Skip to main content
Elana ShyongCreative facilitator & trainer

What would your evenings look like if you could release the day before you walk through the door?

· 1 min read

Participants in a light studio doing a group movement exercise, some sitting on the floor while one stands with arms outstretched

This weekend, yaelle and I facilitated Connect: Release & Reset, a body-based workshop for people who want to connect to their inner world and learn how to identify what needs to be released or expressed.

We started with a simple truth: every day we meet different energies from different places and people, and we often carry those home with us.

The goal of the workshop was to give people practical tools to find those emotions, release what no longer serves them, and create space to connect more fully to themselves and to their loved ones.

After exploration through play, somatic movement, reflection and discussion, we left the participants with AWARE (thanks Monica Rodriguez for the acronym idea!) to help them build their own ritual of connection.

It’s a simple 30 seconds to 5 minutes you can use any day to reset, and I wanted to share it with you:

𝗔cknowledge – notice what’s there, name it
𝗪here – locate it in your body
𝗔ction – move, breathe, or release it physically
𝗥est – allow a moment of stillness
𝗘mbrace – welcome yourself back to presence with grace and kindness, whatever that might look like for you in the moment

If there’s one thing I want more people to take from this, it’s that emotional and nervous system regulation is not a luxury. It’s a skill that makes everything else in life easier.

When you can regulate,
you connect better,
sleep better,
parent better,
lead better,
and feel more like yourself again.

Thank you to everyone who showed up with such openness and courage. We hope to bring part 2 to Barcelona in September, so stay tuned!

#emotionalresilience #nervoussystemregulation #socialemotionallearning #wellbeing #connection #workshop #facilitation #selfregulation #burnoutprevention #mentalhealth

Keep reading

  • A cheerful selfie of around fifteen facilitators in a café, many with their arms stretched out wide

    IAF Meetup

    What a joy to see our IAF España community grow, with 15 facilitators coming together in a cozy cafe in Barcelona, Spain yesterday! ✨ What…

    Read more: IAF Meetup
  • Illustration: a plum ribbon tied in a loose knot, with a drifting marigold ribbon and lilac paper shapes

    Letting Go of Control

    What does it feel like to hand over something you built yourself? Nearly five years ago, Phylly Jones and I started a company running after-school…

    Read more: Letting Go of Control
  • Illustration: overlapping plum, lilac and orchid paper tiles with botanical cut-outs and a marigold circle

    Weekly Recap 2.10.2026

    Weekly recap: drama, facilitation, and exciting things ahead! 🎭 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱: Using a familiar fairytale (Hansel & Gretel), we explored complex family themes…

    Read more: Weekly Recap 2.10.2026

All posts →

In your inbox

Ideas for bringing people together.

Every so often, I share practical activities, facilitation tips and reflections on creative, human-centred learning. Useful whether you teach, lead or bring groups together.

Occasional emails, no spam. You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy

Curious about working together?

Start your enquiry or book a discovery call. I'd love to hear what you're working on.