What is Write for your Life and Creative group journaling?

You may not have asked this question. You may just be slightly confused about what one session does compared with another. So I've - finally - got around to explaining what the sessions I offer do in order to help you choose. I hope I've got it right, but if not, I'm very at home to feedback, so please do give me a shout at cpsdayoff@gmail.com. Cheers! CP

Write for your Life - Creative group journaling

At a time when we are compartmentalised, categorised, globalised, suffering from nomophobia (addiction to our phones), feeling disconnected to ourselves, who we are and what we want falls further and further down the priority list.

Creative group journaling is getting together with other soul-searchers and writers to write and share together in a safe and nourishing environment so we can feel more connected, grounded and confident and celebrate being ‘us’ - living the lives we want. Happily.

We use free-writing prompts and writing exercises as a way to get our pens moving and our minds opening. We then share in pairs (whatever you’re comfortable with,) re-join the group, choose a new prompt and do it all over again.

It’s a wonderful way to deepen and enrich (or start) your journaling practice, connect with yourself and others, be creative, have some fun and much more. We write differently – often more – when we’re sharing with other people. We get the opportunity to be witnessed and accepted, to hear others sharing themselves, to support, encourage and learn from each other, laugh and sometimes cry at what we find lurking behind our busy conscious minds.

Best of all no grammar, experience, or even interest in writing is required. You have full permission to make spelling mistakes, write illegibly, make a mess, and write a load of gobbledygook. What you write doesn’t make sense? - Brilliant! Can’t even read it? - Even better.

You may be more comfortable writing fictional content. It’s all welcome. Whatever you write holds information about your life and what’s going on for you.

So here’s a bit more information about what each of the sessions provide:

Write for your Life and WFYL PLUS - creative group journaling

Both original and ‘PLUS’ sessions follow the same format; we start with a random prompt to get you going and then follow the topic that emerges individually and within the group. The ‘PLUS’ session has a maximum of six attendees and is 2 hours which gives a bit more space to delve and explore. The original session is 1.15 hours and has unlimited attendees.

Write for your Life - creative group journaling SPECIALS

‘SPECIALS’ have a very particular topic, for example the New Year Theme workshop where we reflect on the year gone by and set our intention via a theme for the year ahead. Specials are made up of writing prompts and exercises focused around the topic. The topic is always named in the title of the session. These run from 2-2.5 hours and generally have an unlimited number of attendees.

Unsure about group journaling?

Write for your Life - Introduction to creative group journaling

If you’re unsure if creative group journaling is for you, then come along to a session that will give you the opportunity to learn a bit more and a chance to try it out. This is repeated monthly and is free.

New to journaling?

WFYL Journaling courses - Introduction and Advanced

If you’re new to journaling, I also have some courses which are always experiential (lots of writing,) and aim to give you techniques and ideas to help you to get started and keep going. These courses will give you lots of techniques, exercises and ideas to get you get your practice going and keep it going. The course itself also gives you a chance to experience creative group journaling as writing and sharing are an integral part of the course. In the advanced course, you will be introduced to more exercises that you can try to deepen your practice.

Just need some accountability and encouragement?

Write for your Life – Journal/write together

Finally, there is a ‘Journal/write together’ session. This is a free, monthly, two-hour session where you work on your own journaling/writing. We check in at the beginning of the session, half-way through (after an hour), and at the end. These sessions are just for accountability and encouragement. What you bring to work on is entirely up to you.

If you'd like more information, click here or contact me (CP/Claire - whichever you prefer) at cpsdayoff@gmail.com.