In a world that is becoming increasingly virtual, how do we connect and sustain mutually supportive social relationships with each other?
I returned to UBC, my alma mater, to give a workshop for professors and students of the Faculty of Language & Literacy on *Writing Alone Together.
With the support of the four practices of Writing Freely, Reading Aloud, Listening Deeply and Bearing Witness, Writing Alone Together encourages self-awareness, self-compassion, social and emotional competence and creative development.
Through Writing Alone Together, we re-experience the warmth and intimacy of being in the present moment along with the vital nourishment of face-to-face expression.
Offering a process for sharing, listening and paying attention to our own and each other’s lives, Writing Alone Together transforms writing into a catalyst for meaningful conversation, mindful storytelling and mutual support, enabling us to write our stories authentically, boldly and honestly.
Since completing my PhD at UBC, I have been working (and playing) as an Artist-in-the-Classroom and writing mentor for k-12 students in two school districts in BC through Connecting Generations, a program that supports youth and adults to develop mentoring relationships based on shared interests and with funding from the Gulf Islands School District, Artstarts Artist in the Class Program, Salt Spring Arts Council, BC Arts Council and the Province of BC.
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