Ritual and spirituality intentional practices—rooted in meaning, belief, and tradition—that nurture the inner life, affirm personal and cultural identity, and connect individuals to something greater than themselves, whether divine, communal, or ancestral. Research shows these elements in their ability to foster resilience, dignity, and healing, especially among marginalized populations. In social work and service provider settings spirituality helps clients process trauma, find purpose, and build community, while rituals—such as prayer, storytelling, memorials, crystals, or culturally significant ceremonies—offer grounding, structure, and symbolic transformation. Studies emphasize that integrating spirituality into care enhances ethical, culturally responsive, and holistic practice. 

This approach aligns with flourishing and empowerment frameworks, which emphasize not only meeting basic needs but supporting people in realizing their full potential, sense of self, and well-being. Ritual and spirituality provide pathways for meaning-making, self-worth, and identity reconstruction—critical components of flourishing—while empowering individuals to reclaim authorship over the narratives in their own lives. In homelessness response specifically, where loss of community, control, and meaning are common, spirituality and ritual can help restore a sense of belonging, reframe identity beyond crisis, and create sacred space in systems often marked by rigid processes that result in dehumanizing experiences. Whether through spiritual counseling, group reflection, or ritualized transitions (e.g., celebrating housing milestones), these practices humanize services and support long-term transformation, offering people not just stability, but the chance to thrive.

Please join us for a lecture and discussion on ritual followed by a sound bath.  Snacks and refreshments will also be provided.

Please register in advance for this event HERE.

We are excited to be joined by two experts in related fields, Dr. Alisa Orduña and Micah Sheiner!

Dr. Alisa Orduña

Dr. Alisa Orduña is a nationally recognized strategist and scholar-practitioner in homelessness policy, racial equity, and community development. With over 28 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, she has shaped housing and homeless systems in cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Santa Monica.

She is the founder of Florence Aliese Advancement Network, LLC, a consulting firm advancing equity-centered, community-driven solutions to homelessness through system design, stakeholder engagement, and participatory research.

A depth psychologist and Adjunct Faculty at USC’s Price School of Public Policy, Dr. Orduña bridges academic inquiry with practice, teaching on the intersections of homelessness, race, and human rights. Her work is grounded in Indigenous and liberation psychologies, with a focus on healing historical harm and cultivating belonging. Alisa is also an initiated priestess of Osun and Obatala in the Ifa/Orisa tradition of the Yoruba spiritual modality.

Micah Sheiner

Micah Sheiner is a vibrational artist/healer. He travels extensively to learn from musical, spiritual, & healing traditions around the world. With inspiration from India, he has dedicated much of his path to the yoga of sound. In Nepal he has trained in Himalayan sound healing with singing bowls, gongs, & bells. In Europe he has apprenticed in gong playing, gong yoga, & Starhenge World Peace Bell Gardens with Don Conreaux.

He is currently studying Traditional Tibetan Medicine & Yoga with Dr. Nida Chenagtsang – integrating external therapies, herbal medicine, mantra & spiritual healing into his sound healing practice.

Micah received a Master’s degree in Education from UCLA. He explores and teaches sound through bowls, gongs, voice, didgeridoo, strings, & percussion instruments. He weaves these into resonant soundscapes for healing, meditation, yoga, & journeying. Micah conducts sound baths, workshops, individual sessions, & performances in California and internationally.