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A4US Presents (Program) LEGO Sunflower / Horticulture Club (Projects) 🌻

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A4US Presents (Program) LEGO Sunflower / Horticulture Club (Projects) 🌻

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Miss Fit’s Newtable Blooms (Products)

UPDATED FINAL

YouTube Short Reference Link

https://youtube.com/shorts/Fcc_crvuD9A?si=iVY8TaCbYCfHvihw

LEGO Garden Club YouTube Channel

https://youtube.com/@lego_garden_club?si=ULEQTm7Sr11nrI0g

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MacArthur Fellows are

adults who receive an annual $800,000 "genius grant" from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in recognition of their exceptional creativity, originality, and promise for future work in any field. There are no age restrictions, and recipients are selected through a process of broad outreach, not by application. The grant is intended to provide financial flexibility for fellows to pursue their creative and intellectual work without obligation or reporting requirements.

Key aspects of the program

The "genius grant": The MacArthur Fellowship is informally known as a "genius grant" and is one of the most prestigious awards in the U.S..

Eligibility:

It is open to adults of any age.

Recipients can work in any field, including science, arts, humanities, and other areas.

They must demonstrate exceptional creativity, a track record of significant accomplishment, and potential for future breakthroughs.

Selection process:

Individuals cannot apply for the fellowship.

They must be nominated through a nomination process that involves outreach to people knowledgeable about potential candidates' work.

Purpose of the grant:

The fellowship is a no-strings-attached gift to give recipients the freedom to pursue their work without financial pressure or specific obligations.

The goal is to foster continued innovation and creativity in society.

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Evaluation of the MacArthur Fellows Program

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The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, we work to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.

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LEGO Garden Club MeetUp

https://www.meetup.com/lego-garden-club

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LEGO Garden Club Biophilic Permaculture 

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LEGO Garden Club Biophilic Permaculture 

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LEED Rating System

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LSP Facilitator Tool Kit

https://play4business.com/toolkit-for-facilitators-using-the-lego-serious-play-method/

Lego Serious Play in Mental Health Organizations

https://play4business.com/lego-serious-play-resilience-crisis/

LSP Method Healthcare

https://play4business.com/healthcare-lego-serious-play-method/

LSP Facilitating Green Impact

https://play4business.com/lego-serious-play-sustainability-training/

LSP Business Blog

https://seriousplaybusiness.com/blog/

LSP Case Study

https://seriousplaybusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Case-Study-LSP.pdf

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ABOUT LBT

https://legobasedtherapy.org/about

I connected with Dr. Daniel Legoff, the creator of LEGO Therapy and LEGO Club initiatives. He referenced a colleague of his from Pennsylvania whom has a lot of experience with ASD and LBT, Dr. Brittany Lyman.

They offer a strengths-based focus supporting individuals on the autism spectrum and their families...

https://www.autismdiagnostics.com/

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Join the LEGO therapy movement to improve social development in autistic and neurodiverse children and adults

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Your Recovery with REIKI and Color Therapy

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Your Recovery with REIKI and Color Therapy

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Support Tools

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Color Therapy and Reiki (For Self Healing)

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Find the LEGO Garden Club Social Medias Here

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Find the LEGO Garden Club Social Medias Here

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Lehigh Valley LEGO Garden Club MeetUp

https://www.meetup.com/lehigh-valley-lego-garden-club/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/lego_garden_club?igsh=d3RiY21meGplaWcw&utm_source=qr

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/liv-klotz-6511b6360?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

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From the andfol community on Reddit: Join Miss Fit’s Newtable Blooms LEGO Garden Club MeetUp 🪱🌱🌻☕️🥄🚂🧘‍♀️🪷

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Explore this post and more from the andfol community

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Autism Spectrum Disorder is on the Rise

In 2023, according to the CDC, about 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD has been rising steadily over the years, up from 1 in 69 children in 2012 and 1 in 150 children in 2000. ASD affects all races, ethnicities and socioeconomic groups.

Can Reiki Help?

Reiki is an energetic healing technique of Japanese origin utilized by people all over the world for wellness and for stress reduction when facing a variety of different issues, from everyday stress to assisting with comfort for illnesses. Some people have also explored the idea of using Reiki to help people with autism spectrum disorders. Very little research exists on the use of Reiki for autism spectrum disorders specifically, but more general studies have indicated that Reiki may potentially be effective for this purpose.

Autism Spectrum Disorders Defined

We at IARP prefer to term it simply autism spectrum but it is scientifically known as ASD so we will use that term for this article. Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD, are a group of disorders that affect an individual's ability to function "normally" in social settings (whatever "normal" is termed to be.). These disorders usually appear in the first two years of life.

However, different is not wrong, it is just life from another perspective. We are all beautiful in our own unique ways.
April is Autism Acceptance Month. Let us celebrate the differences amongst us.
Help us spread kindness, inclusiveness, and love for all people of this planet. Some of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders include:

Unwillingness to make or maintain eye contact.

Highly focused interests in specific topics or objects.

Repetitive behaviors.

Problems with two-way conversation.

Unusual responses to others' emotions or affection.

Unusual attachment to routines or specific settings.

Repeating words or phrases.

Difficulty understanding others' points of view.

Unusual tone of voice.

Most affected people are diagnosed with ASD during their childhood and will continue to struggle with the disorder throughout their lives. The severity of ASD varies considerably. While some people have only a mild version of the disorder and are able to live a full, productive life as an adult, others are completely disabled and may require full-time care and supervision.

Autism spectrum disorders are extremely difficult to treat, and no one full cure has been found as of yet. When medications are prescribed to individuals with ASD, they are typically aimed at treating one or more of the symptoms of the disorder. Medications that may be prescribed include antidepressants, ADHD medications, and drugs designed to control irritability or aggression. People with ASD may also participate in special therapeutic or educational programs intended to help them cope with their disorder and live as normally as possible.

Unfortunately, some of the medications prescribed to people with ASD may cause other side effects. In addition, many people with ASD may continue to experience problems even with treatment. For this reason, it is common for ASD sufferers and/or their parents to explore integrative treatment options and therapies to use as a complement to their traditional care. One of these is Reiki.

How Can Reiki Help with ASD?

Studies and anecdotal reports indicate that Reiki may potentially provide a number of different benefits to people who participate in sessions on a regular basis.
Some of the benefits that may be helpful for people with ASD may include:
A chance to connect with another person in a different way.
One of the hallmarks of ASD is difficulty with social interaction. Children and adults with ASD may find it difficult to make a connection with the people around them, whether they are family members or classmates. During Reiki sessions, an individual with ASD will have the chance to connect with his or her practitioner in a unique way.

Reduced stress and anxiety.
People with ASD are often fidgety and hyperactive. Studies have shown that exposure to Reiki may help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, which may, in turn, have a calming effect on individuals with ASD.

Healthier sleep patterns.
ASD can disturb sleep patterns significantly, which leads to exacerbated symptoms and more stress. Reiki may help in part to improve these sleep patterns, allowing the client to get a more restful, restorative sleep.

More control over the disorder.
The parents of children with ASD, as well as the children themselves, often feel that they are at the mercy of a disorder they cannot control. Reiki sessions allow both children and their caregivers to be proactive about dealing with symptoms and improving their quality of life.

