The Embodied Narrative

Curious about expressive writing? This session is a perfect, zero-pressure introduction. Based on foundational research, you'll learn *why* writing about our experiences improves health. You will be guided through one private, timed 15-minute writing exercise. There is no sharing, no feedback, and no pressure—just you and the page.

Trauma and grief are not just in our minds; they are held in the body. This workshop introduces "embodied writing." We'll begin with a guided meditation to practice somatic awareness, followed by generative prompts that ask: "Where does this feeling live in your body? What is its shape, its color, its texture?".

Your voice is a powerful tool for self-regulation. This session is a practical introduction to the science of your "social engagement system" (Polyvagal Theory). We'll move through gentle breathwork and vocal release exercises ("toning") to calm the nervous system and build a foundation for empowered self-expression.

Writing about trauma requires safety. This workshop teaches you how to build a "safe container" for your story using "The Poet's Shield." You'll learn three powerful, research-backed distancing techniques: **Persona Poems** (writing as a character), **Third-Person POV** (using "she/they" instead of "I"), and **Object-Metaphor Focus**. We'll have generative writing time followed by a structured, optional sharing circle.

Based on the proven, trauma-informed Pongo Poetry Project, this workshop is designed to be "safe, fast, and replicable." It's for anyone who thinks, "I'm not a poet." Using a series of structured "fill-in-the-blank" and question-based prompts, you'll be gently guided to write a powerful poem about your experience. Pongo's data shows 74% of participants write about something they've "never shared before."

Spoken word poetry is a communal art. Healing happens when we are heard and validated. This workshop focuses on the profound power of "active witnessing." After a generative writing prompt, we will practice a deeply structured, non-critical sharing circle modeled after therapeutic best practices, where listeners "reflect the core of its power back to the writer."

Trauma can fragment our life's story. This workshop gives you the tools to "re-author" it. We'll combine the cognitive structuring of expressive writing (finding meaning) with the "Poet's Shield" to find new perspectives. We will move from "what happened" to "what I've become," focusing on themes of "hope, empowerment, and growth."

This is a deep, somatic exploration of your voice as an instrument of healing. We'll go beyond theory and into the practice of "somatic psychopoetics." We'll use guided meditation, embodied writing prompts ("body monologues"), and extended vocal release techniques to bridge the "conscious/unconscious divide." This is about learning to use your own voice to regulate your own nervous system.

We heal by seeing our stories in others. In this session, we'll study the work of celebrated spoken word artists, like Sabrina Benaim, who bravely write about trauma and healing. We'll analyze *how* they build their "safe containers" and validate the "messy middle," then use their poems as prompts for our own writing.

This full-day intensive integrates the "Triad of Healing": writing, embodiment, and witnessing. **Morning:** We build our "Safe Container." **Mid-day:** We find our "Embodied Voice." **Afternoon:** We practice sharing in "The Healing Circle." This workshop is a complete journey from the private page to the validated voice.

This intensive is specifically for those who feel "stuck" or are new to writing about trauma. We build safety from the ground up, starting with private expressive writing, moving to the highly structured Pongo Method, and exploring the *full* Poet's Shield toolkit. Sharing is optional; safety and agency are paramount.

Inspired by the work of poet Michael Pedersen, this workshop moves beyond the pain of loss to the celebration of connection. We will learn to "cauterise the wound" not by focusing on the absence, but by "time-traveling" to "immerse" ourselves in "joyous moments." This is an active, generative session on writing poems of love, remembrance, and enduring joy.

This weekend retreat is a holistic journey. **Day 1 is "The Story":** We focus on cognitive tools (expressive writing, Narrative Therapy) and building our toolkit of "Safe Containers" (The Poet's Shield). **Day 2 is "The Voice":** We focus on somatic tools (Embodied Writing, Vocal Release) and communal healing (The Healing Circle). You will leave with a new relationship to your story and a toolkit for continued healing.

This is our capstone immersion, moving from private writing to public validation. **Day 1: Find the Story:** Safe, generative writing using the full toolkit. **Day 2: Find the Voice:** A full day of somatic and vocal performance techniques to embody your work with power. **Day 3: Find the Witness:** Rehearsal, self-care, and a final, celebratory performance for our own group, followed by a powerful "active witnessing" feedback session.