Global Summit 2022
December 12th - December 14th
The Countdown has started
The Global Summit kicks off with keynotes from Julie Mears and Kirsty Pitcher, then Joanne Woodard, PhD and Sandeep Aggarwal, MA, followed by Howard Glasser on Monday, December 12th!
All times are PST.Registrations include all video recordings of keynote and breakout sessions. You can attend any breakout session and watch the concurrent session later!
Global Summit Event Calendar
To see session details click on the event.Mon, Dec
12
5:30 - 6:30 PM
Tue, Dec
13
9:00 - 10:00 AM
10:30- 11:30AM
10:30- 11:30AM
12:00 - 1:00PM
1:30 - 2:30PM
1:30 - 2:30PM
3:00 - 4:00PM
5:30 - 6:30PM
Wed, Dec
14
9:00 - 10:00AM
10:30 - 11:30AM
10:30 - 11:30AM
1:30 - 2:30PM
1:30 - 2:30PM
3:00 - 4:00PM
5:30 - 6:30PM
Keynote Sessions
Julie Mears & Kirsty Pitcher
The Impact of embedding NHA in an Organization and its effect in overcoming anxiety and trauma in children and young people
Monday, December 12 at 1:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Kirsty and Julie will be taking you on a whistle stop tour of the Benjamin Foundation,
a UK charity, based in the East of England. We work in supporting children and
young people in a diverse range of settings and will show you the impact of the NHA
within our staff and clients.
Kirsty will share how the NHA has been the ‘Secret Ingredient’ in our Organisation
and Julie will elaborate on ways of using NHA in working through trauma and anxiety
with children.
Presentation
- 5 minutes: Intro
- 15 minutes: A short presentation of staff members from a variety of settings within the Benjamin Foundation, talking about how they are using NHA and the effectiveness within their staff and young people.
- 15 minutes: Kirsty - NHA – The ‘secret ingredient’ in our Organization.
- 15 minutes: Julie - Using NHA in working through trauma and anxiety.
- 10 minutes: Q and A
Julie Mears has over 40 years’ experience of working with children and young people, particularly providing emotional wellbeing support. She uses the Nurtured Heart Approach to help children in developing strength-based strategies to manage issues such as anxiety and also to recognise their unique greatness. She is an Advanced Nurtured Heart Approach Trainer within the Benjamin Foundation and a certified NHA Mentor and has trained hundreds of families and professionals, helping them recognise what is going right in every situation and teaching the principles of 'reset'.
Julie lives in a village just outside Norwich England with husband Andy, two hens and their cheeky cocker spaniel who has also mastered the art of ‘reset’.
Kirsty Pitcher is Chief Operating Officer at The Benjamin Foundation, a registered youth charity based in the East of England. Kirsty first received training in the Nurtured Heart Approach in 2013 and has since become an Advanced Trainer, having trained young people, parents/ carers and professionals. She is passionate about the transformation that can occur using this approach to build strong relationships and innerwealth, whether that is in families, in schools, with your colleagues or within yourself.
Kirsty lives in the countryside with her husband and teenage children. She spends time when she is not working at the side of various swimming pools – cheering loudly at galas even though her children say they can’t hear her when they are in the water.
JoAnne Woodard & Sandeep Aggarwal
I See You…in Your GreatnessI See You…in Your Greatness I See You…in Your
Monday, December 12 at 3:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - “Nurtured Heart is a powerful framework from which we see the greatness in children and each other. It reaches in to the hearts and minds of the students we want to transform from insecure, unsure, rejected, self doubting, and low self esteem. It is accomplished by a simple exchange that says I see you in the many ways in which you are great. Let me show your greatness to you. You may not realize the ways in which you are truly great. Maybe no one has shown you or told you the qualities you possess that make you great. Once you realize your qualities of greatness, let your greatness shine. Don’t hide it. Share it. Build on it. It is how you become more than you first thought you could be. It is a gift that you give to yourself, family, friends, and classmates. Your teacher is not the only one who sees it, your classmates see you too. We just don’t talk about it, or make a fuss about it. Everyone of us has greatness, not just a few. Let me prove that to you. Let’s take just a few minutes to let our friends and classmate know the greatness they see in you. It may be something they saw you do today, or something they see you do everyday. This is how we do it. Let’s begin.”
