Conscious Joy Coaching

My Amazing Family

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:23:01 +0000

I just returned from a wonderful weekend in Philadelphia where I
introduced my partner Jeff to my amazing family, and celebrated my grandparent’s, Sam and Ruth Wilf’s, 65th wedding anniversary.

The day before we flew out of Phoenix, Philadelphia had yet another huge snow storm that was being described as a snowicane. Many flights were cancelled and I could hear the concern in Jeff’s voice regarding our early flight the next day, but I just had a feeling that everything would be ok and and that our flight would depart as scheduled.

So, it turned out that my feeling was right on, and although the capitan gave us a brief scare when he announced that we would be grounded for 2 hours before taking off, sending out an echo of groans from the passengers, we were airborn shortly after his announcement; all was well.

Our taxi drive to my grandparent’s house was quite beautiful as the city was covered in a blanket of snow. I hadn’t seen snow for several years, as I live in Arizona, and was as giddy as a little girl. Jeff and I had so much fun playing with my niece and nephew, throwing snowballs and making snowmen, and I was cozy warm and thrilled to death to be wearing for the first time; my winter coat, scarf, and most of all, my Ugg’s! : )

I made sure Jeff got the full tourist tour of Philadelphia. We saw the Picasso exhibit at the Philidelhia Museum of Art, (running up the steps just like Rocky), went on a tour of Independence Hall, saw the Liberty Bell, and most importantly, ate a cheesesteak with wiz at Jim’s on South Street!

The anniversary party was beautiful! Most of my cousin’s, aunts and uncles were there, and the room was filled with generations of adoration and love. Toast after toast was made expressing admiration, love and gratitude. My grandparent’s are really quite incredible and inspiring, and I felt and feel so grateful to have been born into such an amazing family.

I intend on writing further blogs about Ruth and Sam and their amazing saga.

Goodbye for now.

Love and blessing,
Joy

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An Inspiring Poem

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:04:50 +0000

The Invitation
By Oriah

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and stand still at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

(Oriah Mountain Dreamer, from the book The Invitation)

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OSHO: Meditation of the Week

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:14:52 +0000

Disidentify from your Thoughts

Close your eyes, then focus both of them just in the middle of the two eyebrows, as if you are looking there with your two eyes. Give total attention to it.

At the right point, suddenly your eyes will become fixed. And if your attention is there, you will experience a strange phenomenon: for the first time you will see thoughts running before you; you will become the witness. It is just like a film screen: thoughts are running and you are a witness.

Ordinarily you are not the witness, you are identified with thoughts. If anger is there, you become anger. If a thought moves you are not the witness; you become one with the thought, identified, and you move with it. You become the thought; you take the form of the thought. When sex is there you become sex, when anger is there you become anger, when greed is there you become greed. Any thought moving becomes identified with you; you do not have any gap between you and the thought.

But focused at the third eye, suddenly you become a witness. Through the third eye you can see thoughts running like clouds in the sky, or people moving on the street.

Osho
Excerpted from The Book of Secrets

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The Magic of Hanalei, Kauai

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:17:49 +0000

I just returned from a magical week in Kauai with my partner Jeff and am feeling revived, refreshed, inspired and serene; all of the perfect qualities necessary to begin 2010!

From our balcony at the Hanalei Colony Resort, on the north shore of Kauai, we had this magnificent view of the great mother ocean.

One day we drove to the west side of the island to see Waiamea Canyon, otherwise known as the “Little Grand Canyon.” The drive was twisty and turny, and definitely worth it! It was absolutely breathtaking!!!

Several times on the beach we ran into our friend the Monk Seal taking a snooze and soaking up some sun. Monk Seal’s are high on the endangered species list and I felt honored to be in such close proximity to this awesome creature of the sea!

