Class

Self-Care for Writers: Expressive Writing Practices for Creativity, Serenity, and Joy

Expressive writing practices can be a highly accessible, effective tool for enhancing creativity, professional development, and shifting our mood during challenging times. In this workshop, we’ll engage with several structured journaling techniques to help clarify and organize thoughts, while inspiring ideas for writing projects and managing stress.

Developed by Kathleen Adams, founder of the Therapeutic Writing Institute, these methods have proven effective for working through emotions, finding solutions, and discovering hidden skills and strengths. Come explore these illuminating exercises in community with others, in a safe and supportive environment. Short readings of authors including J. Ruth Gendler and Pat Schneider—as well as an explanation of the research supporting these writing practices—will provide additional stimulation for discussion. The workshop will include a taste of SoulCollage®, an expressive arts method through which we’ll create small collages then write about them using specific journaling prompts. (No artistic ability required.) Participants will have the opportunity to share their work—if they choose—and receive positive, uplifting feedback.

All Classes listed on the Loft website take place in Central Time.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.