Lapidus Events

A nurturing space to write, reflect, and be heard — Wednesday Write Togethers are live, guided sessions for anyone drawn to writing as a way of coming back to themselves.

5:30–6:30pm UK time. Prompts are given aloud and in the chat, so you can follow however works for you. No writing experience needed, just curiosity.

It’s part of Self-Centring, a community for therapeutic writing, compassion-building, and creative wellbeing practice — run by Kate Poll, founder of Compassion Journalling. Free essays and resources are always available; Wednesday Write Together and Weekend Writing Prompts (a standalone recording for writing at your own pace) are part of paid membership, although there are samples recordings available to try.

We are all born with a wild imagination. It is through this unlimited resource that we can access the unconscious, connect with our intuition, develop a greater degree of self-awareness and expand our sense of possibility. Fire Your Wild Imagination will be a chance to explore this vast inner superpower through the Jungian-inspired process of depth writing – a transformational practice aimed at nurturing depth of connection with self and world via the depths of the creative psyche. It will take place the beautiful cork woods of Portugal’s Alentejo region under the gentle guidance of Dr Rachel Newsome.

Who is Fire Your Wild Imagination for?
The focus of Fire Your Wild Imagination is on process, rather than outcome, and on what comes up in the writing, rather than craft. This retreat is for writers, creative & therapeutic practitioners and those on a journey of self-discovery who are curious about how writing & imagination can be used to support transformative growth and who are comfortable with diving deeper.

What will we be doing?
There will be two daily writing workshops on each of the three full days of the retreat. The morning workshops will be a chance to fire your wild imagination through attuning to your curious inner child, your sage inner guide and the wisdom of nature. In the afternoon you’ll have plenty free time to explore the cork woods or relax by the infinity pool. The day will finish with a reflective workshop focused on exploring your experiences of the morning session and any insights arising from it more deeply. Both sessions will include guided writing prompts as well as sharing and discussion.

A note about care
Throughout the retreat you’ll be invited to take responsibility for your experience by taking from the material what you need and working with it at a level that feels right for you. You’ll also be invited to practice CARE – confidentiality, attention, respect & empathy – with others. For those who have a writing or other creative practice, depth-writing can be used as an adjacent activity to support, deepen and expand your projects. Wherever you are at, this retreat is a chance to fire the creative, healing superpower of the wild imagination which courses through all of us.

Cost (includes accommodation, vegetarian meals & writing workshops)
Luxury room single use: 1,000 Euros
Luxury room sharing: 850 Euros pp
Budget room single use: 650 Euros
Budget room sharing: 550 Euros pp
Deposit: 150 Euros
*The deposit is refundable up to May 1st 2026. Outstanding payments are due by July 31st 2026.

Getting there by plane: The nearest airport to Monte da Japonica is Lisbon. A pick can be arranged from the airport direct to Monte da Japonica for 50 Euros per person. Alternatively, you can get the bus to the nearest town of Redondo or a train to the nearest city of Evora. There is a small charge for a pick up from Evora. Pick up from Redondo is free.

About Dr Rachel Newsome
I’m a writer, speaker & creative guide with Jungian arts-based PhD in writing-as-inner-work. I have a background in both the media and academia and now run a programme of depth writing courses and workshops throughout the year aimed at nurturing depth of connection with our deep creative self. I’m a Seed Talks expert speaker, serve on the Editorial Team of the London Arts-Based Research Centre and am co-Editor of forthcoming Routledge publication The Creative Psyche: Between Self & Spirit. I write about my travels between worlds on my Substack, Dreaming Awake. And, as you can probably tell, I love to dive deep.

https://rachelnewsome.co.uk/
https://drrachelnewsome.substack.com/

Celebrate National Poetry Day (1 Oct 2026), with this interactive CPD workshop for therapists, counsellors, social workers and educators.

Curious about how poetry can deepen therapeutic work?

This engaging two-hour online workshop offers an introduction to the growing field of poetry therapy and therapeutic writing. Whether you’re completely new to the approach or already use journalling or creative exercises with clients, you’ll discover practical, relational ways of incorporating poetry into your work.