Then from Ke`e Beach to Hanakapia`ai Beach we hiked through some lush jungle-like scenes, and after our first mile we were rewarded with this stunning view of the Na Pali coastline. After crossing a slippery stream we came upon Hanakapiai Beach. A sign along the way warned us not to swim in the ocean here as the rip currents are deadly and there were tally marks denoting the total number of drownings; we got the message! So instead of swimming, we had a nice picnic, made a couple of Cairns to mark our spot and headed back to the trail, of course stopping many times along the way to take photos like this this one of a beautiful orchid.

We had many other memorable and magical moments in Kauai, from snorkeling in our mostly private cove, to the playful Humpback whale that jumped out of the water to say hello, to the birdwatching at the Kilauea Lighthouse Wildlife Refuge, (we had a blast with the Booby’s! : )

This island has magical powers and is very seductive. I am so happy that I was able to experience it’s beauty with Jeff and I know that we will return!

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Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency – February 12th

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:27:41 +0000

Title: Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency
Location: Childhelp USA, 2346 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004
Link out: Click here
Description: 2A - Sensory Synchronicity: a model for developing sensory integration and positive communication.
This interactive workshop will provide you with a number of exercises to show how to determine and use the primary sensory language of a child as a key to opening the door to positive communication and improved learning. Additionally, you will learn how to identify the blocked sensory resources needed to overcome self-doubt, improve learning, and decrease stress.
2B - Artistic Metaphors: Creative tools for identifying goals, overcoming obstacles, and improving behavior.
With a strength-based focus, you will learn a variety of creative exercises that will provide tangible tools for children to identify their goals, solve problems, overcome obstacles, and improve behavior. Additionally, these exercises are proven methods that have been used to promote healing and rebuild inner strength after individual and community trauma from natural and man-made disasters.
Date: 2010-02-12

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Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency – January 15th

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:23:26 +0000

Title: Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency
Location: Childhelp USA, 2346 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004
Link out: Click here
Description: 1A – Play, Imagination, and Story: The multicultural language of children
“Play is the language of children, and Creativity is the language of Play. “ With this statement in mind, this workshop weaves together the elements and power of story, imagination, creativity, expressive arts, and play to form a unique and proven method of therapy and coaching to effect positive change, healing and problem-solving.
1B – Storytelling Metaphors – the doorway to effective communication, learning, and resiliency.
It is critical for a cultural bridge to be built in order to decrease violence and increase compassion. Storytelling is the most powerful means of communication trans-culturally. It is a shared language that promotes shared experience. Brain development teaches us that stories are more easily remembered than facts. In this interactive, playful workshop, participants will learn a variety of creative approaches that will release their “storytellers within” that can be used in a variety of settings with children with whom they work.
Date: 2010-01-15

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Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency – March 12th

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:01:22 +0000

Title: Heartful Solutions Series II: Creativity and Resiliency – March
Location: Childhelp USA, 2346 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004
Link out: Click here
Description: 3A – StoryCrafts for building self esteem, identity, determination, and success.
StoryCrafts are activities that expand the storytelling metaphor into physical form through artistic expression. StoryCrafts use the story the way a sculpture uses clay as the medium through which a sculpture is formed.
3B – Living Metaphors – using nature as co-teachers and co therapists for achieving success and building resiliency.
Exercises will include creating living metaphors for individual children and groups.
Creating Positive Ceremonies for transitions and celebrations
Purpose and framework for creating a ceremony.
Exercises will include focus on rites of passage, loss, and celebrations.
Date: 2010-03-12

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StoryPlay®Workshop Series

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:19:27 +0000

Heartful Solutions

With Joyce Mills Ph.D. LMFT Co-presenter Joy Rigberg MA, M.Ed.

Heartful Solutions presents the second in a year-long educational series that integrates expressive arts, nature activities, storytelling and play to create solutions for difficult childhood issues. This second interactive series of workshops presented by Joyce Mills Ph.D., LMFT, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor, and co-presenter Joy Rigberg MA, M.Ed. offers a flexible framework of sensory-based interventions that can be used with children in many settings.

Series II: Creativity and Resiliency: Series II will be presented by Joyce Mills, Ph.D. & co-presenter Joy Rigberg, MA., M.Ed.

