Creativity is an infinite, magnificent force that can be temporarily waylaid or muted but never snuffed out. Even when creative freedom and access to inspiration are restricted, as Sveva Caetani experienced, the drive to create doesn’t disappear. Once freed, our creative output can be extraordinary.

​

  What is brewing within you?

​

  What is it within you that yearns for connection, a voice, an outlet, a little room to breathe? 

​

Out of Isolation: An Introduction to Mindful Photography and Reflective Journaling is a four-week, in-person, creativity-for-wellness workshop series. Participants use photography and journaling to forge paths away from isolation and silence and towards connection and communication.  Responding to both photo and journal prompts, participants explore their relationships with self and with their community (including the connections they make with fellow participants).

​

Each week, Alison Beaumont and I will provide guidance on mindful photography and journaling techniques.  The Caetani Centre grounds, heritage house, and gallery offer participants inspiration as they engage with a variety of prompts, techniques, activities, and discussions.  All participants are encouraged to reflect on their work during sharing circles and pair work.

​

The theme of the workshop series – Out of Isolation – draws from the rich and complicated life of Sveva Caetani, an artist, mentor, and teacher whose life story involved dislocation from her homeland, imposed isolation, and silenced creativity, followed by a late-life reemergence into art, teaching, and community. Along with writings and artwork by Sveva Caetani, the facilitators will make use of Neil Gibson’s model of therapeutic photography (inspired by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory) and Kathleen Adams’ teachings on structure, pacing and containment when journaling (the journal ladder).

​

No experience with photography or journaling is necessary to sign up for this course. This is a process-focused – as opposed to a craft-focused – workshop series, designed to promote wellbeing, community, self-reflection, creativity, and mindfulness.

​

Note: this is not therapy and we are not therapists. While we may discuss subjects that evoke many and varied thoughts and emotions, this is not group counselling.  Instead, we recommend that you view this course as a supplement to professional group or individual therapy.  If you are struggling with the course content or exercises, or if you are looking for mental health resources, please speak with your instructors.

​​​

WHEN:
 

o Oct 16 to Nov 6, 2026

o Fridays, 9 am - 12 pm

​

WHERE:
o Caetani Centre, Vernon, BC

​

WHAT TO BRING:

Pen and paper / notebook 

Cell phone or digital camera

​

COST

$300​​

​

Registration coming soon!​​​​​​