How Does My Life Relate To That of a Superhero?
Superheroes and supervillains are not made by their powers, but by character and what they do with those powers. Just like superheroes and supervillains, we each have powers of our own, and we are capable of helping or hurting others with them. With great power, comes great responsibility!
Through fostering characteristics superheroes have used to face their challenges and get the most out of their powers, we can have a positive impact just the same as we face our own challenges and dreams!
What is Involved with 'Unleash the Superhero Within' ?
Description:
'Unleash the Superhero Within' is a series of workshops that will examine the characteristics that are essential in the journey of some of the greatest superheroes, such as: compassion, resilience, leadership and support. It will also provide strategies for how to cultivate these hero traits in ourselves!
These workshops utilize pop culture stories and characters to explore important topics in personal growth, and help connect us to our inner superhero using evidence based practices.
Through doing so, participants will be inspired and empowered to reach their highest potential, and have a toolbox of exercises at their disposal that help cultivate benefits such reduced stress/anxiety, improved interpersonal relationships, more resilience in the face of adversity, as well as increased levels of happiness and fulfillment.
Workshops:
Options by Age/Grade Group
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Ages ranges 4-9 (Grades K-5), 10-13 (Grades 6-8) ,14-18 (High school), or Adult
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Workshop length: 45 min, 60 min, 90min (expanded 1 hour workshop), or 120 minute workshops (Two 1 hour workshops together)
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'Unleash the Superhero Within' offers a series of workshops. Each workshop will focus on one superhero trait and how we can develop it for ourselves through experiential superhero themed exercises in positive psychology, mindfulness, and/or emotional intelligence. The workshops can be modified in terms of length or content to a certain extent based on needs.
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Workshops include:
Resilience (1 hour) : Managing stress, overcoming adversity and thriving like Spider-man, Wonder Woman, Superman, Storm, Wolverine, Captain America, and other heroes, through C.H.O.P {Control, hope, optimism, purpose}. This workshop includes a Captain America themed exercise in aligning with your core values
Benefits of practices: Stress management/reduction, improved interpersonal relationships, uncovering and aligning life values/ value based goal setting leading to greater fulfillment and deep happiness, increased optimism, decreased anxiety, improved sleep, improved focus/concentration, improved grades or performance, reduced depression/risk of depression, improved memory, improved relationship satisfaction
Courage (1 hour): This workshop unpacks ways in which fear can impact our body, and utilizes examples from the pop culture stories of Batman and Star Wars to relate it ways we can build heroism in the face of fear. This workshop also explores self-compassion as an avenue for managing fear like a Jedi, and involves a special lightsaber exercise to celebrate courage in the face of fear
Benefits of practices: Reduced anxiety/depression, reduced stress, increased productivity, increased levels of happiness, increased curiosity/exploration, increased wisdom, increased personal initiative/courage, increased confidence
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Mindfulness: (1 hour)
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Explore why mindfulness is an important skill for superheroes and how we can cultivate this skill for ourselves to better thrive in our own life and heroes journey. Includes a Superhero 5 senses training guided mindfulness visualization meditation: learning how to apply mindfulness into everyday life through an imaginative mindful journey into the life of your favourite superhero.
Benefits of practices:
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- Reduce stress/anxiety, improved emotion regulation, improve concentration/focus and improve performance
Worthiness (1 hour)
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-Building on our sense of self-worth and taking ownership of that worth with Thor's hammer
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Benefits of practices: decrease depression/risk of depression, reduce anxiety, improve relationships, increase confidence
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Support (1 hour)
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-Building our own superhero support network like the Justice League or Avengers with family/friends, and personal resource building
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Benefits of practices: Increase gratitude, improve interpersonal relationships, greater awareness of toxic relationships, increase awareness of personal resources or tools for emotional/physical/mental wellness
In development:
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Compassion (1 hour): How we can cultivate compassion in ourselves and apply it in our lives.
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Narrative Empowerment : Using narrative exercises to create a vision of ourselves as the hero of our own story
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Avatar training series: A workshop series focused on finding balance within ourselves through the development and mastery of each of the 4 elements: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. Inspired by the world of 'Avatar the Last Airbender' and 'The Legend of Korra'