Challenges

Although some studies and reports indicate that Reiki may be helpful for people with ASD, performing Reiki on a client with this condition can be challenging for the practitioner. Especially in the case of young children, ASD makes it difficult to remain still and calm for extended periods of time. Because Reiki sessions require the client to be still, this can present a problem. Some parents of children with ASD have found that Reiki sessions are more successful when the child is drowsy or asleep. Other parents report that beginning with a shorter Reiki session and gradually working up to a longer one is effective for children with ASD. Make sure that your practitioner is aware of the diagnosis and the potential challenges before the first session so that he or she can prepare properly. A short initial 15 to 30-minute session may be appropriate.

Reiki for Caregivers

The effects of Autism Spectrum Disorders aren't restricted to the person with the diagnosis. Parents and other caregivers of children with ASD also deal with significant worry, fatigue, and emotional turmoil as they attempt to care for the affected individual. In many cases, these caregivers may even experience physical problems as a result of the ongoing stress. Reiki may help caregivers to deal with some of these issues so that they can provide better care for their child. Specifically, caregivers who participate in Reiki sessions may benefit from lower stress levels, less anxiety, and better quality of sleep. Participating in Reiki sessions may also help the caregiver to improve his or her understanding of the purpose of these sessions, the procedure used, and the nature of the results.

Finding a Practitioner

Reiki is not a substitute for medical treatment. However, some of its potential effects may be beneficial to children and adults with ASD. Because Reiki produces no side effects and poses no risk of complications, it can be used in conjunction with medication and other therapies. Reiki's role is as an adjunct therapy to support traditional care and is used with many symptomatic illnesses and disorders as a complementary therapy.

If you or your child is struggling with ASD and you would like to learn more about Reiki, you can begin by making an appointment with an experienced Reiki Practitioner. To find a Reiki Professional in your area, you can utilize the IARP website at https://iarp.org for additional information on Reiki and to find a registered Reiki practitioner in your area, anywhere in the world.

**(C) 2023. International Association of Reiki Professionals IARP LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Sources:cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data,nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index,autismfile.com/treatment-therapy/our-journey-into-reiki, autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/

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Autism Spectrum Disorder is on the Rise In 2023, according to the CDC, about 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD has been rising steadily over the years, up from 1 in 69 children in 2012 and 1 in 150 children in 2000.

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Shall be no subscription required with the included friend link. 🌻

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For as long as I can remember, gardens have been a part of my life. Growing up in a gardening family, we had a large vegetable patch every summer, a tradition I continued when I left home. Planting, nurturing, and ultimately harvesting and enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of one's labors is fulfilling and satisfying. And, working in the garden has always been therapeutic for me. Communing with Mother Earth, digging deep into Her, and feeling the aliveness of the soil, plants, and creatures that live within Her was a soothing balm for whatever problem or challenge I faced. The garden was a healing space where I could simply Be, and allow Mother to nurture me as I nurtured Her plants.

My garden took on even greater significance after Reiki arrived in my life. As I slowly surrendered to the wisdom of its loving energy in all aspects of my life, my innate compassion and sense of Oneness developed and grew. Over time, my humble garden became a symbol of my abiding affection and love for Mother Earth and all She provides. Through my garden, I became a visible extension of Her as I cared for the plants that would eventually nourish my family's bodies as She nourishes all of us every day - in every way.

As Reiki practitioners, we share a unique ability to bring healing and light to all situations, circumstances and spaces, such as your garden. By doing so, we reap benefits for all...

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Growing a Reiki Garden For as long as I can remember, gardens have been a part of my life. Growing up in a gardening family, we had a large vegetable patch every summer, a tradition I continued when ...

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Reiki as a Nervous System Ally: Supporting ADHD, Autism, and Stress Through Gentle Energy and Breath

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Reiki is a gentle, evidence-aligned energy practice that helps regulate the nervous system — especially for those with ADHD, Autism, or chronic stress. Learn how Reiki and breathwork support emotional regulation, sensory balance, and deep healing by creating a space for stillness and co-regulation.

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This has been me. Memory is functioning with earthing, grounding and mindfulness.

It’s Happening Now 🌻

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by Jill ThielShortly after my Reiki Master attunement, I started hearing the voices of the trees and plants that were surrounding me. I believed they were asking me for Reiki. At first, I questioned whether I imagined these voices, but I decided it wouldn’t hurt to try to work with them. I visualized sending the forest Reiki. I continued to do this everywhere I went and any chance I had. It felt like an effective way to listen, practice and visualize Reiki.Anything living has ki, life-energy, flowing through it. Plants are filled with ki and are great for receiving Reiki.

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Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

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Adult Neurodifferent Fans of Living / Loving / Laughing w/ LEGO 🤔 Newtable Blooms LEGO Sunflowers A ND peer support system. 🌻 Designing/developing the seasonals (sensory, emotional, awareness, social, organizational, neurodiverse, acceptance, livable/lovable/laughable, sustainable) + ROARS (regenerative, opportunity exploration, action planning, result oriented learning, s/Self) models with a LEGO + IFS environmental program. Advocating with neuro inclusive actions. Bloom As Able 🌻

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LEGO Garden Club: Miss Fit’s Newtable Blooms Café & Professor Newt’s Bricktories

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LEGO Garden Club: Miss Fit’s Newtable Blooms Café & Professor Newt’s Bricktories

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Serving STEAMable activities at fun-filled community events, the LEGO Garden Club blends therapeutic horticulture with creative LEGO building.

Our mission is to explore the micro-ecology of regenerative organic living, studying the vital roles of land and water microbes in sustaining healthy ecosystems. Through hands-on workshops, storytelling, and mindful play, participants learn how soil, plants, and water connect to nurture both nature and personal well-being.

At Miss Fit’s Newtable Blooms Café, guests experience plant-based creativity and sensory-friendly spaces that celebrate biodiversity and neurodiversity. Meanwhile, Professor Newt’s Bricktories brings science to life through LEGO builds that teach about composting, vermiculture, and sustainable design.

Together, we grow community, creativity, and care—one brick and one bloom at a time. 🌻

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Sustainability for different abilities

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Just Imagine with Travis Peoples 💭 - Careers - LEGO.com

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Treating Neurodivergent Clients In Addiction

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Treating Neurodivergent Clients In Addiction

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7 Steps To Creating An Integrated Disability Ministry Model Ability Ministry

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7 Steps To Creating An Integrated Disability Ministry Model Ability Ministry

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7 Steps to Creating an Integrated Disability Ministry Model – Ability Ministry

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Starting a 100% integrated model of disability ministry, where people with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of church life, requires intentionalit

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How Can Neurodivergent Christians Serve The Church?

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How Can Neurodivergent Christians Serve The Church?

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How Can Neurodivergent Christians Serve the Church?

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As more churches talk more about neurodivergent Christians, many wonder how to make accommodations. But what it neurodivergent Christians can offer something to the church that it’s missing?

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How To Start A Disability Ministry At Your Church Lifeway Women

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How To Start A Disability Ministry At Your Church Lifeway Women

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How to Start a Disability Ministry at Your Church - Lifeway Women

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Do you have children and adults with special needs attending your church? let me encourage you to consider how you can serve and love these families.