JoAnne Coble Woodard, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Sallie B. Howard School of Arts and Science, a K-12 public charter school established in 1997 in Wilson, N.C. She is a native of Wilson, NC, a graduate of Charles H. Darden High School, class of 1965, graduated from Bennett College in 1969 with a psychology degree, and graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1975 with a doctorate degree in social psychology.
In 1986, Dr. Woodard met Sallie B. Howard, a legendary educator who would change the direction of the rest of Dr. Woodard’s life. Under the influence of Ms. Howard, Dr. Woodard founded the Youth Enrichment Program of Wilson, and operated a thriving summer camp for 300 children ages 5-15 for 8 consecutive years. When the charter law was passed in North Carolina 1996, Dr. Woodard founded the Sallie B. Howard School of Arts and Science, a state of the arts K-12 public charter school that now serves over 1200 students. Sallie B. Howard School was recently recognized (2021) by the US Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary achievement in closing the achievement gap between low income students of color and higher SES students.
Dr. Woodard is the youngest of three siblings, born to Estelle Ellis and Maurice Coble, Sr., the mother of three adult children, and grandmother of 4.
Sandeep Aggarwal is a native of New Delhi, India and has travelled to about 30 countries. A graduate of St. Xavier’s School, with a bachelor’s degrees in business, another bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degrees in business, and another master’s in school administration from East Carolina University, NC. He has also completed a one year school management and leadership program from Harvard University. Sandeep has been an advanced trainer in NHA and was instrumental in taking this approach overseas to India, working along with Howard Glasser and Dr. JoAnne Woodard to teach this approach to educators and parents there.
Sandeep first met Dr. JoAnne Woodard and started to work at SBHS in 2004 as an elementary teacher. He has since worked in various leadership capacities leading various areas like business, technology, immigration, new construction, and leadership mentoring at SBHS. Sandeep has organized and managed all study abroad trips for SBHS and has travelled with school groups to various countries in the last two decades. He currently serves in the capacity of Assistant Director and Dean of Business & Technology at SBHS and has worked alongside Dr. Woodard in helping SBHS achieve new milestones for its community.
Howard Glasser
Journey to the center of the self
Monday, December 12 at 5:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details
Can we truly meet ourselves, beyond our normal organized existence?
Beyond the realm of our intellect and beyond the realm of our emotions?
Beyond our body, heart and Mind where our spirit insistently rises to call us to the possibility of our greatness?
Can we systematically drill down to the energy that runs the show, underneath all that appears to be, so that we can put it to use and purpose?
Can we essentially live by our fire rather than wither as a result of not putting it to use?
The Nurtured Heart Approach can serve us deeply in this wild adventure called life. Just as we are helping children to transform their intensities to greatness, we can serve in doing much the same for our own intensities.
Howard Glasser is Founder is the creator and developer of the Nurtured Heart Approach®. He is a voice of greatness so that others can ultimately find their own voice of greatness.
Howard’s background is in family treatment, clinical studies and educational leadership. His formal studies along with direct experience with the most intense and challenging children form the basis of the approach that he has now brought to many. He has been referred to as one of the most influential persons working to reduce children’s reliance on psychiatric medications. His work is inspiring a growing number of educational and treatment initiative worldwide and has been featured on CNN, Esquire and more.
Howard is the author of 15 books, including Transforming the Difficult Child, a longstanding bestseller on intense and challenging children. He is a sought-after Keynote speaker in areas of treatment, educational and inspiring greatness. Nurtured Heart is currently being researched by Rutgers University, the University of Arizona's Zuckerman School of Public Health, and the New Mexico State University.
Howard currently teaches Nurtured Heart Approach Certification Training Intensives at the Nurtured Heart Institute as well as teaching at University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Program and the School of Public Health’s new Transformational Wellness program.
