Ms. Brianna Schiavoni has a bachelor’s in psychology & is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) working with children managing chronic conditions, like ADHD, anxiety & diabetes. She returned to Gainesville 3 years ago to offer counseling, coaching & behavioral management to youth & their families alongside her mother – Milestones’ Business Owner & Founder: Ms. Lisa Schiavoni, Ed.S – a developmental school psychologist (Ed.S). ‘Ms. B’ enjoys developing models for innovative & affordable mental health service provision, like kid’s yoga; but needs volunteer support to maintain sliding-scale rates for families in need!

If you’re interested in learning more about this modality of treatment, including receipt of on-site training in behavioral interventions; we encourage you to apply for this one-of-a-kind volunteer opportunity with Milestones in the Making, Inc. as a ‘behavioral support’ during our therapeutic kid’s yoga classes. Yoga experience is desirable but NOT required. 

Classes – in need of volunteer support – vary in time & date. We hope to publish our 2015 yoga calendar in weeks to come but need volunteers to secure programming.

Interested parties should send a resume with cover letter ASAP to brianna.adele@gmail.com. Please include (1) what about the position interests you AND (2) communicate general schedule availability in their inquiries– position expectations range from 3-6 hours biweekly; & require a minimum commitment of >2 academic semesters. 

It takes community to create community. ~In Loving Kindness~ Milestones’ Staff

On Saturday, December 6th, Ms. B is looking forward to facilitating a celebration-themed group for select middle & high school females in Greater Gainesville.

Participants – old & newcomers – will gather to celebrate personhood through the practice of yoga, personal disclosure, peer problem-solving & creative expression. As always, we strive to offer innovative forms of therapeutic support at affordable rates to our clients & their families. 

For more info, please contact our office manager at 352-374-7155. 

 For more information on this valuable resource, visit: http://www.chadd.org/

Here – at Milestones in the Making – we are continuously looking for opportunities to create & facilitate meaningful & dynamic group experiences for the children & families with whom we work. These days, this intention has been particularly difficult given the time of year & high degree of variability among family-schedules; & despite the degree of verbalized interest from the community. If & when we pilot a program that yields insufficient registration from interested participants (i.e. not enough kids sign-up); we believe that it is in everyone’s best interest to postpone &/or cancel the event.

Consequently, please note the following changes in programming:

1. Cosplay 101, a Workshop for Tweens & Teens on 9/20 – has been POSTPONED until further notice;
2. Kid’s Community Yoga at My Yoga Connection, LLC, which repeats biweekly on Fridays at 4:30PM – will be DISCONTINUED until further notice & effective October 1st.

As always, we are open to your feedback & apologize for any resulting consequences. For more info on alternate kids’ yoga &/or group initiatives, please visit: http://milestonesinthemaking.com/kids-yoga/

Ms. B is excited to announce a NEW WORKSHOP SERIES available to all MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS in the greater Gainesville area!  Participants will learn about the art & culture of Cosplay (i.e. costume role-play &/or character design) from one of Gainesville’s community ‘cosplayers’ – Ms. Gracie Brown.  As always, our staff will make use of – what we hope will be – a dynamic group of creative youth interested in learning more about this rising hobby; by facilitating meaningful discussion & team-building activities.

Interested parties are encouraged to view the attached flyer (& event details below) & to reserve a spot by emailing Ms. B at brianna.adele@gmail.com with your child’s name, age & contact information. TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS, folks can proceed with completion of this cosplay intake form.

Pending sufficient interest, Ms. B will continue to facilitate additional Cosplay workshops with Ms. Gracie &/or alternate members of performing arts groups; in preparation for participation in SwampCon (February 2015).

