Recent Workshops:
Trauma The Road Back: Two writing workshops that can help you build back your self-confidence and give you a positive way of dealing with some of life’s hardest situations. The opportunity to submit your written piece to a potential anthology.
While the workshops build on each other, they can also be taken individually.
$80 for two workshops, $45 for an individual workshop.
April 30, 2022
Moon Flower: Blooming in the Dark
Trauma is anything that happens to us, physically or psychically, that is beyond our capacity to cope given our personal circumstances and development. Trauma devastates individuals and those who support them.
Dr. Bonnie Nish (2020)
How does one navigate through the complex journey of reconnecting with self after trauma? Is it possible to find meaning for oneself in the wake of trauma and to reengage with life in a productive way? Recovering is different for each individual. Using writing for healing is a powerful tool which allows the writer to access previous experiences, understanding and information.
Join us in this 90-minute online writing workshop and allow your imagination to help you open spaces, peel back layers and let go of trauma. Writing can help you build back your self-confidence and give you a positive way of dealing with some of life’s hardest situations.
We invite you to bring your coffee and join a community, where coming together helps us feel connected and promotes further healing. Write, share and then eat your words. Seeing your words is just as important as sharing them. We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq6bPQSJVHM
Edible flower with poetry
Please note that one of the purposes of this workshop is to generate writing that could possibly be included in a new anthology of personal stories surrounding trauma.
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Back to Wholeness
Uncover some hidden pieces of your story as you pull together a collage of art and words to help you come back from events which may have had you stuck for years. Time to break molds and piece a new creation together. Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq6bPQSJVHM
Edible flower with poetry
Please note that one of the purposes of this workshop is to generate writing that could possibly be included in a new anthology of personal stories surrounding trauma.
Meet our Facilitators.
Dr. Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest free literacy arts festival. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia where she currently teaches. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School who has worked extensively with youth and adults in high-risk situations. She has conducted writing and expressive arts workshops for over 20 years across North America. Her latest poetry book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions in 2018. Bonnie lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. To find out more about her please go to https://bonnienish.com
Dr Natasha Boškić is a Director, Learning Design in the Faculty of Education and teaches in the Master of Educational Technology program at UBC. Natasha writes poetry and short personal narratives. She is fascinated by the opportunities to combine analog and digital technologies, and use a variety of media to tell our stories. She likes bringing poetry into every day in fun and engaging way. Her collaborative transmedial installation, “Still/ed here,” has been exhibited in Canada, Portugal, Serbia, Denmark, England and Ireland, and was awarded the 1st prize in the category of Digital and performative multimedia art in Surrey Art Gallery in 2019. The video poem, “On the Margin of History”, part of the installation, was also screened at various film festivals. Her poems have been published in anthologies and poetry journals and magazines in Canada, Europe and US. Natasha’s latest short poetry film, “Legacy”, was exhibited at the Polygon gallery in North Vancouver in January 2022. More about her work at onlywords.ca
While the workshops build on each other, they can also be taken individually.
$80 for two workshops, $45 for an individual workshop.
April 30, 2022
Moon Flower: Blooming in the Dark
Trauma is anything that happens to us, physically or psychically, that is beyond our capacity to cope given our personal circumstances and development. Trauma devastates individuals and those who support them.
Dr. Bonnie Nish (2020)
How does one navigate through the complex journey of reconnecting with self after trauma? Is it possible to find meaning for oneself in the wake of trauma and to reengage with life in a productive way? Recovering is different for each individual. Using writing for healing is a powerful tool which allows the writer to access previous experiences, understanding and information.
Join us in this 90-minute online writing workshop and allow your imagination to help you open spaces, peel back layers and let go of trauma. Writing can help you build back your self-confidence and give you a positive way of dealing with some of life’s hardest situations.
We invite you to bring your coffee and join a community, where coming together helps us feel connected and promotes further healing. Write, share and then eat your words. Seeing your words is just as important as sharing them. We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq6bPQSJVHM
Edible flower with poetry
Please note that one of the purposes of this workshop is to generate writing that could possibly be included in a new anthology of personal stories surrounding trauma.
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Back to Wholeness
Uncover some hidden pieces of your story as you pull together a collage of art and words to help you come back from events which may have had you stuck for years. Time to break molds and piece a new creation together. Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq6bPQSJVHM
Edible flower with poetry
Please note that one of the purposes of this workshop is to generate writing that could possibly be included in a new anthology of personal stories surrounding trauma.
