Dana Wyss
PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, RPT
Stars Behavioral Health Group
Dana Wyss
Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, RPT is a licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified clinical art therapist, registered play therapist, and co-author of The Invisible String Workbook and Hope and The Winds of Grief Workbook. Her doctorate in expressive therapies has led her to create programs integrating art, music, poetry, and animal-assisted therapy in clients' healing process and staff's self-care. For the last 25 years, Dr. Wyss has worked in psychiatric hospitals, group homes, and nonpublic school settings to manage crisis, conduct training, coach staff, and support children and families. Dr. Wyss is a Corporate Clinical Training Specialist and Clinical/Art therapy supervisor at Stars Behavioral Health Group, a company specializing in treating complex developmental trauma. She also owns a small private practice. Dr. Wyss is a national trainer and consultant. She uses her creativity for her own healing as well as to support others.
SESSION OVERVIEW
Hope and the winds of grief a creative approach to address the impact of suicide loss on system involved youth, LGBTQ+, and care providers
We work tirelessly to support the clients, staff, and families in our care. The impact of this work often weighs heavily on us. Grief and Loss impact all of us. Whether it is the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or support group, a move to a new location, or navigating physiological and mental changes (e.g., mental health diagnosis, chronic illness, incapacitation). On top of that, Foster Youth and LGBTQ+ youth are at high risk of suicide attempts and suicide death. This is one of the scariest, most impactful, and overwhelming issues we face in our work. How do we cope with the constant threat of loss and the pain that has led our clients to our care? And how do we support them within their own systems of support and community to handle this constant grief? These are the questions we often ask and need to address. Join us to dive into this discussion, considering these often hard-to-talk-about issues. Using both practical application and case study we will explore how bibliotherapy, creative activities, and play can support clients, youth in our care, and also our own healing work.