Description:

Prayer beads have long been a part of many religious traditions as a way to increase focus and deepen prayer.  After learning about several traditional practices using prayer beads, participants will make their own set of therapy beads,  using personally meaningful colors, materials and symbols.  Participants will then experience using the beads with poetry.  After reflecting upon this experience, participants will explore ways “MyBeads” might be used in therapy for clients across the lifespan to support prayer or mindfulness, to use to increase calm and reduce anxiety, and to teach positive thinking and imagery.

Objectives:

Participants will:

1.   Learn about religious practices using prayer beads.

2.  Learn how to make Therapy Beads–a personal set of beads to be used for prayer or mindfulness practice.

3.  Experience the use of Therapy Beads  with poetry.

4.  Explore different ways that Therapy Beads  might be used in therapy to support a prayer or mindfulness practice, reduce anxiety, express feelings and to reinforce positive thinking and imagery.