uses the transformative power of the arts,
sensory experiences and learning, to aid in stress relief, slowing your heart rate,
reducing blood pressure
paradigm shifts, and creative awakening.
In stimulating self-awareness, confidence, healing and building community, The Creative Healing Connection fosters opportunities for the participants to release stress, patterns, and limiting beliefs so that they can live a happier, more productive and fulfilling life as they
feel more alive, connected and at peace.

Art and Healing Practicioners
Community Creativity Outreach
Training and Facilitation
Looking for people to impact the world with art

Why We Created This Certification Program
Although it has been proven and although there is great need the challenges are there are not enough trained people in the field. This is not art therapy where you clinically observe a person’s drawing, this is where you hold space for them as you invite them to engage their creative exploration without judgement. Both fields are important.
People are getting medicated with pills to deal with life instead of realizing the root of the cause is often that we are disconnected from creative practices and nature.
Shannon Borg tells us, “To a child, art-making is as natural as eating or breathing… As we get older, our relationship to art shifts, changes, and becomes rather more complicated.” Not saying that pills are not helpful, many times they are needed, however often there are other methods that are very beneficial.
The good news is there are Social Prescription Programs emerging in which doctors prescribe art classes, and other creative endeavors for healing. But again, we need more people who are trained to facilitate these encounters.
More and more people in the medical field as well as the corporate world are feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of a burnout. But there are champion leaders looking for innovative ways to support wellness and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in their community and The Creative Healing Connection is a way build connections and make a difference.
We need more people who possess the skills to offer programming.
Looking for people to impact the world with art
Are you ready?
Our Program
Often at the cancer institute when a patients’ blood pressure was too high to get chemo, I would go into the room and create art with them. After only 20 minutes working on an art project and having someone connectively listen, many times their blood pressure lowered significantly, and they were able to proceed with their treatment.
Three-quarters of participants in a study published in the journal Art Therapy, experienced lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol during their 45-minute art-making session.
Other times the hospital room echoes with laughter and joy, and sometimes, yes, we share tears. Connective listening is a skill where you hold space for the person. So often people are distracted and are not present in the moment. That presence coupled with creativity is incredibly impactful.
You’ll learn how to:
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Create a psychologically safe space and build trust quickly
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Understand the effects of burnout and support resilience
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Use silence to advance a conversation
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Be present (and make it clear that you are)
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Reflect back so a person feels heard
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Synthesize what you hear in a meaningful way
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Craft a meaningful poem inspired by your listening
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Be a sought-after conversation partner
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Maintain lasting connections with your healthcare community
Outcomes of good listening:
Make people feel heard and seen
Making people feel seen and heard helps them feel more fully human. The ripple effect from that impact extends well beyond the individual.
Build trust quickly
Listening is a powerful tool for making the most of limited time for building connections. If you’re a good listener, people will share their truths with you sooner.
Help fight burnout
Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers are burning out at an alarming rate. More than being just clinicians, administrators, and support staff, of course, healthcare workers are humans. They are nourished by spaces to share their stories, reflect, and make meaning. As a good listener, you’ll be helping them stay in the healing careers they chose to serve.
See the healthcare world
(and the humans in it)
Get ready to really see the human side of healthcare. As a Listener Poet, you’ll learn more about how people feel, how they think, and what they’re going through than you could ever understand from a textbook or classroom.
Improve patient experience
Patients and family members are more likely to mention a symptom or environmental factor or concern if they believe they’re going to be heard. They’re consequently less anxious, which can make them more receptive to care advice.
Reduce errors
By contributing to a culture of good listening, you can help reduce medical errors. Clinicians who listen better not only hear more of what’s said, they also make patients feel more comfortable sharing more.
Improve writing skills
Writing for others is a deliberate craft. Producing a poem that someone finds meaning in, resonates with, even cherishes, requires skill and care. Practice and dedication are the best teachers, but we’ll cover methods that will guide you towards reliably respectable writing.
Gain transferable skills
Every field, every career, every area of life can benefit from good listening. Besides increasing your performance at work, you can be confident that improving your listening skills will improve the health of your personal relationships.
You’ll be applying for an in-depth eight-week course with an official certification opportunity at the end. You’ll have 32 total hours of class time (two hours of class twice per week) and exercises with a group of 6-10 classmates.
Class dates
The next cohort will begin on Monday, May 1st, 2023. Class times are 4-6pm Eastern Standard Time.
Week 1 - May 1 & 3
Week 2 - May 8 & 10
Week 3 - May 15 & 17
Week 4 - May 22 & 24
Mid-Term Break
Week 5 - June 5 & 7
Week 6 - June 12 & 14
Week 7 - June 19 & 21
Week 8 - June 26 & 28
Certification celebration - Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Certification opportunity
Students who attain their certification will be offered the chance to become members of an official Certified Listener Poet cohort. You’ll be eligible to continue receiving support throughout the year with regular meetings and mentoring.
