November is a Month of Giving!

Strong Children · Strong Families · Strong Communities

November, 2023 | Issue 30

About The Heart Leaf Center

Link to THLC

Books for Children

Pass It On!

Written by Sophy Henn

'When you see something terrific, smile a smile and pass it on! If you chance upon a chuckle, 'hee hee' and pass it on! Should you spot a thing of wonder, jump for joy and pass it on!'

This story by Sophy Henn highlights giving, sharing, and joy! This story can help to teach children the power of positive emotions and sharing those positive emotions with others. Sophy Henn uses inclusive and colorful illustrations, simple text, and a captivating story to highlight the importance of giving.

Recommended for ages 3-7

Upcoming Trainings

Becoming an External Regulator for Trauma Integration in Play Therapy

Training Summary: This engaging and informative training, based on Lisa Dion’s Synergetic model, supports the participant in being able to understand the key components of becoming an external regulator for trauma integration. Participants will dive into concepts such as what the clients brain is scanning for in the environment to indicate a neuroception of safety, how the client borrows the therapists external regulatory system during sessions, what regulation is and is not, and much more.

Presenters: Judith Norman, MA, MS, LPC, RPT-S

Where: Virtual-Zoom

When: Friday, December 8th

Presentation: 9:00AM-12:00PM (EST)

Playful ways to help Children with School Refusal

Training Summary: School refusal is a problem that is stressful for children, families, and school personnel. This training explores why students refuse to attend school and the underlying anxiety or emotions that are associated with school refusal. Presenters will discuss how CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and CBPT (Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy) approaches support students with expressing themselves, modifying cognitions, and achieving skill mastery related to school refusal!

Presenters: Lindsay Scharfstein, Ph.D, Takira Ward, and Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT/S

Where: Virtual-Zoom

When: Friday, January 12th

Presentation: 9:00AM-12:15PM (EST)

NOVEMBER is the Month of GIVING!

November is a month of giving back! Did you know that giving back has proven to be beneficial not only for others, but also for the giving person? Sometimes it may feel difficult to support children in fostering a sense of gratitude and generosity in a fun and clear way. Check out this article on '8 Ways to Teach Kids About Giving' to learn new ideas related to teaching the importance of giving! The article highlights ways to start small, recognize helpers in the community, and encourage children to volunteer their unique skills!

November 28th is Giving Tuesday!

Giving Tuesday is a global initiative which unleashes the power of radical generosity! If you would like to give back to The Heart Leaf Center this Giving Tuesday, please visit this link or click the graphic We appreciate any and all contributions that help us serve our clients and families!

Grab A Slice!

Join our Fundraiser Night at MOD Pizza!

When: December 13th from 10:30am-10pm!

Where: 11048 Lee Hwy, Fairfax VA, 22030 (Located 4 mintues from the office!)

How to Join: Swing by MOD Pizza anytime on December 13th and show them your printed or digital flyer for The Heart Leaf Center OR order online or through the app with THLC's unique code!

GOURMET GIVING!

STIR UP SUPPORT FOR A WORTHY CAUSE AND JOIN OUR PAMPERED CHEF FUNDRAISER TODAY!

Support THLC November 27th-December 4th 2023 by getting your loved ones or yourself a holiday surprise! Check out Pampered Chef's wide selection of bake-ware, kitchen tools, pantry items, entertainment, small appliances, and more at the link below. Each contribution supports THLC in continuing to support our clients through discounted services and high quality care!

CLICK ME TO SHOP!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Our non-profit organization is dedicated to providing much-needed mental health support to children in need. We are currently seeking volunteers to join our team and assist us with various committees and tasks as we continue to grow and expand our services. By becoming a volunteer with our organization, you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of children in your community. Whether you have experience in mental health or not, we welcome all individuals who share our passion for helping others. Join us today and be a part of something truly meaningful!

Woodbridge High School Suicide Prevention Walk

This month The Heart Leaf Center had the opportunity to attend a mental health awareness resource fair and suicide prevention walk at Woodbridge High School! Thank you to Woodbridge HS for hosting such a wonderful event with so many amazing people and helpful organizations!

SAVE THE DATE

Join us for our Annual Heartfelt Tea Party on March 23rd, 2024 at the King of Kings Lutheran Church! We are looking forward to a fun afternoon of getting to know the community through food, tea, and raffles! Keep an eye on upcoming newsletters and our social media to find out more details!

The Heart Leaf Center on Facebook and @heartleafcenter on Instagram

The Heart Leaf Center has had a busy 2023. We are excited to share some key achievements:

We served 211 children and families this year, for a total of 318 since opening in 2021.
We are honored to support military families by being a provider with Tricare and have served 91 children and families.
We became a Medicaid provider and were able to provide mental health services to 43 children. We understand how difficult it is to find a Medicaid provider in our area, who specializes in children, and we are proud to be able to serve these children and families.
We have worked with 30 elementary students in two Fairfax County Public Schools.
We expanded our staff by hiring 3 of our interns as therapists.
We hired a full-time Executive Director - Lisa Lam,LCSW, RPT and a full-time Program Director - Tracey Wilson, LPC.
We continue to work with 3 local universities and have 6 graduate clinical interns and one macro social work student as a part of the team.
We moved to a new and larger office space with 7 play therapy offices.

We hope you will join us this Giving Tuesday by supporting the work that we do so that we can continue to provide sliding scale fees to families who are struggling to find mental health services for their children. It's heartbreaking to hear the stories from children and families of the pain they have gone through at such a young age. With your help we will be able to continue providing mental health services to our community.

A heartfelt thanks,

Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT-S

Co-founder, President

November is a Month of Giving!

November 1st-30th, 2023

You can make a difference towards the healing of children and families in

Northern Virginia!

·703-397-8163 · info@heartleafcenter.org

Visit our website: theheartleafcenter.org