Welcome to the Life Beyond Conference. We want you to be able to have fun as well as learn what our presenters can give you so we are offering some tips:

Bring a friend, someone you trust and knows what you need or how to help you center yourself. Remember to breathe, everyday it’s the same old thing, breathe, breathe, breathe.

Take care of yourself. We know how much you want to absorb all this information, but don’t over do it. Instead of cramming in that extra session, take a nap, take a dip in the pool, go for a walk or shopping.

Do whatever you need to feel safe. If something is stirring up issues while you are in a session, feel free to “space out”, journal, go to sleep or leave the session.

Use the safe room whenever you need to find a place to feel safe, to cry, or talk to someone. If you don’t want to talk with someone else, you may sit quietly.  The safe room is a place to come and get control of yourself and talk to someone. This is the place to come for crisis support.  Therapy will not be provided.

Another thing you can do is go to the Collage Room to use the materials provided to put your feelings on paper. Art is a way of sharing what is going on with you without using words. You can also go to Collage Room to just play.

If you do not have a friend to bring, then make a connection with someone else attending who draws your interest. Remember, we were all scared to step out of our isolation in the beginning. Little baby steps can bring you a long way.

Take your mind off the deep subjects of the presentations and relax at the different entertainment possibilities that will be provided. Use your mindfulness skills to get yourself to the other side of your head, so you are not filled with your emotions all the time when you want to listen, need to think or talk, or just have fun.

Don’t spoil your time by isolating, or getting overtired.

Give your inner child a treat after all that deep stuff and visit the Collage Room. Go blow bubbles outside, skip down the sidewalk or whatever your inner child wants to do. You know what helps them. Give yourself permission to play if you need to, outside of the presentation rooms.

Often people are nervous attending a conference for the first time. Do not monopolize conversations. Sometimes listening to others sharing what helped them can help you more than telling cute stories about other things in your life. Remember, everyone wants to share something. Be respectful of others by not walking on what they are saying. Take turns talking and listening.

If you bring in food from the outside, please do not eat it in the lobby or other public places.

Respect others by not touching them without permission, not sitting or standing too close. We all have our boundaries and we should respect them. Feel free to bring your other “buddies”, bears, rabbit’s, dolls, or other stuffed animals to any of the activities. I usually have a tiny rabbit tucked deep in one of my pockets to help me feel safe and present.

We want you to learn and enjoy yourself at the same time. Silver