Together we’ll explore how carefully chosen poems, reflective writing and guided discussion can foster awareness, insight, self-compassion and meaningful therapeutic dialogue. You’ll also gain an overview of the different approaches to writing for wellbeing, including expressive writing, journalling, bibliotherapy and poetry therapy, and consider when and how these methods may be appropriate within clinical practice.

During the workshop you’ll:

Discover what poetry therapy is and how it differs from expressive writing and bibliotherapy.

Learn the core principles behind therapeutic writing and poetry therapy.

Explore the benefits of using poems in therapeutic settings.

Understand how to select poems with therapeutic value.

Experience a range of reflective writing exercises for yourself.

Consider how poetry might be integrated ethically and sensitively into one-to-one or group work.

Leave with practical ideas, recommended resources and renewed inspiration for your own practice.

This workshop is experiential rather than literary. No previous experience of reading or writing poetry is required, and you won’t be expected to share anything you’ve written unless you choose to. The emphasis is on curiosity, reflection and discovering another creative doorway into therapeutic practice.

Who is it for?

Counsellors

Psychotherapists

Social workers

Mental health professionals

Coaches

Educators

Students and trainees interested in creative therapeutic approaches

Facilitated by Leah Larwood MA, UKCP, CPT
Leah is a Relational Gestalt Psychotherapist, Certified Poetry Therapist and published poet. She specialises in integrating poetry, creativity and relational psychotherapy to support emotional growth, self-awareness and healing.

A friendly, pressure-free, monthly expressive writing session aimed at deepening self-awareness, self-understanding and self-connection.

Maximum of 8 participants. No writing experience necessary.

Theme for October: “The Art of the Fall”

This ongoing monthly therapeutic/expressive writing group is for anyone who enjoys (or thinks they might enjoy) writing for pleasure or to develop self-awareness, self-understanding and self-connection. Using prose excerpts, poetry, images and other prompts, this group invites you to explore your inner and outer worlds through writing. Sharing your writing is always optional but the invitation is there to share and discuss your writing or discoveries with others if this is something you would like to do.

This 12 session (over 6 months) therapeutic writing group is for personal development. Claire will be offering a range of techniques to connect to your creative potential. There will be a therapeutic (rather than a literary) lens. Writing will be individual, with sharing in groups. We will build a non-judgemental and empathic container for your thoughts and feelings.

Romantic love gets plenty of attention, but what about the importance of friends to our health and wellbeing?

I invite you to explore and celebrate friendship with me via Zoom. This workshop is for fun and to celebrate all friendships, including the connections we have been building within Self-Centring’s writing community. And the research is clear. Having a supportive network and closeness with others increases our resilience. In an increasingly fractured and isolated world, we can feel surprisingly alone – even when in company. What I hope to offer here is an opportunity to real connection.

We will explore friendship in its many forms through visual and written prompts – some concrete, some abstract, playful and reflective – whatever inspires you on the day.

This 2-hour session will include short writing prompts, quiet time to write, and opportunities for sharing and reflection. No writing experience is needed, and there’s no pressure to perform or get things “right.”

If you’re curious about friendship, interested in reflective writing, or are simply looking for a gentle, structured space to think alongside others, you are warmly welcome to join us. Attendees are invited to contribute some of their words to a friendship post if they wish to.

Friendship built this workshop
I first created this workshop with my good friend Alison Cable. She’s a fellow writing for wellbeing facilitator and, at the time, we were co-editors of Lapidus magazine. Now, with Alison’s blessing, I am bringing an extended version to my Substack community, in thanks for the warm welcome this year and my wonderful members that have make this community special.

Free for Substack members, £35 for non-members: https://www.self-centred.com/

This 12 session (over 6 months) therapeutic writing group is for personal development. Claire will be offering a range of techniques to connect to your creative potential. There will be a therapeutic (rather than a literary) lens. Writing will be individual, with sharing in groups. We will build a non-judgemental and empathic container for your thoughts and feelings.

