DIVING INTO THE WRECK:
EXPRESSIVE WRITING
Fall 2026 group begins September 28
DIVING INTO THE WRECK: EXPRESSIVE WRITING
DIVING INTO THE WRECK is inspired by Adrienne Rich’s poem of the same name, which you can read in full here. The group takes inspiration from the idea that there’s a difference between “the wreck” and “the story of the wreck.”
DIVING INTO THE WRECK began in 2017 as a personal nonfiction narrative workshop, offering critical feedback using the traditional workshop model. It ran until 2023 using that model; however, now participants in DIVING INTO THE WRECK: Expressive Writing groups don’t share critical feedback about the craft of writing, but instead are asked to write freely, using the act of writing as a tool for emotional exploration, self-discovery, and healing. There’s an option for folks to share what they wrote during the in-session writing time, and the group’s discussions center on process, not product.
Writing from DIVING INTO THE WRECK: Expressive Writing can be used to develop a creative project, prod one that’s been on the skids, and/or serve as an adjunct to individual psychotherapy.
Fall 2026
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Fall 2026 〰️
The Mother Mirror: A 6-Week Expressive Writing Journey
Through rich literature and generative expressive writing, this 6-week, 90-minute group invites you to examine the maternal imprint that shapes your emotional landscape. Together, we will navigate the full spectrum of the mother-child relationship—from sensory childhood origins and unspoken family conflicts to autonomy, grief, and self-integration. By dissecting exemplary works from writers such as Ada Limón, Jamaica Kincaid, Colette, Mary Oliver, Vivian Gornick, and Adrienne Rich, you will uncover your mother’s humanity while reclaiming your own narrative. Ultimately, this reflective writing space offers a pathway to discovering complex inheritances, honoring your boundaries, and consciously choosing what you carry forward.
Six 90-minute
virtual meetings
Mondays at 6:30 p.m. (EDT)
Sept 28; Oct 5, 12, 19, & 26; Nov 2
$375
Each 90-minute virtual session includes:
A guided writing exercise (sometimes two)
Optional sharing in small-group and large-group formats
A group discussion/reflection period
What will the writing prompts be like?
DIVING INTO THE WRECK: Expressive Writing prompts will invite you to write from different parts of yourself as you reconsider
significant life events and explore the emotional landscape, core beliefs, and bodily sensations that live within.
Want to find your way out of the story you tell yourself about yourself?
Want to bring a stalled writing project back to life?
Interested in writing memoir but don’t know where to start?
Or maybe you simply want some time each week to go inner?
Then DIVING INTO THE WRECK: Expressive Writing is for you.
About Expressive Writing
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Expressive writing is a form of therapeutic writing that delves into one's deepest thoughts and feelings in a free-flowing and unedited manner. Unlike a regular journal or literary genre with set expectations, the primary purpose of expressive writing is to delve into, process, and make sense of difficult emotions, experiences, or parts of the self.
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The benefits of therapeutic writing abound. Here are a few:
Process Emotions: Writing helps you organize your thoughts and feelings, allowing you to understand and make sense of difficult experiences.
Release Tension: Putting your emotions on paper provides a safe outlet, which can relieve stress and reduce the mental burden of holding them in.
Make Meaning: Expressive writing offers the opportunity to shape chaotic, painful, or confusing experiences into a coherent narrative, transforming them from a series of events that happened to you into a meaningful story you can fully metabolize and understand—bringing you closer to post-traumatic growth.
Gain Perspective: Writing also creates the necessary distance from an experience to help you see it from a new angle and to gain fresh insights.
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Writing with others can be scary. But going it alone isn’t the answer, either. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a public health epidemic, noting that about half of American adults reported experiencing loneliness even before the COVID-19 pandemic. People who gravitate toward writing know a thing or two about isolation, as do folks who’ve struggled with their mental health.
You don’t have to go it alone. Here are a some of the unique therapeutic benefits of writing with a group:The Power of Witness: When others listen without judgment, your story is validated, and a private burden can transform into a shared experience.
Deepened Self-Understanding: Reading your own words aloud can bring new insights, leading to a deeper understanding of your emotions and perspective.
Fostering Connection: Sharing your story invites others to do the same, creating a sense of community and reminding you that you are not alone in your struggles.
Overcoming Shame: Giving voice to a personal story helps break the hold of shame, as you realize that your story is only a part of you, not all of you and not something to hide.
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As Joan Didion wrote: “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” But sometimes, these stories can be limiting, or even harmful. They can crowd out newer, more vibrant parts of yourself, leading to anxiety, depression, and a life that can feel smaller than it should be. As a psychotherapist and longtime writer of personal nonfiction who has delved into my own personal past, and as a teacher of creative writing with more than 25 years of experience working with people of all ages and in diverse settings, I’m uniquely qualified to help you find a new story for a new chapter in your life. Let’s dive in! The water’s warm.
Testimonials from former DIVERS
“I loved the varied format (chance to read others’ work, having prompts, time to write and share in a group). It really was a supportive environment for me to reflect and write with others. It was a meaningful structure and thoughtfully put together.” –Bridget K.
“I learned how to open up my writing, to choose meaning over beauty, to allow myself to be seen.” –Erika A.“This workshop was an incredible safe space which allowed for major vulnerability. I value spaces like this, especially with women! I really appreciated Sarah's kind of ‘hands-off’ style. She's a good guide. It's clear that she is supporting you to step into YOUR voice more fully.” –Morgan C.
“Though I enjoy writing, and have received positive feedback from different folx about my writing, I do not identify as a ‘writer,’ and brought that unease with me into the first session ~ only to be further intimidated (my shit) about being in this group with other WRITERS!!! That said, I experienced Sarah and all of the group members as warm, welcoming, and supportive. As a result, as the group progressed through the weeks, my unease lessened, and I felt more able to just write my story ~ knowing that it would be received with such kindness, wisdom and care. Thank you.” –Kim C.
“The way we describe our suffering IS ART. I never allowed myself to see my autobiographical writing as art because I felt I was being self-indulgent by telling stories about my life. What if it wasn't ‘painful’ enough to merit contemplation and all the intellectual work that comes with writing?” —Shivani M.
“As a result of this workshop I learned that I enjoy my own writing voice. I learned this on day one during a fifteen minute free write, and that knowledge gave me confidence to attempt many subsequent pieces. I also learned to give myself permission to just say it, and then go back and edit, versus editing all the good stuff away and never completing. I also learned to time myself, otherwise completion may never come.” —Ananda A.