With a grant from the City of Long Beach under the Long Beach Recovery Act, Health Equity Community Programs and Port of Long Beach, New Hope Grief Support Community will be hosting our 2nd Annual Rhythms of Grief: discovering the healing power of art and music, an event on Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 9:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. The free community event will take place at Grace Church, in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach, CA. In partnership with Able ARTS Work, with Facilitators Helen Dolas, MS, MT-BC and Ron Borczon,MM, MT-BC, join us for an experiential journey through the benefits of art making, sound, and drumming for managing grief and loss. The event is open to all ages, no musical or drumming experience is required, and materials and snack will be provided.
This community healing-centered event is designed for families who have experienced the death of a loved one, and each family member is encouraged to attend. Our 2nd Annual Rhythms of Grief event will be an interactive session that includes making a rhythm instrument, using movement and healing rhythms as a vehicle for expression, connecting with others in a supportive environment, and paying tribute and honor to loved ones who have died.
This event is free to attend and is designed for families who have experienced the death of a loved one or someone special. Space is limited and RSVP is required. If you have questions please call (562) 429-0075 extension 2 or email New Hope at support@newhopegrief.org.
Helen G. Dolas, M.S., B.A., MT-BC, completed her BA in Music Therapy and a MS in Special Education at California State University, Long Beach. She is a Board Certified Music Therapist. In 1982 Helen noticed that there was a specific need for creative arts therapy services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the southern California area where she is the CEO/Founder of Arts & Services for Disabled, Inc. (est. 1982) DBA Able ARTS Work. Able ARTS Work is a unique nonprofit organization that provides quality creative arts education and therapy driven by a “Love before Learning. Learn for Life” philosophy.. Helen traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the “National Model Program Award” at the US Senate from the National Coalition of Creative Art Therapies (2002).
Ron Borczon is Professor Emeritus of Music from California State University, Northridge. He has degrees from the Florida State University and the University of Louisiana, Lafayette and is also an alumnus of the Aspen Music School. At CSUN he developed the Music Therapy Program in 1984 and was its Director for 38 years. He also founded the CSUN Music Therapy Wellness Clinic, which provide music therapy services from young pediatrics to those who have dementia. He is currently a Board-Certified Music Therapist and continues to work in music therapy in the area of drug and alcohol rehabilitation as well as those who have suffered trauma.
He has won numerous regional and national awards in music therapy and has written two textbooks published by Barcelona Publishers: Music Therapy: Group Vignettes and Music Therapy: A Fieldwork Primer. These books are used as texts at many universities across the
United States. He has also written Life’s Lessons Through Your Guitar, an illustrated book about how you can learn about life through playing guitar.