Share Your Story: a six-week therapeutic writing programme designed for women who want to express their creativity and tell their stories in a safe, supportive and nurturing community.
What is the story you are burning to share? What narrative do you want to have witnessed by a supportive, nurturing group? Perhaps it’s…
the historical tale of your family, where they came from and what they’ve endured?
the story of your childhood, your experiences and how you made sense of the world?
your ‘hero’s journey’, the story of obstacles you’ve overcome?
a romance, the story of you falling in love with yourself, or someone/something else?
No matter what you need to write and share, the ‘Share Your Story’: Six-Week Therapeutic Writing Programme is your space to tell your story with a supportive group to bear witness to it, as well as to pick up tips on using writing to help you heal.
It’s also the perfect opportunity to give yourself permission to get creative!
The programme takes place in a supportive group, with me, Nikki Allen - an experienced writer, writing workshop leader, and therapist - as your facilitator.
This is not about how ‘good’ of a writer you are
You might be a really experienced writer - or you might never have written anything before in your life. This is not about creating a masterpiece in creative writing or a bestselling autobiography.
In fact, we’re not going to measure the ‘quality’ of your writing at all!
Instead, we will dig deeply to find the narrative of your soul, and you will be encouraged to express it freely and openly - and have plenty of fun along the way!
Then you will pick up a range of therapeutic writing techniques to bring the story to life.
And you’ll receive the healing experience of sharing your story to a room of witnesses, who will listen to it with an open heart, and feed back to you on what they hear.
Expect laughter, tears, and puns. Plenty of puns.
Why therapeutic writing?
Therapeutic writing has consistently been shown to help people:
manage stress
reduce anxiety
process traumatic events and experiences
find meaning in difficult situations
boost resilience
Don’t just take my word for it. There’s a vast and growing evidence base (over 300 studies!) that consistently show how helpful writing is as a therapeutic tool.
This study from the University of Texas found that ‘Writing about important personal experiences in an emotional way for as little as 15 minutes over the course of three days brings about improvements in mental and physical health’.
What happens in our ‘Share Your Story’ Six-Week Therapeutic Writing Programme?
You will…
dig deeply to discover the unique story you want to share
practice life-changing therapeutic writing techniques together and on your own between sessions
write your story with the support of me, a therapist and writer
share your story to a room of like-minded witnesses
receive structured, supportive feedback on your story, and yourself.
What do you get when you join the programme?
SIX 90-minute therapeutic group sessions with a maximum of seven other members, held weekly over Zoom
TWO 50-minute one-to-one therapeutic writing/storytelling sessions with me
ONE private community for you to reach out and connect with other members
LIFETIME access to therapeutic writing materials and recordings of our sessions
Access to me over email, Messenger and WhatsApp for the duration of the programme.
How much is the programme?
The ‘Share Your Story’ Six-Week Therapeutic Writing Programme costs £1,397/person; that’s USD 1709.
A small number of concessionary or ‘scholarship’ places are available to those who can show they’re on a low income. And you can spread the cost into three separate payments.
Ready to join us?
Contact me to get on the list for our next programme!
Is the Share Your Story Programme right for me?
Is this a therapeutic group, or group therapy? And what’s the difference?
Although I am a therapist, this programme is not group therapy.
A therapeutic group or support group, like my ‘Share Your Story’ group, focuses on supporting and encouraging each other through the healing process, often zooming in on one particular issue or aim.
Members, and the facilitator, support the other’s healing process by listening respectfully as each member shares, offering encouragement as they go.
Group therapy is different in that it encourages members to investigate how they think, feel and behave, both in a in group and in life.
Group members will usually explore how they feel about the circumstances and relationships in their life - and, crucially, how they feel within the group. If you’re more drawn to this kind of exploration, perhaps group therapy is a better fit for you.
Can you commit to every session in the programme?
It’s important that you can show up for every session, so that you get the best possible value from the experience.
I can’t record the sessions and send these to you, as this could risk the confidentiality of members.
Do you offer a payment plan?
Yes! You can divide the payment into three monthly sums and spread out the cost.
Do I need to be a good or experienced writer?
No! This is not about the ‘quality’ of your writing. It’s about allowing your story to emerge into the world and be heard in a safe space. And having some fun expressing your creativity along the way!