Cosplay 101 Flyer >> EVENT DATE: Saturday, Sept 20th > 1PM-5PM @ StillPoint Therapy Center (NW 39th Ave)

“I love cosplay because we can use it to change into somebody that is different from the person we think we are… Cosplay crosses over the nationality, gender and age barriers in everything. Because of that, it’s easier to make new friends and to be open-minded. It’s not about ‘judging’ but just ‘looking’ – “Oh!I love your style. You’re so creative – I would never have thought to do that”. There’s no reason not to like one another in the world of Cosplay – the limits of expression are endless.” ~Anonymous 19 year-old cisgendered Female

“Cosplay to me is way more than just one word… I have been lucky enough to experience such wonderful events and people that I would have never been able to experience without it. I have made great friends and have been to some cool conventions, each time as a different character with different personalities! Cosplay means so much to me because without it, I would have never found qualities in myself that I would have thought could even pull off some of the stuff I can make today. Cosplay has been a creative outlet for me as well as a fun and unique experience… So cosplay to me means, a lifetime of memories, friends, and self appreciation.”  ~Anonymous 14 year-old cisgendered Male

Boy’s Camp: Second Round: July 18 & 25, 2014

Ms. B was excited to host a total of 10 campers & 2 college-aged volunteers in July for the Second-Ever Big-Brother, Lil’Brother Boys Camp. The visible “spectrum” of symptom-severity played an extra special role among youth, who all share a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ms. B structured this summer’s boys camps with activities to help her clients develop a deeper sense of self-awareness; familiarity with their learning “differences”; along with “tools & tricks” to help improve attention, emotional calm, communication, & social problem-solving skills. Because there are so very few opportunities for these kids to practice these critical skills, Ms. B intends to maintain a “Boys Group” of sorts throughout the school year. Details to follow & posted under the “Kids Yoga” tab on this website.

Interested in some visual highlights? Read On!

First Team Challenge… 

A little AcroYoga

Another Team Challenge – “Sneak-A-Peek”

A different kind of meditation… silent Shark’s tooth expedition at Hogtowne Creek!

And (of course) a “SILLY” camp photo

Ms. Brianna’s very first Big-Brother, Little-Brother camp in June was a fun-filled success. Just ask our participants (or snoop through these photos for inspiration

Ms. B will be facilitating a second round in July; on consecutive Fridays – July 18th & July 25th. For more info, check out our brochure or contact our office manager at 374-7155. To submit an application for review, follow this link (Boys Group App) & return via email, fax, or US postal.

Together, we grow (& we flourish!)

Attention CREATIVE YOUTH (&/or their Irreplaceable Guardians

On Friday, July 18th from 5:30-8PM Ms. Brianna will be tabling in the Sun Center Courtyard, where local business owners are attempting to resurrect a Friday market of sorts. Because a number of her private clients have shown interest in creative work &/or crafting; Ms B would like to invite ANY & ALL YOUTH INTERESTED in selling their handmade crafts (e.g. postcards, drawings, jewelry, magnets, etc) to join her with their respective goods for sale; at this event  For more info, visit the FaceBook link here.

I have extended the invitation to high school group participants & will have some G.E.Y. marketing materials out for distribution.

If you &/or your child is interested in participating on the 18th of July; please let me know. Otherwise – & as always – I appreciate your thoughtful consideration.

In Loving Kindness,

Ms. B is thrilled to announce both the Second Annual Girls-Only Activity Camp & the First Ever Big-Brother, Little-Brother Summer Play Program. Both of these initiatives are highly therapeutic – read this Letter of Intent for more info AND make sure to visit our “Kid’s Yoga” tab for ongoing programming updates (as there will be plenty of kid’s yoga this summer

Big-Brother, Little-Brother Summer Play Program Brochure

Boy’s Play Program Application

Girl’s Only Camp Application

http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/family/toddlers/20121001/the-dreaded-w-sitting-in-toddlers

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/aap-reaffirms-no-screen-time-for-young-children-even-though-few-parents-listen/2011/10/18/gIQAZvpkuL_blog.html

My niece just launched a new website that I think might be helpful to some of you trying to figure out what baby gear you really need (and what you don’t!). The basic idea is to make a much better version of all those excel spreadsheets you.  Please be sure and check out the developmentally appropriate list of toys and books for children birth to five years.