His upcoming book due out in 2022 is an unfolding and ‘Notching In’ of the Nurtured Heart Approach from the ‘Inside Out.'
Heather Meyer
NHA as a wellness model for chronic pain & illnessTuesday, December 13 at 9:00 AM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Living with chronic pain or a chronic illness along with the cycle of distress, challenge and loss it can create is often overwhelming, defeating, frustrating and genuinely frightening. Both treatment and support can vary and wane. During this keynote, Heather will share her journey with chronic pain and illness to provide a vulnerable glance into what is like for nearly 25 years of managing symptoms, how that led to extremely concerning issues with severely declining health and intensifying pain and how that led to NHA being the roadmap and the vehicle for wholeness beginning 10 years ago.
Heather will share how she designed a roadmap that she calls her NHA Transformational Health and Wellness Practice using the NHA principles and the 3 Stands framework that has served to provide a healthy foundation for health and healing in all aspects of her life. She will also share how the process of Inner Wealth Breathing and the power of Induction are key supporters toward caring for pain, staying present, resetting the nervous system, strengthening the immune system, serving as an analgesic and most importantly redefining the self-portfolio and the old story. Regardless of the trials and tribulations that the body may experience, at a heart level and at a soul level, this is a story of many treasures and triumphs.
Heather Meyer is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Nurtured Heart Approach® Advanced Trainer, Certified NHA Peer Mentor and Peer Leader. Through her counseling and consulting practice, Dynamic Wisdom, LLC, Heather teaches the Nurtured Heart Approach® through individual and family sessions, classes and workshops. She has dedicated the last 29 years to empowering individuals with emotional and behavioral challenges to transform their intensity toward emotional healing and positive purpose. Her clinical experiences through the years have included: behavioral consultation with parents, caregivers, residential agencies, day programs and school personnel; intensive court ordered therapeutic mental health therapy services for parents, children and teens; residential services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; therapeutic crisis intervention and ongoing roles in clinical supervision and program management. Heather lives in Indianapolis, Indiana in a quaint 1907 bungalow with her 3rd Nurtured Heart raised rescue, Tzion the Kitty.
Nara Derapelian
Transforming ADHD from the inside outTuesday, December 13 at 12:00 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Is it really possible to go BEYOND the label?
Nara takes us through her journey of the various challenges she faced, with a focus on ADHD (among other labels) and the impacts this had on understanding herself. Hear how NHA has supported Nara in the struggle to find answers to Who am I? Is this all people see about me, and not only to the building of Inner Wealth but leads to a deeper sense of trust, self-love, and finding purpose.
Nara Derapelian is an NHA Kid, All Grown Up now. Nara came to the US at age 6 after being adopted from Russia and was raised in New Hampshire by a single mother. As a young teenager, the Nurtured Heart Approach was introduced into life and would become an interictal part of her way to journey through life. Nara has a background in Social Work and has worked with homeless youth, advocating for those in Foster Care as a CASA and even as a 911 Dispatcher. Later She pursued a degree in Communications and social media as her path for helping people took on a different meaning.
Today, Nara has her own business as a consultant using her technical and marketing expertise to support small businesses and non-profits. Nara is a part of the Nurtured Heart Institute team as an Engagement Strategist and is involved with all things Trainers and CTI’s!
Scarlett Lewis
Choose Love & Nurtured HeartTuesday, December 13 at 5:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Scarlett Lewis founded the Choose Love Movement following the murder of her 6 year old son, Jesse at Sandy Hook Elementary School. She found a chalkboard message he had written shortly before his death, "Nurturing Healing Love" and knew this was the ultimate solution. Individuals that love and appreciate themselves do not want to harm themselves or others. She began a life's mission of spreading this message as well as encouraging audiences with Jesse's example of courage. He saved 9 of his first-grade classmates' lives before losing his own. We all have that capacity within us and life offers us opportunities each day to practice and be part of the solution ourselves.
