Here’s the lowdown on the initial in-person Grief & Growth Notebook class I’m offering at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts (LPCA) on Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm:
The G&G Notebook class features a technique that utilizes text, drawings, photos, and other images to help participants incorporate the grief of losing a loved one into their lives. The G&G Notebook is a personal and portable work of art.
I became familiar with the process nearly two decades ago, when I worked as a counselor with adults and children who’d experienced sexual assault. I helped clients create a new narrative about themselves, their relationship with the abuser, and a healthy path forward. I applied the same process, calling it my Grief & Growth Notebook, when I needed to reframe the trauma of losing my teen son to suicide in September 2018. The term reframing refers to perspective: looking at a situation differently so the brain can focus on coping rather than rumination. The idea is to examine hopefulness in conjunction with the heartache.
The intention is to provide a nurturing, supportive space for individuals to start creating the initial pages of their own G&G Notebook during this afternoon class. Some supplies will be provided; however, participants will need to bring their own sketchbook-style notebook. While the G&G Notebook class is for those who are dealing with grief and loss, it’s not a group therapy session nor a support group.
The class is offered free of charge and, at this time, only open to a small number of adults. I will communicate directly with participants prior to class to provide more information, answer questions, and gather details about their goals for the experience.
The LPCA partnered with me in June 2019 when I offered a multi-media ArtFULL Grief event for the bereaved. The organization welcomed this new workshop that once again blends art and healing in a creative space. Join me!
GRATITUDE: Many thanks to Price Chopper’s Golub Family Foundation for underwriting this program.
To register: https://www.lakeplacidarts.org/classes/grief-growth-workshop
