More of Home is a Memory: The Poetry Workshop

The Inspired Mission of the Arts & Healing Resiliency Center is to Honor & Practice the Caring Art of Human Connection. “Follow Your Arts Heart" workshops support mental health well-being by nurturing creative expression and resilience with the strength of community.

Based on the success of our October 12th workshop, we proudly announce the AHRC's Special Event on November 30th, "More of Home is a Memory: The Poetry Workshop" facilitated by Zohra Hussain, a collagist and poet from England. During this workshop, we will use new creative writing prompts, to take a few steps backwards and dust off the nostalgia kept in our childhood homes, uncover the moments that made us, and find peace within it all. The workshop includes a reading of Home is a Memory in reference to prompts, writing, sharing the poems we create in the session, and participant feedback and engagement. With the popularity of Zohra's AHRC wriiting workshops, this event will be for 2 hours rather than the usual 90 minutes.

Zohra's work combines visual and literary art to create sentimental pieces that often touch upon grief, remembrance, and hope. She is also the founder of Candeur Avenue where she organises projects, hosts workshops, and offers elements for others to create. Home is a Memory, her debut collection, is available for purchase now in print: https://candeuravenue.com/products/home-is-a-memory. Please note, the digital edit is available for £7.99 for those at this event: https://candeuravenue.com/products/home-is-a-memory-digital-edition

Materials needed:

A notebook and pen (or a laptop if you prefer).

Home is a Memory, if you enjoy reading while poetry is being recited. Again, the digital edit is available for £7.99 for those at this event: https://candeuravenue.com/products/home-is-a-memory-digital-edition

Diane Kaufman, MD, is a poet, artist, humanism-in-medicine awardee, internationally award-winning lyricst of suicide prevention and postvention songs, and a retired child psychiatrist. She is the founder/director of the Hold On Campaign for Suicide Prevention that uses the power of art to educate, connect, express, and heal. The AHRC is an outreach of the Hold On Campaign. To learn more, please visit: www.holdoncampaign.org. Diane can be reached at diane@holdoncampaign.org.

Diane's story, “Bird That Wants to Fly,” inspired an opera composed by Michael Raphael, performed by Trilogy: An Opera Company, and narrated by actor Danny Glover. She received the 2019 Dr. Frank L. Babbott Award for her distinguished service to both the medical profession and general community from the Downstate Medical Center's Alumni Association. In 2025 Diane was the honored recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Association for Poetry Therapy.

“Dr. Diane has been able to create a safe place on zoom for people from all over the world to meet and explore their innermost thoughts. We have used poetry and music and written about our feeling or express how the piece moves us. I have been surprised at some of the buried emotions that have arisen in these meetings. I look forward to Saturdays now to see what else I can discover about myself.” Rachelle

“Engaging, sensitive and insightful. The Arts & Healing Resiliency Centre helps me to develop innovative approaches to supporting individuals and communities through expressive arts. Each workshop is creative, collaborative and rooted in the wisdom of lived experiences. Exploring our rich inner lives is central to my art and poetic practice and Diane’s holistic approach honours vulnerability and courage.” Tanya E. Denhere, Artist & Poet

"Diane, thanks SO much for a beautiful healing workshop today. I got so much from it and am looking forward to going back through all my scribbles and doodles I did during the class as things came to me. I can't tell you how much I get from these workshops, it's truly such a gift in my life." Katherine Raina

"I love the way you offer your groups Diane - it resonates with me on a deep level ~ so beautifully done. I felt so moved and uplifted by everyone's sharing, including yours - it really was very helpful in many ways. I love attending these groups. Such a great experience. Thank you. Anin Utigaard, MFT, REAT (Registered Expressive Arts Therapist)

Please note that while this is not a therapy group, it is a safe place for self expression, deeper understanding of one's self and others, and improving one’s ability to cope with life's challenges.

Home is a Memory by Zohra Hussain

Live for Another Day by Zohra Hussian

Rise Uo From Your Darkness by Zohra Hussain

Phoenix Bird Rising by Diane Kaufman, MD

Pegasus Says by Diane Kaufman, MD.

Nurture Your Nature by Diane Kaufman, MD and illustrated by Amanda Meador

Lift You Up by Diane Kaufman, MD (lyrics), Corenia Yoder (singer-songwriter), Lucas Matt (guitars), and James Manno of JAMAAN Productions Recording Studio (arranged, produced, mixed and mastered)

Don't Give Up by Diane Kaufman, MD (lyrics, executive producer), Mia Stegner (lyrics, song writer, and vocalist), Raymiah Jackson (arranger/producer), and Lucia Martinez Rojas (animation)