Scarlett Lewis founded the nonprofit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement in honor of her son, Jesse, who was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012. Shortly after his death, Scarlett decided to be part of the solution to the issues that we’re seeing in our society — that also caused the tragedy — and turned it into an opportunity to build a culture of love, resilience, forgiveness, and connection in our communities at a time when it is needed the most.
Scarlett became an advocate for social and emotional learning (SEL) and character development to help children manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy, meaningful relationships. She created the Choose Love For Schools program, a no cost, comprehensive, lifespan, next generation character and social emotional development (CSED) program that teaches children how to thoughtfully respond with love in any situation by using the Choose Love Formula (Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action), and offer ways for children to handle adversity, have courageous conversations, and to respond with love. Choose Love extends beyond the classroom through additional no-cost programs, including programs for the home, communities, athletics, and the workplace. In addition, the movement offers Choose Love C.A.R.E.S. (Cultivating Authentic Relationships in the Education System) and Experiential Educator Wellness Workshops for school leaders and educators, and multiple extension programs. The Choose Love programs have been accessed in all 50 states and in more than 120 countries, reaching 3 million children.
Scarlett Lewis is the author of Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother’s Journey of Hope & Forgiveness, a memoir of her journey toward choosing love and forgiveness; From Sandy Hook to the World: How the Choose Love Movement Transforms Lives, an in-depth look at how Scarlett founded the Movement and its impact around the world today; and Rose’s Foal, a children’s book, with photographs by Scarlett Lewis, that tells the poignant story of a beloved horse and her newborn foal.
Since the tragedy, Scarlett has spoken across the U.S. and internationally to diverse audiences sharing her empowering story and the organization’s far-reaching programs, urging everyone to become part of the solution to the issues the world is facing. Scarlett has spoken at multiple national, statewide, and community-based events including hundreds of talks at schools, addressing educators and administrators. In 2021, Scarlett was named a Forbes 50 over 50 Impact Honoree, one of 50 women leading the way with impact and changing their communities and the world in ways big and small through social entrepreneurship, law, advocacy and education.
Puran & Susanna Bair
The Greatness of the heartTuesday, December 13 at 3:00 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - You can have a greater effect on the world than the world has on you, if you use your heart. The human heart, as a container for the energy of love, can become an energetic magnet that can effect change in yourself, others, and situations around you. By synchronizing your breath to your heartbeats an integration occurs of body, mind and emotions, allowing you to see the greatness in yourself and others and, by seeing it, bring it out. The New Age is upon us with its beauty and the crises of finance, pandemics and climate. The way toward integration and unity is to touch the heart of humanity.
Co-Founders of The Institute for Applied Meditation on the Heart, iamHeart.org.
Susanna: Antioch University, Counseling Psychology, M.A., University of Vienna, Clinical Psychology A.B.D. Clinical work at the Psychiatric Hospital of Vienna. Theater Director, The State Theater, Basel Switzerland. Directs the mentoring and private retreat programs at iamHeart.
Puran: University of Pennsylvania Computer Science M.S., A.B.D. Teacher of meditation for 51 years. Researcher of the physiological effects of meditation. Spiritual activist.
Dawn Kowalczyk & Tia Sanders
Fanning the flame: Fueling greatness through cross system collaborationsWednesday, December 14 at 9:00 AM
Virtual Conference
Session details - The State of New Jersey has had an incredible multi-year opportunity to immerse its children's system of care in the Nurtured Heart Approach. Nine Certification Training Intensives later, with hundreds of CTs/ ATs, and thousands of youth, families, direct care, educators, and organizations trained in NHA, come see what has been possible. This inspiring session will also help you discover how you can create cross system collaboration and growth opportunities within your own community and state, to help ALL families flourish.
