Parenting can feel like an impossible job even when everything goes as planned. But parents of kids with special needs have additional challenges: needing to become an expert in your child’s disability; managing in the face of logistical, physical, and emotional complications; functioning with even less time to yourself, and often a sense of real isolation from other parents who look like they have it easier. I wanted to offer this group because I have experienced how the potential for burnout is especially high for hardworking parents who’ve had to sacrifice a lot to care for their family. Finding an inner spark and fostering your creativity is one way to lift burnout; connecting with other parents dealing with similar challenges is another.

Is this a therapy group? A writing group?

I am a therapist, and I am a writer. In the groups I run, I make use of my training as a therapist, but they are not therapy groups. The intent is to combine creative spark, steady encouragement to write, and, importantly, the camaraderie of people with whom you have something important in common. Writing experience or ambition is not necessary. The only thing you need is the desire to be real with yourself on the page, and to be interested in spending time with other parents who have the same desire.

What will the group feel like?

My intention for this group is to provide a (virtual) space for parents to be able to refuel by both looking within, and connecting out to others. While it’s likely some will want to write about hard things, my aim is that this group is something you’ll look forward to. The vibe is friendly, warm, encouraging, even fun. There’s enough heavy difficulty in the world, and in the care you provide. This group is to help counter that.

How will it work?

The group will meet weekly for six weeks, starting in October 2024. Each session will last 90 minutes. Groups will have between 8 - 10 members. The cost is $300 for the six week program.

We’ll start each session with a five minute warm-up prompt, which will give us the chance to see where we are, and what we’re bringing to the group that day. After hearing from everyone who’d like to share what they wrote, I will offer a framework for the day’s main writing exercise. It could be a piece of artwork, an artifact from nature, a comedy clip, a poem, a movie scene, a paragraph from a piece of fiction. We will then write for about 30 minutes. Participants will have a chance to read from what they wrote, and receive encouraging feedback from the group.

How do I sign up?

If you are interested in this group, please fill out the form below. I’ll get in touch to answer your questions, and you can make sure the group is right for you.

We will start our 6 session workshop in October 2024. Once we have 8 - 10 participants signed up, we will set our start date.