This program has been postponed. Please check back for a future date.
with Kathleen O’Toole
Writing Through the Seasons
Breathe in All That’s Blooming
Just after Mayday (Beltane in the Celtic world), we’ll gather in words and verse the hues, fragrances and shapes of all that is blooming and coming to life in the world around us. A great time to capture the lengthening days and the increased activity of birds, insects, and other creatures, and play with words and images in ways that allow our hearts to sing. Sketchbooks and notebooks, recent walks or favorite flowers & images are great resources.
Find a comfy chair or a window seat and bring writing material.
Kathleen O’Toole is a poet whose work with haiku and other short poetic forms is deeply rooted in attention to the natural world. These three workshops will guide participants through poetry forms and writing practices that invite us to explore the ways season changes bring special opportunities for healing and creativity. The ancient Celts celebrated cross-quarter days as moments of magic and openings to spirit and ritual; we’ll mark our own seasonal awareness.
Writing Through the Seasons: The Healing Power of Nature will be offered as a program series, spread over the seasons, beginning in Fall 2021.
Program Dates:
Saturday, May 14th, 10:00-11:30am ET
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $25/series
About Kathleen O’Toole
Takoma Park Poet Laureate Kathleen O’Toole is the author of 4 books of poetry (find her athttps://kathleenotoolepoetry.com). She has taught writing at Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. As evident in her longer work, she often seeks inspiration and consolation in nature. For more than thirty years she has been writing haiku as a spiritual practice of attention, and to deepen her experience of the natural world.
PART 4/4. This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you missed the first sessions, please emailcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jodi Kanter, PhD
Body image may shift in cancer patients due to the presence of a tumor, breast asymmetry and size related to treatment and surgical intervention, changes in weight, or alterations of the skin. “Your Body’s Story” is a place to explore your relationship with your body in the past, present and future.
Our exploration will utilize a variety of creative media: improvisational movement, improvisational conversation, writing, and visual art.
Our goal will be to achieve a more integrated sense of our somatic experiences as they have changed and will continue to change throughout cancer survivorship.
Most research into trauma-informed approaches to wellness suggests that processing the trauma is central to healing. Expressive arts therapies provide aesthetic distance from trauma, even as they encourage representation of the trauma.
In particular, drama therapy allows us to intervene in our traumatic experiences in ways that were impossible at the time of its occurrence. Drama therapy also enables us to actively project into and thereby shape our experience of trauma moving forward.
Your Body’s Story is open to female-identifying cancer patients and survivors at any stage in their journey. The series will be offered as a 4-part program series on:
Fridays, April 1, 8, 22 & 29, 2022, 1:00 – 3:00pm EST
Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend all sessions.
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $35/series
About Jodi Kanter
Jodi has been involved in theater since she was ten years old. She grew up acting and studying performance in American theater’s “Second City,” Chicago Illinois. She is currently a professor of theatre in the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, where she has been on faculty for nearly fifteen years. Her academic work in theater includes her book, Performing Loss: Strengthening Communities Through Theatre and Writing (2007). Jodi’s focus on performance as a tool for individual and social healing and change has led her to create workshops, events and productions in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and prisons. Most recently, she co-created a four-month diversity and inclusion program for members of DC’s fourteen Neighborhood Village associations using the methodology of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Jodi holds a PhD. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in dramatherapy at Lesley University.
PART 3/4. This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you missed the first sessions, please emailcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jodi Kanter, PhD
Body image may shift in cancer patients due to the presence of a tumor, breast asymmetry and size related to treatment and surgical intervention, changes in weight, or alterations of the skin. “Your Body’s Story” is a place to explore your relationship with your body in the past, present and future.
Our exploration will utilize a variety of creative media: improvisational movement, improvisational conversation, writing, and visual art.
Our goal will be to achieve a more integrated sense of our somatic experiences as they have changed and will continue to change throughout cancer survivorship.
