Joywork Circle
Is chronic illness is leaving you lonely and unfulfilled?
Would you like a safe place to express yourself creatively in a community of people who get what you are going through?
transformation creation
TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO YOUR Chronic Illness through creative and expressive art—the story, the pain itself, the physical challenges, the grief, sadness, anger and resentment— so that Joy shines through it all.
What are JOYWORK Circles about?
They are about harvesting joy in the presence of pain and suffering.
JOY is different than happiness, though.
Happiness is a feel good emotion. Joy is the emotion we have at the end of the hero’s journey when the good gal finally wins. It is not an easy road and we don’t have to feel very heroic while we work together. What we have to do is find the light within ourselves and magnify it. This light will guide you out of the darkness of suffering and pain.
JoyWork happens in the body as a series of experimental acts—movements, creations, innovations. We will lean in toward our suffering—both physical and emotional—and through movement, writing, art-making and discussion, we will begin to define a new relationship to it.
What would you like to create inside of yourself? Come along and let’s see how Joywork Circles can help you start a revolution— a “Me-volution”
ME-SEARCH …
My work is based on thirty years of Me-Search—living with a chronic illness, researching and practicing mindfulness, art making, movement and psychotherapy.
I have a chronic illness.
AND I feel joyful.
I won’t lie to you. This process is work … work you can practice and master and benefit from for the rest of your life.
Let JoyWork and me guide you in your own “Me-Search”
Discover your power to become a shining light in the darkness of suffering.
Spend 90 minutes per week online with me and a group of caring people who have chronic illness and want the same types of changes you do.
We will discuss, write, make art and refine and redefine ourselves through exploration of different themes each week. All of the things we do you can also do on your own to keep the joy flowing for the rest of your life.
Is JoyWork for you?
JoyWork is for you if you …
Have a chronic illness
Have a desire to learn how to change how you relate to your illness to decrease suffering
Are open to trying some things like writing, art, movement, and mindfulness (no previous skill necessary here)
Want to connect with other people who have similar experiences to you with chronic illness for greater connection and support
This JoyWork workshop is NOT for you if you …
Are on hospice care and facing death. That is different work—equally powerful and important, but different nonetheless.
Are in a mental health crisis (more resources here)
“I don’t say this lightly, but working with Melissa has changed me and I am profoundly grateful. It didn’t change my disease, but it changed me!”
~Suzanne