unstoppable is driven by her dedication to fitness, healthcare and helping others. She lives in Vienna, VA with her husband and has three sons.  

About Johnnette Armstrong

Certified Personal Trainer, Herbalist, Pink Pilates instructor, Health Coach and a Groove Method Provider. I call myself a Wellness Advocate. I have worked in the fitness field for over 15 years and I currently offer classes at Hope Connections in MD, work with seniors, and offer one-on-one personal training.

After my own struggle with body image and self-esteem, I went on a journey to find out the healthy way to lose weight and feel better about myself. I discovered that there is no right way to wellness. We are all beautiful and unique individuals and over the years I have learned three important things for teaching and working with people:

  1. How to create a space where people feel good about themselves.
  2. The importance of accurate knowledge to take care of our bodies.
  3. And how to consistently move our bodies so that we feel good. 

After 15 years of working in this industry, I have found that there is more than one way to move our bodies. The most important thing is to find one that you enjoy. I am super excited to bring Groove Method to you. It’s a fun and simple way to move our bodies. The cool thing is, anyone can do it! 

My passion is helping people to create a wellness toolbox that works for the whole person. Thank you in advance for allowing me to share my passion with you!

About Kevin Mutschler, L.Ac., NCCAOM

Kevin Mutschler

Kevin is a board-certified acupuncturist (NCCAOM) and Qigong educator with over twenty-five years experience in healing arts practice, research and education, including work in medical anthropology, somatic therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Kevin has special interests in working with patients living with chronic illness, migraine, MS and cancer. He is a Smith Center fellow in Integrative Cancer Care Navigation and is a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology.

About Kiersten Gallagher, RYT200

Kiersten Gallagher, RYT 200 and Certified Herbalist has studied yoga for over 25 years. Over the last decade, Kiersten has developed yoga programs and has provided a place for healing in the cancer community, in underprivileged neighborhoods, for special needs children, for teens and adults with drug addiction and for those struggling with body image. Kiersten invites you on a journey of healing to help guide you to a place where yoga will make a real difference in your life.  Kiersten’s goal for you is that you feel better when you leave class- mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, than you may have felt when you stepped through the door to begin your practice.

About Michelle Stravitz

When I was diagnosed in June 2015 with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, fitness, in its various forms, had been in and out of my life since my 20’s. However, my oncologist was clear with me – move as much as you can throughout treatment to combat fatigue and anxiety. I took her words to heart, and I made fitness a part of my complementary treatment plan. Some days that meant walking with a friend or the dog, and on other days I found a gentle yoga class or an oncology exercise session. The benefits were definitive and numerous. Now that I am post-treatment, I recognize the extraordinary importance and impact of regular exercise for cancer patients and survivors. As a breast cancer survivor, I have made fitness a priority in my life, and I want to help every patient and survivor to do the same. Based on my own experience, and after reviewing a lot of research, I know that having someone to walk with, or just to encourage us to get moving, makes all the difference – and that’s why I am so committed to the mission of 2Unstoppable. Join our program and community and feel better!

Michelle Stravitz is a PCI-Certified Parent Coach, holds an MS from The GWU, and BS Engineering and BS Economics degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Founding 2Unstoppable brings together a wealth of experience and passion advising and serving on the boards of various non-profit organizations and running a small management consulting firm. Michelle is the CFO of Spectrum Management Consulting and is also a professional event coordinator. She has served as a peer supporter for women of all ages undergoing treatment for breast cancer, both informally and through organizations such as Sharsheret and Life With Cancer. She lives in Fairfax VA with her husband, four children, and one dog.

