Passion Work Wellness with Colleen Kreisel

If you saw my last post, 👀 you're probably wondering how to make a change in the way you give corrections. Instead of putting your hands on your students, try these 4️⃣ things:

1️⃣ Use Imagery:
Using imagery can help students visualize body positions, muscle cues, energy and so much more! Get creative and find words that tell a really clear story. Not only is it effective, but it's fun! 🤗

2️⃣ Demonstrate on Yourself:
Pretty self-explanatory. Use your hands on your own body to make the correction instead of your student. They can see what needs to change, but can manipulate their own body to make discoveries. 💁🏻

3️⃣ Drop Expectations:
Many times, using physical touch to correct students comes from a place of "hurry and worry". The "hurry" tells us if we physically move their body, they will get it faster. Taking less class time.The "worry" is that they won't understand how to do it themselves when given a verbal correction. Remember: your students are SMART. They know their own bodies better than anyone and will get there in their own time. Drop the expectations of how you think they should be learning. 👍🏻

4️⃣ Ask Before You Touch:
If for some reason you feel you MUST touch a student, approach with eye contact and ask genuinely... "I feel you could benefit from a physical correction. I would need to put one hand on your shoulder and one on your back. Does that sound ok?" Wait for an answer. HEAR their answer. If they say no, don't push it and don't make a big deal about it. Go back and use one of the other techniques to solidify the correction. ❓

The effort to change this dynamic will be worth the peace and safety of your students! Changing old habits will be hard, but you can do it! 🙌🏻

Do you use any of these techniques in your classroom? Let me know in the comments! ⬇️⬇️

Hear me out.... 😏

If you were raised on "old school" principals in the studio, you've likely been poked, prodded or straight up smacked somewhere on your body during class. I'm here to tell you- there is a better way!

Here are the top 4️⃣ reasons to use physical touch as a last resort...

1️⃣ Promote Bodily Autonomy:
Bodily autonomy is the concept that individuals have the right to control what does and does not happen to our bodies.  Respect your students' personal space. 💃

2️⃣ Balance Power Dynamics:
When you are in a position of power (teacher), your students may feel obligated to go along with your practices- even if it makes them uncomfortable. Setting physical boundaries is a way to even out the power dynamic in the classroom. ⚖

3️⃣ Promote Physical Discoveries:
If you continually use physical touch to correct your students, you take away their opportunity to tune in to their body and make the discovery themselves. It may not happen right away, but eventually they will feel what needs to change and be able to commit it to muscle memory. 💪🏻

4️⃣ Prevent Guarding and Dissociation:
Safety is paramount in any learning environment. There are many reasons a student does not want to be touched, including: physical or sexual trauma, chronic illness or injury, acute illness or injury and sensory differences (just to name a few). Knowing they could be touched at any time, without warning can cause guarding or dissociation which takes them out of learning and into fight or flight mode. 🙅🏼‍♀️

Most of all, it just isn't necessary. There are other ways to get your correction across without invading your students' space. Check back here later for what you can do instead!

Passion Work Wellness with Colleen Kreisel updated their address.

⭐ Happy Pride! ⭐

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💙
💜

It is not as easy as these lyrics, but there is hope.

Sending love to those who have been out their whole lives, who have recently come out, or who are struggling with speaking their truth today. Everyone is valid. You matter. You are important. You are loved.

🌞 The Sunshine Salad 🌞

This masterpiece is a bright and sunny treat for your eyes and your palate! Immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and just darn tasty. Brighten up your day with a little sunshine in a bowl! 🤗

Recipe:
1 medium bulb of fennel, sliced
1 golden beet, roasted and sliced
1 medium red/orange/yellow pepper, sliced
2 clementines/tangerines, peeled & separated
1/4 cup Sunflower seeds
Salad greens (optional)

Dressing:
1 teaspoon grated ginger or 1 cube frozen ginger
2-3 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (taste preference!)
1 clementine/tangerine, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

🔅Add all dressing ingredients to a jar, put the lid on and shake! (Shake again before you pour it!)

🔅Prepare fennel, beet, pepper and clementine. Add veggies to a large bowl.

🔅Pour dressing onto veggies to taste and toss!

🔅Top with Sunflower seeds.

🔅If you are using greens, put them in another bowl and season them (toss with 1 T olive oil and pinch of salt & pepper)
Serve greens into individual bowls and top with the veggie mix. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and extra dressing, if needed.