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LEGO Sunflowers  Building Toy For Kids Girls And Boys Ages 8 Up Artificial Sunflowers For Home Decor And Display Gift For Valentines Day For Her And Him 40524

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LEGO Sunflowers  Building Toy For Kids Girls And Boys Ages 8 Up Artificial Sunflowers For Home Decor And Display Gift For Valentines Day For Her And Him 40524

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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LEGO Sunflowers - Building Toy for Kids, Girls and Boys Ages 8+ - Artificial Sunflowers for Home Decor and Display - Gift for Valentines Day for Her and Him - 40524

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Amazon.com: LEGO Sunflowers - Building Toy for Kids, Girls and Boys Ages 8+ - Artificial Sunflowers for Home Decor and Display - Gift for Valentines Day for Her and Him - 40524 : Toys & Games

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Pathological Demand Avoidance (Pervasive / Persistent Drive For Autonomy) Part Of The Autism Spectrum

# data[].attributes.subject
Pathological Demand Avoidance (Pervasive / Persistent Drive For Autonomy) Part Of The Autism Spectrum

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Self Help And Coping Strategies And Therapies For Adult PDAers

PDA Society

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Self-help, coping strategies and therapies for adult PDAers These suggestions for self-help, coping strategies and therapies were assembled from a variety of first-hand accounts shared by adults, diagnosed or self-identifying as having a PDA profile (PDAers being their preferred term of reference), in books, blogs and on social media and from the other information for

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National Autistic Society

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Dr Dora Raymaker, Research Assistant Professor at Portland State University, discusses research exploring autistic people's experiences of autistic burnout. This includes what autistic burnout feels like, why it might happen and what can be done to prevent it.
Autistic people often talk about autistic burnout as a source of distress, but it's just starting to be recognised in wider conversations. Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) conducted a qualitative study to better understand and define autistic burnout (Raymaker et al. 2020). The study involved interviews with autistic adults and analysis of public internet sources.

Definition of autistic burnout

From what we learned we created the following definition of autistic burnout.

Autistic burnout is a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic life stress and a mismatch of expectations and abilities without adequate supports. It is characterised by pervasive, long-term (typically 3+ months) exhaustion, loss of function, and reduced tolerance to stimulus.

Characteristics and impact

The research participants describe the experience of autistic burnout as chronic exhaustion, loss of skills, and reduced tolerance to stimulus. They described it as affecting every part of their lives and lasting for long periods of time. Many first experienced autistic burnout during puberty, graduation from secondary education, or at other times of transition and changes in developmental expectations.

Autistic burnout had many negative effects on their lives. Many highlighted difficulties with their health, especially their mental health. They talked about struggling with independent living, loss of self-belief, and being frightened that the loss of skills from the autistic burnout might be permanent. They also talked about a lack of empathy from neurotypical people, who had difficulty understanding or relating to the autistic person's experiences. Some people related an increase in suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour.

Reasons why autistic burnout might occur

People described a collection of life stressors.

Masking their autistic traits, for example by suppressing autistic behaviours, pretending to be non-autistic, or working very hard to act in a non-autistic way.

Difficult or unreachable expectations from family, school, work, or society in general.

Stress from living in a world not set up to accommodate autistic people, for example managing the stress of having to be in noisy environments.

Life-changes and transitions that are stressful for anyone, for example transitioning from school to work, experiencing a mental health crisis, or the death of someone close.

They also described barriers to getting support or relief from the stress.

Gaslighting or dismissal when attempting to describe the autistic burnout, for example being told that everyone has these experiences, that they just need to try harder, or that they are making it up.

Poor boundaries or self-advocacy with respect to saying no, taking a break, or asking for help. This may be due to trauma, fear, lack of assistance in learning how, and a history of negative responses from others when they tried.

Inability to take a break from stress that is so pervasive ("How do you take a break from life?").

Insufficient external resources and supports, for example inadequate disability services, lack of useful social support.

Together, the life stressors contributed to a cumulative load of stress and the barriers to support meant they were unable to get relief from the stress. At some point, the expectations on the person far exceeded anything they were able to do. Every part of them gave up and autistic burnout resulted. Or, as one study participant summarised:

''Autistic burnout is a state of physical and mental fatigue, heightened stress, and diminished capacity to manage life skills, sensory input, and/or social interactions, which comes from years of being severely overtaxed by the strain of trying to live up to demands that are out of sync with our needs.''

Reducing or Preventing Autistic Burnout

Participants told us about ways that they found to relieve or prevent their autistic burnout, and advice they have for others.

Acceptance and support - interacting with others who could accept them for who they were, without any need to masking or pretend. This could be one-on-one with family members or friends; on a community level of groups with accepting cultures; or on a peer level, especially finding other autistic people who could validate their experiences and offer information and emotional/social support from lived experience.

Being autistic - attending to autistic needs like stimming and spending time with intense interests and comfort items, unmasking, using autistic strengths or doing things in an autistic way.

Formal supports - receiving reasonable adjustments at school or work, physical support like someone to provide groceries, and mental health support.

Reduced load - taking time off, more breaks, reducing social activity or other types of more stressful activities.

Self-advocacy and health - learning how to set healthy boundaries and expectations from others, and what to do when others aren't respecting boundaries. Learning how to ask for help in a way others might be responsive to, and leading as healthy a lifestyle as possible (for example participants described how exercising, sleeping, eating well, and doing things that made them happy helped them out of autistic burnout once they had enough energy to do them).

Self-knowledge - learning how to recognise and act on the early signs of autistic burnout (for example by cancelling social plans to have more rest), having an autism diagnosis, and understanding one's own patterns of behaviour and feelings.

Recommendations and next steps

We recommend increasing awareness about autistic burnout, and connecting with the autistic community and peers that understand autistic burnout. The experiences of people who describe being in a state of autistic burnout should be validated, whether they use the term or not. We recommend that therapists and clinicians learn to recognise autistic burnout in clients and offer strategies for relief.

In general, we recommend others be aware of the potential dangers of teaching autistic people to mask or suppress their autistic traits. Suicide prevention programs may want to consider the potential role of burnout. We strongly support interventions to decrease the discrimination and stigma associated with autism and disability in society, and to improve access to reasonable adjustments and acceptance.

Though an important start to the conversation, our findings are from a small qualitative study of a non-random sample. They are also limited to autism; we feel that this may be a broader experience of people who experience disability. Therefore we highly recommend more research in this new and urgent area, especially in collaboration with autistic people who can contribute the expertise of their lived experience.

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Dr Dora Raymaker discusses research into autistic burnout

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Promoting A Neuroception Of Safety For Autistic Adults

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Promoting A Neuroception Of Safety For Autistic Adults

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Polyvagal Theory Offers An Understanding Of Autonomic States And Co Regulation

Psychology Today

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Promoting a Neuroception of Safety for Autistic Adults

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Five truths that will help you create connection and safety for autistic adults or those with ADHD.

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Explore Neurolaunch.com, your premier destination for psychology and neuroscience content. Dive into a world of science-based articles.

