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Writing as a Pathway: Farewell

After last night’s celebration and Claire’s wonderful chocolate cake, it’s finally the last morning of the Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Transformation and Change retreat. And what I see around me is laughter, hugging, connecting and yes, some tears. The tough part of a retreat is always when it’s over. So we always […]

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Writing Prompt: Identify a story you have told repeatedly that keeps you locked into an identity you no longer want to define you.

Giving Up the Story

“The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that.” —Eckhart Tolle Identify a story you have told repeatedly that keeps you locked into an identity you no longer want to define you.

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Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Overplan, Then Let Go

Over the past two weeks, Evelyn and I have sat and talked through the different phases of our upcoming retreat. We’ve reviewed the three sections of the retreat that I first developed with my friend and colleague Nancy London: Grieving, Uncertainty, and Transformation, the rough stages involved in integrating major life changes. During the first

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Commonweal

Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Building the Container

One of the most important things about creating a powerful, transformative retreat is building a safe environment in which the work of the retreat can unfold. That’s why for an intensive writing retreat—one whose goal is deep writing and internal work—the setting is so important. It’s one of the reasons I love teaching at the

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Writing Prompt: Identify a story you have told repeatedly that keeps you locked into an identity you no longer want to define you.

Five Proudest Moments

“I don’t fully understand my life until I write it.” —Robert Frost Think back through your life and think about what you are most proud of. The items on your list could be things you accomplished “out in the world” or things that happened internally. Knowing who you are and where you’ve come from, what

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Writing as a Pathway Retreat

Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Introducing Writing as a Pathway

Friday marks the start of my first “Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Transition and Change” retreat since before the pandemic. This is a retreat I created with my colleague Nancy London and co-taught with Nancy and David Colin Carr for several years. I was inspired to create it after my mother died in

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