Art & Wellness Through Nature

A resource for Riverside County educators

In partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) since 2022, Sunnylands has provided the setting for teacher-centered workshops that promote emotional awareness, trauma healing, and building resilience.

Taking teachers out of their day-to-day classroom environment, this award-winning program promotes a shared recognition that teachers need creative mental health support; and places to be heard and to heal by using a combination of conversation models and hands-on experiences.

The conversation portion of the workshop includes Talking Circles or guided Emotions Education.

  • Talking circles are spiritual ceremony, guided by trained tribal healers. The ceremony creates space for teachers to process through feelings without judgment or interference.

  • Emotions education reframes our view of emotions from something happening to us, to seeing how they are tools or signals, and much more diverse than happy, sad, or mad. A trained facilitator guides teachers through identifying the thousands of intricate emotions they may experience. Through this process, participants work to listen to their emotions and utilize them as tools to heal.

Utilizing the concept of the Chatham House Rules meeting model, participant privacy is protected, and a safe and supportive atmosphere is created.

Workshop participants pose together with their horticultural creations in the Sunnylands gardens

Following conversations, the group is given space in the Sunnylands gardens to process and then gather for a shared meal.

The second half of the day brings the group to a hands-on practice of mindfulness art or horticultural therapy activity, such as creating temporary nature sculptures, mini succulent gardens, or lavender sachet bags.

The group then shares final thoughts on how to support one another moving forward so that connections made during the workshop are carried into their professional lives.

For upcoming workshop opportunities, please visit the RCOE website at https://www.rcoe.us/schools-districts/educators.

Please note, these workshops are closed events designed for Riverside County K-12 educators only.

For more information about Sunnylands' partnership with this program, please contact education@sunnylands.org.