Tia Sanders - LCSW, Assistant Project Director, Promising Path to Success 2.0 Grant with Rutgers University
Dawn Kowalczyk - LMFT, Program Coordinator, Promising Path to Success 2.0 Grant with Rutgers University
Tia K. Sanders - is a licensed clinical social worker. She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey and received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She has over 20 years’ experience in working with youth and families in the nonprofit and human service arenas. She has a long history of service in the areas of higher education, foster care, residential care, and juvenile justice. She has served as a Program Director, Director of Quality and Assistant Director of Residential Services. Currently serving as the Assistant Project Director for New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ Children’s System of Care (CSOC) Promising Path to Success 2.0 grant. PPS2 provides coaching and training in Six Core Strategies to Reducing Seclusion and Restraint Use© and the Nurtured Heart Approach© to CSOC system partners and Office of Education schools, assists with the training of NHA to resource families and staff and promotes youth and family voice in the CSOC Children’s Interagency Coordinating Councils. Tia is an advanced trainer and Peel Leader in training of the Nurtured Heart Approach. She has seen the transformative power of NHA in her own life and career and advocates for others to embed it into their personal and professional practices daily. She is the owner of Hopechest Consultations in New Jersey, a counseling and consulting agency. She provides individual and family counseling, consults on youth program development, is a published author and speaks on mental health and resiliency. She proudly shares her life with her family and friends.
Dawn Kowalczyk has been in the behavioral health field for 22 years, and has experience working in children’s systems of care and child welfare in three states. Dawn has extensive clinical and consulting work in outpatient, in-home, residential, and with couples, families, and groups. She coordinated the clinical program for an alternative high school, and the transformation to a healing centered milieu earned the National School of Character Award in 2014. Dawn has diverse administrative experience in grant writing, performance improvement, program management, training, team building, and leadership. She holds a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, and has also been a Nurtured Heart Approach® (NHA) Advanced Trainer for 15 years. She coordinates the statewide NHA Trainer Learning Community, which is over 400 strong. Dawn is an Air Force Veteran, served as a NJ DCPP resource parent for 9 years, and is a proud DCPP adoptive parent.
Bart Traynor
Owning one's greatnessWednesday, December 14 at 3:00 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Taking ownership is often a term that is misunderstood. Too often owning your difficult situation is confused with being stuck in the past and being overwhelmed with guilt and self-blame. Through an NHA lens and his no-nonsense, in your face approach, Bart will provide you with psychological strategies to take you on a journey of self discovery and help you accept the road that brought you to where you are and take ownership of your road out.
Bart has over 15yrs experience working across Government and non-government sectors in the mental health delivery and program creation. He has presented nationally and internationally on strengths-based interventions and managing extreme behaviors in children and adolescents, as well as consulted to companies and their leadership on mental health awareness and assisting with responding to traumatic incidents. Bart was the Founder of NHA Australia and now has a particular interest for in men's mental health and helping men become the very best version of themselves, be it in the home as a partner or father, the workplace or on the sporting field. Bart has a passion for understanding the relationships between exercise and mental health and this has led to him recently commencing PhD in Human Movement at the University of Queensland. He is also a facilitator of the AFL Mental Health Awareness program- Tackle Your Feelings and an accredited ZUU fitness silver level coach. Most importantly, Bart is a husband to an amazing lady and the very proud father of 2 little girls.
Jeff Waller
Bringing the relationship back to center in educationWednesday, December 14 at 5:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - After 15 years implementing solutions with 2M educators and students in 47 states, one thing has become clear. The same thing that made a school great 50 years ago is the same thing that will make one great today. Great education is predicated on the relationship. Only when strong relationships are in place can education be executed with efficacy. In this session, Jeff will share the research and thinking behind emerging models to help educators bring the relationship to the forefront and move from data driven to connection driven education.
Jeff Waller is a thought leader in social and emotional learning, personal achievement, and youth empowerment. He is the co-author of The 7 Mindsets to Live Your Ultimate Life. He is alos the co-author of Ridiculously Amazing Schools, Creating a Culture where Everyone Thrives. He is the co-founder of 7 Mindsets Corporation, a multi-million dollar social and emotional learning solution provider currently serving 500,000 students in thirty-two states.
Jeff has spent the last fifteen years observing hundreds of schools and thousands of classrooms. He has interviewed over 100 of the most successful administrators and teachers in the country. Through this work he has co-authored two books and co-developed the revolutionary 7 Mindsets program that delivers curriculum and professional development to schools and classrooms from kindergarten to twelfth grade.
