Trainings and Practice Groups

Special Trainings

April 30, 2005: Wooing the Muse: A Workshop for Artists, Writers, and Others Engaged in Creative Work, Including Academic Writers
Portland, Oregon

We all have a muse, but we also have creative demons – the voices that tell us that we'll never start, never finish, never produce anything that matters – or, if we do, that it will never be seen, published, or appreciated. We face rejection, paying the bills, nagging relations, and societal pressures about career and success. What's a poor artist or writer to do?

Break down the isolation. Tame your demons. Woo your muse. Making use of creative exercises (writing, drawing, and movement), in this one-day workshop we will consider:

• Our creative vision, the larger needs our creativity meets for us, and how this vision can move us forward in our creative work;
• Messages, judgments, demands and "shoulds" that we tell ourselves and hear from others that get in the way of doing our creative work;
• How to shift inner-judgment, self-criticism, and judgment from others into constructive, creative action;
• Self-care versus self-pressure/demands around our creativity;
• How to get clear about what actions to take and how to really meet our needs, allowing time and space for creativity in our lives; and
• A year-long plan for our creative goals.
• Exercises, instruction, pair work and discussion are based on the principles and practice of Nonviolent Communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. For more about NVC, visit the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication and "What is Nonviolent Communication?".

The Instructor

Dian Killian, PhD, Director of Brooklyn NVC (bio).

Cost

Requested fee is $50 if registration is received by April 15, 2005; $75 after April 15, 2005.

Registration

Space is limited. To register, email Portland workshop coordinator Michelle Howard at michelle@michellehoward.net or call (503) 473-6871 and request a registration form, or download the registration form [PDF 48k].

Schedule

Saturday, April 30, 2005
8:30am Registration
9:00am Workshop
12:30pm Lunch (on your own). You may bring a lunch, or you may go to one of the nearby restaurants.
2:00pm Workshop resumes
5:30pm Close

Location and Accessibility

The workshop will take place in Portland, Oregon:

Milk and Honey Community Studio
2512 SE Gladstone
Portland, OR

The Studio is right on the 10-Howard TriMet bus line and is also accessible from the 9-Powell bus. From Powell Blvd./Hwy 26, go south on 26th Avenue to Gladstone. Milk and Honey Community Studio is in a large red building, up the stairs on the second floor. For those who have physical mobility challenges, there is an industrial lift available by prior arrangement. If you cannot manage stairs and will need to use the lift, notify workshop coordinator Michelle Howard (michelle@michellehoward.net) prior to April 25, 2005.