Most research into trauma-informed approaches to wellness suggests that processing the trauma is central to healing. Expressive arts therapies provide aesthetic distance from trauma, even as they encourage representation of the trauma.
In particular, drama therapy allows us to intervene in our traumatic experiences in ways that were impossible at the time of its occurrence. Drama therapy also enables us to actively project into and thereby shape our experience of trauma moving forward.
Your Body’s Story is open to female-identifying cancer patients and survivors at any stage in their journey. The series will be offered as a 4-part program series on:
Fridays, April 1, 8, 22 & 29, 2022, 1:00 – 3:00pm EST
Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend all sessions.
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $35/series
About Jodi Kanter
Jodi has been involved in theater since she was ten years old. She grew up acting and studying performance in American theater’s “Second City,” Chicago Illinois. She is currently a professor of theatre in the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, where she has been on faculty for nearly fifteen years. Her academic work in theater includes her book, Performing Loss: Strengthening Communities Through Theatre and Writing (2007). Jodi’s focus on performance as a tool for individual and social healing and change has led her to create workshops, events and productions in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and prisons. Most recently, she co-created a four-month diversity and inclusion program for members of DC’s fourteen Neighborhood Village associations using the methodology of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Jodi holds a PhD. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in dramatherapy at Lesley University.
PART 2/4. This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. If you missed the first session, please emailcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jodi Kanter, PhD
Body image may shift in cancer patients due to the presence of a tumor, breast asymmetry and size related to treatment and surgical intervention, changes in weight, or alterations of the skin. “Your Body’s Story” is a place to explore your relationship with your body in the past, present and future.
Our exploration will utilize a variety of creative media: improvisational movement, improvisational conversation, writing, and visual art.
Our goal will be to achieve a more integrated sense of our somatic experiences as they have changed and will continue to change throughout cancer survivorship.
Most research into trauma-informed approaches to wellness suggests that processing the trauma is central to healing. Expressive arts therapies provide aesthetic distance from trauma, even as they encourage representation of the trauma.
In particular, drama therapy allows us to intervene in our traumatic experiences in ways that were impossible at the time of its occurrence. Drama therapy also enables us to actively project into and thereby shape our experience of trauma moving forward.
Your Body’s Story is open to female-identifying cancer patients and survivors at any stage in their journey. The series will be offered as a 4-part program series on:
Fridays, April 1, 8, 22 & 29, 2022, 1:00 – 3:00pm EST
Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend all sessions.
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $35/series
About Jodi Kanter
Jodi has been involved in theater since she was ten years old. She grew up acting and studying performance in American theater’s “Second City,” Chicago Illinois. She is currently a professor of theatre in the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, where she has been on faculty for nearly fifteen years. Her academic work in theater includes her book, Performing Loss: Strengthening Communities Through Theatre and Writing (2007). Jodi’s focus on performance as a tool for individual and social healing and change has led her to create workshops, events and productions in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and prisons. Most recently, she co-created a four-month diversity and inclusion program for members of DC’s fourteen Neighborhood Village associations using the methodology of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Jodi holds a PhD. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in dramatherapy at Lesley University.
This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailingcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jodi Kanter, PhD
Body image may shift in cancer patients due to the presence of a tumor, breast asymmetry and size related to treatment and surgical intervention, changes in weight, or alterations of the skin. “Your Body’s Story” is a place to explore your relationship with your body in the past, present and future.
Our exploration will utilize a variety of creative media: improvisational movement, improvisational conversation, writing, and visual art.
Our goal will be to achieve a more integrated sense of our somatic experiences as they have changed and will continue to change throughout cancer survivorship.
Most research into trauma-informed approaches to wellness suggests that processing the trauma is central to healing. Expressive arts therapies provide aesthetic distance from trauma, even as they encourage representation of the trauma.
In particular, drama therapy allows us to intervene in our traumatic experiences in ways that were impossible at the time of its occurrence. Drama therapy also enables us to actively project into and thereby shape our experience of trauma moving forward.