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LEGO Classic Green Baseplate Square 32 32 Stud Foundation To Build Play And Display Brick Creations Great for Grassy Nature Landscapes 11023

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LEGO Classic Green Baseplate Square 32 32 Stud Foundation To Build Play And Display Brick Creations Great for Grassy Nature Landscapes 11023

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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LEGO Classic Green Baseplate, Square 32x32 Stud Foundation to Build, Play, and Display Brick Creations, Great for Grassy Nature Landscapes, 11023

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Amazon.com: LEGO Classic Green Baseplate, Square 32x32 Stud Foundation to Build, Play, and Display Brick Creations, Great for Grassy Nature Landscapes, 11023 : Toys & Games

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LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 Building Toy Set  Featuring Storage Includes Train Car And A Tiger Figure And Playset For Kids Boys And Girls Ages 4 99 

# data[].attributes.subject
LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 Building Toy Set  Featuring Storage Includes Train Car And A Tiger Figure And Playset For Kids Boys And Girls Ages 4 99 

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 Building Toy Set - Featuring Storage, Includes Train, Car, and a Tiger Figure, and Playset for Kids, Boys, and Girls Ages 4-99

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amazon.com: LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 Building Toy Set - Featuring Storage, Includes Train, Car, and a Tiger Figure, and Playset for Kids, Boys, and Girls Ages 4-99

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.body
LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Host a bricktastic LEGO® plant party for friends and family with the beautiful flowers and plants from the LEGO Botanicals Collection

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Bring joy to flower fans with the LEGO® Botanical Almanac

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Discover how the LEGO® Botanical Almanac brings together stylish photography, stunning artwork and insightful horticultural details to make a blooming lovely gift for any botanical lover in your life

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Build The Puzzles

Set Up The Room

Will Your Friends Escape?

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Build Your Own LEGO® Escape Room 5007766 | Other | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US

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Exciting ways for LEGO® fans to build their own escape rooms

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

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Amazon.com: Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings: 9780060256678: Silverstein, Shel, Silverstein, Shel: Books

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amazon.com: A Light in the Attic: 9780060256739: Shel Silverstein, Shel Silverstein: Books

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Go On A Journey To Become A Better Builder

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Build LEGO® Houses 5007213 | Classic | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Top tips and techniques to build dream LEGO® houses

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
100 Ways to Rebuild the World 5007559 | Other | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US

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Inspirational book for caring, young LEGO® builders

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The Art Of Everyday Play

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Lydia Ortiz (Artist), Michelle Clair (Artist)

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LEGO Still Life with Bricks: The Art of Everyday Play (LEGO x Chronicle Books)

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LEGO Still Life with Bricks: The Art of Everyday Play (LEGO x Chronicle Books) [Ortiz, Lydia, Clair, Michelle] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. LEGO Still Life with Bricks: The Art of Everyday Play (LEGO x Chronicle Books)

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The Joy Of LEGO Play

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LEGO Build Yourself Happy by Abbie Headon: 9781465496003 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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Release your inner child and build yourself happy with LEGO® bricks. Are you failing to find inner peace on a yoga mat? Does life feel like all work and no play? Having fun and getting creative can…

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Discovering The New Faces Of Neurodiversity

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Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

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Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity [Price PhD, Devon] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

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The Link Between Disorder And Genius

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The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius

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The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius [Saltz M.D., Gail] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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BrickNerd - All things LEGO and the LEGO fan community

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Therapy, Neurodiversity and LEGO: A Personal Journal - BrickNerd - All things LEGO and the LEGO fan community

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It is a wonderous thing to find your equilibrium through building, sorting and all the other activities surrounding the LEGO hobby. Yes, LEGO can become an obsession, but in moderation, it can become the best kind of therapy to explore the worlds inside of you.

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LEGO can help advocate for your neurodifferent communication needs and preferences as forms of AAC support tools.

LEGO allows ways to design and develop pathways for opportunities for growth and development of all ages.

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Over the past few years, more and more people have been using LEGO® building to help them practice mindfulness.

In 2019, we even teamed up with DK Publishing and the author Abbie Hendon to publish a self-help book entitled 'Build Yourself Happy', which contains more than 50 mindful LEGO building activities and tips. (We've featured some of our favorites below!)

Yet despite the growing popularity of mindfulness, there remains some confusion surrounding it. Mindfulness isn't just some pseudo-scientific popular fad, but can actually physically alter the brain of depressed patients for the better, as an increasing number of scientific studies are showing.

So we thought it would be a good idea to explain a little bit more about mindfulness and see why psychologists are recommending LEGO building to achieve it.

We've even created our own step-by-step guide on how to practice mindfulness through LEGO building!

Mindfulness is a therapeutic practice designed to help people who are struggling with varying levels of anxiety, stress and depression manage those feelings. It is not, as some people think, a fix-all cure. However, there are a growing number of people speaking to its benefits.

Mindfulness is essentially a form of meditation that emphasizes being aware (or mindful) on what is happening to the individual at a particular moment, in terms of their surroundings, body and mind. It asks you to notice and acknowledge all the feelings and sensations in the body, without judging them.

This concept of no judgement is important. We all have internal chatter in our brains, an internal dialogue. Unlike what some people think, mindfulness (and more generally, meditation) isn't about stepping in and stopping those thoughts. It's about stepping back.

Who is ready for a good metaphor? I know we are.

Imagine you are sitting on the bank of a river, watching the flow of the water. Any objects that are carried by the water's current - wood, leaves, even boats - represent your thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness encourages you to sit on the bank of the river, and simply watch all of it float by. Sounds easy, right? But in reality, it's actually quite difficult. Especially if there is something floating in the river that you don't like. So, because we are humans, we try and jump in, trying to fish some objects out, or try to stop the flow, or swim after the debris. And we forget that all we were trying to do was sit on that river bank and watch everything drift by.

This is why mindfulness isn't a cure for bad feelings or thoughts. It's instead all about handling them in a more positive, constructive way than we often tend to. And if your thoughts ever become too difficult to address through mindfulness, you should, of course, try to seek advice from a professional.

Here are a couple of tips to help you get started.

Mindfulness techniques often ask us to concentrate on our breath. The breath is useful because it is continual, giving us not only something to focus on initially, but something to return our attention to after our mind has wandered.

And the mind will wander. It's not a problem. That's just what it does. All you have to do is note it and guide the mind back.

Your focus, however, doesn't necessarily have to be on the breath. You don't have to, for example, breathe in a particular way (beyond keeping it steady and calm). That focus can therefore be replaced by any repetitive activity. From sewing, to sweeping or... you guessed it... building LEGO® sets.

(And it's not just us who are saying that, by the way. Interacting with LEGO bricks is regularly brought up by academic researchers on mindfulness, as a perfect example of a relaxing activity which nonetheless requires a level of mental engagement.)

But whatever the focus, the most important thing to do is to consciously pay attention to it.

If it's breathing, think about the sensation of your chest rising and falling. If it's sweeping, note the sound of the brush against the floor. If you are using LEGO bricks, you can focus on how they connect with each other, the sound when they do, and the feel of the material against your fingers.

Don't worry about the end result. At least to start with, your aim isn't to produce something 'good' or 'bad', but rather on producing an... output... simply an output. For this reason, it's best to avoid building from a LEGO manual. The focus should instead be on the process of building, which can be the thing to return to whenever you notice that the mind wanders.

Besides, there is value to be had in not worrying about an end-product. As Abbie Headon writes in 'Build Yourself Happy', "it can be a lot of fun to live without a plan sometimes." Try throwing all your cautious planning instinct to the wind and allow yourself to choose and connect bricks without thinking about where you're going. You'll be surprised at what you can create - and your internal planner/worrier/killjoy may realize that it can let go more often as a result.