Certification requires 1) passing an assessment, and 2) completing 15 hours of the post-course practicum component, during which students will coordinate their own Listener Poet sessions.
ACADEMIC CREDIT OFFERING: Students with an undergraduate degree are eligible to receive three graduate-level academic credits through the Wilson College Arts & Humanities program. Students who wish to receive these credits will pay an additional $500 on top of the regular tuition and will receive a letter grade.
Tuition
The Certified Listener Poet tuition may be self-funded, or funded by your employer or institution. All tuition from this course supports the nonprofit work of The Good Listening Project.
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$4,500 Supporter rate (you’ll help sponsor an additional student)
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$3,100 Standard rate (this covers our costs for delivering the course)
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$1,750 Government/ education/ nonprofit/ scholarship rate (we draw on other resources from our community to support you)
Applying
Click the button below to apply to become a Certified Listener Poet. At the end of the application you will be directed to submit a one-time application fee of $25. Once payment is complete, we will be able to confirm your application for review. Your answers to the application questions will help us determine your qualifications.
Applications for the Summer cohort are now open. Please click the button below to apply.
A qualified candidate:
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Wants to be a good listener
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Wants to expand emotional intelligence and cultural humility
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Recognize, understand, and manage emotions
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Be able and willing to hold space for people sharing about difficult and potentially triggering topics such as death, grief, and racial injustice
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Loves poetry and storytelling
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Has strong written and verbal communication skills
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English (with a preference for speaking a second language, too)
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Has reliable internet with video and audio capabilities
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Has approximately 4 hours per week availability for 8 weeks
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Has an interest in supporting our mission to cultivate resilience and wellbeing
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Is adaptable, willing to experiment, and self-directed
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Refunds will be considered for requests received at least fourteen days before the course start date. Cancellation and refund requests received after the cancellation deadline will be considered in the case of unforeseen emergency situations.
We reserve the right to retain an amount that covers the cost of fees incurred related to payment transactions, refunds, and/or credit card chargebacks.
After the course begins, refunds are not available. However, you may have the opportunity to participate in a future cohort.
As Listener Poets, we offer the gift of witnessing, and more. We help people make meaning out of their joy, frustration, exhilaration, or confusion. Our nonjudgmental, empathetic listening validates difficult emotions, which can help people process their experiences and complete what psychologists call the “stress response cycle.”
The Good Listening Project was founded to cultivate resilience and wellbeing for hospital staff, medical students, patients, and their supportive communities. Through our Certified Listener Poet program, you will help build cultures of good listening by talking with these individuals and writing custom poems that nurture the humanity within the healthcare system.
If you’re interested in thoughtful listening, integrating arts and humanities into medicine, or helping the healthcare community, please apply.
A qualified candidate:
-
Wants to be a good listener
-
Wants to expand emotional intelligence and cultural humility
-
Recognize, understand, and manage emotions
-
Be able and willing to hold space for people sharing about difficult and potentially triggering topics such as death, grief, and racial injustice
-
-
Loves poetry and storytelling
-
Has strong written and verbal communication skills
-
English (with a preference for speaking a second language, too)
-
-
Has reliable internet with video and audio capabilities
-
Has approximately 4 hours per week availability for 8 weeks
-
Has an interest in supporting our mission to cultivate resilience and wellbeing
-
Is adaptable, willing to experiment, and self-directed
Some Of Our Programs
Often at the cancer institute when a patients’ blood pressure was too high to get chemo, I would go into the room and create art with them. After only 20 minutes working on an art project and having someone connectively listen, many times their blood pressure lowered significantly, and they were able to proceed with their treatment.
Three-quarters of participants in a study published in the journal Art Therapy, experienced lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol during their 45-minute art-making session.
Other times the hospital room echoes with laughter and joy, and sometimes, yes, we share tears. Connective listening is a skill where you hold space for the person. So often people are distracted and are not present in the moment. That presence coupled with creativity is incredibly impactful.
I have seen the paradigm shifts and the transformation that creative healing can initiate in myself, in loved ones and the impact on thousands of people. As a Keynote speaker for National Organization for the Arts and Healing I spoke about art and resilience.
This work I have been doing is finally at the cutting edge with research now emerging from Harvard Medical School, John Hopkins and other research institutions supporting what I have experienced firsthand for many years.
Neuroarts, an emerging field, studies how the arts change the brain, body, and behavior. In 2019 alone, the World Health Organization compiled more than 3,000 scientific publications that documented the role of the arts in improving physical and mental health, preventing and managing illness, and promoting well-being.
By integrating creative healing programs into healthcare settings, we also counteract burnout and help ease the emotional burden of healthcare workers, this leads to higher-quality care for patients and their families. During the Pandemic I led art initiatives for staff, first online and now I lead them in person. I see the dramatic effect on the wellbeing of workers.

