For my first workshop, I facilitated Absorb and Release for my coworkers. June became a very impacted month with Pride obligations from our organization and then the concerted effort to protect and support families affected by the ICE raids in Los Angeles. This workshop was held the week after the No Kings Protest, so tensions and emotions were running high and possibly bottled up or stuck for some people.

I explained how the workshop could be a window of time for each person to access and examine their current emotional state, making sure to reiterate that there wasn’t any expectation for how they would participate. My coworkers appreciated the free writing portion and during their shares some said they didn’t realize the heavy energy they were carrying around until they were given such a space.

When it came to the pouring of paint into the sponges and squeezing them onto the paper, I could see everyone begin to engage with the project in a fun, playful way, not following any pre-planned pattern or design but just letting their creativity flow. During the shareback portion, they all sang the praises of their fellow artists while discovering alternative perspectives of what their art could represent. One of my colleagues said, “This was a really fun experience and a reminder to slow down. I can see the value this would hold for our youth.”

I think the workshop helped them release what they were holding and allowed all of us to breathe a little easier, knowing we didn’t have to carry everything alone.