Why Dreamers & Schemers? Because we are what’s born in the dark.
OVERVIEW
Dreamers & Schemers is an alternative to mastermind and networking groups for social workers, educators, and other youth development professionals. Come as you are, without the pressure of having an elevator pitch or a shiny resume. This is your chance to be seen, heard, and held by a community of youth-serving professionals who understand the joys and challenges of working with adolescents and young adults. Dreamers & Schemers provides a safe space for you to come back into alignment when work and other aspects of daily life threaten to throw you off balance.
FORMAT
Each session begins with our community agreements and a guided meditation. We then dig into the monthly topic. Sometimes we open with a discussion, but I prefer jumping right in with tools and exercises. Past monthly topics have included self-compassion, triggers, and surviving election season. I’m a great proponent of getting your yoga/meditation practice “off the mat” and into your daily life, so I provide very specific guidance on how to embody my teachings during life’s most challenging moments.
If time allows toward the end of the evening, we regroup for a community circle practice that trains us in the art of holding space for others by being present for ourselves while listening attentively to another.
BENEFITS
Dreamers & Schemers came together as a way to address the high rate of burnout in youth work. Current participants report the following benefits:
- Greater awareness
- Learning how to be more gentle with ourselves
- Being more in the moment
- Learning how to tune into our bodies and get answers to larger questions
- Intentionally taking time out in life for activities and experiences that deepen the self
- Impact: Noticing foggy brain, poor memory, and spacing out when disconnected from this practice
- Appreciation for a space where people are willing to connect and be vulnerable
- Affirmation that others are going through similar experiences
If you work in a youth-supporting role (educator, social worker, program coordinator, etc.) and are looking for a supportive community that focuses on you as a whole human being, not just as a professional, then I welcome you to Dreamers & Schemers!