"When you turn off your inner critic's running commentary, you can enjoy the sheer pleasure of creation, just like the kid you used to be"

For those of you new to mindfulness, (or, at least, to LEGO mindfulness), we've created a step-by-step guide to help get you started.

1. Get comfy - You know, you don't have to sit next to waterfall in order to get a sense of zen... Find somewhere quiet, somewhere familiar, a place where you know you won't be accidentally disturbed. Don't worry about crossing your legs if it's not comfortable, just because it seems like 'the right thing to do.' Just do you.

2. Make a Phone Blocker - People check their smartphones on average once every 10 minutes. While they help connect us to the world, they aren't great for getting us into a good frame of mind(fulness). For this, Abbie Headon has a cute solution. She writes, "the simplest way to put your phone out of service for a little while is to choose one of your bricks - whichever one is most in need of a rest - and give it a short vacation from its building work" by laying it on your phone. That way, the next time you feel like checking your phone, you'll see the snoozing brick on top of it... and you wouldn't want to wake it, now would you?

3. Start to focus - Spread your LEGO bricks out in front of you and begin to build. Don't worry about building something in particular, just focus on the process of building brick-by-brick. You don't need a lot in order to do this, indeed Abbie reckons you can even get away with having just 5 or 6 bricks. "Sometimes less really is more," she writes, "and by limiting our choices we can limit distractions and open ourselves to creativity."

4. Check in - As you concentrate on the sensations of the build, take note of how your body is feeling. Sometimes it helps to do a mental scan from head to toe. Is your jaw clenched? Your shoulders hunched? Your toes scrunched? Note it and gently relax them.

5. Be aware - Your mind will begin to wander, even as you build. Note when this happens. Don't be annoyed with yourself, don't get frustrated. Just ever so gently bring your focus back to the building and the feel of the bricks.

6. Wind down slowly - After you feel like you have achieved your aims for your session, there's no point rushing straight back to reality. Winding down slowly is a great way of ensuring you will bring mindfulness to the rest of your day (or night). For this, Abbie has another tip for us. "Choose a selection of bricks. Without thinking too hard, connect them together into a structure, and then take them apart again. Repeat as many times as you like, either making the same build every time, or creating different variations. As you build and dismantle, allow your mind to relax a bit more each time. If you've had a stressful day, you can imagine that the bricks represent something that has been troubling you. By dismantling your problems and building their parts into something more satisfying, you might feel like you can put the day behind you."

Finally, if you'd like to read more tips on LEGO mindfulness, then the entire 'Build Yourself Happy' book is available as an eBook.

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LEGO® Adults Welcome | Articles | LEGO Mindfulness | LEGO.com

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Find out why experts suggest playing with LEGO® bricks can help you get better at meditation, and read our tips on how to meditate with LEGO building!

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Let’s Get Building!

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Brick-Based Counseling [Derek Tulluck] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Brick-Based Counseling

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A 10 Week Guide To Reconnect With Who You Are, Dream A New Dream & Make Magic Happen 🌻

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Happiness Happens: a 10-week guide to reconnect with who you are, dream a new dream & make magic happen!

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Buy Happiness Happens: a 10-week guide to reconnect with who you are, dream a new dream & make magic happen!: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com

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LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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I’m OK-You’re OK [Harris, Thomas] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. I’m OK-You’re OK

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A Toltec Wisdom Book

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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Amazon.com: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book): 9781878424310: Ruiz, Don Miguel, Mills, Janet: Books

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How To Thrive When The World Overwhelms You

LEGO Sunflower Club AAC Support Toolbox IDEA to IDDA 🌻

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The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You

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The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You [Elaine N. Aron] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You

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Children are our role models and the importance of play has been at the heart of our business ever since 1932 when the company was founded. Today we are more than 17.000 colleagues worldwide, working to bring LEGO® play to children everywhere and guided by our mission - to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.'
If our mission energizes you, come and help us make a positive impact on the lives of children, our colleagues, our communities and the planet.

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38 Jobs For Lego Lovers (Clicking into Place)

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Are you an absolute Lego enthusiast? Love immersing yourself in a colorful world of bricks?

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Student Engagement Panel With District And Education Leaders | LEGO Education

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Student Engagement Panel With District And Education Leaders | LEGO Education

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Expert LEGO education leaders discuss ways to make learning more engaging and fun.

LEGO is for all ages. Customizations can be made when we band together.

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Student Engagement Panel with District and Education Leaders | LEGO Education

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Rebuilding Our World With LEGO Sunflower AAC Support Toolboxes

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Rebuilding Our World With LEGO Sunflower AAC Support Toolboxes

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There are ways to customize unique learning differences and rebuild a better world.

We need individuals and organizations to partner together and provide ADA accommodations with unique opportunity for AAC support toolboxes.

What’s in these toolboxes? 🤔

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Discover Penn State

Penn State is a top-ranked research university and Pennsylvania's sole land-grant institution, founded with a mission of high-quality teaching, expert research, and global service. Discover a community-more than 775,000 strong-driven to make a difference.

World-Class Education

With the resources of twenty-four campuses, plus an online World Campus, Penn State's educational model provides opportunities to build your future and your career.

ACADEMICS

Interdisciplinary Research

Faculty members, graduate researchers, and undergraduate students collaborate to conduct expert research on topics ranging from acoustics to zombie ants.

RESEARCH

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Penn State students, faculty, staff, and alumni are creating positive impact in their communities-in Pennsylvania and beyond.

EXPLORE

24

Campuses in communities across Pennsylvania.

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Alumni around the world.

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Annual research expenditures.

Perspective: Leaders at Penn State

In a video series, "Perspective: Leaders at Penn State," Craig J. Newschaffer, Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State, shares his love for playing music with others as an opportunity to experience the magic of a group being a force multiplier of individual efforts.

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Penn State Strategic Communications and Marketing in partnership with Penn State IT. Penn State made this.

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Penn State is a major, public, research-I university serving Pennsylvania and the global community. Learn more about our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs.

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Penn State Extension Master Gardener Extension

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Penn State Extension Master Gardener Extension

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Farm Stress Real Talk With Penn State Extension

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Farm Stress Real Talk With Penn State Extension

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Farm Stress Real Talk with Penn State Extension

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Education Podcast · 5 Seasons · Updated Weekly

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Lehigh Carbon Community College offers affordable, quality education both online and in-person in various campuses throughout Lehigh County and Carbon County.

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Success Engagement Education Determination (SEED) Program

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Success Engagement Education Determination (SEED) Program

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Success, Engagement, Education, Determination (SEED) Program - Lehigh Carbon Community College

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The Success, Engagement, Education, Determination (SEED) program provides comprehensive “direct” services for students with disabilities interested in college training to master skills in transition, academic, and/or career areas. Designed for students who may require additional services beyond what can be provided through traditional academic accommodations and support services, SEED provides education in independent living, socialization, and soft skills.

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Self Advocates United as 1 is a group of people who envision a world where people with developmental disabilities and their families are united and empowered.

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School Gardening Curriculum Rodale Institute

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School Gardening Curriculum Rodale Institute

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Program Overview

Gardening can offer lessons in everything from science and math to business and finance, which is why we developed My First Garden, a free curriculum for educators of pre-school- and kindergarten-aged children that is easily adapted for elementary-school learners, too.

