This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, please click the RSVP button above or email olivia@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
With Angelina Genovesi
Gut health is crucial to overall well-being, influencing both our physical and mental health. This student-led, research-based program ‘Maintaining Gut Health’ hosted by the Smith Center for Healing & the Arts will explore the importance of gut health. The session will dive into how gut health affects various bodily functions and how different foods can promote either beneficial or harmful bacteria in the gut.
The presentation will offer an overview of gut functions, gut-friendly food suggestions, and practical tips for maintaining a healthy gut. While the subject matter is research-driven and may be information dense, the content will be broken down into an easy-to-understand format so participants can feel well-informed.
Disclaimer: This is a supportive program focused on gut health designed to complement but not replace medical treatment/advice from the care of your physician. Held at Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in Washington, DC, the program provides general research information without recommending any substitutes for effective medical treatments/advice. Participants will engage in a presentation that addresses gut health information and how to be mindful, with participants taking full responsibility for evaluating and safely adapting these options to their needs, please always consult a medical professional first.
About Angelina Genovesi
Hi, my name is Angelina, and I am currently an undergraduate student at American University in my senior year, studying Public Health with an interest in nutrition. Originally from New Jersey, I’ve been passionate about health and wellness throughout my undergrad journey. I am particularly interested in developing strategies for maintaining a balanced lifestyle and diet to enhance overall well-being. Outside of my studies, I enjoy reading, exercising, and spending time at the beach. I look forward to seeing you at my upcoming program on gut health!
WEEK 21
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you have any questions, please email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Phebe Duff
A community for those who want to explore ways to be present in their lives. This group will examine a different topic each week relevant to members’ lives. We will explore meditation and mindfulness practices that can be applied to life experiences in a supportive way. The group is open to people at any level of experience with meditation and mindfulness. This is a drop-in class, so you can join at any time as topics will differ each week. This is a year-long weekly class that will meet every Wednesday beginning September 18th from 5-6pm EST.
Beginning in January 2025, this class will meet from 5-6pm EST.
Please Note: This class will begin at Week 1 on September 18th.
Suggested Donation: $15/session
About Phebe Duff
Phebe Duff is a long-time meditator and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. She completed the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and the Dharmacharya program offered by the Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in Hendersonville, NC. Phebe has facilitated MBSR courses for a wide variety of populations since 2005. Since retiring after a 30+ year career in human resources and as a professional musician, Phebe has taught meditation and MBSR for Wellness House of Annapolis and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Working with the cancer community and sharing the practices of meditation and mindfulness to support their healing journey has been the best experience of her teaching career.
WEEK 2/25
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you have any questions, please email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Phebe Duff
On February 10th, the Mindful Cancer Journey class will begin a new series working with the book Neuro Dharma by Dr. Rick Hanson. Rick has written a powerful book that synthesizes 2,600 year old meditation practices with current neuroscience to strengthen the neural circuitry of our brains to enhance contentment and inner peace. We will do a variety of practices, see videos of Rick explaining his work and a variety of other activities. There is no obligation to purchase the book and each class has been designed as a stand-alone program for those who have to miss a class. We hope you will join us!
This series will run from 02/10 – 08/11/25
Suggested Donation: $15/session
Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.
About Phebe Duff
Phebe Duff is a long-time meditator and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. She completed the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and the Dharmacharya program offered by the Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in Hendersonville, NC. Phebe has facilitated MBSR courses for a wide variety of populations since 2005. Since retiring after a 30+ year career in human resources and as a professional musician, Phebe has taught meditation and MBSR for Wellness House of Annapolis and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Working with the cancer community and sharing the practices of meditation and mindfulness to support their healing journey has been the best experience of her teaching career.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. Please register to Claudia at 202.384.8342 to receive the Zoom link to participate.
Este programa se ofrece prácticamente a través de Zoom. Regístrese en Claudia al 202.384.8342 para recibir el enlace Zoom para participar.
Smith Center es ahora el anfitrión de los Grupos de Apoyo para la Comunidad Latina en Español
Estamos muy felices de anunciar que seremos los anfitriones de los grupos de apoyo de Nueva Vida para la comunidad latina. Nueva Vida es una organización independiente, sin fines de lucro, que proporciona servicios integrales de cáncer gratuitos, a las familias latinas en el Distrito de Columbia, Virginia del Norte (hasta el sur de Prince William County), Suburban Maryland (Condados de Montgomery y Prince George), Richmond, y Baltimore. Otros servicios incluyen educación y divulgación en la comunidad latina, asi como navegación de pacientes para exámenes de detección y tratamiento de cáncer.
En Smith Center, Nueva Vida tendrá grupos de apoyo que se enfocan en el apoyo al trauma asociado con el diagnóstico de cáncer. Estos grupos proporcionan a las latinas la oportunidad de identificar y expresar sus sentimientos, en un lugar seguro, y lleno de empatía, así como compartir sus sentimientos con otras personas que están o han pasado por similares circunstancias. Las reuniones semanales, se combinan con una actividad de reducción del estrés (Zumba o Yoga).
