Teaching lies at the heart of all I do. Here are recent community-based ventures.
As special guest, with Pamela Mulloy, for “Women on the Move” book panel at the 2024 Write on the French River Creative Writing Retreat at The Lodge at Pine Cove (Noelville, Ontario). With thanks to brilliant panelists Lindy Mechefske and Nicola Ross, and intrepid innkeeper Alex Strachan.
Mountain Ash Press Writers’ Retreat (Queenston, Ontario, November 2024), with press co-founders Andy Combo (Virginia) and Caroline Topperman (Toronto). Guiding writers from the US and Canada through a dreamy few days of focusing, creating, and writerly reset.
MASTER CLASSES with change-makers in creative nonfiction. Part of the Spiritual Life Writing series I founded (2020-23) hosted by Awakening Spirituality.
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At Conferences, Festivals & In Community (sample):
Creative Writing: Workshops & panels at The Wild Writers Literary Festival (2012-2022); Kingston Writers Fest; Growing Room Festival (Vancouver); University of Guelph Library Writer’s Workshops; Native Immigrant writing workshops (Montreal).
Also, retreats, library events, book launches and more.
Writing Courses: “Remaking the World: The Art of Spiritual Memoir” four-week online master class (2020), co-sponsored by Emmanuel College (University of Toronto) and the Canadian Nonfiction Collective (CNFC). Focused on writing that’s sharp, fresh, and relevant.
Eight-month “Writing Spiritual Memoir” course with Prajnatara of Amida Mosaic Sangha (London, Ontario).
“If I Speak, Who Will Listen?” Eight-month women’s writing workshop (Boulder, Colorado).
“The Spiritual Lifestory Workshop,” Eight-month life-writing workshop with co-founder Ronald L. Grimes (Boulder, Colorado) led to the anthology and performance, I Couldn’t Wait to Tell Somebody, and I Didn’t Want to Tell a Soul.
Environmental humanities: Narrative Matters Interdisciplinary Conference(s) (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia); Beyond Nature: Ecology and Performance Interdisciplinary Conference (Lancaster, UK); Environmental Studies Association of Canada (York U, Toronto); the Canadian Forum on Religion and Ecology; Community Arts Ontario; Finders Keepers International Women’s Conference; Lower Grand River Land Trust; Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition; Ontario Museum Association; The Ontario Rural Council; Ottawa Storytelling Festival; Toronto Conservation Authority; Toronto Storytelling Festival; Waterloo Unlimited.
Religion & the arts: Groundswell Multi-faith Initiative, adult education certificate program in community leadership with co-founder, Teresa Bryant, King’s College, London, Ontario. Women’s Circle Multifaith Gathering at the Jesse Saulteaux Centre (Manitoba). Women’s contemplative literature study circles (Waterloo, Ontario and Boulder, Colorado).