fbpx

Join us at the National Alliance for Children's Grief National Conference

Join us for the upcoming NACG National Conference and Webcast on “The Multiverse of Grief: A Multicultural and Expressive Arts Approach to being in relationship with diverse grief narratives” presented by Adam D-F. Stevens, MA, RDT. At this in-person session, attendees will engage with the interactive webcast and learn with a community of like-minded, grief-focused professionals.

This event is hosted locally in person through the Center for Grieving Children, a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley. This event will be hosted at the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha (600 Racine St., Menasha) on Tuesday, March 19, from 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm.

This is a free event, and light refreshments will be available. Participants are also welcome to bring their own lunch. Space is limited. Register today to reserve your spot!

There will be an opportunity to receive 3 continuing education credits at the event.  For more information, click on the “Continuing Education Credits” tab below.

This form is currently closed for submissions.

To learn more view the sections below:

Delve into the intricate tapestry of grief as it performs across diverse cultural intersections. Participants will explore embodied grief through metaphorical lenses, drawing parallels with the transformative narratives found in the framework of a graphic novel, drawing from comic book narratives such as the X-MEN, Batman, and many others.

This workshop introduces Drama Therapy and Role Theory + Methods, offering an expressive arts approach to grief work that considers cultural humility and social justice. Uncover grief roles specific to various communities, acknowledging the nuances of embodied grief. Through didactic and experiential learning processes, participants will engage in population and person-centered grief planning.

We will broaden our understanding of grief beyond conventional boundaries, exploring collective, disenfranchised, suffocated, and non-death related grief. Delve into cultural responsibilities in serving youth populations, focusing on language, verbal and non-verbal communication, aesthetics, and the overall experience.

Pulling from the work of Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’, participants will take away a tangible directive to support youth in relationship with their grief and bereavement narratives through the creation of their own Superhero or Shero Graphic Novel.

This workshop promises a unique journey, weaving research and data into a rich fabric of exploration, fostering a connected and empathetic approach to grief across diverse cultural
landscapes.

This LIVE webinar event is being hosted at the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha (600 Racine St) in the Multipurpose Room.

    • Schedule:
      • 11:30 – 11:45 Registration
      • 11:45 – 12:00 Announcements and Introduction
      • 12:00 – 1:30 Presentation
      • 1:30 – 2:00 Break/Activity
      • 2:00 – 3:30 Presentation
      • 3:30 End of Training

Following this session, participants should be able to: 

  • Identify the need for conversations about race, gender identity/expression, sexuality, and other intersecting identities are integral to effective, ethical, and clinical practice of grief work.
  • Develop tools to utilize creative/expressive arts therapy techniques as clinical interventions with diverse populations to support grief and bereavement narratives in practice.
  • Formulate needed accommodations in therapeutic modalities for specific populations in a community-centered setting utilizing liberation-focused and healing social justice-oriented practices.

There will be an opportunity to receive 3 continuing education credits at the event.  The cost for continuing education credits is $45 per person and you will need to fill out a form after event and pay NACG directly. We will be taking attendance with a sign in/sign out form and attendees will need to stay for the full duration of the webcast in order to qualify to receive these credits.

Adam D-F. Stevens (they|them), MA, RDT. They are a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) who works primarily with adolescents in the Tri-state area. They have worked with the Hetrick Martin Institute and Cooke School & Institute in NYC. Adam’s role includes supporting queer, POC, and neurodiverse youth in transforming their loss, grief, and trauma into unapologetic, abundant joy and empowerment. Adam serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Creative 7 Arts Therapy Programs at Antioch University in Seattle, and New York University and Marymount Manhattan College in NYC. They have sat on the Board of Directors for the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) as Chair of the Cultural Humility, Equity, and Diversity Committee, and now as the President-elect. Adam currently sits on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG). Adam works to support theatrical productions on and Off-Broadway as an emotional wellness consultant. They were named Artistic Director for the Collideoscope Repertory Theatre Company (CRTC) by NYU in 2020. CRTC’s mission is to advance racial justice and healing through artful affinity and performance. They were recently awarded the NADTA Raymond Jacobs Memorial Diversity Award and the NADTA Performance Award for their work with CRTC and in recognition of their outstanding dedication to diversity in the field of drama therapy, through advocacy, championing a diverse membership, and working to increase skill, awareness, and cultural humility. Their research focuses on offering space for Black clients to reclaim racialized roles and deconstruct stereotypes connected to generational and historical trauma and grief. Adam’s superpowers are rooted in the fantastical forces of creativity and love.

For questions regarding this training opportunity, please contact Marci Lessor at mlessor@bgclubfoxvalley.org or 920.750.5863.