Join Charmaine Pollard for an inspiring and experiential online workshop designed to uplift your spirit through the power of poetry and expressive writing. This unique session invites you to experience poetry as a gentle, supportive hand upon your shoulder, offering insight, tools for resilience and connection.

Whether you are seeking emotional healing or simply wish to explore the therapeutic qualities of poetry, journalling and verse, this workshop provides a nurturing space to engage with poetry and self- reflective writing in a meaningful way.

The title of the workshop was inspired by a poem written by Deborah Cooper.

Who is this workshop for?

The workshop is for those who enjoy creativity, journalling, writing for personal or professional development.

There is no need to worry about spelling, grammar or style. Any previous knowledge of poetry, journalling or expressive writing is not required; you simply need to be willing to share, reflect and experiment with words in a supportive environment.

Embrace the healing touch of words and discover how poetry and writing, can be a source of strength and comfort in your life.

Charmaine Pollard, a Certified Poetry Therapist, has written an inspirational book Writing for Resilience. You can find the book on Amazon.

You will be introduced to the basic concepts and techniques underpinning the practices of Bibliotherapy -which uses literary texts to promote and support emotional wellbeing and mental health; and Narrative Therapy -a form of counselling and community work from whose approach, ideas and techniques, Narrative Bibliotherapy draws.
This is an introductory course designed for professionals working in a helping role who would like to incorporate bibliotherapy into their practice; and practising bibliotherapists who are interested in trying a narrative approach.

If you are already familiar with either of those, you will still be able to focus on the combination of the two, by studying specialist texts; and also by learning specific techniques to put that knowledge into practice. It is designed as a safe, confidential, inclusive and boundaried space. The focus is on live, collaborative learning and skills development so there is no pre-recorded material.

The course consists of 35 core teaching hours over ten weeks (Saturdays 1.30-5.00pm UK time) which include practice and group bibliotherapy. Additionally, there are 2 weeks of independent project work with individual supervision bookable at a time to suit you. The course fee includes all materials, assessment and feedback; as well as access to resources, and supervision at discounted rates for 1 year after completion.

On completion, you will have produced an actionable project ready to implement in your context of work. 85% attendance and project submission also entitle you to a certificate of completion.

For specific dates and FAQ’s visit https://marianacasale.com/school-of-narrative-bibliotherapy/

Registration is now open and places are filling fast. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis until 12 spaces have been filled. The full fee is £997. You may prefer to register early and avail yourself of the early-bird fee of £839 until 5th September.

Members of Lapidus are entitled to a 10% discount on the full fee. This discount does not apply to the early-bird fee and cannot be used in conjunction with instalment plans. Please add ‘Lapidus member’ in brackets after your surname when completing your registration form.

*The course offers the opportunity for reflective journaling; and your project may include creative writing for therapeutic purposes. Please note, however, that the main focus throughout the Narrative Bibliotherapy training course is on shared reading.

Metaphors are not merely figures of speech. They also shape our conceptual frameworks and influence the way we experience our lives and circumstances.
This is a 90-minute reflective writing workshop conducted once a month, in which participants explore how metaphor-guided expressive writing can help us look inwards and process emotional experiences.

The participants will engage in metaphor-based writing exercises followed by guided reflection. Grounded in principles of cognitive metaphor theory, the session will include a balance of theoretical knowledge and writing exercises, so that participants leave with practical reflective tools for introspection, emotional processing, and personal growth.
The sessions are not recorded to ensure psychological safety and enable the participants to share their reflections in a gentle and empathetic co-created space. No prior writing experience required.