A motivational speaker, Jeff is also the co-founder of the Magic Wand Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering youth to live their dreams and make a positive impact on the world. Jeff is also co-creator of the Ultimate Life Summit, a blended empowerment event that combines dynamic live seminars with existing and emerging tools to promote youth empowerment.
He has dedicated the last two decades to learning and understanding the critical elements that define high achievers. Jeff lives in Roswell, Georgia with his wife and three children.
Breakout Sessions
Freddy Mendoza
Heart to Heart: Inner Wealth Coaching For CouplesTuesday, December 13 at 10:30 AM
Virtual Conference
Description of session - Join Freddy Mendoza as he discusses how the Nurtured Heart Approach changed how he and his wife relate as a couple, how they communicate, and how they grow as individuals and together. He shares his easy, practical ways of applying NHA to daily conversations, and how you too can see your relationship deepen by connecting Heart to Heart.
Mussi Diskin
Freeing my IntensityTuesday, December 13 at 10:30 AM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Who knew that the very parts of myself that I had spent years trying to run from, turned out to be the parts of myself that I love the most! In this session I will share my personal story of NHA transformation and how Inner wealth breathing freed my intensity from it's life long captivity. See you there!
Elizabeth A. Sylvester
Psychotherapeutic Use of The Nurtured Heart ApproachTuesday, December 13 at 1:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Most major clinical syndromes have a relational element either at their core, or as a sustaining or aggravating factor. In children psychopathology can be worsened by parenting disruptions and alleviated by healthy therapeutic parenting. Nurtured Heart parenting is an effective therapeutic intervention as it is both neurobiologically and attachment sound, and addresses the relationship needs of the developing brain. This presentation gives a general overview of the utility of NHA as a therapeutic agent to launch psychotherapy, and to provide sustaining support to children as they move through their treatment. It will include information on NHA's impact on attachment, emotional and behavioral regulation, and healthy discipline. This talk assumes participants have a comfortable working knowledge of NHA.
Josh Kuersten
Transformational Practices in Trauma hkhgkl khkTuesday, December 13 at 1:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - In this session Josh will share his interpretation of Dr. Bruce Perry’s work on Trauma, translating the philosophy and research into a model of applied practice that can adapt to any environment. This is a proven model that Josh has been sharing with classrooms and families for years with amazing results. It is a mind shift that takes into account the way that the brain interprets information given the emotional state of the person. It is the number one training Josh recommends when asked to provide “de-escalation training.” In addition, this session will include a special focus on aspects of the Nurtured Heart Approach that serve to enhance the understanding and application of this model of care.
***Free E-book included with session
First and foremost, Josh Kuersten is a father of two beautiful children who are now in their teens. The Nurtured Heart Approach has been a part of their lives since they were 2 and 5 years old and has been pivotal in building and maintaining healthy relationships in their home and beyond. Josh has the privilege of witnessing evidence of the approach offering his children a way of navigating the ups and downs of their world in ways that allow them to grow in the face of both challenge and celebration.
In his professional life, Josh is a behavior specialist who has been working in the field of education for 30 years. He holds a Special Education teaching credential and a Masters Degree in Education with a special focus in behavior and trauma informed practices. His work experience in the school setting includes time as a para-professional, classroom teacher and behaviorist. During his time as a behaviorist, he found his way to the Nurtured Heart Approach and for more than a decade has dedicated his time to integrating the approach into the foundational practices of behavioral and trauma informed interventions. He is an advanced trainer, peer leader and certified mentor of the Nurtured Heart Approach, and CEO of the Nurtured Heart Institute. Josh is a dynamic trainer who brings his energy, experience and authenticity to all that he does.
Howard Moody
Improv theater: Skills for Life – Laughter and Connection even on Zoom mmmm mmmmm mmWednesday, December 14 at 10:30 AM
Virtual Conference
Session details - More than ever, we need connection and engagement in our lives and this is also vital and important if your work is with children. Simple improvisational theater games are a delightful way to spark creativity, embody playfulness and create laughter and they work well on Zoom. The simple “rules” of improv are also deeply in alignment with The Nurtured Heart Approach, always focusing on the positive, unconditionally supporting our fellow players and learning to trust our inner knowing.