Meet our Facilitators.
Dr. Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest free literacy arts festival. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia where she currently teaches. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School who has worked extensively with youth and adults in high-risk situations. She has conducted writing and expressive arts workshops for over 20 years across North America. Her latest poetry book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions in 2018. Bonnie lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. To find out more about her please go to https://bonnienish.com
Dr Natasha Boškić is a Director, Learning Design in the Faculty of Education and teaches in the Master of Educational Technology program at UBC. Natasha writes poetry and short personal narratives. She is fascinated by the opportunities to combine analog and digital technologies, and use a variety of media to tell our stories. She likes bringing poetry into every day in fun and engaging way. Her collaborative transmedial installation, “Still/ed here,” has been exhibited in Canada, Portugal, Serbia, Denmark, England and Ireland, and was awarded the 1st prize in the category of Digital and performative multimedia art in Surrey Art Gallery in 2019. The video poem, “On the Margin of History”, part of the installation, was also screened at various film festivals. Her poems have been published in anthologies and poetry journals and magazines in Canada, Europe and US. Natasha’s latest short poetry film, “Legacy”, was exhibited at the Polygon gallery in North Vancouver in January 2022. More about her work at onlywords.ca
February 16, 2022:
Self-Portrait through Expressive Arts
Presented by the JCC and Pandora's Collective
Zoom
Four weeks
Contact to sign-up: library@jccgv.bc.ca
Uncover some hidden pieces of yourself as you pull together a collage of art and words to discover aspects that may have been hidden for years. Time to break the mold? Create a new one? Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
Facilitator: Bonnie Nish
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member teaching Masters Students Poetic Inquiry and the Philosophy of Expressive Arts. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions. Bonnie uses using poetic inquiry and life writing to research returning to an academic life after trauma. She lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.
Self-Portrait through Expressive Arts
Presented by the JCC and Pandora's Collective
Zoom
Four weeks
Contact to sign-up: library@jccgv.bc.ca
Uncover some hidden pieces of yourself as you pull together a collage of art and words to discover aspects that may have been hidden for years. Time to break the mold? Create a new one? Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
Facilitator: Bonnie Nish
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member teaching Masters Students Poetic Inquiry and the Philosophy of Expressive Arts. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions. Bonnie uses using poetic inquiry and life writing to research returning to an academic life after trauma. She lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.
Self-Portrait through Expressive Arts
Presented by the JCC and Pandora's Collective
Four weeks
Starting Wednesday February 16, 2022
Uncover some hidden pieces of yourself as you pull together a collage of art and words to discover aspects that may have been hidden for years. Time to break the mold? Create a new one? Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
Facilitator: Bonnie Nish
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member teaching Masters Students Poetic Inquiry and the Philosophy of Expressive Arts. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions. Bonnie uses using poetic inquiry and life writing to research returning to an academic life after trauma. She lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.
Tuesdays - Oct 20-Nov 24, 2021
The Waldman Library, JCC, and Pandora's Collective present
Writing Workshops: Finding Resilience through Writing
6 sessions over Zoom.
This 6 session program runs Oct 20-Nov 24 Tuesdays at 1pm and is free to attend. Save the dates!
If you can't attend all 6 sessions that is okay - come anyway.
Topic: Finding Resilience through Writing
At a time when so much seems uncertain, our words can be the reminder we need that things will be ok. Come into community to find a voice of resiliency, reassurance and closeness when things may seem so far apart. No experience necessary.
Bonnie Nish has been writing beyond forever and loves to share this experience with others. An Expressive Arts Therapist Bonnie understands the need of coming into community in difficult times and how the arts, specifically writing can help us to heal, build strength and find solace.
Ali Denno is a poetry and counselling enthusiast. She holds an Associates Degree in Creative Writing from KPU and a Bachelors in Psychology from UBC. Ali hopes to share the joy and community that writing can bring.
Zoom link to follow closer to the starting date.
RSVP library@jccgv.bc.ca
JCC Waldman Library: https://www.jccgv.com/art-and-culture/library/
Pandora's Collective: www.pandorascollective.com
Thursday, July: 8, 15, 22, 29 (2021)
Coping with Ambiguous Loss Writing Workshop
At some point, most people experience some form of ambiguous loss. “Ambiguous loss is described as ‘the most stressful kind of loss,’ in that it defies closure” (Landau and Hissett, 2008. P. 70).
