Speaking
Grief & Creativity presentations are not just art-making, but rather: heART-making!
Testimonials "...THANK YOU so much for coming, for speaking, for just being. Your words were perfect...we are so grateful..." ~Nicole Jackson, SHARE Lancaster Annual Event, Pennsylvania +++ "...thank you again for your extraordinary contribution to our mini-conference -- I heard nothing but great things... [your presentation] continued to ripple throughout the rich work that followed [that weekend]. Truly, what you brought was a blessing." ~Alex Onno, Professor, LIOS University, Washington |
For over a decade, Kara has been offering presentations and workshops on Grief & Creativity for clients such as the MISS Foundation, Burning Word, Antioch, LIOS, University of Washington, and bereaved mothers' groups. Based in Sedona, AZ, she is available for local or world-wide travel.
Click here for sample MP3s/podcasts to get a feel for Kara's style.
The style of a presentation is flexible enough to fit your 45 minute lecture spot, an hour Keynote, or your 3 day retreat. Here are a few examples of how sessions have been customized:
Professionals Training
A 3-day, Hero's Journey retreat where individuals explore their own grief stories and learn how to let this inform more compassionate caregiving.
Bereaved Moms' Retreat
A full-day, self-care retreat where participants share memorial rituals, exploration of creativity beyond just art-making, and learn how to start their own, every day practice of gentle permission for learning to live life again after loss.
Graduate Students
A half-day module exploring Grief & Creativity. Not just about creative arts, but rather knowing that clients will have to be creative in figuring out how to live life fully in the face of loss, mortality, grief. Exploring what this touches on for us individually and how that will inform your medical, theraputic, social services, or coaching practice.
Undergraduate Students
A 45-minute to 1.5 hour session exploring the uses of poetry to document the grief experience. Looking at how to write poetry as individuals, in documenting partnerships, and in cooperative groups or family systems.
Keynote
An hour keynote session exploring creative options for living heartfully after a major loss or trauma. Inspirational ideas and perspectives for bereaved people themselves and the professionals who care for them.
Sliding scale speaking fees available.
Contact Kara to customize a presentation for your group, students, conference, business team, or organization.
List of available topics...
In the darkest most stuck times of life, it can be a simple willingness to experiment, shift perspective and see the miraculous in the mundane that brings back Light and Meaning. Radically Creative workshops & presentations do not deal in prescriptions, closure, quick fixes, but instead give you the chance to play with creative tools, try out new ways of seeing the world, and honor your heART as a sacred way of being in your everyday life.
- Grief & Creativity: more than just art
- Finding Our Way: an artistic path through grief
- Stillbirth: When giving birth to death
- heART of Life in the Face of Loss
- Grief: I think I am doing this wrong. How do people learn to do this?
- Using Poetry to Document the Grief Experience
- Getting to the heART of it
- Self Advocate: Does asking for help mean I am weak?
- Renewing your heART
- The Hero's Journey
- Dancing the tango with your Demons and Gremlins
- BodyWrites!
- Henna heART 101
- Reiki Certification for Level I, II, III
- Sipping Tea with Dreams
- Blow bubbles as meditation
- Permission to be Radically Creative
- Finding Solutions As Unique As You
- 1,001 Ideas Consult
There is no requirement for previous art experiences.
These offerings aren't just about art, but rather about the heART of Creative Living and BEing.
Audiences include, but are not limited to, the following: bereaved families, professionals, students, and volunteer caregivers in the fields of Western & alternative medicine, social work, nursing, midwifery, clergy, coaching, art & poetry therapy, transformational art, hospice, grief support, and academia.
Testimonials “...I had an incredible breakthrough with my Nana tonight about her baby who died, and you got us there!..." ~Stephanie Cole, Bereaved Mom & Author, Pennsylvania +++ “...KARA!!!!! you are an amazing woman! thank you for coming and sharing with us tonight...it was so nice to meet both you and Hawk." ~N.S., Pennsylvania +++ "...top notch – innovative, artistic, responsive, and always friendly! I highly recommend Kara and will continue to be a loyal and delighted client for many years to come." ~Heather Arnet, ED, WGF, Pennsylvania +++ "...extraordinary! I am constantly astounded at the gifts that you keep on giving to the world..." ~Carol Jo Horn, Workshop Attendee, Washington |
Sampling of Past Events
Grief & Creativity Keynote
Spring 2010, SHARE Annual Auction & Dinner, Lancaster, PA.
Using Poetry to Document the Grief Experience
Winter 2010, University of WA, Tacoma Campus, for students in seminar with Prof. Rich Furman.
Grief & Creativity Workshop
Fall 2009, for LIOS first year students, half-day module with Prof. Alex Onno.
Hero's Journey & Losing Layla:
personal retreat & professional training
Summer 2009, three day workshop & training for bereaved parents and those who care for them.
heART of the Hero, small group session, 2009
Click here to see session flyer
Getting to the heART of it, small group session, 2009
Click here to see session flyer
Poetry UNslam, conference workshop, 2006 & 2008
Click here to see session handout
Grief: Finding Our Way, conference workshop, 2007 & 2008
Click here to see session handout
Writing to Heal the Heart, conference workshop, 2006
Click here to see session handout
Exploring with heART, conference workshop, 2006
Click here to see session handout
Grief & Ritual with facilitated screening of Losing Layla
Summer 2006, WA State MISS Chapter Retreat
Give Sorrow Words; and Poetry As Healing Art
2004 and 2005 MISS Foundation International Grief Conferences
Expanding Poetry
2002 and 2004 WA State Poet's Association and Burning Word Fest
Stillbirth: Giving Birth to Death
2001, feature spot on NPR's "The Human Condition" hosted by Megan Sukys