Howard Moody has been facilitating workshops for over 30 years. His passion is play and how play is often undervalued in the education process.
Howard has been a faculty member at the Omega Institute for Holistic studies for many years and is also the co-founder of The Adventure Game Theater, an extraordinary improvisational learning process for teens that has been featured on PBS and NPR). Combining experiential learning with creativity, improvisational theater, play, community building, mythology and storytelling the Adventure Game theater has brought magic into many young people’s lives.
Deepening connections among people is Howard's passion and his mission is to help people be fully inspired, creative and playful in all that they do. Howard has written the book, Nurtured Heart Play in collaboration with Howard Glasser, the founder of the Nurtured Heart Approach
Marcie Towle
From “What If?” to “What Is?” - Parenting in the Greatness of Now, not the Fear of the FutureWednesday, December 14 at 10:30 AM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Marcie will share how Nurtured Heart Approach helped her move from parenting out of fear and living in anxiety to peace through living in the truth of the moment. This session will offer practical guidance on staying true to The Three Stands and building Inner Wealth in even the toughest situations.
Marcie is a veteran NHA parent. She is an Advanced Trainer and coach. She is also an American Council on Exercise Certified Health Coach, Youth Group Leader working with students in 6th through 12th grades, and a small business owner for over 30 years. She has been practicing Nurtured Heart Approach like her kids’ lives depended on it since 2014, and now enjoys the benefits of living the NHA in every relationship in her life.
Michael Gilbert
Spark the Change - Transforming the Community Spark the Change - Transforming the Community Spark the Change - Transforming the CommunityMichael Gilbert
Spark the Change - Transforming the CommunityWednesday, December 14 at 12:00 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - Hope, Healing, and the Human Spirit. Now more than ever, this is where we need to focus our collective energy. Every day children and families struggle with the impact of generational poverty, trauma, educational disparities, food insecurity, and social injustice. Yet, every day these children and families demonstrate their courage, resilience, compassion, persistence, wisdom, and hope for a better tomorrow. This session will explore creative, collaborative, and holistic ideas to transform communities while supporting children and families as they find new paths through challenging times. In addition, how the Nurtured Heart Approach can easily be woven into the fabric of this story of hope.
Michael Gilbert Psy.D. has worked in human services for over 30 years, including foster care, group home, and hospital settings. He has worked as a school psychologist in the Syracuse City School District for over 25 years as well as an adjunct professor at local colleges. In 2000, he founded It's About Childhood & Family, Inc. as an alternative to the traditional mental health system as well as to provide needed support to communities dealing with generational poverty and trauma. Dr. Gilbert has extensive experience with topics such as social-emotional learning, trauma, mental health, play, mindfulness, and restorative practices. In addition to lecturing extensively on these topics, he is involved with local and state efforts related to increasing awareness of and need for trauma informed support. He is an advanced trainer of the Nurtured Heart Approach, an author of children books, and producer of documentary films. Dr. Gilbert received the NYASP Friend of Children Award (2011), NYS Psychologist of the Year (2014) and the Spirit of Huntington Award (2014).
V. Barajas & J. Swart
How teaching the Nurtured Heart Approach to adolescents is integral in capacity development of positive supports and social emotional learningWednesday, December 14 at 1:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - NHA provides a shared language, accessible to all, to build Inner Wealth through everyday interactions. First-hand experiences of success are the best opportunities for social-emotional development and building self-confidence and a sense of self inside and outside of the classroom setting. Teaching the NHA directly to youth improves social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students. This workshop will celebrate the expansion of the Greatness Project from a successful pilot site at Yosemite High School, to serving all stakeholders in a high school district. Youth have been instrumental in the development of a Mental Health/Nurtured Heart Approach high school course, mental health pathway, as well as the development of the Greatness Project curriculum that is now being shared at all comprehensive sites.