About Facilitator:
Dr. Ananya Mahapatra is a psychiatrist with over 14 years of experience in clinical and research work, currently engaged in person-centered clinical practice in New Delhi, India. She is a Fellow of the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship (Cohort 11) and the Research & Documentation Committee Head for the Delhi Arts & Health Festival.
A published writer and trained in Bibliotherapy, she works at the intersection of mental health, mindful reading, and reflective writing — exploring how stories, metaphors, and expressive writing can help individuals process grief, identity shifts, and transitions that often remain unspoken.
Her personal experiences with postpartum anxiety and working with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to create The Life Sublime (www.thelifesublime.org). Through The Life Sublime, she hopes to reclaim storytelling as a quiet act of healing and utilize the therapeutic potential of words to restore a sense of self, voice, and connection in a fragmented world.
A lifelong reader, she believes in the transformative power of stories to heal, connect, and inspire. Her short fiction has been shortlisted and published in prestigious anthologies by Readomania Publishers (Twilight’s Children), The Best Asian Short Stories 2018 (Kitaab Publishers, Singapore), Bristol Short Story Prize 2022, Deodar Literary Prize, & The Hemlock Journal.

Depth writing is a transformational practice grounded in Jungian psychology combining journaling & creative writing that’s focused on nurturing depth of connection with your deep creative self. This online depth writing workshop will be a chance to press pause on the busyness of life to reflect on your self experience through the symbolism of Autumn. The workshop will include specially designed guided writing prompts, small group discussions. As the focus of depth writing is on process and on what comes up in the writing, rather than craft, there will never be any pressure to read anything out (although you can if you wish).

Who is it for?
Creative & therapeutic practitioners, seekers & inner explorers who are on a journey of self-discovery and who are comfortable with diving deeper.

Workshop Guidelines
Throughout the workshop you’ll be invited to:
Take responsibility for your experience by working with the material in a way that feels right for you
Avoid over-disclosing any matter that is particularly private or painful
Consider where you might seek outside support if anything difficult comes up
Practice CARE – confidentiality, attention, respect & empathy – with others

About Dr Rachel Newsome
I’m a Jungian arts-based researcher, teacher & writer with a PhD in writing-as-inner-work and twenty years of teaching experience as a lecturer in Higher Education. Since leaving academia, I’ve established a programme of depth writing workshops, courses & retreats aimed at inspiring the creative self in everyone. I’m a Seed Talks expert speaker, serve on the Editorial Team of the London Arts-Based Research Centre, and am Co-Editor of forthcoming Routledge publication The Creative Psyche: Between Self & Spirit. I ‘explain by doing’ over on my Substack, Dreaming Awake.
rachelnewsome.co.uk
https://drrachelnewsome.substack.com

Join Write Your Undiscovered Self – a five-week online programme grounded in Jungian psychology led by writer & Jungian arts-based researcher Dr Rachel Newsome to learn how writing and imagination can be used as tools to access the unconscious, untether creativity and expand your sense of possibility.

Wednesdays 28/10 – 25/11, 6-8pm.

Over the five weeks you’ll receive an introduction to key Jungian concepts and will have an opportunity to encounter the creative unconscious through an exploration of your joyful child self, your wise great self and the hidden emotions behind your shadow self with a view to exploring the lessons of each while also imagining an expanded, grounded ‘future self’.

The focus of the programme is on process, rather than outcome, and on what comes up in the writing, rather than craft, skills and technique. This means that you don’t need any previous writing experience to benefit from the course and there will be no pressure to read anything out.

Sessions will include:
• An accessible introduction to key Jungian concepts including the collective unconscious, the archetypes & active imagination.
• Short writing exercises that will last approximately between 5 and 15 minutes.
• Small group discussions
• Weekly worksheets
• Recordings of each session

Who Is It For?
• Those on a journey of self discovery who are interested in learning writing techniques to support psycho-spiritual growth and who are comfortable with diving deeper
• Writers & creative practitioners interested in expanding their practice and range
• Therapeutic practitioners and professionals in health, social care, education, the arts & creative industries who would like to learn more about how writing can be a form of healing.

Course guidelines
Participants will be invited to:
• Take responsibility for your experience by engaging with the material at a level
that feels right for you
• Avoid ‘over-disclosing’ matter that is particularly painful or private
• Consider where you might get outside support if anything difficult comes up
• Practice CARE – confidentiality, attention, respect & empathy – with others.

