CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The P.E.I. Writers' Guild will host the second workshop in its Writing for Healing series on Oct. 12 at the Haviland Club in Charlottetown and has a limited number of bursaries available.
The full-day workshop will be led by Susan Doiron, a therapist and educator, who will guide participants through a therapeutic journalling workshop, based on her own program entitled “Journalling with Soul.”
The Guild has a limited number of bursaries available for this workshop. To apply, email [email protected] by the end of Friday, Sept. 20.
The cost, which includes a catered lunch and nutritional breaks, is $85 for guild members and $95 for non-guild members. There is no cost for the open-mic event. Those interested can register via peiwritersguild.com. For information, contact Sophia Ball, guild secretary and Writing for Healing co-ordinator ([email protected]).
For the workshop, Doiron will incorporate breath meditation, guided meditation, reflective prompts, and journalling exercises. Participants will learn how to effectively journal to make ideas more tangible, moving from insight and ideas to affirmation and action.
The idea to host a workshop series on therapeutic writing was inspired by guild members after observing that individuals participating in guild workshops, open mic events and the annual Island Literary Awards seem to be gravitating toward writing as a method of working through mental health challenges and obstacles.
The first workshop in the series took part in July, and an open mic for participants of both sessions is scheduled for November.
“We had a great turn out for the first Writing for Healing workshop,” said Sophia Ball.
“There’s definitely a pull toward therapeutic writing, with people who wouldn't otherwise consider themselves a writer taking part in the practise.”
Ball notes that engaging in therapeutic writing, such as journalling, is an accessible activity.
P.E.I. Writers’ Guild President, Maureen Duffy Cobb hopes that this series will appeal to those who may not have previously considered engaging in the act of writing before.
The goal is to provide individuals with the tools to process thoughts and feelings effectively and safely, as well as cultivate strong life writing skills and offer those who may have experienced trauma on some level a chance to explore their emotions through writing.
“We’ve seen many talented writers, especially youth, tackling an array of difficult topics related to mental health, wellness, and healing in their writing, including depression, abuse, trauma, fractured relationships, social justice, and the experiences of marginalization and oppression. Writing for Healing will offer a chance to explore these topics further, with the added benefit of including a trauma-informed therapist on hand at every workshop for anyone who may need additional support.”
