So, the fall season has befallen us…I welcome the autumn, the colours, the change in the air, the shift in light, the dappling shadows, wearing scarves, hats and even the rain…it seemed sudden to me this year, the autumn’s entrance, she just showed up! And I have not yet gathered my warmer gear from the storage locker! Ah, well, layers are lovely and very practical…Just before the labour day weekend every year, I feel part of the BACK TO SCHOOL momentum, and find myself wanting fancy school supplies: erasable purple inked pens, new journal & of course new shoes! For many of you who have young folks in your life, the autumn is ALL about getting back to school. (Some of you may be in school, learning or teaching.) And the workshops I am offering follow theme of BACK TO SCHOOL (with a creative twist). The autumn workshops this year are based on my days at theatre school (over 25 years ago!!) where the genesis of my identity as an actor and playwright began. Many years later, I have found so MUCH of what I learned in theatre school, and later as a professional theatre artist, informs my work as a psychotherapist. I am excited to share these new workshops inspired by the professional actor’s and writer’s process. And just like any solid theatre production, I have put together an awesome team to work with me (Maedean Myers & Roslyn Muir) as well as a new “performance” space (Vital Health Kitsilano) for the workshops. I have also brought back Breath, Emotion & Creative Flow, (THIS FRIDAY!) a free workshop to help you tap into your creative muse through breath and creative expression. These upcoming workshops are for those of you who want to engage with your creative spirit for healing, insight & change in your life.
Breath, Emotion & Creative Flow
October 23rd, 2015 6.30-8.30PM
Fee: Free
Through breath work, voice, movement, visual art, & drama, psychotherapist & theatre artist, Mercedes Baines, will help you deepen your understanding of your feelings from your body’s point of view. You will begin to learn about the purpose of your feelings, how to identify your feelings, ways to process & express your feelings and then what to do (or not do) about the feelings you are experiencing.
Exit the Stage & Enter Your Life: Living Life with Intention
Co-facilitated with Maedean Myers
November 6th, 2015 6.30-9.30pm
Fee: Free
Feeling stressed out, stuck, drained, disconnected, or just plain un-inspired? Turn your Friday into a mini-retreat by joining psychotherapists & theatre artists Mercedes Baines & Maedean Myers for a rejuvenating workshop inspired by the actor’s creative process. In a relaxing, celebratory atmosphere, you be will guided you through simple techniques from the acting world that will enhance your relationships with yourself, your loved ones & work colleagues. Through breath work, visualizations, experiential exercises, & discussion you will deepen your personal awareness, connect with your inner voice, and mindfully invite your wise self into your everyday interactions. You will feel more energized, focused & in charge of your life. Take some time to reinvigorate & refresh yourself.
POSTPONED TO 2016!!! Soul Makeover: Unleash Your Creative Spark
Co-facilitated with Roslyn Muir
Craving more creativity in your life?
Concerned your creative spark has fizzled out?
Can’t wait any longer to connect with your inner creative flow?
Then invite your creative spark to ignite! Is there a better way to spend your Friday night?
In this experiential introductory workshop, you will tap into your creative impulse and give voice to what inspires you. Using breath work, relaxation, visualization, writing exercises & improvisation you will embark on a process to unlock the muse within you so that you can bring your creative dreams to fruition. Whether you’re a writer, visual artist, dancer, actor, or someone exploring their creative side for fun, this workshop will open a window to delve deeper into your creative life.
Workshop Location:
Vital Health Kitsilano
1855 West 4th Avenue
General workshop Info
All workshops are led by psychotherapist & theatre artist Mercedes Baines and her associates. The workshops are experiential and will incorporate various creative expressions (drama, drawing, writing, movement, voice) as a vehicle for personal exploration & insight. Participants need to wear comfortable clothing that allows for easy movement and can expect to work in sock or bare feet. Please bring a mat or blanket to sit on.