Your Body’s Story is open to female-identifying cancer patients and survivors at any stage in their journey. The series will be offered as a 4-part program series on:
Fridays, April 1, 8, 22 & 29, 2022, 1:00 – 3:00pm EST
Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend all sessions.
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $35/series
About Jodi Kanter
Jodi has been involved in theater since she was ten years old. She grew up acting and studying performance in American theater’s “Second City,” Chicago Illinois. She is currently a professor of theatre in the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, where she has been on faculty for nearly fifteen years. Her academic work in theater includes her book, Performing Loss: Strengthening Communities Through Theatre and Writing (2007). Jodi’s focus on performance as a tool for individual and social healing and change has led her to create workshops, events and productions in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and prisons. Most recently, she co-created a four-month diversity and inclusion program for members of DC’s fourteen Neighborhood Village associations using the methodology of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Jodi holds a PhD. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in dramatherapy at Lesley University.
If you missed the first session in this program series, please email carla@smithcenter.orgfor registration.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jamie Katz
Awe in New Zealand by Jamie Katz
Experiencing Awe: 2-part Workshop
Awe is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime”.
Awe can be broken down into two unique parts: perceived vastness and mental accommodation. Awe has the potential to create positive changes in the way a person experiences the world by making her feel a connection to something greater than herself.
In this workshop, we will watch awe-evoking videos and write about personal awe-inspiring experiences. Since awe is an emotion that can bond groups of people together, reflecting and sharing your experiences is highly encouraged. In the second session of this series, we will reframe our understanding of awe and learn to incorporate these powerful, emotional experiences into our everyday lives.
For anyone who attended Experiencing Awe last time, you are welcome to join us again, as Jamie will be offering new insights into awe.
Experiencing Awe Workshop will be offered in two parts:
Part 1: Tuesday, April 12th, 6:15-7:30pm ET
Part 2: Tuesday, April 19th, 6:15-7:30pm ET
Suggested Donation: $20 (series)
Participants are encouraged to attend both parts to get the most out of the workshop. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend both parts.
About Jamie Katz
Jamie Katz is an aspiring social psychologist whose past research has focused on the effects of experiencing awe. She is a DC area native who currently works at American University, and she graduated from the University of Richmond in Virginia. Jamie will pursue a graduate degree in psychology so that she can continue to research healing practices and interventions through a deeper understanding of the brain’s processes of experiencing emotions and social connections.
This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Jamie Katz
Awe in New Zealand by Jamie Katz
Experiencing Awe: 2-part Workshop
Awe is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime”.
Awe can be broken down into two unique parts: perceived vastness and mental accommodation. Awe has the potential to create positive changes in the way a person experiences the world by making her feel a connection to something greater than herself.
In this workshop, we will watch awe-evoking videos and write about personal awe-inspiring experiences. Since awe is an emotion that can bond groups of people together, reflecting and sharing your experiences is highly encouraged. In the second session of this series, we will reframe our understanding of awe and learn to incorporate these powerful, emotional experiences into our everyday lives.
For anyone who attended Experiencing Awe last time, you are welcome to join us again, as Jamie will be offering new insights into awe.
Experiencing Awe Workshop will be offered in two parts:
Part 1: Tuesday, April 12th, 6:15-7:30pm ET
Part 2: Tuesday, April 19th, 6:15-7:30pm ET
Suggested Donation: $20 (series)
Participants are encouraged to attend both parts to get the most out of the workshop. Please let us know in advance if you are unable to attend both parts.
About Jamie Katz
Jamie Katz is an aspiring social psychologist whose past research has focused on the effects of experiencing awe. She is a DC area native who currently works at American University, and she graduated from the University of Richmond in Virginia. Jamie will pursue a graduate degree in psychology so that she can continue to research healing practices and interventions through a deeper understanding of the brain’s processes of experiencing emotions and social connections.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailingcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Theresa Walker
Gather some photographs, magazine images, or your own art work… work that inspires joy or gratitude.
