Joyful journaling workshops for events, retreats, charities and more.
If you’re planning an event with wellbeing, nature or creativity at heart, we could be a great match for each other. I’d love to be your host!
Whether you’re seeking a workshop facilitator for a one-off event, or you’re an organisation with funds to plan a journaling for wellbeing course, here’s how my workshops could help:
✍️ I’ll introduce participants to the simple-but-powerful self-care practice of positive journaling.
✍️ The activities are guided by me and designed to be accessible for all experience-levels. Participants just need to be able to write or draw.
✍️ They create space for participants to practice mindfulness, creativity & JOY!
✍️ They provide opportunities for making meaningful connections with others.
✍️ Minimal equipment is required! All participants will need is their own journal and pens/pencils – though I can supply these if needed.
✍️ They suit all kinds of group sizes. The optimum amount is 8-14 but the sessions can be adapted for smaller or larger groups.
✍️ They can be adapted to suit the location and energy of the event. A workshop on the coast path would look different to a workshop in a tipi at a festival, for example.
Event, charities & organisations I’ve partnered with
You’ve probably heard that journaling comes with all sorts of incredible mental and physical benefits, from reduced stress and anxiety to improved confidence and self-awareness. But here’s what makes Journal For Joy different:
Positivity
Us humans have a tendency to focus on the negative — and my workshops are a refreshing antidote to that. I guide participants to cultivate a more balanced positive mindset by bringing focus to feelings like gratitude, hope and awe.
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Creativity
Journaling isn’t just about reflective writing. The prompts I share are rooted in playful creativity and encourage participants to tap into their inner child! Expect accessible creative exercises like drawing, poetry and more.
= Joy!
Practicing positive and creative journaling as a group often creates a wonderful joyful energy in the room, and in the individuals involved. And experiencing joy not only feels good in the moment; it can have a magical ripple effect in all areas of our lives.
“I had the absolute pleasure of hosting Hannah for a beautiful creative journaling workshop at our business and wellness retreat.
Hannah was so wonderful to work with - engaging, inspiring and all of our guests came away from her session feeling really enthused and aligned. They were really able to creatively express themselves in a safe space, and I wouldn't hesitate to welcome her back for a future event as a trusted practitioner!.”
- Laura Greenwood, Founder & Creative Business Coach at Ebb, Flow & Grow
What the workshops involve
Duration: 1.5 or 2 hours
Includes:
- A short intro talk from me (Hannah) about positive journaling and its wellbeing benefits.
- A mix of journaling prompts and techniques guided by me, including lighthearted writing, drawing, mindfulness and reflection exercises (usually 5-6 different activities).
- The option to share and discuss your journal entries with the group, to spread the joy and find moments of connection with each other*.
Theme:
My core themes are:
- ‘Positive Pages’ (focusing on feel-good feelings like gratitude, optimism and joy)
- ‘Love Where You Live’ (featuring prompts from my Hometown Journal)
- ‘Find Joy In Nature’ (ideally held in a beautiful outdoor space!)
Or I can create something bespoke, especially for your event.
Cost:
Varies depending on whether your session is virtual or in-person (and whereabouts you are!), how many people are attending, whether it’s bespoke and so on. Please contact me with details about your event, group size, dates and any other relevant info and I’ll provide you with a custom quote.
*Whilst this is a lovely part of the session, for groups of 20+ the sharing element is sometimes trickier. However, I can adapt workshops by removing this and bringing more focus to individual journaling – which still works well!
Case study: nature journaling with Natural England
In spring 2023 I created and delivered a 4-week long nature journaling course for a group referred by social prescription in Cornwall, funded by Natural England. The results were so positive, the organisation funded another course in autumn that year.
“The workshops were fun, creative, engaging and inclusive and Hannah did a brilliant job of building trust and rapport with the group. The evaluation at week 4 indicated positive changes for participants both in terms of increased experiences of nature connection and improved wellbeing.
I thoroughly recommend Hannah’s services, a pleasure to work with.”
— Mel Smith, Senior Advisor of Inclusion and Connecting
People With Nature, Natural England
Workshop FAQs
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I’ve hosted workshops for groups as small as 5 people and as large as 60! I’ve found that the optimum number of people is between 8 and 20 to allow time for sharing and discussion between journaling – but if you have more or less people it may still work. Contact me on hannah@journalforjoy.co.uk to discuss your estimated group size and I’ll let you know how it would work.
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I’ve run workshops in all sorts of places, indoors and outdoors, from yoga studios and offices to gardens and beaches! The suitability of the location really depends on the nature of the group but ideally the space should be fairly quiet, dry and offer somewhere to sit and journal comfortably.
I’m based in Cornwall but I am happy to travel further afield, providing travel expenses are covered.
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Definitely. I've run some really fun workshops that incorporate walks on the coast path and I'd love to do more to complement other outdoor activities, like swimming or surfing.
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Each participant just needs to bring their own notebook/journal and pens/pencils. I always bring spare paper and a bunch of colourful pens and pencils too, just in case.
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Nope! My workshops are suitable for complete beginners. Although if you have dabbled in journaling, or even if you’ve been journaling for a long time, I’m sure that you’ll take something new away from the sessions. All experience levels are welcome.
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No. My background is in writing. I am Mental Health First Aid trained but if you’d like me to host a workshop with a group with specific mental health challenges or needs, a member of your team or a caregiver will need to be present.
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This is something that I hear a lot… but the truth is, we’re all creative! Sometimes we don’t feel that way because we don’t make time for it, or we’ve been told that we’re not creative in the past and it’s a belief that’s stuck with us. My workshops are designed so that you can take part and practice playful creativity, even if you have no prior experience of creative writing or drawing. You might even surprise yourself (people often do) 🙂
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I am always so excited to collaborate with fellow creatives and wellbeing people - so YES, please get in touch and let me know what you've got in mind!
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I’m always open to delivering workshops for mellow hen parties, birthday parties and so on. Just get in touch with the details of your event and I’ll let you know if it’s something I can help with!: hannah@journalforjoy.co.uk