It has been almost a year since last time I posted in this blog. My apologies if you were following faithfully. I made a plan to post weekly, so stay tuned for what is coming. Let me tell you a little of what is going on.

What are you up to now?

I just completed my second year teaching at Quinnipiac University. Teaching the First Year Seminar on Inquiry Based Learning (FYS-IBL) is a great experience and an exuberant blessing. Always something new to learn. Also, I always get the chance to meet new people; not only students, but also colleagues and staff. Can’t wait to meet my new students in the fall. In addition to FYS-IBL, I was granted the blessing and privilege to teach a capstone project course of a class I designed myself: Health Benefits of the Creative Process.

In this course,  Health Benefits of the Creative Process (QU420), adapted to Physical Therapy students, we get to explore how creativity is linked to health in the cognitive, affective, spiritual, and physical realms of the personal factors, and what applications are possible to improve and accelerate healing and wellbeing in physical therapy patients. It is my personal, and research supported understanding that the human experience is not limited to the physical or measurable aspects of life. However, I do believe that the physical manifestations serve as picture of the abstract world we can’t see.

Take Creativity for example: we can’t see creativity since it is an abstract idea, a concept, in a realm beyond the tangible. Nevertheless, we see the manifestations of creativity in everything tangible surrounding us. Creativity is not only manifested in “things”, but also in us. It is a great interest of mine to discover in an experiential fashion what research has been investigating related to the effects and benefits of creativity in our bodies, minds, spirits, and emotions. I have the privilege to explore in this new adventure with Physical Therapy students in the Fall of 2017. I am very excited and in expectation of what ideas for implementation in therapy the students will come up with.

What about your art?

Although I have not been “producing” a lot of art pieces as usual, I am sculpting regularly and building a collection for the near future, and the book that will come with it. I post constantly on Instagram if you want to take a look. The sculpting and painting parties are still alive and well, and always fun. It is a great experience to watch people experiment and discover themselves. I am also waiting for responses to apply the transformational learning experience of art in clinical and non-clinical settings for trauma treatment. It is not Art Therapy. It is Transformational Learning Experience.

Anything else?

In addition to the teaching, the art, some public speaking opportunities, workshops, and everyday life, my wife and I are still working towards our vision to establish a safe house with a multidisciplinary, holistic, and transformational approach to trauma treatment for sex trafficking survivors. Sounds like a lot, because it is a lot. Please, keep this effort in your prayers. Lastly (for now), I want to give you a heads up for a presentation I’m giving at Quinnipiac University in October 2017. I received the blessing of being one of the speakers for Latin X Heritage Month this year. I will be updating on this an other events as the time approaches.

I’m really excited about coming back to write in this blog again. I hope you enjoy the experience as well.