Greatness Project youth focus on transforming their school and community climate through educational workshops, mental health advocacy, partnerships, and most importantly, relationships. This workshop will provide tools to teach NHA to students, developing the inner wealth of future leaders of our NHA community.
Viviana Barajas, M.A., Ed., PPS Nurtured Heart Approach Advanced Trainer
Viviana Barajas is a first generation Mexican-American who was born and raised in California. She is the proud mother of two amazing boys and has always had a passion for helping underserved populations and for finding opportunities to promote positive relationships. Her experience includes early childhood education, non-profit community work, early intervention and prevention services for children and families, foster youth advocacy, residential treatment facility training and support, and program development. For the past 10 years, Viviana has been working exclusively to integrate the Nurtured Heart Approach into school and agency settings, and has had a successful independent consulting business for the past seven years. Viviana has helped to create a Nurtured Heart Approach mental health high school course for teens, and is the creator of Greatness Project, an organization that provides a platform for youth to share this life-changing method with other youth and adults. Her Greatness Project includes youth who are homeless, displaced, in the foster care system, and recently released youth from juvenile detention centers and in an alternative educational setting.
Jonathan Swart, Nurtured Heart Approach Trainer
Jonathan Swart is a graduate of Yosemite High School and a founding youth member of Greatness Project in Merced, California. Jonathan’s life experiences in the foster care system and the challenges he faced navigating the educational system inspired him to be an advocate for transformational relationships through the Nurtured Heart Approach. Jonathan was an essential piece to the NHA Mental Health Class pilot being a success, and for the subsequent success of increasing the capacity of Merced Union High School District to bring the NHA to all stakeholders. Jonathan currently works for Bitwise Industries in Merced, and continues to take part in speaking events and outreach for Greatness Project, to share the power of relationships with the community.
M. Blakey & E. Scott
Building Relationship-Driven Schools and Districts with the Nurtured Heart ApproachE. Scott & M. Blakey
Building Relationship-Driven Schools and Districts with the Nurtured Heart Approach Building Relationship-Driven Schools and Districts with the NurturedWednesday, December 14 at 1:30 PM
Virtual Conference
Session details - n the world of education there is a tremendous focus on the importance of building relationships with students. This quote by James Comer, "No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship" is at the forefront of educational conversations. While these conversations are important and necessary, they often leave out a key component, which is how to actually make that happen. How do we build relationships with students? Especially the ones that seem so hard to reach. That's where the Nurtured Heart Approach comes in. Through the 3 stands, school staff are able to understand how they can connect with each student that walks through their doors. Instead of feeling powerless in their daily interactions with challenging students, parents or colleagues, the approach empowers them to look through a different lens to see greatness and opportunity. The Nurtured Heart Approach gives educators the tools to create authentic and life changing connections with everyone they encounter.
Several years ago our district began implementing the Nurtured Heart Approach at our elementary schools as a way to build stronger relationships with students and deepen the connection between schools, students, parents and communities. Through this process lessons have been learned, our implementation has evolved, and our understanding of the power of Nurtured Heart has increased. Through our setbacks and successes, we are energized to continue our implementation and to share what we've learned with others.
Meghan Blakey
Meghan Blakey is a high school counselor in Klein ISD. Prior to moving to the high school level, she served as an elementary counselor and teacher for 17 years. In her role as an educator, she proactively teaches character development, works alongside parents and educators to help children have a positive school experience, and implements the Nurtured Heart Approach as an advanced trainer. Meghan is a mom and wife and in her free time she enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family.
Erica Scott
Erica Scott is a professional school counselor in Klein ISD. She has worked as an educator in the roles of counselor and secondary teacher for 22 years. As a school counselor she works with teachers, administrators and parents to build a positive school climate where students can be successful. In her day-to-day role she provides consultation to stakeholders, individual counseling, group counseling and guides the implementation of campus wide social emotional learning through character development. As an Advanced Trainer, Erica is passionate and driven to embody the Nurtured Heart Approach daily in all interactions. Erica is a mom of three and wife who loves playing solitaire and immersing herself in opportunities to grow personally on an ongoing basis.