Talks

After years of observing the impact poetry had in my private psychotherapy practice, I decided to bring the practice of poetry to more than just one person at a time.

In talks and presentations, I use poetry as a way to engage people creatively, playfully, and consciously with their lives.

Each talk is designed to meet the needs of the group, and each poem is chosen to help participants connect to the topic in a way that bypasses linear thought and speaks to the heart. What poetry offers which ordinary speech can’t is a direct and visceral poke at what matters to people about whatever theme is under investigation. “Tell all the truth, but tell it slant,” says Emily Dickinson. The talks are conversational, interspersed with poems, and responsive to who and what is in the room. They invite people to connect with their humanity, their power, and their curiosity.

Frontline workers in healthcare, students, teachers, spiritual leaders, community groups as well as real estate agents, have been among those who have attended my presentations. Recent talks include:

• The Journey is Not Without Passengers: Moving Forward with Compassionate Health Care
• The Reflecting Poem (or what can poetry “do?”)

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