Finding Lost Words Virtual

This group is intended for community members who reside in Middle TN, and Alive Hospice family members/friends regardless of location.

The goal of this workshop is not creating a perfect poem but engaging in a powerful form of self-expression, which can help you understand yourself and cope with the various losses and hurdles that you face in your life.

Writing is not a scientific process and neither are poetry workshops. It can be messy and seem uncomfortable or daunting at first. However, the power of poetry is that there are no rules! It is simply about writing in a way that feels natural to you, allowing you to express yourself in liberating ways. You do not need to have any prior experience with writing or poetry.

Everyone has the potential to turn a blank sheet of paper into a concert of their own powerful voices. This workshop begins with sharing of my original poems, completing writing activities together, and then writing a poem based on a prompt. Your poem can be written from first-person or third-person point of view. It can rhyme or be a free verse. Most importantly, you can share as little or as much as you want to.

The Facilitator: Ashruta Narapareddy, has had a passion for poetry and the healing power of expressive writing from a very young age. She grew up reading and learning from a myriad of poets, from Edgar Allan Poe and Sylvia Plath to Maya Angelou and T.S. Eliot. In these poems, she witnessed the spiritual and emotional resonance of language, and the freedom that poetry lends to a writer and reader. Ashruta has implemented and led therapeutic workshops in the Greater Chicago Region and the city of Nashville, at hospices, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, HIV/AIDS organizations over the past four years. A current student at Vanderbilt University, Ashruta is a part of the Student Advisory Council for the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities and founder of the Art of Healing Undergraduate Experience.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, this workshop is provided free of charge. A suggested donation of $5 per session is appreciated.

Groups are held using the Zoom meeting platform. Participants will be asked to have their video and audio on during the group which will allow you to interact with facilitators and attendees. Unlike traditional webinars, we’re keeping our groups small and intimate in an effort to create community and combat the isolation that typically accompanies grief.

Registered attendees will receive the Zoom meeting link via email the day of the event.