We will select an image of our own and write a poem — a cinquain, under the guidance of the facilitator. A cinquain is a 5-line poem with a specific form that’s easy to follow. The poem is meant to “express the heart of an experience in just a few words.”
We will share our poems, images, and gratitude for life experiences. We will begin the workshop with a short period of silence and body meditation for relaxation.
Suggested Donation: $10
About Theresa Walker
Theresa Walker is a registered SoulCollage® facilitator and has led groups since 2011. She is a certified expressive arts facilitator, trained at Salve Regina University in writing and visual arts, and she is a graduate of Shalem’s Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups program. She finds that SoulCollage®, especially in a Group setting, offers participants a unique experience of playfulness, insight, and creativity.
This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailingcarla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Bobbie Marchand
In the midst of Cancer’s wake, what if you could:
Cultivate practices of self-care that align with your highest values that are nurturing and healing
Manage the feelings and energies of anxiety/fear/sadness/confusion/frustration that inevitably arise
Discover empowering ways to communicate with your circles of support and Medical Team
Know yourself in a deeper, more connected way that prepares you for the journey ahead and within
As a two-time Survivor and the Daughter of a four-time Survivor, Cancer has been a part of my life for decades. It is my hope in this series to share with you, ways we have coped, dealt and healed along the way. Every journey is deeply personal, these tools are universal; for everyone, to take and shape to fit your own unique circumstances. Registrants should bring with them:
A new, fresh journal that’s only for this work
Pen and pencil
Wear clothes that are comfortable
Tools for Living Authentically with Cancer will be offered as a 2-part program series to cancer patients/survivors at any point in their journey.
Program Series Dates:
Saturday, March 5th & 12th, 10:00-11:15am ET
Participants are expected to attend both sessions in the 2-part series.
Suggested Donation: $25/series
About Bobbie Marchand
In addition to being a two-time Breast Cancer Survivor (BRCA1+), she is a dedicated Mom, accomplished Yoga Instructor, avid Cook and Wellness Advocate. As a former Professional Dancer, Bobbie has always leaned into life through the lens of Movement and the Healing Arts; helping her make sense of the un-sensical, finding a sense of purpose in the many twists and turns experienced along the way. She is passionate about uncovering the ways in which Cancer can inform, rather than define our lives as patients; how such a disease has the potential to clear a path to live more fully, humbly and in deeper connection to ourselves and what we truly value in life.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Kathleen O’Toole
Writing Through the Seasons
Celtic Spring: Welcoming the Light
Halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, the Celts celebrated Imbolc (February 2), the feast of lambing and the first day of spring. Though we may read in the groundhog’s shadow the prospect of more winter ahead, early February is a good time to notice the lengthening light and hints of spring and new life ahead. We’ll use our windows, memories and imaginations to write in that spirit.
Find a comfy chair or a window seat and bring writing material.
Kathleen O’Toole is a poet whose work with haiku and other short poetic forms is deeply rooted in attention to the natural world. These three workshops will guide participants through poetry forms and writing practices that invite us to explore the ways season changes bring special opportunities for healing and creativity. The ancient Celts celebrated cross-quarter days as moments of magic and openings to spirit and ritual; we’ll mark our own seasonal awareness.
Writing Through the Seasons: The Healing Power of Nature will be offered as a program series, spread over the seasons, beginning in Fall 2021.
Program Dates:
Saturday, February 5th, 10:00-11:30am ET
Saturday, May 14th, 10:00-11:30am ET
Suggested Donation: $10/session or $25/series
About Kathleen O’Toole
Takoma Park Poet Laureate Kathleen O’Toole is the author of 4 books of poetry (find her athttps://kathleenotoolepoetry.com). She has taught writing at Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. As evident in her longer work, she often seeks inspiration and consolation in nature. For more than thirty years she has been writing haiku as a spiritual practice of attention, and to deepen her experience of the natural world.
