The authors of How to Take Care will lead a FREE series of six workshops, which will occur monthly on the last Wednesday of the month between April and September. Three workshops will be led by Kate Novotny, a high-risk obstetrical RN, birth worker, poet and lifelong student of herbalism. Three workshops will be led by Erin Williams, a writer, illustrator, and professor (not a mental health professional) in long-term recovery from a substance use disorder.
All workshops are FREE, open to all, and will be held via Zoom! Register to attend HERE.
Participants will receive a free copy of How to Take Care, courtesy of the Alano Club.
Workshop 1: Visual Narratives as Catharsis, Erin
Wednesday, April 26th, 8pm EST/5pm PST
Visual narratives are a powerful tool for producing empathy, empowerment, and witness. When we explore past trauma through sequential art, we are able to disclose what happened on our own terms and accompany our younger selves through difficult experiences as interventionists. In this workshop, we will create visual narratives that allow us to actively rescue our younger selves, literally becoming who we needed when we were younger.
Workshop 2: Trauma Informed Care, Kate
Wednesday, May 31st, 8pm EST/5pm PST
It’s Not About You: a workshop for folks in service of vulnerable populations. Many of us become “helpers” (enter “helping” professions) because we care. But we’re completely unprepared to cope with the manifestations of trauma in the populations who most need our support. This workshop is a 101 introduction to staying human and present while serving traumatized folks (i.e. all of us!)
Workshop 3: Creating a Chosen Family Tree, Erin
Wednesday, June 28th, 8pm EST/5pm PST
Many folks with addictions and disorders have been impacted by dysfunction in their biological families. In recovery, we learn that “parenting” can be done by anyone; it’s a role of nurturing, caring for, teaching, guiding, and showing up. In this workshop, we will create visual maps of our chosen families, of the people who have loved us until we learned to love ourselves, whether biologically related or not.
Workshop 4: Caring for the Caregiver: Vicarious Trauma and Crafting a Sustainable Calling, Kate
Wednesday, July 26th, 8pm EST/5pm PST
A workshop for folks serving vulnerable populations. Folks caring for traumatized people often mirror the physical and psychological manifestations of trauma. Here we help destigmatize our experiences of vicarious/secondary trauma. Learn to name and face it, and explore strategies to understand and support our minds, bodies and hearts as we care for human beings in pain.
Workshop 5: Drawing Ourselves Whole, Erin
Wednesday, August 30th, 8pm EST/5pm PST
Creation is a force that can make sense of the parts of our life where we felt victimized or erased. In this workshop, we will create visual self-portraits as we are today: survivors, healers, helpers, humans among humans.
Workshop 6: 101 Herbalism for Embodied Healing, Kate
Wednesday, September 27th, 8pm EST/5pm PST
Healing means remembering our bodies are a safe place to be. In this workshop, we will discuss beginning a relationship with the healing plants (local and sustainable) that can help soothe our bodies and calm our nervous system. Prep demo for the creation of a grounding herbal foot bath for stressed-out folks.