Care Cafe 2/12
By Michelle Bialeck
Dr. Sari Skolnik, Assistant Professor at Wurzweiler School of Social work, brought her twenty years of clinical experience to Forest Hills Library for a Care Cafe presentation: “GPS for Passion: Finding Your Way to The Life You Want to Live.” From the start, Dr. Skolnik got everyone on their feet, using every inch of the room.
“Unfortunately, humans are not born with a GPS,” Skolnik said to the crowd.
She guided everyone through an interactive art project and asked people to symbolize what takes your energy away and what are you passionate about in life. Wurzweiler graduate students worked alongside participants, taking them through the process of figuring out what they would love to do, and what are the barriers in that path. Participants shared their therapeutic visual arts projects, and one voiced:
“Now, because I came to this event, I realize the steps I need to take, what I need to get out of the way in order to change.”
Along with movement and visual arts, Dr. Skolnik included a therapeutic dramatic activity in which a person played the role of the inspiring people and activities in another’s life. As the night flowed from activity to activity, everyone was engaged and excited for what’s next. And we all left the session looking forward to taking our next step towards passion, this time moving in the right direction.
Michelle Bialeck
– Michelle Bialeck has been working with at-risk youth and immigrant families for well over a decade and is looking forward to attaining a PhD in social welfare.