How do you deal with the emotions that accompany something that almost defies explanation? Writing is one way to allow yourself to grieve, speak, be seen, and be with the emotions which may accompany unclear and confusing circumstances in your life. Whether an old hurt that happened years ago or something that has occurred recently, join Bonnie Nish and Ali Denno from Pandora’s Collective as they help you to find ways to express what you have been holding.
To register please email blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca
Thursday, July: 8, 15, 22, 29
7 pm (via Zoom)
Cost: $50 for all four
Capacity: 15
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from UBC. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion-related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions.
Ali Denno is a writer and a Counselling Psychology student who has a passion for combining creative writing with the counselling world. She has facilitated workshops at Pacifica Rehabilitation Centre through Pandora's Collective and currently is a peer support volunteer at The Looking Glass Foundation. She holds an Associate's Degree in Creative Writing from KPU and a Bachelor's in Psychology from UBC. Ali will start her Master of Counselling Degree at Adler University this fall. She hopes to share the joy and community that writing can bring.
Presented by the JCC and Pandora's Collective
Four weeks
Starting Wednesday February 16, 2022
Uncover some hidden pieces of yourself as you pull together a collage of art and words to discover aspects that may have been hidden for years. Time to break the mold? Create a new one? Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely.
No experience necessary.
Facilitator: Bonnie Nish
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member teaching Masters Students Poetic Inquiry and the Philosophy of Expressive Arts. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions. Bonnie uses using poetic inquiry and life writing to research returning to an academic life after trauma. She lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.
Tuesdays - Oct 20-Nov 24, 2021
The Waldman Library, JCC, and Pandora's Collective present
Writing Workshops: Finding Resilience through Writing
6 sessions over Zoom.
This 6 session program runs Oct 20-Nov 24 Tuesdays at 1pm and is free to attend. Save the dates!
If you can't attend all 6 sessions that is okay - come anyway.
Topic: Finding Resilience through Writing
At a time when so much seems uncertain, our words can be the reminder we need that things will be ok. Come into community to find a voice of resiliency, reassurance and closeness when things may seem so far apart. No experience necessary.
Bonnie Nish has been writing beyond forever and loves to share this experience with others. An Expressive Arts Therapist Bonnie understands the need of coming into community in difficult times and how the arts, specifically writing can help us to heal, build strength and find solace.
Ali Denno is a poetry and counselling enthusiast. She holds an Associates Degree in Creative Writing from KPU and a Bachelors in Psychology from UBC. Ali hopes to share the joy and community that writing can bring.
Zoom link to follow closer to the starting date.
RSVP library@jccgv.bc.ca
JCC Waldman Library: https://www.jccgv.com/art-and-culture/library/
Pandora's Collective: www.pandorascollective.com
Thursday, July: 8, 15, 22, 29 (2021)
Coping with Ambiguous Loss Writing Workshop
At some point, most people experience some form of ambiguous loss. “Ambiguous loss is described as ‘the most stressful kind of loss,’ in that it defies closure” (Landau and Hissett, 2008. P. 70).
How do you deal with the emotions that accompany something that almost defies explanation? Writing is one way to allow yourself to grieve, speak, be seen, and be with the emotions which may accompany unclear and confusing circumstances in your life. Whether an old hurt that happened years ago or something that has occurred recently, join Bonnie Nish and Ali Denno from Pandora’s Collective as they help you to find ways to express what you have been holding.
To register please email blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca
Thursday, July: 8, 15, 22, 29
7 pm (via Zoom)
Cost: $50 for all four
Capacity: 15
Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from UBC. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion-related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School where she is also a faculty member. Her latest book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions.
Ali Denno is a writer and a Counselling Psychology student who has a passion for combining creative writing with the counselling world. She has facilitated workshops at Pacifica Rehabilitation Centre through Pandora's Collective and currently is a peer support volunteer at The Looking Glass Foundation. She holds an Associate's Degree in Creative Writing from KPU and a Bachelor's in Psychology from UBC. Ali will start her Master of Counselling Degree at Adler University this fall. She hopes to share the joy and community that writing can bring.
