Workshops

Written By Rebecca Gifford

Creativity is a muscle that we can strengthen into a source of joy and connection.

Jot me a note if you’re interested in organizing a group series or offering a writing workshop through your organization.

Journaling Together is a monthly online writing group focused on conditioning your writing muscles by writing regularly with others and offering validation for our writing practice. A current series of Journaling Together is being offered through the Brian Grant Foundation through the end of 2025. It is open to people with Parkinson’s and care partners of people with Parkinson’s. In each one-hour session a unique prompt or question will be offered to spark creativity and then you’ll have some writing time in the company of others via Zoom. Participants are welcome to share some of the day’s writing and discuss what they discovered during the exercise, though sharing work is not required. Each session stands alone, so feel free to drop in and see what comes up when you take the expectations out of creative expression. Here is the link to register for Journaling Together through the Brian Grant Foundation:

https://briangrant.org/series/journaling-together/

Word Wellness is designed to help participants access their inherent creativity through writing and learn to add creative expression to their human-ing toolbox. Each session explores a theme around self-awareness, creative expression and resilience — e.g., conditioning your creativity muscles, releasing emotions, finding hope, facing your inner critic, etc. Writing exercises and group discussion help you deepen your relationship with yourself and connect to others. No writing experience is necessary, and it is not a traditional workshop focused on technical instruction or feedback. However, you likely will improve your relationship with this powerful tool. Word Wellness is easily adapted to meet the needs of any organization or group. It works best with a maximum registration of 15 writers.

Express Yourself is a 6-, 8-, 10- or 12-week course designed to help you use writing to (re)discover your inherent creativity and your desire to write. Writing can be a powerful tool for growth and self-discovery, and this intense workshop will help you dig deep. In-workshop exercises and discussion introduce questions related to creative expression and self awareness. Home writing exercises encourage writers to find ways to mine their experiences and imagination and tell their stories with vulnerability. Sharing and listening to each other’s work helps to validate and build resilience in the creative process. Express Yourself is designed for a maximum group of 10 writers. Upcoming dates TBA.

Playing with Words is all about using fun writing exercises to help you discover or sharpen your language and storytelling skills. This short online workshop (re)conditions your writing muscles and inspires you to use writing as a regular practice for self-care, to remember that writing can be fun, and to maintain momentum in your projects. All levels of writing experience and confidence are welcome in this safe and open space — from “I haven’t written anything but work emails in years” to “I’m finishing up my most recent collection of sonnets.” Come play with words! Upcoming dates TBA.

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”I learned so much, both about writing and about myself.”

“If you’re looking for a unique opportunity to dig deeper into yourself and discover what kind of writer you are,
this is the workshop for you.”

“Rebecca has a gift for making people feel heard.”

“I have a writing project underway and I now feel more confident and inspired to continue with it.”

“Her exercises, prompts and particularly her guidance create a setting that is safe and that encourages your creative self to shine through. “

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE WORDS PEOPLE WROTE
ABOUT REBECCA’S WORKSHOPS & COACHING

Some Helpful Links

To listen to a podcast about using writing and creativity to cope and thrive, go to When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, Season 2, Ep. 19 (February 18, 2020, How Writing Can Help People with Parkinson’s) featuring Rebecca discussing her story, tools and techniques: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/when-life-gives-you-parkinsons/id1404983468?i=1000466033102

To read a blog she wrote about how she uses writing and journaling as a self-care tool: https://www.worldpdcongress.org/home/2022/11/30/riding-the-parkinsons-rollercoaster-one-word-at-a-time

To watch a video about the Parkinson’s Pride Initiative for which she led a writing workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkwEeG2KNxo

Rebecca Gifford
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