Bathing in Sound, Sandee Conroy, “The Singing Bowl Lady”  

Improve sleep, reduce stress, boost immunity and find moments of calm with an immersive sound bath. Sandee Conroy offers an opportunity to reset and restore by using sound bowls to engage the senses and stimulate balance and emotional regulation. Conroy has performed at venues ranging from Yankee Stadium to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and her sound baths have helped participants experience deeper relaxation, restoration and focus.

Hack Your Brain, Meagan Butler '01, LPC 

This high-impact workshop led by mental fitness expert Meagan Butler, a licensed professional counselor, explores how your brain and body communicate through the vagus nerve and how that connection can be used to shift mental states. Designed to support emotional regulation, you will learn practical techniques such as deep breathing, humming and rhythmic exercises. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the nervous system and better tools to encourage calmness, sharper focus and more control.

“Drawing” Your Breath: Art Improves Focus and Creative Skills, Michelle Avery, SSES Middle & Upper School Visual Arts

In this art activity, you will use brief meditation and simple, focused breathing to create mark-making with straws and watercolor inks on paper. The process is designed to promote relaxation and help visualize inner experiences. Students complete their project with Sharpies, identifying designs and images within the painted shapes.

Mindfulness in Nature, Charlton Perry, SSES Director of Outdoor Education, & Science Instructors Dean Mohlman and Kathy McCain

Spending time in nature supports mindfulness and encourages connection to the present moment. Outdoor activities such as walking or hiking have proven benefits including improved focus, reduced stress, better mood and stronger collaboration and connection with others. In this workshop, program facilitators will guide you to explore the St. Stephen’s campus landscape.

Penning Your Thoughts: Self-Discovery Through Creative Writing, Gabrielle Rajerison, SSES English Instructor

Engage in this guided creative exercise designed to help you explore and express your beliefs through detailed, sensory language. The program is open to writers of all levels, and no prior creative writing experience is required.

Bathing in Sound, Sandee Conroy, “The Singing Bowl Lady”    

Improve sleep, reduce stress, boost immunity and find moments of calm with an immersive sound bath. Sandee Conroy offers an opportunity to reset and restore by using sound bowls to engage the senses and stimulate balance and emotional regulation. Conroy has performed at venues ranging from Yankee Stadium to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and her sound baths have helped participants experience deeper relaxation, restoration and focus.

Soothing with the Senses, Meagan Butler '01, LPC 

Soothing with the Senses is an immersive, experiential lab that explores how sensory pathways can support emotional regulation during challenging moments. Through mindful tasting, scent exploration and a guided visualization station for creating personalized care-kit elements, mental fitness expert Meagan Butler, a licensed professional counselor, guides students in learning how each sense can serve as a grounding anchor. Participants leave with a deeper understanding of sensory mindfulness and practical tools they can use anytime support is needed.

CPR Certification*

Heartsaver® CPR AED is a classroom, instructor-led course that teaches adult CPR, AED use and how to relieve choking in adults. The course uses the American Heart Association’s research-backed Practice-While-Watching (PWW) method, allowing instructors to observe the students, provide feedback and guide skill development.

*Please note this session will be longer and you will miss 5th period lunch. We will provide additional time to eat.

Improv and Wellness: Shifting Mindsets With "Yes and…"- Jeremy Sweetlamb, SSES Middle School Theatre Director

"Yes and" is not just an essential building block of improvised theater but as taught by Mr. Sweetlamb, this session explores how the “Yes and” mindset can help shift the way we think. The phrase encourages a positive approach, inviting you to listen to others' ideas and add your own input. This will allow you to be more vulnerable while increasing your trust in others and building on healthy self-expression and productive teamwork. Come dressed to move and with an open mind!

Sports and Performance Nutrition,  Bryan Snyder RD, CSSD

During this evidence-based, practical nutrition session, Bryan Snyder, a board-certified sports dietitian, will share high-level performance nutrition strategies in an accessible, sustainable and impactful way. Synder’s experience working with teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA informs his sport-specific nutrition guidance tailored to help athletes fuel for performance, recovery and injury prevention. You will receive handouts and resources, along with personalized nutritional support.

Capture the Wellness Moment, Chris Caselli, SSES Photography Instructor & Campus Photographer

While selfies are now ubiquitous, self-portraits have a long history as a means of exploration and self-reflection, allowing artists to consider how to recognize varying aspects of their identities themselves and present that to the world. In this workshop you will study and discuss famous self-portraits and draw inspiration for using art to explore your own multifaceted self.

The Nature of Dreams,  Mary B. Burke, LCSW, Diplomate Jungian Analyst and Analytic Trainer

Have you had a wild or confusing dream and wondered what it meant?  This session explores dream interpretation through the lens of Carl Jung’s theories — and yes, dreams do have meaning! You will learn how to approach your dreams, gain insight into Jung’s idea, and leave with a deeper understanding that our brains are active even while we sleep. To prepare, please start a dream journal and write down your dreams. It is best if you do it right when you wake up when details are fresh. You will not be asked to share your dreams with others, but you will use them in a personal exercise during the session. 

The Science of High-Risk Behavior

Led by Crystal Collier, Ph.D., LPC-S, an expert in adolescent development who regularly presents to schools, parents and human service agencies, his talk sheds insight about how high-risk behaviors affect the developing adolescent brain. Collier will also share techniques for preventing high-risk behaviors and increasing executive functioning skills.
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Consent  

This discussion will explore the legal, ethical and practical aspects of consent and will be led by criminal attorneys Corinne Sumpter, J.D., L.L.M, and David Gonzalez, J.D., founding partners of Sumpter & Gonzalez. This session will include real cases involving teenagers and hypothetical scenarios to help students understand the legal issues that may arise in sexual relationships. Learn more at