Each lesson includes a video tutorial, printable resources, books to read, crafts, and snacks to get all senses involved! It consists of five lesson plans with step-by-step instructions that teachers can begin at any time of year:

Get Started

All the resources you need to implement your own school gardening program are available at MyFirstGarden.org.

Download the Curriculum

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School Gardening Curriculum - Rodale Institute

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Gardening can offer lessons in everything from science and math to business and finance, which is why we developed My First Garden, a free curriculum for educators of pre-school- and kindergarten-aged children that is easily adapted for elementary-school learners, too. Each lesson includes a video tutorial, printable resources, books to read, crafts, and snacks to get all senses involved!

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Rodale Institute has been conducting groundbreaking research on regenerative organic agriculture since 1947.

Our Anniversary Support Our Mission

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What Matters Most

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Scientific studies and trials, straight from the farm

How to make the switch to regenerative organic

Simple steps everyone can take to heal the planet

Join the movement.
Make a difference.

Rodale Institute is rated four stars by Charity Navigator.

Donate Today

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Rodale Institute - Global Leaders in Organic Agriculture Research

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Our Anniversary Support Our Mission Get the latest organic news in your inbox How we're growing the organic movement Scientific studies and trials, straight from the farm How to make the switch to regenerative organic Simple steps everyone can take to heal the planet Rodale Institute is rated four stars by Charity Navigator.

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Creative Writing Teaching And Supporting Students On The Autism Spectrum

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Creative Writing Teaching And Supporting Students On The Autism Spectrum

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10 Steps To Build Your Peer Support Program

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10 Steps To Build Your Peer Support Program

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The LEGO Group Collaboration With Lauren Von Stackelberg

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The LEGO Group Collaboration With Lauren Von Stackelberg

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Your voice matters.

Your communication matters.

You are different.🌻

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The LEGO Group collaboration with Lauren von Stackelberg

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YouTube

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Not all disabilities are visible – some are hidden and not immediately obvious, such as autism, chronic pain, dementia, anxiety, visual or hearing impairment. Living with a hidden disability can make daily life more demanding for many people, but it can be difficult for others to recognise, acknowledge or understand the challenges you face. Be visible when you want to be
Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower discreetly indicates to people around you including staff, colleagues and health professionals that you may need additional support, help or a little more time. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower YouTube channel.

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LEGO® Sunflower Characters To Help Build Inclusion

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LEGO® Sunflower Characters To Help Build Inclusion

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Are you feeling supported with helpful AAC support tools and ADA accommodations in your home, community, educational and / or professional systems?

Reaching to s/Self and others ASKING for support to extend movements ie; ada, civil rights, environmental, hidden disabilities sunflower, neurodiversity, neuroinclusion) throughout the US with Adult Neurodifferent Fans Of Living / Loving / Laughing and LEGO 🤔 with environmental advocacy action projects, publishes, products and / or programs.

Bridging gaps with members of the LEGO Sunflower Club to design and develop LEGO Sunflower Carts providing AAC support toolboxes for their members.🌻

A4US Presents Newtable Blooms 🪱🌻🐝🍯☕️🥄

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LEGO® Sunflower characters to help build inclusion

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LEGO Hidden Disability Sunflower About Us

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LEGO Hidden Disability Sunflower About Us

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Hidden Disability Sunflower - About Us - LEGO.com

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International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the LEGO Group initiatives to support fans and colleagues with disabilities, conditions and sensory needs

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Student Engagement Panel With District And Education Leaders LEGO Education

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Student Engagement Panel With District And Education Leaders LEGO Education

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Student Engagement Panel with District and Education Leaders | LEGO Education

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LEGO Sustainable Packaging Sustainability 

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LEGO Sustainable Packaging Sustainability 

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Sustainable packaging - Sustainability - LEGO.com

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We’re introducing recyclable packaging across all areas of our business, from our core products to licensed products made by our partners. At present, 93% of our packaging by weight is made from paper, cardboard and other paper-based materials. We are reducing single-use plastic and introducing paper-based bags in all our LEGO® sets, and are working hard to make this transition across all our factories.

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LEGO Climate Action Sustainability (2023?)

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LEGO Climate Action Sustainability (2023?)

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Climate action - Sustainability - LEGO.com

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Greenhouse gases (GHG) trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. They let sunlight through, but hinder heat from leaving. Too much GHG causes global warming, the main cause of climate change. To help fight it, businesses like ours need to reduce GHG emissions.

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Website

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The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a globally-recognised symbol for non-visible disabilities, also known as hidden disabilities or invisible disabilities. Some people choose to wear the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to discreetly identify that they may need support, help, or just a little more tim…

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Enabling adults with disabilities and their families to live happy, full, independent lives.

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YouTube

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The Autism Society creates connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully. As the nation’s oldest leading grassroots Autism organization, the Autism Society and its 75 local affiliates serve over half a million members of the Autism community each year. It envisions a world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they need, when they need it - including education, advocacy efforts, and supports and services throughout the lifespan. Because, the connection is you. ™

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Website

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Autism Society Creating connections for the Autism community to live fully.

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We create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully.

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Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) Project Management Toolkit

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Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) Project Management Toolkit

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Finding Your Spot

Public Or Behind The Scenes

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ASAN November Newsletter Dear friend, As we've begun wrapping up the year, we're still hard at work here at ASAN! We've celebrated self-advocacy and looked back at the work we've done this year, and we've continued to work on the issues to come! Earlier this month, we celebrated ASAN's birthday at our 2023 ASAN Gala,...

Read More "

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a national grassroots disability rights organization run by and for Autistic Americans, advocating for systems change and ensuring that the voices of Autistic people are heard in policy debates and the halls of power. Our staff work to educate communities and improve public perceptions of autism. As a 501(c)(3)...

Read More "

ASAN October Newsletter Dear friend, It's the most boo-tiful time of year, but we're still fighting some of the scariest things our community deals with, like discriminatory health care systems, subminimum wage, and lack of supports. Here's what we've been working on this month. In September, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)...

Read More "

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Regenerative Organic Living YouTube Playlist

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Regenerative Organic Living YouTube Playlist

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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If your environmental improvement project needs funding, DEP can help. We offer 50 plus grant and rebate programs to support a range of projects to improve or protect the water, land, and air in Pennsylvania.

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Community Change Grants Selections | US EPA

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Community Change Grants Selections | US EPA

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Community Change Grants Selections | US EPA

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OEJECR page to list all Community Change Grants selections

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Top 10 Bright & Quirky Quick Expert Tips

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Top 10 Bright & Quirky Quick Expert Tips

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Watch the top 10 Bright & Quirky Expert Tips from: Michele Borba, Mona Delahooke, Ned Johnson, Stuart Shanker, Linda Murphy, William Stixrud, Edward Hallowell, Elizabeth Laugeson, Alok Kanojia and Michael Rich.

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r/andfol as part our play and work mission initiative.

Extending invitations to others who are passionate about our environmental advocacy action projects. Recognizing macro and micro bits that it entails to making a difference and being different.

Sunny’s Village is not always sunny. The forecast can be unpredictable however, with small actions, you can make change with living matters. 🪱

We need top bottom and bottom top individuals and collectives.