Virtual Gatherings Are Great for Staff that can't Gather in Person

Art Kits and Deliveries Energize the Staff and Moral
“Engaging with creative and artistic activities has a proven track record of improving individual and population health…Those health benefits, in turn, are deeply linked to economic performance, in part because people are more productive when they are healthier.” Human Capital and the Arts at the World Bank Group (Biondo, 2020)

Paint Parties are a Wonderful Way to Have Fun!

Paint Parties are the Perfect thing to add to any Event
Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what your team does, and what your site has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know.If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to custom

I have created programs, facilitated programming and led art and innovative initiatives for Inova Cancer Institute, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Encounter, HCIF, Washington Hospital Center, The Mark Center, college campuses, as well as on international retreats, and trainings for numerous organizations. For four years after 9/11, I used the arts and sensory experiences to facilitate cultural healing and inclusion at the International Peace Conference in Washington DC.

Retreats Offer High Level Rejuvenation and Healing

Restore Your Energy!
Day and Excursion Opportunities
One retreat I led for young women in Puerto Rico, we went swimming in the bioluminescent bay the night after a storm. The micro-organisms lit up our bodies as if we were Tinkerbelle with each movement. As we sparkled in the moonlight we reflected on our own brilliance and how we were meant to shine bright in a world. As we connect with nature in creative ways and step out of our comfort zone, we expand, and we grow. Now, Psychological research is advancing our understanding of how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition.

Workshops Using Art Are Powerful
![IMG_20170924_021327[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/44f9c3_169800c03a984ff69a76bf0c720d9309~mv2_d_4160_3120_s_4_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_520,y_0,w_3120,h_3120/fill/w_431,h_431,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/IMG_20170924_021327%5B1%5D.jpg)
Workshops Using Art Are Powerful
I have seen people afraid and anxious become calm and at peace. Eric R. Maisel Ph.D in Psychology Today confirms my findings, “Art Lowers Anxiety… Art Helps Us Deal with Difficult Realities…” Just looking at art or being in nature can be healing. For centuries, both have been tools for contemplation.
Partners and Collaborators
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