About Yael Flusberg, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, RM/T, MS

Yael Flusberg Gentle Yoga Instructor Smith Center

Yael Flusberg first came to yoga hoping she could get rid of stuff, namely the ways life’s stresses and traumas had become painfully embodied. Fifteen years and thousands of layers of release later, yoga continues to teach her how to make strategic, creative, and life-nourishing choices. Trained as an integrative yoga therapist, Yael’s classes blend active with receptive states of being, and are both insightful and lighthearted. Off the mat, she is a coach, writer and energy therapist. Since 2005, Yael has taught yoga classes at area hospitals, libraries, workplaces, schools, and yoga studios. As an integrative yoga therapist (E-RYT500) she facilitates both group and individual yoga therapy sessions, working with people dealing with a variety of conditions including cancer, digestive disorders, diabetes, eating disorders, fibromyalgia, hypertension, mental health challenges (including depression, anxiety, grief and trauma), rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis, and sports injuries. She currently teaches a weekly therapeutic class for people living with cancer and their caregivers on GW’s campus. More info: www.yaelflusberg.com

This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must have attended the first session in the series.

with Leslie Lass, PhD, MFA, MSW Candidate

Sustainable Journaling

In the forward to Sandra Marinella’s book The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss, author Christina Baldwin writes, “When things happen that are unexpected, unwelcome, challenging, disorienting, or traumatic, we survive, but the storyline we were following is shattered. Untold stories don’t go away.”

In this three-part workshop series, we will explore our own “untold stories” – ones that have forever changed the storylines of our lives – by capturing one moment in time that can convey meaning about a larger experience, bring needed healing, and offer powerful insights about our shared humanity.

Using the micro-memoir, also called the flash memoir, as a vehicle for telling our untold stories, we will discuss techniques for distilling them to their essence (750 words or fewer) and for crafting them in ways that powerfully communicate what we intend.

Activities include:

  • learning about the essential elements of a micro-memoir
  • reading and discussing examples of published micro-memoirs
  • participating in writing activities
  • completing at-home assignments
  • talking about what it means to share our writing with a larger audience

By the end of the third session, you will have written a micro-memoir that tells the story you need to tell.

Reading your work aloud is voluntary. If you choose to do so, you will have an opportunity to read what you have written to the group, and you will have a chance to hear others read their “small stories” as well. After each reading, generous, positive feedback will be encouraged.

You do not have to consider yourself a writer to participate in this workshop. The only requirement is a willingness to tell your story as open-heartedly as you can and to compassionately support the efforts of others in the workshop who wish to do the same. The program is open to any adults who have been impacted by cancer as a patient or as a caregiver of any kind.


Writing a Micro-Memoir: The Stories that Don’t Go Away will be hosted in three parts. Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions. Upon completion of the three parts, participants will have developed a working micro-memoir. Program limited to 8 participants.
Program dates:
  • May 5
  • May 12
  • May 19

Suggested Donation: $10/session or $25/series


About Leslie Lass, PhD, MFA, MSW Candidate

Leslie Lass, PhD, MFA, MSW candidate, has taught writing for more than 20 years at universities and community colleges on the east and west coasts, including Northern Virginia Community College, George Mason University, and The Evergreen State College. Her doctoral work focused on writing creative nonfiction and on Latin American testimonial literature. She is an author of a novel, a memoir, short stories, and poetry, and for the past nine years she has maintained a blog, where she writes “small stories” she hopes will point towards more universal themes that will resonate with her readers.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Kelli M. Bethel, DPT, PT, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500

In this talk, we will explore what is yoga therapy and how it may benefit those undergoing cancer treatments, survivors, and their caregivers. We will discuss the MUIH student clinic and the opportunities to receive free yoga therapy through telehealth beginning in the summer of 2021 with our senior students.

Click here to download an information document on yoga therapy.


About Kelli M. Bethel, DPT, PT, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500

Dr. Kelli M. Bethel, DPT, PT, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is a practicing physical therapist with over 28 years of experience, a certified yoga therapist, and a registered, experienced 500-hour yoga instructor. Dr. Bethel is the Yoga Therapy Clinical Manager at the Maryland University of Integrative Health. She has extensive experience as a physical therapist and yoga therapist, treating clients in the area of neurology and oncology. Dr. Bethel is involved in developing and implementing educational programs for providers, yoga therapists, and yoga teachers. Dr. Bethel has been working in the field of yoga therapy and integrative medicine since 2007.