From vermiculture to permaculture and vice versa we can design and develop neuro inclusive interior and exterior spaces.

Improving our world with active practices such as mindfulness actions, forest bathing, reforestation, vermicomposting, composting, recycling, repurposing and reusing, reducing food waste in our landfills, waste management, clean air, clean water, pollution control, etc. can make a profound impact for us and our future generations.

What kind of carbon footprint are you leaving behind?

Let’s rebuild our world. 🗺️

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Adult Neurodifferent Fans of Living / Loving / Laughing w/ LEGO 🤔 Newtable Blooms LEGO Sunflowers A ND peer support system. 🌻 Designing/developing the seasonals (sensory, emotional, awareness, social, organizational, neurodiverse, acceptance, livable/lovable/laughable, sustainable) + ROARS (regenerative, opportunity exploration, action planning, result oriented learning, s/Self) models with a LEGO + IFS environmental program. Advocating with neuro inclusive actions. Bloom As Able 🌻

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Regenerative Organic Living YouTube Playlist

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Regenerative Organic Living YouTube Playlist

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Brain Injury Association Of Pennsylvania

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Brain Injury Association Of Pennsylvania

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Why Forest Therapy Can Be Good for Your Body and Mind

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Forest therapy (AKA forest bathing) can help declutter your mind and may even boost your physical health. Learn how to work this practice — and the great outdoors — into your busy life.

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Sunflower Therapy: A Blossoming Approach to Healing and Well-being

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Discover the transformative power of sunflower therapy, a holistic approach to mental and physical well-being rooted in nature’s symbolism and beauty.

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Sunflowers as a Natural Solution to Detoxify Soil and Air in Los Angeles - Womens Earth Alliance

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The Seeds of Carver Urban Farm Collective researches bioremediation methods to naturally detoxify the soil and air in Los Angeles.

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While traditionally associated with children, LEGO therapy, also known as LEGO-based play therapy, is increasingly being used with adults to promote mindfulness, relaxation, and improved communication and problem-solving skills through online and in-person formats.

Here's a more detailed look at LEGO therapy for adults:

What is LEGO Therapy?

Focus:

LEGO therapy utilizes the universal appeal of LEGO bricks as a therapeutic tool to help individuals, including adults, express themselves, improve communication, and develop problem-solving skills.

Benefits:

Mindfulness and Relaxation: The focused nature of LEGO building can promote mindfulness and reduce stress.

Improved Communication: LEGOs can help individuals express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings more effectively.

Enhanced Problem-Solving: Building with LEGOs can encourage creativity and foster problem-solving skills.

Social Skills: Collaborative LEGO play can help build social skills and strengthen relationships.

Formats:

LEGO therapy can be delivered in various formats, including:

Online: TeleMental Health Training offers online courses on using LEGO bricks in mental health treatment, including "LEGO®-based Play Therapy Techniques".

In-Person: Play Included offers in-person training in LEGO brick-based therapy through their Brick-by-Brick® programme.

Workshops: Let's Play Therapy Institute offers workshops exploring the therapeutic power of LEGO in play therapy and counseling for working with children, adolescents, and adults.

Therapeutic Interventions: Progressive Play provides therapeutic intervention programs for both children and adults, including LEGO-based therapy.

Examples of LEGO Therapy Applications for Adults:

LEGO SERIOUS PLAY:

This method uses LEGO bricks to facilitate group discussions, encourage reflection, and develop problem-solving skills in business and education settings.

Building Models for Emotional Expression:

Adults can use LEGOs to build models that represent their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which can be a helpful tool for therapy.

Mindfulness and Relaxation:

Building with LEGOs can be a mindful activity, helping adults to focus and reduce stress.

Social Skills Development:

Collaborative LEGO building can help adults improve their social skills and build relationships.

Where to Find LEGO Therapy Training or Resources:

TeleMental Health Training: Offers online courses on LEGO-based play therapy techniques.

Play Included: Provides training in the Brick-by-Brick® programme, a LEGO brick-based therapy program.

Let's Play Therapy Institute: Offers workshops exploring the therapeutic power of LEGO in play therapy and counseling.

progressiveplay.com.au: Offers LEGO-based therapy and LEGO Serious Play facilitator training.

LEGO.com: Provides articles and resources on LEGO mindfulness and building for adults.

Brick by Brick Academy: Offers online training in LEGO-based therapy.

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LEGO Therapy for Adults

Lego therapy is a form of play therapy that utilizes Lego bricks to promote therapeutic benefits for adults. While primarily aimed at children, Lego therapy can also be beneficial for adults in various ways:

Stress and Anxiety Reduction:

Building with Legos can provide a calming and focused activity, reducing stress and anxiety levels.

The repetitive nature of constructing models can promote mindfulness and encourage present-moment awareness.

Social Interaction and Communication:

Lego therapy can foster social interaction and improve communication skills.

Collaborative building projects encourage teamwork, problem-solving, and sharing experiences.

Creativity and Self-Expression:

Lego therapy allows adults to explore their creativity and express themselves through building.

Constructing unique models can boost confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Cognitive Function and Problem-Solving:

Planning, organizing, and executing Lego projects can enhance cognitive function and problem-solving abilities.

The step-by-step process of building models can improve focus and attention to detail.

Emotional Regulation and Coping Mechanisms:

Lego therapy can provide a safe and supportive environment for adults to process emotions and develop coping mechanisms.

Expressing emotions through building can be a cathartic and therapeutic experience.

Benefits for Specific Populations:

Lego therapy can be particularly beneficial for adults with autism spectrum disorder, who may find comfort and structure in the activity.

It can also be helpful for adults with PTSD or other mental health conditions, providing a non-threatening way to engage in therapeutic activities.

How to Access Lego Therapy:

Some mental health professionals and therapists offer Lego therapy as part of their services.

There are also Lego therapy groups and workshops available online and in some communities.

Adults can also purchase Lego sets and engage in self-guided Lego therapy at home.

Conclusion:

Lego therapy can be a beneficial and enjoyable activity for adults, offering a range of therapeutic benefits, including stress reduction, social interaction, creativity, and emotional regulation. It is important to note that Lego therapy is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment, but it can be a complementary and supportive

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To develop a virtual LEGO club, establish a platform (like Discord, a dedicated website, or a social media group), set clear rules and guidelines, organize regular virtual meetings with building challenges and discussions, and encourage participation and creativity among members.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Choose a Platform:

Discord:

A popular choice for online communities, offering voice and text chat, and the ability to create channels for different LEGO-related topics.

Dedicated Website/Forum:

Allows for more organized content and resources, such as building instructions, challenges, and member portfolios.

Social Media Group (Facebook, Reddit, etc.):

Good for wider reach and initial promotion, but may lack the structure of other options.

2. Establish Rules and Guidelines:

Respectful Conduct: Ensure a positive and inclusive environment for all members.

Content Guidelines: Define acceptable building themes, challenges, and discussions.

Moderation: Designate moderators to enforce rules and maintain order.

3. Organize Regular Virtual Meetings:

Building Challenges: Assign weekly or monthly themes or challenges to spark creativity.

Show and Tell: Encourage members to share their builds and discuss their creations.

Discussions: Organize discussions about LEGO history, building techniques, or specific themes.