🔅Enjoy!

Serves 3-4

We're getting there. 💛

Reminding myself. 🙏🏻

Reminding all of you. 💙

This is not forever. ♾

🌱🌺

Living in the Legacy of African American Healers There is no way to fully know all the accomplishments and contributions people of color have made in the healing arts. This account of three folk herbalists of color from Appalachia only begins to account for the importance of healers of colors and the impact they have had on herbalism.

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Why Philadelphia Was an Early Hub For Black Ballerinas When we're talking about the history of black dancers in ballet, three names typically pop up: Raven Wilkinson at Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Janet Collins at New York's Metropolitan Opera and Arthur Mitchell at New York City Ballet. But in the 1930s through 50s, there was a largely overlooked hot....

Diving into this beauty. 🧡

"An occasional sharp wintering would do us good. We must stop believing that these times in our lives are somehow silly, a failure of nerve, a lack of willpower. We must stop trying to ignore them or dispose of them. They are real, and they are asking something of us. We must learn to invite the winter in. We may never choose to winter, but we can choose how." Katherine May, Wintering

#StayVolatile: That One Time I, a Black Q***r Grad Student, Got Investigated for Racism In 2016, I packed up my car and did not drive it from New Jersey to Texas because I am a Black q***r non-binary person with anxiety. When…

Hear me out..... 😬

I know, I know.....Don't mess with the coffee!! 🚫

But, if we are putting extra stress on the body, we have every right to launch a curious experiment!

About a month ago, I started to experiment with the amount of caffeine I put in my body. And, it has been enlightening! 🔆

My attachment has definitely diminished, and I have realized I don't NEED it as much as I thought 💁🏼‍♀️

Have you experimented with going caffeine free? Is it something you think you might benefit from?

Let's keep getting curious about how we treat our bodies and how our bodies respond in return! 🙌🏻

Corinne Bailey Rae is my ultimate snow day artist. ❄

The warm tone and seemly effortless beauty of her voice makes for a perfect snowy playlist. 💙

Here are a few of my all time faves of hers if you want to add them to your library! 🎶

Green Aphrodisiac
Closer
Is This Love
Paris Nights/New York Mornings
Butterfly
Walk On

Happy listening, friends! Hoping music brings you some peace today. 🤍

is my ultimate snow day artist. ❄

The warm tone and seemly effortless beauty of her voice makes for a perfect snowy playlist. 💙

Here are a few of my all time faves of hers if you want to add them to your library! 🎶

Green Aphrodisiac
Closer
Is This Love
Paris Nights/New York Mornings
Butterfly
Walk On

Happy listening, friends! Hoping music brings you some peace today. 🤍

As we continue to deal with the loss of our livelihoods, let's remember that we have a beautiful community that is ready to welcome us back with open arms.

Honored to be featured in this article with my friend and colleague Michael Hartman, and I am so happy that Ocean City Patch is able to shed some light on the toll it has been taking on my theatre family at Ocean City Theatre Company. 💗

Ocean City Theatre Company: COVID 'Knocked The Wind Out Of Us' The Ocean City Theatre Company continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic as they prepare for their upcoming season.

The monotony is so real! 😟

I've been stuck in a routine rut and have lacked the motivation to spring out of it. 😴

I am going to make an effort to make evey day new, and add in some things that I can look forward to (big or small!) 🗓

Let's shake off the dust! 💜

👋🏻

Hi, I'm Colleen!
(She/Her/Hers)

I hold lots of titles including:
💖 Performer
💃 Choreographer
✏ Adjunct Professor
💆🏼‍♀️ Massage Therapist
💟 Soon-to-be Integrative Nutrition Health
Coach

During this pandemic time, my heart has been with my performing family as I watched so many lose jobs, lose a huge piece of their identity and struggle to find financial stability. 💔

I wanted to create a space that supports performing artists and understands the unique challenges we face in career and life. A space where we can celebrate and cry and laugh and vent- and not be judged or criticized for our choice to follow our passion. 🦋

For the last 10 months, I have heard, "we need to save the arts!", but I have seldom heard, "we need to save the ARTISTS!" 🙌🏻

Passion Work Wellness is here for the Artists. Because, without us there is no art. 💯

There will be lots of amazing projects coming your way in 2021! 💥

I appreciate you and I am grateful for your support in this new adventure! 💝