About Dr Rachel Newsome
I’m a writer, teacher, public speaker & Jungian arts-based researcher with a PhD in writing-as-inner-work. I have over twenty years lecturing experience in Higher Education and now am an independent teacher & writer and run a programme of depth writing workshops, courses & retreats online and in person throughout the year. I’m a Seed Talks expert speaker, serve on the Editorial Team of the London Arts-Based Research Centre, am Co-Editor of forthcoming Routledge publication The Creative Psyche: Between Spirit & Matter and love to dive deep. I explain by doing over my Substack, Dreaming Awake.
rachelnewsome.co.uk
https://drrachelnewsome.substack.com

THE SEEKER:
The Seeker archetype in midlife represents a profound psychological transition from caring for others to a journey of self-discovery. Women step away from external expectations to explore their own identity, spiritual growth, and deeper truth, treating midlife not as a decline, but as a purposeful personal rebirth. Session 1 of 6 in the Lead & Care series on midlife, menopause, and the archetypes that carry us through it.

LEAD & CARE: THE ARCHETYPAL MIDLIFE
There are whales who stop breeding decades before they die, and it’s exactly then that they become indispensable. Orca and whale matriarchs lead their pods long after their last calf: they remember where to find food in a lean year, guide the group, and keep the whole family line alive. Biologists call it the grandmother effect. Maybe it’s just what wisdom looks like once it stops apologising for itself.

Lead & Care is a poetry therapy journey that asks what it would mean to meet menopause and midlife the way the only other mammals who go through menopause do: not as a weakness/illness to be managed, but as a powerful role to step into. Across six Sundays we’ll sit with six archetypes that can guide women through this passage: the Seeker, the Rebel, the Healer, the Creator, the Wise Woman, the Wild Woman. Each one is a different shape that leading takes, and a different shape that caring takes for ourselves, for each other, for who comes after us.

Through poems, images, and guided writing, each session lets us recognise the different faces already living in us. A short companion booklet arrives each Monday to help you arrive already listening to yourself. Join the full journey, or step into whichever archetypes call to you. Join us every Sunday (from the 8th November to the 13th December) or choose the archetype(s) you are most interested in exploring.

It’s an invitation to rewrite the story we inherited about this phase of life, and to claim it, at last, as the one we were heading toward all along.

Purchase your ticket here: https://buy.stripe.com/aFacN46ie1f284kdzaenS0d

Join Charmaine Pollard for an inspiring and experiential online workshop designed to uplift your spirit through the power of poetry and expressive writing. This unique session invites you to experience poetry as a gentle, supportive hand upon your shoulder, offering insight, tools for resilience and connection.

Whether you are seeking emotional healing or simply wish to explore the therapeutic qualities of poetry, journalling and verse, this workshop provides a nurturing space to engage with poetry and self- reflective writing in a meaningful way.

The title of the workshop was inspired by a poem written by Deborah Cooper.

Who is this workshop for?

The workshop is for those who enjoy creativity, journalling, writing for personal or professional development.

There is no need to worry about spelling, grammar or style. Any previous knowledge of poetry, journalling or expressive writing is not required; you simply need to be willing to share, reflect and experiment with words in a supportive environment.

Embrace the healing touch of words and discover how poetry and writing, can be a source of strength and comfort in your life.

Charmaine Pollard is an experienced poetry therapist, accredited by the International Federation for Biblio Poetry Therapy (USA), a counsellor and a coach with a passion for leading therapeutic writing workshops to promote health and wellbeing.

Bookings via Eventbrite

“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” Aldous Huxley

Join Charmaine Pollard as we use carefully selected poems to inspire our reflections and discussions.

Our focus is on self-discovery and self-improvement.

We meet at selected bespoke cafés and places of interest across London, using these inspiring venues as a jumping-off point for our writing.

You don’t need to worry about spelling, grammar, style, or having any background in poetry or expressive writing. Just bring your curiosity and willingness to connect, reflect and experiment with words in a friendly and supportive environment.

Charmaine Pollard is an experienced Certified Poetry Therapist, Counsellor and Coach with a passion for leading writing for wellbeing workshops with a particular focus on confidence and resilience. Her fusion of contemporary coaching with poetry therapy techniques have helped people from all walks of life, find self- compassion, contentment and success.