Games and Activities: Incorporate LEGO-themed games or activities to keep things fun and engaging.

4. Encourage Participation and Creativity:

Member Introductions: Start with a round of introductions to help members get to know each other.

Seed Parts: Provide a "seed" part for members to incorporate into their builds, fostering collaboration.

Work in Progress: Encourage members to share their builds in progress.

Feedback and Critique: Provide constructive feedback on each other's builds to help members grow.

Collaboration: Organize group building projects or challenges to foster teamwork.

LEGO Ambassador Network: LEGO Ambassador Network is a great resource to find communities and events near you.

LEGO Ideas: LEGO Ideas is a globally available open innovation community where LEGO fans can submit their own ideas for new LEGO sets.

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Over the past few years, more and more people have been using LEGO® building to help them practice mindfulness.

In 2019, we even teamed up with DK Publishing and the author Abbie Hendon to publish a self-help book entitled 'Build Yourself Happy', which contains more than 50 mindful LEGO building activities and tips. (We've featured some of our favorites below!)

Yet despite the growing popularity of mindfulness, there remains some confusion surrounding it. Mindfulness isn't just some pseudo-scientific popular fad, but can actually physically alter the brain of depressed patients for the better, as an increasing number of scientific studies are showing.

So we thought it would be a good idea to explain a little bit more about mindfulness and see why psychologists are recommending LEGO building to achieve it.

We've even created our own step-by-step guide on how to practice mindfulness through LEGO building!

Mindfulness is a therapeutic practice designed to help people who are struggling with varying levels of anxiety, stress and depression manage those feelings. It is not, as some people think, a fix-all cure. However, there are a growing number of people speaking to its benefits.

Mindfulness is essentially a form of meditation that emphasizes being aware (or mindful) on what is happening to the individual at a particular moment, in terms of their surroundings, body and mind. It asks you to notice and acknowledge all the feelings and sensations in the body, without judging them.

This concept of no judgement is important. We all have internal chatter in our brains, an internal dialogue. Unlike what some people think, mindfulness (and more generally, meditation) isn't about stepping in and stopping those thoughts. It's about stepping back.

Who is ready for a good metaphor? I know we are.

Imagine you are sitting on the bank of a river, watching the flow of the water. Any objects that are carried by the water's current - wood, leaves, even boats - represent your thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness encourages you to sit on the bank of the river, and simply watch all of it float by. Sounds easy, right? But in reality, it's actually quite difficult. Especially if there is something floating in the river that you don't like. So, because we are humans, we try and jump in, trying to fish some objects out, or try to stop the flow, or swim after the debris. And we forget that all we were trying to do was sit on that river bank and watch everything drift by.

This is why mindfulness isn't a cure for bad feelings or thoughts. It's instead all about handling them in a more positive, constructive way than we often tend to. And if your thoughts ever become too difficult to address through mindfulness, you should, of course, try to seek advice from a professional.

Here are a couple of tips to help you get started.

Mindfulness techniques often ask us to concentrate on our breath. The breath is useful because it is continual, giving us not only something to focus on initially, but something to return our attention to after our mind has wandered.

And the mind will wander. It's not a problem. That's just what it does. All you have to do is note it and guide the mind back.

Your focus, however, doesn't necessarily have to be on the breath. You don't have to, for example, breathe in a particular way (beyond keeping it steady and calm). That focus can therefore be replaced by any repetitive activity. From sewing, to sweeping or... you guessed it... building LEGO® sets.

(And it's not just us who are saying that, by the way. Interacting with LEGO bricks is regularly brought up by academic researchers on mindfulness, as a perfect example of a relaxing activity which nonetheless requires a level of mental engagement.)

But whatever the focus, the most important thing to do is to consciously pay attention to it.

If it's breathing, think about the sensation of your chest rising and falling. If it's sweeping, note the sound of the brush against the floor. If you are using LEGO bricks, you can focus on how they connect with each other, the sound when they do, and the feel of the material against your fingers.

Don't worry about the end result. At least to start with, your aim isn't to produce something 'good' or 'bad', but rather on producing an... output... simply an output. For this reason, it's best to avoid building from a LEGO manual. The focus should instead be on the process of building, which can be the thing to return to whenever you notice that the mind wanders.

Besides, there is value to be had in not worrying about an end-product. As Abbie Headon writes in 'Build Yourself Happy', "it can be a lot of fun to live without a plan sometimes." Try throwing all your cautious planning instinct to the wind and allow yourself to choose and connect bricks without thinking about where you're going. You'll be surprised at what you can create - and your internal planner/worrier/killjoy may realize that it can let go more often as a result.

"When you turn off your inner critic's running commentary, you can enjoy the sheer pleasure of creation, just like the kid you used to be"

For those of you new to mindfulness, (or, at least, to LEGO mindfulness), we've created a step-by-step guide to help get you started.

1. Get comfy - You know, you don't have to sit next to waterfall in order to get a sense of zen... Find somewhere quiet, somewhere familiar, a place where you know you won't be accidentally disturbed. Don't worry about crossing your legs if it's not comfortable, just because it seems like 'the right thing to do.' Just do you.

2. Make a Phone Blocker - People check their smartphones on average once every 10 minutes. While they help connect us to the world, they aren't great for getting us into a good frame of mind(fulness). For this, Abbie Headon has a cute solution. She writes, "the simplest way to put your phone out of service for a little while is to choose one of your bricks - whichever one is most in need of a rest - and give it a short vacation from its building work" by laying it on your phone. That way, the next time you feel like checking your phone, you'll see the snoozing brick on top of it... and you wouldn't want to wake it, now would you?

3. Start to focus - Spread your LEGO bricks out in front of you and begin to build. Don't worry about building something in particular, just focus on the process of building brick-by-brick. You don't need a lot in order to do this, indeed Abbie reckons you can even get away with having just 5 or 6 bricks. "Sometimes less really is more," she writes, "and by limiting our choices we can limit distractions and open ourselves to creativity."

4. Check in - As you concentrate on the sensations of the build, take note of how your body is feeling. Sometimes it helps to do a mental scan from head to toe. Is your jaw clenched? Your shoulders hunched? Your toes scrunched? Note it and gently relax them.

5. Be aware - Your mind will begin to wander, even as you build. Note when this happens. Don't be annoyed with yourself, don't get frustrated. Just ever so gently bring your focus back to the building and the feel of the bricks.

6. Wind down slowly - After you feel like you have achieved your aims for your session, there's no point rushing straight back to reality. Winding down slowly is a great way of ensuring you will bring mindfulness to the rest of your day (or night). For this, Abbie has another tip for us. "Choose a selection of bricks. Without thinking too hard, connect them together into a structure, and then take them apart again. Repeat as many times as you like, either making the same build every time, or creating different variations. As you build and dismantle, allow your mind to relax a bit more each time. If you've had a stressful day, you can imagine that the bricks represent something that has been troubling you. By dismantling your problems and building their parts into something more satisfying, you might feel like you can put the day behind you."

Finally, if you'd like to read more tips on LEGO mindfulness, then the entire 'Build Yourself Happy' book is available as an eBook.

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LEGO® Adults Welcome | Articles | LEGO Mindfulness | LEGO.com

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Find out why experts suggest playing with LEGO® bricks can help you get better at meditation, and read our tips on how to meditate with LEGO building!