For more Information: [email protected]/604-721-5399
Workshop Facilitators
Mercedes Baines: Psychotherapist, Writer & Theatre Artist
Mercedes is a writer, theatre artist and an Adlerian psychotherapist in private practice: Mind In Body Integrated Counselling Services www.mindinbody.ca . Her areas of focus in her counselling practice include: grief & loss; body image; relationships; living with a life altering/life threatening illness; family of origin issues; identity issues; sexuality & issues related to race & culture. Mercedes believes that the embodied experience is central to deepening self-awareness, healing and insight. She views our minds/bodies/spirits as an interconnected whole and encourages fully embodied living. With 25 years’ experience in the performing arts, Mercedes has found that her training in drama, voice, movement, scriptwriting, mask, physical theatre and dance and her professional work as a writer, director, producer, teacher, actor and performance poet has strongly influenced her approach to counselling and her understanding of the healing process. In her work with clients, creative expression is a forum for self-expression, personal exploration, healing, and strengthening connection. In addition to her one to one counselling work, Mercedes develops and leads experiential groups. Her work with groups incorporates elements of theatre practice with her clinical training. Through the use of breath work, body awareness, movement, voice, writing and drama exercises, she encourages participants to deepen their understanding of their life experiences and use creativity to envision change and elicit insight. Book a counselling Appointment or Schedule your FREE consultation.
Maedean (Yvonne) Myers: Theatre Artist, Writer & Psychotherapist
Maedean was an active member of the dramatic arts community for over 10 years. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University and has worked in a variety of settings from classical theatre to comedic improvisation and indie film to commercial television.
Maedean has has worked with New Orleans’s Tulane Summer Shakespeare Festival (As You Like It, Othello) as well appearing in local television episodes (Smallville, Jeremiah, Supernatural, The Collector, Point Blank) indie film (Take the Lead, Reelfast’s 2003 Top10:Renovation, Glimpse, Sandra Gets Dumped, Souls), commercials (Sears, Lean Cuisine, British Telecom) and local independent theatre (Two Lip Tango, Yuppie Ciao-Actor’s Jam IV, The Tit Show, As You Like It). Maedean also trained as an Improviser with the Vancouver Theatresports League.
She recently completed the Masters of Counselling program at City University of Seattle after a year of coursework through Vancouver Community College Counselling Skills Certificate program. Maedean is driven by immense curiosity about human nature and loves the opportunity to engage with others about questions of meaning and purpose in a playful, supportive atmosphere to co create something wonderful. Maedean is currently a counsellor at Qmunity working with LGBTQ individuals and allies. Maedean is also a writer and is currently working on a blog (evolvedgirl.net) and a book of affirmations for women promoting a loving relationship with their bodies. In the New Year, she will be launching a private counselling practice: “Evolved A.P.E. Counselling and Consulting: a.dvancing p.ersonal e. mpowerment.”
Roslyn Muir: Screenwriter, story editor & producer
Roslyn Muir is a Praxis award winning screenwriter, story editor and producer. Her script, The Birdwatcher, an indie micro-budget feature was produced by Imperative Pictures, funded by Telefilm Canada and received the Women in the Director’s Chair $120,000 Feature Film Award. It stars Camille Sullivan, Gabrielle Rose, and Garwin Sanford; director/producer, Siobhan Devine; Executive Producer, Alex Raffe.
Her next feature film also with Imperative Pictures is Freeing Finnegan, a family film that has received development funding from the Harold Greenberg Fund and is scheduled to shoot in 2016. When not writing features, Roslyn is busy in the TV industry as a movie-of-the-week writer with five produced films. The MOW’s have aired on TV channels M6 and TF1 (France), SHAW (Canada), and Lifetime (US). Roslyn wrote and produced the short film, OMG, starring Gabrielle Rose, which had its Canadian premiere at VIFF in 2012, US Premiere at Palm Springs in 2013, and European Premiere at Cork in Ireland; it was broadcast on CBC as a finalist for the Short Film Faceoff, and is currently screening at the NSI Online Film Festival. Roslyn also story edits feature films and TV projects, has worked on the W Network production, Smart Cookies, and analyzed scripts for Movie Central. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and a Bachelor of Fine & Performing Arts from Simon Fraser University. For more about Roslyn: http://www.roslynmuir.com/
Mercedes Baines
Mind In Body Integrated Counselling Services
604-721-5399
www.mindinbody.ca
The mind IS the body & the mind is IN the body
Here are some beautiful images of autumn:
https://www.facebook.com/OurBeautifulPlanetByMann/videos/782760388513647/
Beautiful cover of Pretty Hurts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dsdk2ZT5jI
Fun video about “falling back” the clock
https://www.facebook.com/liketimely/videos/1087919847885673/
Aging Gracefully…
https://www.facebook.com/radiocbc/videos/10153583038166913/