My Workshop Portfolio shows the range and variety of my work as well as the
versatility of writing as a resource for all.

Currently I’m working with colleague Mary Burns to develop courses and resources
for writing for wellbeing practitioners.

An Introduction to Running Your Own Writing for Health and Wellbeing Groups
with Mary Burns and Christine Hollywood

This course grew from our realisation that writing for wellbeing was becoming
a popular ‘thing’ in the world. Facilitating writing for wellbeing groups is skilled work requiring awareness of self and others, group dynamics, and the potential for writing to activate deep emotions.

Knowing this potential – through our own use of writing, study and experience of
running groups – we prepared the course as a way-in for those coming new to the work, and for current practitioners wanting a refresher.

This accessible, 4 week course aims to cover the basic practicalities of designing and
delivering your own writing for wellbeing workshops. It also includes: research into
expressive writing, group dynamics and theory of group development, types of writing and their uses, writing exercises and ideas.

We cover the advantages and disadvantages of running writing for wellbeing groups online and there’s time for a Q & A at the end of each workshop too.

The course is experiential. It balances tuition with writing, and opportunities for
sharing writing and process. At the same time Mary and Christine aim to model good
practice throughout.

About Us:

Mary Burns is an experienced person centred counsellor with a special interest in the benefits of writing for therapeutic purposes. She has been running writing for well being sessions in a variety of settings over the past five years.

Mary is the co ordinator of Lapidus London.

Christine Hollywood is a teacher and experienced writing for wellbeing practitioner.
She facilitates groups and workshops for organisations and in the community.

Christine has a PGCE and an MA in creative writing and personal development. She is a former Chair of Lapidus: the Writing for Wellbeing Organisation.

Photo by Jan Kahanek