Para registrarse, llame a Claudia a Nueva Vida: 202.223.9100.
Smith Center Now Hosting Support Groups for the Latino Community in Spanish
Nueva Vida is an independent nonprofit that provides free, comprehensive, culturally competent cancer services to medically underserved Latino families in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia (as far south as Prince William County), Suburban Maryland (Montgomery & Prince George’s Counties), Richmond, and Baltimore. Other services include outreach to the Latino community and Patient Navigation for cancer screenings and treatment.
At Smith Center, Nueva Vida will be providing support groups that are focused on supporting the trauma associated with a cancer diagnosis. These groups provide Latina women the opportunity to experience a catharsis of feelings, where they feel safe to identify, verbalize, empathize, and share their feelings with others who are in similar circumstances. All support group meetings are paired with a stress reduction activity (either Zumba or Yoga).
To register, call Claudia at Nueva Vida: 202.223.9100.
WEEK 20
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you have any questions, please email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Phebe Duff
A community for those who want to explore ways to be present in their lives. This group will examine a different topic each week relevant to members’ lives. We will explore meditation and mindfulness practices that can be applied to life experiences in a supportive way. The group is open to people at any level of experience with meditation and mindfulness. This is a drop-in class, so you can join at any time as topics will differ each week. This is a year-long weekly class that will meet every Wednesday beginning September 18th from 5-6pm EST.
Beginning in January 2025, this class will meet from 5-6pm EST.
Please Note: This class will begin at Week 1 on September 18th.
Suggested Donation: $15/session
About Phebe Duff
Phebe Duff is a long-time meditator and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. She completed the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and the Dharmacharya program offered by the Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in Hendersonville, NC. Phebe has facilitated MBSR courses for a wide variety of populations since 2005. Since retiring after a 30+ year career in human resources and as a professional musician, Phebe has taught meditation and MBSR for Wellness House of Annapolis and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Working with the cancer community and sharing the practices of meditation and mindfulness to support their healing journey has been the best experience of her teaching career.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. Please register to Claudia at 202.384.8342 to receive the Zoom link to participate.
Este programa se ofrece prácticamente a través de Zoom. Regístrese en Claudia al 202.384.8342 para recibir el enlace Zoom para participar.
Smith Center es ahora el anfitrión de los Grupos de Apoyo para la Comunidad Latina en Español
Estamos muy felices de anunciar que seremos los anfitriones de los grupos de apoyo de Nueva Vida para la comunidad latina. Nueva Vida es una organización independiente, sin fines de lucro, que proporciona servicios integrales de cáncer gratuitos, a las familias latinas en el Distrito de Columbia, Virginia del Norte (hasta el sur de Prince William County), Suburban Maryland (Condados de Montgomery y Prince George), Richmond, y Baltimore. Otros servicios incluyen educación y divulgación en la comunidad latina, asi como navegación de pacientes para exámenes de detección y tratamiento de cáncer.
En Smith Center, Nueva Vida tendrá grupos de apoyo que se enfocan en el apoyo al trauma asociado con el diagnóstico de cáncer. Estos grupos proporcionan a las latinas la oportunidad de identificar y expresar sus sentimientos, en un lugar seguro, y lleno de empatía, así como compartir sus sentimientos con otras personas que están o han pasado por similares circunstancias. Las reuniones semanales, se combinan con una actividad de reducción del estrés (Zumba o Yoga).
Para registrarse, llame a Claudia a Nueva Vida: 202.223.9100.
Smith Center Now Hosting Support Groups for the Latino Community in Spanish
Nueva Vida is an independent nonprofit that provides free, comprehensive, culturally competent cancer services to medically underserved Latino families in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia (as far south as Prince William County), Suburban Maryland (Montgomery & Prince George’s Counties), Richmond, and Baltimore. Other services include outreach to the Latino community and Patient Navigation for cancer screenings and treatment.
At Smith Center, Nueva Vida will be providing support groups that are focused on supporting the trauma associated with a cancer diagnosis. These groups provide Latina women the opportunity to experience a catharsis of feelings, where they feel safe to identify, verbalize, empathize, and share their feelings with others who are in similar circumstances. All support group meetings are paired with a stress reduction activity (either Zumba or Yoga).
To register, call Claudia at Nueva Vida: 202.223.9100.
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 programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Gayle Danley, national & international poetry slam champion
Gayle Performing in Frederick, MD
Slam poetry began in Chicago’s bars and coffeehouses in the late 1980’s. This phenomenal blend of spoken and written word turns every willing soul into a poet while providing relief from the stresses of the day. Master teaching artist Gayle Danley has shared her down-on-the-floor style of performance poetry all over the country in classrooms, lecture halls, theatres and even on CBS’ 60 minutes.
