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 Take some time and read stories of how The Hands Kit - Connected by Love has helped other people. There are stories of joy, stories or sorrow and stories of beautiful connections. Each story is unique and inspiring. After you read the stories and look at the photos that have been sent, make sure you go to the forum and connect with people from around the world. The connections never end at Constructive Healing. Patti’s House of Hair
When Patti and her family gathered on Mother’s Day, 2006, it was with mixed emotions. They were, on one hand, celebrating 3 incredible women who had mothered a total of 6 children. Everyone was there as they honored each other. But one mother stood out. She was in the fight of her life. Patti had been diagnosed 2 months before this with lung cancer. She had already gone through all the tests, had undergone surgery to remove the tumor and ½ of her right lung. Now she was undergoing chemotherapy. She had just started losing her hair that week, and when they finished lunch that day, they were going to ceremoniously shave her head. Patti is a beautiful, 70 year old woman, and looks and acts like she is 60. She is still so vibrant, plays golf, works out, does special things with her four grandchildren, and travels extensively with her husband. For her to be slowed down was hard enough. For her to lose her hair was even harder. This would be an outward sign of the illness that made it real. Lunch was over, and they set up the “beauty salon” on her back patio. How was this going to go down? Abruptly her grandson, Ian, age 15, volunteered to be the “stylist”. From that point on, a family that finds fun in every situation rallied and embraced the event. They draped Patti’s shoulders, gave her a mirror, and Ian began the buzz cut. She, along with the other 8 family members, began giving Ian instructions. What started as a scary scenario, with full out loving involvement, became hilarious. Patti’s head was beautiful. Suddenly she looked over and saw an astounding sight. Ian was shaving his head in support of his “MoMo”. What a tribute!
Patti explained to her family what the Hands Kit was about. “The point is to connect” she kept hearing. She had been told “The Story”, now on the websitewww.constructivehealing.com and wanted to be a part of it. So she asked her family to create this project as her support circle. She explained the concept of each person’s learning about the 5 elements and their significance. They loved the idea and willingly traced their hands after deciding which element of the Constructive Healing Cycle best described each of them. They sent their hand outlines to us. We formed the healing circle, painted their hands the colors corresponding to their elements, and then placed the picture her son Brad had taken of her hands in a pose meant to receive their love and support. Voila! The first completed hands project to replicate the original!! ors, shapes, and meanings are representative of them. The first hands project was inspired by a need to support and connect. It has become a wonderful way to create a loving circle around someone fighting a disease as well as celebrating a new baby! The uses are varied and will appear monthly on our web site and in this newsletter. Patti’s finished project was plaqued and hangs with pride in her home and reminds her every day that she has love, honor, and support around her. As of this writing, Patti has just had a clear pet scan and is embarking on a cruise through the Balkans! Nancy Noyes is the co-founder of ConstructiveHealing.com and one of Patti’s best friends.
"The Hands Kit" Serves as Beneficial Tool in Family Meeting
My name is Beth Levin Kelley and I am a psychotherapist in here in Denver. I recently purchased a “Hands Kit – Connected by Love” from ConstructiveHealing.com in order to use it with a family I see for counseling. The Martinez family came to me because their 9 yr old daughter had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia and they were needing support for her and their other children throughout this challenging time. After meeting individually with Sally, their daughter for several months, we decided to have a family session to introduce the idea of a “family meeting”. Family meetings are a great way to set aside specific times throughout each month were families get together to hold a structured meeting to discuss different things going on in the home. Sometimes families discuss, chores, communication, respecting each other’s privacy and things of that nature. It is also a great vehicle to process feelings and build unity among family members. Each person has a voice and is able to contribute to the greater common goals of the family. At the end of each family meeting it is traditional to have a fun activity that brings the members closer together. What better activity than the “Hands Kit?” When we sat to do the Hands Kit connection activity, I read through the element meanings so that family members could decide which element spoke to them. It was a time of laughter while the children pointed at each family member as I read the different characteristics. “DAD! Dad is FIRE,” one child yelled! “NO! He is METAL,” another sibling argued. As the negotiations wore on the family, each identified with a color and element that they felt best described their unique contributions. The youngest boy was Earth because he was the glue that held that family together. The family all agreed that whenever someone was upset, sad, angry, or crabby the youngest boy, James, would insist on a “group hug” until everyone was laughing. The “Hands Kit” is a meaningful, and therapeutic activity that provides many healing properties. It really compliments the themes of my work, to bring families and individuals together in shared growth and healing. I look forward to using the kits more frequently in my practice.
Beth Levin Kelley, MA, LPC
All of the identifying information was changed to protect the confidentiality of my clients. Beth Levin Kelley is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and has been working in the Denver area since 2001. She works primarily with individual adults and adolescents who are interested in making change, improving coping skills, and healing from loss. If you are interested in more information about her practice, please feel free to contact her at: 303-756-9052 x.131 The above story is one example of how “The Hands Kit – Connected by Love” has been used. This interactive art in healing project can be used for many different connection situations. If you would like to share your story, or if you have any questions, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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By Nancy Noyes