When I became an adult, I asked my father how he switched modes between a high-stress job and the very different demands of family life. He told me he stood at each door, to work and home, and took several deep breaths. As an arts and health teaching artist and researcher, I recognize this strategy as an emotional technology. Transitioning through moments, places, people, work, and relationships takes subtle energy changes.

Working internationally with health workers, educators, and families of neurodivergent children, I’ve learned how vital a song can be between breaths. If I wrote this song with my father, perhaps we’d call it “Before the Door” and explore this theme together. In our workshop, we’ll explore our own themes and begin your song. Leave this session energized, tuned in, full of ideas, and creatively confident, either with the beginnings of a song or inspired by each other’s feedback and collaboration.

This is a prelude to the conference, where I’ll be joined by a team of my favorite teaching artists for a collective co-write, a series of musical activities, a workshop, and a culminating performance of this year’s original song.