Tuesdays, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 10 a.m.- noon
The Learning Curve, Tucson, Arizona

The impulse to “hear” ourselves by putting words on a page is a very human one. This kind of self-expressive writing, often called journaling, is also a powerful tool for healing body, mind, and spirit. People journal for any number of reasons: to explore dreams, develop intuition and creativity, give themselves a voice, heal relationships, clarify spirituality, envision the future, imagine possibilities, empower themselves, and even maximize time and business efficiency. Other reasons undoubtedly exist. That’s the beauty of journaling―it is infinitely supple and adaptable.
 
Journaling is an intensely personal activity unhampered by rules. Yet using some simple journaling techniques can enhance your practice and make it more empowering. Learn a dozen techniques during this four-session Journal to the Self® workshop (with six more techniques in the workbook for you to try later). Among them are The Five-Minute Sprint, Springboards, Captured Moments, Dialogue, Unsent Letters, Topics du Jour, Perspectives, and Alpha Poems.
 
Cost: $125 (Journal to the Self® workbook included)
Location: The Windmill Inn, 4250 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson
Information: The Learning Curve   Top

October 22-23, 2010
Atlanta, Georgia

Brain injury is a life-changing event, and it’s important that survivors be able to tell the stories of their new lives, even years after their injury. Barbara Stahura will introduce the concepts she has used since 2006 in her “After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story” journaling workshop to help survivors of brain injury clarify their experiences, deal with life changes and strong emotions, and focus on the positive. People with brain injury, family members/caregivers, journal instructors, and therapists can all benefit from this workshop. This hands-on session will demonstrate how to use After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story, the first journaling book for people with brain injury, for individual or group journaling.

People with brain injury often become frustrated and depressed as they attempt to cope with the realities of their altered lives. They can also isolate themselves, feeling unsure about navigating and negotiating a world they may no longer recognize as familiar. Journaling has long been known to offer therapeutic benefits, and people with brain injury can benefit from it, too, by using directed prompts and exercises. In this way, they can write their stories for themselves, as in traditional journaling, and they may choose to share those stories with others to increase understanding and build connections. If they journal in a group with a facilitator, they find they are not alone but in the company of others who understand as no one else can. Top