For Adults:
Narrative as Medicine Workshops for Oncology Patients & Others
Designed as both short and longterm series to support and empower oncology patients, trauma survivors, and anyone living with chronic illness, recovering, or caring for loved ones, or those interested in generally finding relief, more joy and hope through creativity, these workshops draw on the clinical foundations of art therapy and narrative medicine as well as broader psychology and philosophy theories that underscore the many great benefits of creative expression for individuals of all ages, and in every stage of life.
The content of each workshop offers a mix of theory, exploration of art, and hands-on practice and directives in each 60-minute session and are currently available in the following formats. Click here to register or for more information.
For kids:
Creative writing workshops and private instruction (grade 4 through college)
10-hour minimum for private instruction. Click here to schedule.
Whether a student is struggling to engage in writing projects, feeling blocked on a project, or a prolific aspiring author dreaming of seeing their own stories in libraries some day, I'm adept at meeting them on the page, at their level, and teasing ideas and inspiration out of their favorite life experiences, memories, and dreams through fun, interactive writing-focused games and activities. I'm passionate about helping kids develop a love for great storytelling, and on guiding them towards framing their ideas into rich, coherent, well-structured narratives while also discovering and honing their own unique tone and voice through language.
Working with individuals allows for faster progress, and more personal support, but there is also great value in joining a small workshop with other writers at a similar level, to share work, learn together, and engage in constructive writing activities in pairs and as a group. For writers of all levels, group feedback is an invaluable tool to refining writing and understanding how the words we write are heard and received by others. Often, groups that start together enjoy continuing through several terms, too, which allows students to keep learning from each other's progress and stories.
If the dates or times below don't match your schedule, get in touch anyway—often, with small groups, there is some flexibility, and new workshops are frequently planned and added.
One-day, 1.5 hour creative writing workshops:
Click here to reserve a spot (Max 8 students per class)
Grades 4 to 10
(Offered on select weekends Spring & Summer 2024, depending on students' time zones.)
Lesson Objectives: Students will be guided to use descriptive language and visual imagery to define and concretize their imaginary worlds on the page, to earn about the basics of magic realism in literature and art, and to explore the relationship between their senses, their imagination and their writing. They'll use visual and verbal descriptions and details to make up and enrich their imaginary worlds, and allow them to share these with others, learning to let their imaginations guide them and drive their work on the page.
Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to think about the connection between language and how they view themselves and make themselves and others feel, and to understand the basic components of strong story structure, and heroes' journeys, and how to translate this onto the page.
What other parents and students have to say:
"Lorraine makes writing fun, and we’ve seen our kids' interest and understanding of story expand in wonderful ways, both on the page, and also in their conversations and thinking outside of the class context. Lorraine is focused and kind, thoughtful and rigorous, and she knows how to break down the act of storytelling in ways that are very helpful in terms of both craft and imagination.
She’s also been a great communicator with us, the parents, regarding what the kids are up to, as well as her observations on their strengths as well as areas where they might benefit from additional attention. It was a stroke of good luck for us to find Lorraine to work with our kids — she has brought creative writing to life for them in an inspiring way that I am certain will stay with them." Ira Sachs, Kirsten Johnson
"My son struggled to get three paragraphs out, and it was making homework and, increasingly, school as a whole, unbearable. Lorraine's gentle approach to helping Marc use language as a written tool has been invaluable to his education these past couple of years. He is an almost prolific writer of stories now, and his academic success is largely owed to Lorraine's patience and inspiration."
Susan Wilson
"I've grown to think that every writing instructor should also be trained as an art therapist, after seeing our two kids, while working with Lorraine and talking (non-stop) about their time with her, both develop not only great writing skills, and a passion for good storytelling, but also a whole new sense of self-confidence as communicators, introspection, and self-awareness that wasn't there before. They loved the writing games she played with them, and still play them with each other sometimes."
John M.
"My son thinks Lorraine might be magical, and I have to agree! She leans in to his innate curiosity and playfulness and lets him really enjoy the writing process, while guiding him to create really amazing stories which he's so proud of and loves to share. He wants to be a writer like her now, and we're thrilled and delighted with his new passion and progress."