http://www.mamajamas.com/

Ms. B is now teaching Kid’s Yoga at two locations in Gainesville, FL & we – at Milestones in the Making – are excited to tell you ALL ABOUT IT! For details, please reference our BRAND NEW “Kid’s Yoga” TAB &/OR take a closer look at this Flyer (2 Kids Yoga Opps) &/OR contact our office manager at 352.374.7155. Namaste

When Ms. B returned from her kid’s yoga teacher training in December of 2012, she had no idea that the human mandalas, partner poses, & human pyramids were a part of something much larger – that they involved a school of yoga unto itself… It was not until this summer, while vacationing in Portland, OR; that Ms. B was first introduced to the world of “AcroYoga” – a physical practice that blends the arts of yoga, acrobatics, performance & healing arts. More importantly – to this line of work – AcroYoga has been described as, “A community based practice that encourages personal transformation the old, fashioned way: through human connection, touch & play.” (AcroYoga.org)

Less than six months later, a 3-day workshop was hosted at Guruv Studio in Lake Mary; which she is both proud to have scouted out & to have attended in-full

She looks forward to implementing new skills, namely therapeutic flying; to kid’s yoga workshops in the new year. For more details on upcoming workshops, view January’s JumpStart flyer here & sign-up at our website.

To view more photos of Ms. B at her workshop, please follow this link:  https://www.facebook.com/bri.bri.adele/posts/10202190480499367

Check out are updated Fall Yoga Schedule!!! Yoga Schedule

Join us for KIDS YOGA at My Yoga Connection! This class will be tons of fun AND a learning experience. For more information please click the link!!! Yoga

The class sponsored by The Source Program, is geared towards female survivors of intimate partner violence (violence by a current or former spouse or dating partner).

In a recent pilot study of this program, survivors of interpersonal violence were found to have statistically significant decreases in symptoms of both post traumatic stress disorder and depression. Additionally, there was improvement in self reports of relational attachments with others, often a very difficult area for survivors of interpersonal violence.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Take care,
Amber Kelly

352-273-0805

kelly.a@uflawclinics.org

Flier for The Source TIMBSR class

Flier for The Source trauma mindfulness class w pull tabs

Check out our Fall Kids Yoga Schedule!!!!

Yoga Summer Schedule Click on the link to view our Kids Yoga Summer Schedule! 

Ms. Brianna is excited to bring a Girls-Only Activity Group to Gainesville high school students this summer!

WHAT: Adolescents entering the 9th – 11th grade are encouraged to enroll in this unique, one-week 1/2 day-camp, after which the evolving group will continue meeting bimonthly for crafting circles (i.e. maintenance intervention). Participants will be encouraged to create both the class structure & content for discussion based on THEIR needs & interests. Given macro-level concerns for female adolescents, the group’s primary aim is to help young women develop healthy self-images alongside positive peer relationships. Through activities like yoga & meditation; crafting; nature walks; cooking; & creative art analysis & production; Ms. B intends to explore, teach & develop each girl’s sense of self-identity, body-image, self-esteem, communication style, social problem-solving skills & more!

WHEN: June 17-21st, 1:30 – 4:30 (*option for extended stay with pick-up BY 5:30PM at no additional charge)

WHERE: A beautiful facility located on 2 park-like acres of property off of NW 39th Ave. All yoga workshops & this camp will be hosted in the BRAND-NEW multipurpose yoga studio behind Stillpoint Therapy Center. Participants will have direct access to a bathroom; small kitchenette; yoga mats/blocks/straps; hiking trails leading down to the creek; & more!

SIGN-UP: Complete & return the online Girls-Only Application

COST: $250 + materials (or material-fee <$30)
**Payment plans are available (& while it may feel like camp, you are funding your child’s participation in group therapy

REFER A FRIEND: Please help us to spread the word by passing along our Girls-Only Flyer