Reflecting Back, Looking Forward: A New Year’s Writing Workshop

If you’re hoping to reflect on the year that has passed and start envisioning the year to come, this writing workshop is for you! Whether you struggle to find time to slow down and reflect during the holidays, or would simply love some additional prompts to support and kickstart your reflective process, please join me for this one-hour writing session. You do not have to identify as a writer to attend!The workshop will run at two different times so you can choose whichever one is best for you or attend both (the prompts will be different): Sunday, December 26 at 10am PST/1pm PST or Monday, December 27 at 6pm EST/9pm EST. There is space for 10 people in each workshop!In this online, one-hour session, you can expect to enter a facilitated space where you are invited to write with the support of prompts, techniques and strategies to dive deeper into yourself, your ideas and your voice. There will be opportunities to share your work, but never any obligations. If you’re looking to exercise your creativity, great! If you don’t identify as a creative person, this is still the right place for you! We will co-create the space in which we write, and experiment with different ways to find your flow. You will never be required to follow the prompt, perform the exercise or share your work, but will always be invited to listen to your body and make a decision that’s best for you. Please come with a pen and paper, device to type on, or a pencil to draw with if you don’t feel like writing. Activities will focus on creative writing but may also include mindfulness and/or breathing techniques.*Please note that this workshop is not about setting New Year’s resolutions; however if that’s something you like to do, then it could serve as a starting point to reflect with intention.About the FacilitatorPreeti Kaur Dhaliwal (she/her) is a critical race feminist, writer, lawyer, college prof and facilitator who grew up on the traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt, Tsawwassen and Musqueam First Nations (also known as Surrey and North Delta, British Columbia). Before leaving her legal career to pursue a Master of Laws, Preeti articled at a boutique litigation firm in Toronto and clerked at the Federal Court of Canada. In her LLM, she used theatre, creative writing and performance art to investigate how law lives in the body, with a focus on race. She then pursued an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Guelph where she completed her manuscript for a hybrid novel. Preeti’s writing has appeared in PRISM international, Looseleaf Magazine, the Community Building Art Works Anthology: We Were Not Alone, the Festival of Literary Diversity’s program, alt. theatre magazine, Theatre Research in Canada and No Foundations, amongst other publications. She is represented by Chelene Knight at Transatlantic Agency.With over 15 years of facilitation and teaching experience, Preeti is committed to and passionate about arts-based methodologies as a source of personal and collective empowerment and transformation. She has taught creative writing at Guelph-Humber College, led arts-based workshops across the country, and firmly believes that stories change the world by altering our ways of seeing, feeling and being with one another and the planet.[Photo taken by Ella Cooper] Reflecting Back, Looking Forward: A New Year’s Writing Workshop imageTESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS“What a gift to spend my Sunday morning with Preeti, to be seen, heard and affirmed in the words I’m putting on the page. I can’t express how much I needed this today. Thank you so much, Preeti.” – Workshop Participant“Preeti concisely provided the set-up, jumped into the heart of the workshop, and created many opportunities for all voices to be heard. The exercises were meaningful and accessible.” – Workshop Participant“Preeti’s prompts were intriguing and created the opportunity to explore new thoughts through writing.” – Workshop Participant“These workshops are such a gift to me. They lessen the loneliness and isolation I experience. I feel part of a community for which I’m so grateful. I honestly couldn’t recommend them more.” – Workshop Participant“I couldn’t think of a better way to kick-start my day than writing with Preeti. She brings care and love to everything she touches. I left the workshop feeling energized and grateful for the opportunity to connect with my writing practice (and other writers!) in such a supportive space.” – Kai Taddei, Workshop Participant