Danielle Verno
Narrative as Medicine Workshops for Oncology Patients & Others
Designed as both short and longterm series to support and empower oncology patients, trauma survivors, and anyone living with chronic illness, recovering, or caring for loved ones, or those interested in generally finding relief, more joy and hope through creativity, these workshops draw on the clinical foundations of art therapy and narrative medicine as well as broader psychology and philosophy theories that underscore the many great benefits of creative expression for individuals of all ages, and in every stage of life.
The content of each workshop offers a mix of theory, exploration of art, and hands-on practice and directives in each 60-minute session and are currently available in the following formats. Click here to register or for more information.
For kids:
Creative writing workshops and private instruction (grade 4 through college)
10-hour minimum for private instruction. Click here to schedule.
Whether a student is struggling to engage in writing projects, feeling blocked on a project, or a prolific aspiring author dreaming of seeing their own stories in libraries some day, I'm adept at meeting them on the page, at their level, and teasing ideas and inspiration out of their favorite life experiences, memories, and dreams through fun, interactive writing-focused games and activities. I'm passionate about helping kids develop a love for great storytelling, and on guiding them towards framing their ideas into rich, coherent, well-structured narratives while also discovering and honing their own unique tone and voice through language.
Working with individuals allows for faster progress, and more personal support, but there is also great value in joining a small workshop with other writers at a similar level, to share work, learn together, and engage in constructive writing activities in pairs and as a group. For writers of all levels, group feedback is an invaluable tool to refining writing and understanding how the words we write are heard and received by others. Often, groups that start together enjoy continuing through several terms, too, which allows students to keep learning from each other's progress and stories.
If the dates or times below don't match your schedule, get in touch anyway—often, with small groups, there is some flexibility, and new workshops are frequently planned and added.
One-day, 1.5 hour creative writing workshops:
Click here to reserve a spot (Max 8 students per class)
Grades 4 to 10
(Offered on select weekends Spring & Summer 2024, depending on students' time zones.)
- Create a Travel Guidebook to Your Fabulous Imaginary World
Lesson Objectives: Students will be guided to use descriptive language and visual imagery to define and concretize their imaginary worlds on the page, to earn about the basics of magic realism in literature and art, and to explore the relationship between their senses, their imagination and their writing. They'll use visual and verbal descriptions and details to make up and enrich their imaginary worlds, and allow them to share these with others, learning to let their imaginations guide them and drive their work on the page.
- Using Words as Supertools to Celebrate Your Superhero-Self
Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to think about the connection between language and how they view themselves and make themselves and others feel, and to understand the basic components of strong story structure, and heroes' journeys, and how to translate this onto the page.
What other parents and students have to say:
"Lorraine makes writing fun, and we’ve seen our kids' interest and understanding of story expand in wonderful ways, both on the page, and also in their conversations and thinking outside of the class context. Lorraine is focused and kind, thoughtful and rigorous, and she knows how to break down the act of storytelling in ways that are very helpful in terms of both craft and imagination.
She’s also been a great communicator with us, the parents, regarding what the kids are up to, as well as her observations on their strengths as well as areas where they might benefit from additional attention. It was a stroke of good luck for us to find Lorraine to work with our kids — she has brought creative writing to life for them in an inspiring way that I am certain will stay with them." Ira Sachs, Kirsten Johnson
"My son struggled to get three paragraphs out, and it was making homework and, increasingly, school as a whole, unbearable. Lorraine's gentle approach to helping Marc use language as a written tool has been invaluable to his education these past couple of years. He is an almost prolific writer of stories now, and his academic success is largely owed to Lorraine's patience and inspiration."
Susan Wilson
"I've grown to think that every writing instructor should also be trained as an art therapist, after seeing our two kids, while working with Lorraine and talking (non-stop) about their time with her, both develop not only great writing skills, and a passion for good storytelling, but also a whole new sense of self-confidence as communicators, introspection, and self-awareness that wasn't there before. They loved the writing games she played with them, and still play them with each other sometimes."
John M.
"My son thinks Lorraine might be magical, and I have to agree! She leans in to his innate curiosity and playfulness and lets him really enjoy the writing process, while guiding him to create really amazing stories which he's so proud of and loves to share. He wants to be a writer like her now, and we're thrilled and delighted with his new passion and progress."
Danielle Verno