Write Yourself offers writers of all kinds the opportunity to engage in self-care while working on a writing project. What’s more, we’ll work towards finding a wise path for both of these things to mutually support each other in your everyday life.

In this mostly self-directed writing retreat, we will become a community of writers for 4 days and 3 nights. Whether you are writing a memoir, fiction, screenplay, articles for publication, short stories, essays, blogging, conference talks or just for the fun of it…all writers are welcome!

This weekend is for you if:

• you're simply craving the time and space to write
• you’re experiencing writer’s block or burnout
• you’re missing your creative spark or wanting to fall back in love with your writing project
• you want to learn how to take better care of yourself
• you could use a long weekend to have your needs cared for by others while you focus on writing
• you enjoy a balance of individual writing time and community time to reflect on the art of writing

During our time together, we’ll have:

• ample time to slow down and cultivate intentional relaxation
• schedules that support our natural biorhythms (any early birds or night owls?)
• plenty of time for individual writing
• optional workshops on self-care, personal ecology, and writing processes to support your creative spirit
• optional fresh air activities such as a guided labyrinth walk, ravine walk, or ridge walk
• simple group check-ins and reflective/contemplative fires each evening

You’ll leave this weekend:

• feeling more relaxed and reconnected to the creative aspects of your work
• with concrete skills to immediately improve self-care at home
• with a better understanding of your writing processes
• having moved your writing project forward
• with a community of writers who have your best interests at heart

About the Facilitator:

Michelle Rivera-Clonch, PhD is co-founder of Writing in Depth: An Academic Writing Retreat, which has been hosted annually at Hope Springs Institute since 2010. From almost a decade of facilitating writing retreats, she’s bringing the top line experiences about self-care to writers of all kinds through Write Yourself.

In Florida, Michelle is the owner of Peace Within: Counseling for Women, LLC where she provides mental health counseling, training, and consultation to Central Florida’s women and diversity-and-inclusion-focused organizations. She also keeps busy as a Supporting Professor at Rollins College in the departments of Graduate Studies in Counseling and Critical Media & Cultural Studies where she specializes in teaching multicultural, social justice, and social-action oriented courses.

Over the years, Michelle has supported Hope Springs Institute as a program participant, volunteer, Board of Directors member, retreat facilitator, strategic planning member, donor, and friend.