The Spirit of Humanity Forum

On the 28th of May to the 1st of June I had the wonderful opportunity to participate and present a workshop for the 4th Spirit of Humanity Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland (my favourite place on Earth to be)

 On the 28th evening we were invited to a reception at the City Hall in Reykjavik. The first person I came in contact with going to the reception was Dina, an inspiring woman, who is teaching girls  financial literacy. I also met sister  Maureen Goodman whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Malaysia last year. There were speeches made by various people, one of them was the assistant to the mayor of Reykjavik.

With Sister Maureen and Sister Jayanti of the Brahma Kumaris

With Dina who educates children on financial literacy.

The next day, I had the pleasure of being greeted by sister Jayanti of the Brahma Kumaris who said that she was waiting to meet me as she heard that I was presenting a workshop on that day. I had intended to acknowledge her the evening before during the reception,  but there was a long row of people waiting to speak to her that evening.

With Sybil from Berlin, walking by the sea during the evening... (It never gets dark in the summer in Iceland!) 

I met a few very interesting people during the morning program, at the auditorium. A few of them had signed up for the workshop which I was facilitating. The people I had met during the conference were very interesting mix of various ages and backgrounds. Most of them whom I met were doing interesting work around the globe which is helping humanity in some form or the other. Interestingly, I met a few nomads... varying from ages 20 something to probably around 60 something. It is something I am contemplating to pursue in the future. Traveling while facilitating workshops and teaching yoga around the world. So I was very inspired by everyone whom I had met during the forum!
The next day, I was greeted with a warm welcome and a hug by Sister Jayanti, who said that she was waiting to meet me, as I was presenting a workshop that afternoon. My workshop was titled 'The Hero's Journey,' with the focus on maintaining spiritual resilience in a chaotic world.

These are a few of the pictures  and  a couple of very short videos of the workshop:

I have to say that I had the most wonderful, fun, group of people attending my workshop. I actually allowed a few more people in than the maximum stated on the list, until the space couldn't accommodate anymore people. The participants of my workshop had a lot of positive comments and feedback about their experience of the workshop. My favourite one was when a man probably about in his 60s, said that he decided to choose my workshop because he had wanted to experience something he would never usually choose. He said that he was so glad he did, as he had thoroughly enjoyed participating and doing something out of his ordinary. One other person said that she felt that it was healing and that she didn't want it to end. There were many more positive comments. The participants actually stayed another extra 30 minutes!

Our last session of the day was a group session where we shared our experience of what we had learned and enjoyed about the day. There were at least 4 people who had attended my workshop in my group. It was nice to hear that all four of the participants said that the favourite part of that day for them was being in the workshop which I had facilitated! I too said that the best part of that day for me was facilitating my workshop and I had so much fun watching all of them play, laugh and express amazing creativity!

The next day the facilitator of the small group I belonged to during the days of the forum,  asked me to facilitate a warm up session, as she said she heard many positive remarks about the workshop which I had facilitated. I was also asked to play the flute to represent my group on the last day.

Exploring Reykjavik after the end of the Forum

It was wonderful to hear so many inspiring stories about people of all ages, especially the young adults, about the challenges that they have faced which help lead them to contribute significantly, where  help is truly needed in the world.

I felt a greater sense of hope and found many who were in my 'tribe'. I felt inspired to move toward that which feels like my calling.

I would like to thank Fabiana Crespo for some of these wonderful photos.

I would also like to thank the participants who had attended my workshop. I experienced so much joy facilitating the workshop and witnessing their enthusiasm, creativity and playfulness!

Dramatherapy Workshop at Taylor's University Psychology Day

On the 19th of April 2019 I was invited to present an Introduction to Dramatherapy workshop for the students of Taylor's University and later to be one of the speakers for a forum on Creative Arts Therapy.

As always, I loved facilitating the workshop and interacting with the participants.
There were many positive feedback from the participants, who were wonderful to work with.

It is encouraging that there is more interest in Creative Arts Therapy in Malaysia.

It was  a great pleasure to have reconnected in person, with Dr. Anasuya Jegathesan, the Program Director of Psychology at Taylor's University, who is my former colleague from many years ago,  at HELP University, where I had my first job as a Dramatherapist in Malaysia.

These are some of the pictures from the workshop.

Monash University - Dramatherapy Skills Training Workshop: Stories of Life

On the 12th of December 2018, I had the pleasure of facilitating a Skills Training workshop for the Masters of Counselling students at Monash University, Malaysia.
There were 30 participants.

I am very impressed with the students as they had contacted me and organized the workshop themselves. I love that they had taken up the responsibility to be in charge of what they would like to learn to enhance their skills as future counselors. This gives me hope for the current university students. I hope their example is replicated by students in other programs and universities to take charge of what they want to learn to enhance their skills in their chosen fields of education.

I would like to thank Sara, who had taken on the main responsibility to organize this workshop.

It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and creativity of the participants. I always feel honoured to facilitate and to  bear witness to the creative and authentic expressions of the participants of these workshops.