This second series of workshops focuses on StoryPlay® a resiliency-based model that provides creative solutions for developing emotional literacy with difficult and challenging Children in a variety of settings.

Inspiring Children to Soar is a multifaceted and challenging task that calls upon us to reawaken and rejuvenate the zest for learning and joy that is innate within each child and adolescent. We know that children have a driving need to discover new possibilities at every turn of their developmental process. However, that natural enthusiasm for learning often gets shrouded by a world filled with excessive violence, disaster and an overall disconnection from life’s joy. Emphasizing cultural diversity, compassion, and creative solutions, this inspiring and informative workshop series will provide participants with motivational and creative steppingstones that will enable them to reactivate the innate seeds of learning, confidence and healing lying dormant within each child.

The workshops are designed to benefit counselors, psychotherapists, school psychologists, teachers, aides, coaches – anyone who wants to help children find their wings and soar!

You may register for half-day or full day workshops. Fee includes all materials. While each workshop stands on its own, it is recommended to register for the whole series in order to get the full benefit of learning the StoryPlay® model, which will include a certificate of completion.

To register for the 2010 Education Series, please visit: www.drjoycemills.com

Education Series Location:

Childhelp USA
2346 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona, 85004

To register for the 2010 Education Series, please visit: www.drjoycemills.com

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Our First Outing

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:20:17 +0000

I’m a new mentor in the P.A.L.S program at the Phoenix Youth at Risk, and yesterday afternoon I picked up my new mentee Jasmin from her elementary school for our first outing. It was an unusually and surprisingly cold and windy day in Phoenix, AZ., and I was in high spirits and very excited to be out in nature and to get to know my new friend!

We had made plans the week before to go hiking, and I was dressed in my hiking gear and ready to go. As I was waiting for Jasmin to come out of her school, I watched the most adorable children exiting the building with these huge smiles on their faces as they saw their mom, dad, and other loved ones awaiting them. I couldn’t help but smile along with them; witnessing such natural and pure expressions of love.

At this school the grades are dismissed in order from kindergarten to sixth, so Jasmin was one of the last ones to come out. As she approached me I noticed that she was shivering and hugging herself to try and stay warm, while holding her jacket in her other hand. I gave her a big hug and then offered to hold her oversized and very heavy backpack so she could put on her coat. Then as we walked to my car she proceeded to tell me that she was freezing and she hated the cold. Oh well I thought, there goes hiking…

So I immediately offered up a plan B, as I knew that she also loved to go to the mall. She took me up on my offer without hesitation.

As I don’t know that end of town very well, I drove us to an indoor mall on my end of town, Scottsdale Fashion Square. Our conversation flowed easily in the car and for the next couple of hours in the mall, as we walked, talked, and warmed ourselves with hot chocolate and cinnamon pretzel bits.

Jasmin showed me some of her favorite accessories in stores such as Hot Topic and Claire’s, as well as how to make a teddy bear in the Build-A-Bear Workshop. We talked about our favorite Disney characters in the Disney Store, and I learned about and saw some of the new fashionable teen styles, such as the Skinny Jeans, in Macy’s.

For those two hours I felt like I was 13 again; light hearted and playful, without a care in the world.

Jasmin is quite a remarkable young girl, and I look forward to many more excursions and shared experiences. I know that I will learn just as much from her as she will from me, and I am very grateful that she is in my life!

Love and blessings,
Joy

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Women’s Spiritual Journey

admin — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:05:58 +0000

I recently returned from a retreat at the Rex Ranch in Amado, Arizona, which was sponsored by the Turtle Island Project.

For me this women’s healing journey held many new insights and awarenesses, as well as a taste of two traditional Native American Ceremonies; the Talking Stick Ceremony and two Sweat Lodge Ceremonies. The facilitators; Mona Polacca, Charlee Sutton, and my spiritual mother Joyce Mills, were absolutely amazing!

I left this wonderful retreat as part of a new sisterhood.

Please enjoy some of the photos from the retreat!

To all of my relations
Joy

[Show as slideshow]

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