Join her for much laughter, emotion, comfort, understanding and instruction in the art of slam poetry. Her 4-step process has been tried in the fire and proven to be an effective antidote to the blues of the day and the isolation that threatens to drive us mad!
Suggested Donation: $15
Poem for my Sisters With Sons:
Breathe:
Pull a clean fist of air inside your self
and let it rest there
wide and unfrightened inside your belly
asking for nothing
Remember when the baby boy was there
Stirring and fighting and kicking things around
inside of you.
And where is he now?
Kicking at air
asking for everything
Defiance rippling on the edge of his skin
Beautiful as water
And do not worry if your brown boy
doesn’t smile enough
as long as he still smiles at you:
over dinner
over the news
from beneath a curtain of hair tangled and sprawled,
it is enough
Does he still know your name?
Good.
Does he still reach for you when there is blood
Does he still make you want to kill him on Monday mornings
Soon after crushing the competition at Asheville’s National Poetry Slam in 1994, Gayle Danley entered America’s classrooms teaching thousands of children how to access their emotions through the force of words. She performed and taught her way from Maryland Young Audience’s Artist of the Year, to National Young Audience’s Artist of the Year. She’s also both a former national and international poetry slam champion. CBS 60 Minutes profiled her work with middle schoolers as well as the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and New York Times.
For the past five years, Gayle’s Grieffriend sessions have helped women who are living with AIDS, widows, incarcerated youth and those struggling with drug addiction and recovery use poetry to cope and bravely face life’s challenges.
Gayle was recently named Maryland Library Association Poet of the Year.
WEEK 19
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you have any questions, please email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Phebe Duff
A community for those who want to explore ways to be present in their lives. This group will examine a different topic each week relevant to members’ lives. We will explore meditation and mindfulness practices that can be applied to life experiences in a supportive way. The group is open to people at any level of experience with meditation and mindfulness. This is a drop-in class, so you can join at any time as topics will differ each week. This is a year-long weekly class that will meet every Wednesday beginning September 18th from 5-6pm EST.
Beginning in January 2025, this class will meet from 5-6pm EST.
Please Note: This class will begin at Week 1 on September 18th.
Suggested Donation: $15/session
About Phebe Duff
Phebe Duff is a long-time meditator and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. She completed the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and the Dharmacharya program offered by the Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in Hendersonville, NC. Phebe has facilitated MBSR courses for a wide variety of populations since 2005. Since retiring after a 30+ year career in human resources and as a professional musician, Phebe has taught meditation and MBSR for Wellness House of Annapolis and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Working with the cancer community and sharing the practices of meditation and mindfulness to support their healing journey has been the best experience of her teaching career.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, please register through Life With Cancer: https://events.lifewithcancer.org/class/110850.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
With Lauren Broschak, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C
In Partnership with Life with Cancer and Hope Connections
The sexual impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment for young people can greatly impact overall quality of life. One of the most common experiences is medically-induced menopause. Menopause can have a complex impact on the whole person – from sexual function and relational challenges to emotional well-being and physical changes. In this talk, we’ll explore the various impacts menopause can have on young people and discuss a variety of strategies to help manage the bio-psycho-social experiences of medically-induced menopause.
About Lauren Broschak, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C
Lauren is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in DC and Virginia. She has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Social Work, and has been working full-time in oncology social work for over six years. She developed her passion for oncology in Michigan where she worked at Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit supporting those touched by cancer. Since moving to the Metro DC Area she has worked at the GW Cancer Center in Washington, DC and is now an Oncology Clinical Therapist at Life with Cancer in Virginia. Lauren is passionate about supporting this community, and specializes in sexual wellness after cancer and working with Adolescents and Young Adults.
WEEK 1/25
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you have any questions, please email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Phebe Duff
On February 10th, the Mindful Cancer Journey class will begin a new series working with the book Neuro Dharma by Dr. Rick Hanson. Rick has written a powerful book that synthesizes 2,600 year old meditation practices with current neuroscience to strengthen the neural circuitry of our brains to enhance contentment and inner peace. We will do a variety of practices, see videos of Rick explaining his work and a variety of other activities. There is no obligation to purchase the book and each class has been designed as a stand-alone program for those who have to miss a class. We hope you will join us!
This series will run from 02/10 – 08/11/25
Suggested Donation: $15/session
Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.
About Phebe Duff
Phebe Duff is a long-time meditator and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. She completed the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA and the Dharmacharya program offered by the Venerable Pannavati at Heartwood Refuge in Hendersonville, NC. Phebe has facilitated MBSR courses for a wide variety of populations since 2005. Since retiring after a 30+ year career in human resources and as a professional musician, Phebe has taught meditation and MBSR for Wellness House of Annapolis and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. Working with the cancer community and sharing the practices of meditation and mindfulness to support their healing journey has been the best experience of her teaching career.