These are some of the feedback from the participants:

"The techniques and skills were very useful. The memories and experience received can never be substituted." - Rohinin Krishnan

"This event is very insightful. Learning how to incorporate activities in Dramatherapy to help clients in expressing themselves and realization of subconscious/unconscious feelings and thoughts." -Yong Vee Vian

"I love it. Fun and interesting experience. A lot of reflection and realization. Great event! " - Phuay Yee

"It is an eye-opening experience, never knew dramatherapy can be this powerful. It's good to use for individuals who are less expressive." - Tan Meng Mei

"Excellent training - great learning and brilliant instructor." - Ifa Nasha

"The activities have strong impact that helps to be aware of ourselves" - Ong Chia Shen

24th Asia Pacific Youth Conference : Story Making Workshop

On the 5th of December I had facilitated a Story Making workshop for the 24th Asia Pacific Youth Conference organized by Initiatives of Change.

There were about 17  participants from Indonesia, India,  China, Australia, France and Malaysia

None of the participants had experienced a dramatherapy session or workshop before although a few of  them have participated in drama activities.

There were many positive feedback from the workshop. Many about how much fun it was. That it had brought back memories of being a child again and focusing on play and joy. And the insights that the process had revealed to the participants into their own lives.

As always, I had enjoyed facilitating the workshop and being witness to the creative expressions of the participants.

I would like to thank Initiative of Change (IofC) for the opportunity.

20th Nordic Art Therapies Conference - October 2018

In October I had the opportunity to present at the 20th Nordic Art Therapies Conference in Iceland.
Iceland was one of the places I've been wanting to visit for over a year, so when this opportunity came by, it seems like the perfect timing to do so, especially since I usually like to do some work wherever I travel, this seemed perfect!


And it was... As the plane was landing in Iceland, it seemed as if we were entering a mystical, magical  world of some kind.. And as the plane landed, I saw a translucent purple wave through the window where I was seated. The beauty of Iceland is spectacular and the people I met there seemed very creative, lovely and very present in the now.. None of them whom I met there had ever checked their phones when I was with them! (Which, unfortunately seem to  the norm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) .

The 20th Nordic Art Therapies Conference was held from the 11th to the 14th of October. 

The conference was amazing! I am always inspired when I attend any Creative Art Therapies or Dramatherapy conferences, as it feels as if I am reconnecting with my tribe, a sense of coming home..  This is so perhaps because there is so few of us in the field of creative arts therapy, especially when it comes to Dramatherapy in Malaysia.

At the conference, I had presented a yoga class on a Friday morning at 8am. Despite the very early hour (considering that we had a full day of conference the day before), the room filled up as the minutes passed by at the beginning of the session... almost running out of space for everyone to fit in. I think we may have had about or close to 40 people participating in the yoga that morning. 

The participants  had varying experiences of yoga practice. Some of them were practicing yoga for years, some had never done yoga before.  I truly enjoyed facilitating the session.  It was wonderful to have all these 'Goddesses' in my session on that day (it was one of the days of the Hindu Goddess Festival, Navarathiri)

The only regret I have is that I had forgotten to request someone to take pictures while I facilitated the yoga class... 

Some of the comments and feedback I had after the  yoga session were, many participants asking if I will be conducting the classes every morning of the conference, and a couple of the other comments which I remembered were:

 " I like the way you facilitated the session. It was light and enjoyable, not like some yoga sessions where the teacher is usually very solemn and serious."

" I like the stretches we did today, it helped me feel more relaxed and flexible. I think I will start taking up yoga now."

On Saturday afternoon I presented my Dramatherapy workshop : The Hero's Journey.  

I had the most creative, wonderful participants ever, in my workshop! 

The participants included those int he field of  art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, artists and creatives of different art forms, and  few of them were dramatherapists themselves and are well established in their countries of residence. 

The participants in my workshops were mainly from the Nordic countries, such as Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden. There were also participants from the USA,  Scotland, Australia and Taiwan.

These are some of the pictures from the workshop:

As you can see from the images above, it was loads of fun facilitating the workshop and it was an absolute pleasure bearing witness to the creativity and insights that came through from the participants of the workshop.

There were several positive feedback received after the workshop. One of the feedback received was that the workshop created a space to play and be in the play space again. (As sometimes the arts therapists  are the ones who are facilitating the workshops or sessions that they themselves may not have the time of opportunity to be participating themselves in such experiences.)

As for the rest of the conference, I savored every moment of it and loved all of the workshops which I had the opportunity to participate in and the opportunity to communicate and connect with other participants and presenters. 

These are some of the pictures taken at the conference. 

We Dramatherapists... representing Malaysia, Iceland and Australia

All the Dramatherapists who had participated at the conference from USA, Malaysia (me), Scotland, Australia, Taiwan and Iceland

With the amazing Dr. Nisha Sajnani, who gave a powerful Keynote speech at the conference. She is the director of the NYU Drama Therapy program.  

Out for hike during the break time..

I even won  s ski cap in a lucky draw at the Gala dinner. 

Thank you! Love my new lucky red ski cap! 😃

I would like to thank the Conference Organizing Committee, for the opportunity to present at the conference and also  for organizing such a wonderful conference! 

I would like to thank Sigga, for kindly hosting me at her home in my last few days in Iceland.

I would also like to thank Áslaug, who was my roommate during the conference.

I miss Iceland...the breathtaking landscapes, the rainbows ( I saw 6 rainbows in a day!!!), the Northern lights, the cold weather (never realized I actually enjoyed the cold that much!) and mostly the wonderful people I had encountered during my time there. 

Hopefully there will be a next time, to further experience the magnificence and  beauty of Iceland of it's many facets.