Sometimes words alone are not sufficient to process the intense challenges that people face in ordinary and extreme circumstances. According to internationally-acclaimed author, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, “the body keeps score,” meaning that the memory of traumatic experiences are stored in the body until they are released. The Arts – music, movement, drawing, creative writing, etc. – are an exceptionally important and well-documented modality to help individuals, organizations, and communities toward post-traumatic growth because the tactile, kinesthetic, aural, and visual sensation are activated. The Arts extend beyond words to give voice to the “unspeakable” and extend an important pathway to healing.

Please join multi-award-winning leader and Standards for Excellence® Licensed Consultant Rob Levit in an interactive, creative, and hopeful exploration of the role of the Arts in healing trauma. Participants should have a blank paper, tape, scissors, markers, crayons, or pens available for a brief group activity. 

This course is open to the public and free to registered participants, and is part of CFAAC's yearlong Speaker Series on Becoming a Trauma Informed County.

Rob Levit is an acclaimed leader, sought-after organizational consultant, and strategic advisor to nonprofit, educational, and government organizations. As the Executive Director of Creating Communities, Rob and his team have delivered innovative arts programs to hundreds of children, youth, and families in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County for more than 15 years. Creating Communities received the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy Innovation Award from the CFAAC for its service during the pandemic. As a community arts practitioner, Rob has personally worked with hospice patients, war veterans, adults in addiction recovery, women in domestic violence shelters, adults with mental illness, and many more. He is a Martin Luther King Peacemaker Award recipient and Innovator of the Year Award recipient from the Maryland Daily Record. Rob lives in Annapolis with his wife and son. For more information on Rob visit https://nonprofitleadership.com and www.creatingcommunities.net.