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Page Count:256
Dimensions: 7.5 × 9 × 0.59 in
Publication Date:April 28, 2026
ISBN:9781774060254
Sustainability:Printed on 100% recycled paper
Printed in:Canada

The Art of Creating Workshops for Women

A Guide to Facilitating Soulful Spaces, Events, and Retreats

Foster deep creativity and nourish the spirit of community with the definitive mentor’s guide to crafting transformative workshops and retreats for women.

Many leaders dream of offering inspiring gatherings where women can sink into their creative depths, yet the path from a glimmer of an idea to a successful delivery requires a unique blend of practical and soulful preparation. This essential guide serves as both mentor and companion for facilitators looking to create safe and sacred spaces where imaginations are stirred and hearts are nourished. By integrating Jungian training with nearly four decades of international experience, author Marlene Schiwy provides a comprehensive roadmap for presenters called to host gatherings that flourish in the warmth of genuine community.

The journey begins with designing a rich and compelling offering and spans across the logistical “nuts and bolts” of registration, marketing, costing, and preparation. Beyond the mechanics, the text delves into the vital art of facilitation—emphasizing deep listening, grounding, and the ability to manage challenging participants or situations with grace. Whether you are guiding a writing workshop, a visual arts ritual, or a wellness retreat, this behind-the-scenes look provides the technical density and creative inspiration needed to turn a vocation into a transformative reality for others.

Earn up to 30 Points.

Who This Book Is For

  • Aspiring Facilitators: Women who dream of leading their first retreat or workshop and need a step-by-step mentor.
  • Professional Presenters: Experienced facilitators, coaches, and educators seeking fresh inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose.
  • Creative Practitioners: Therapists and artists looking for a soulful, community-centered approach to teaching and group work.
  • Workshop Participants: Individuals curious about the creative process and logistical care that goes into the gatherings they love.

What You'll Learn

  • Compelling Design: Create rich offerings that resonate with women’s community, creativity, and growth needs.
  • Streamlined Logistics: Manage practical issues including marketing strategies, registration workflows, and costing.
  • Facilitation Excellence: Develop expertise in grounding a group, deep listening, and troubleshooting challenging situations.
  • Multi-Disciplinary Content: Learn specific approaches for writing workshops, ritual work, music, and visual arts like collage.
  • Post-Event Integration: Implement practices for reflection, celebration, and long-term planning for future gatherings.

Praise for the book

Intimate and empowering, this handbook is an invaluable gift to future guides.

Sheri Reynolds, author, The Rapture of Canaan (an Oprah’s Book Club Selection & New York Times bestseller) and The Tender Grave

Practical, thoughtful, and soulful—Marlene weaves all three dimensions in this beautiful book.

Safron Rossi, PhD, professor and author, The Kore Goddess

I wish this book had been around when I began facilitating women’s groups in the 1980s! An indispensable guide for facilitators of soulful groups.

Gerry O’Sullivan, O’Sullivan Solutions, author, The Mediator’s Toolkit

What Makes This Book Unique

You will gain the skills to navigate complex group dynamics by integrating Jungian archetypes into your daily facilitation practice. The guide provides a blueprint for managing emotional thresholds and fostering creative breakthroughs, ensuring you have the practical systems to maintain a safe and generative space. By focusing on facilitative presence, you will learn to move beyond standard leadership into the role of a true guardian of the circle, utilizing specialized tools to design workshops that leave a lasting impact on every participant.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction

Part I: Before the Workshop
Chapter 1: So You Want to Offer Workshops for Women
Chapter 2: Practical and logistical issues
Chapter 3: Registration
Chapter 4: The Nuts and Bolts of Preparation
Chapter 5: Preparing Different Kinds of Workshops

Part II: Creating Workshop Content
Chapter 6: Creating Content for Writing Workshops
Chapter 7: Other Content Areas

Part III: During the Workshop
Chapter 8: Inward and Downward
Chapter 9: The Facilitator’s Role
Chapter 10: Trouble Shooting
Chapter 11: Additional Considerations

Part IV: After the Workshop
Chapter 12: What Comes Next
Chapter 13: Taking the Long View, Looking Ahead

Postlude
Appendix – Templates
Works Cited
Additional Resources
Acknowledgements

Accessibility Information

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Alternative Text for Images: Descriptive text is provided for all images, ensuring visual content is fully accessible.
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Unrestricted Formatting Preferences: User-configured assistive tools, custom typography scaling, line-spacing modifications, and native reading application options are never locked or disabled.
Color Independence: Textual layouts, data states, and links use distinct styles or symbols so that color changes are never the sole method of conveying critical information.
High-Contrast Design: Typography contrast levels comfortably exceed standard baseline parameters to reduce eye strain under any lighting environment.
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Blank Page Removal: Unnecessary blank pages are completely eliminated to ensure a streamlined, smooth reading flow.

Book Extras and Resources

Soulful Facilitation: Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for leaders of online workshops as well as in-person events?

Yes, it addresses the timely rise of women seeking career paths involving workshops in both online and in-person formats.

Does the book provide templates to help me get started?

The guide includes an appendix with templates and sample exercises for a wide range of content areas.

What specific creative fields does the author address?

While broadly applicable to any personal growth field, the book features examples from writing, music, visual art, and ritual

Meet the Author

Marlene Schiwy in a green dress sits on a large tree branch in a lush, green outdoor setting.

Marlene Schiwy has been facilitating workshops and retreats for women internationally for almost four decades. After completing her doctorate in literature at the University of London, she spent a decade teaching at City University in New York, where she also completed a year-long Gestalt training course in group process. Marlene was a faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s Writing Centre where, among many other offerings, she taught Body Soul Writing, the first university course in Canada to combine writing and movement. After completing a three-year Body Soul Rhythms Leadership Training Program with Marion Woodman, Marlene did extensive postgraduate study at ISAP (the International School for Analytical Psychology) in Zurich. The author of A Voice of Her Own: Women and the Journal Writing Journey and Simple Days: A Journal on What Really Matters, Marlene lives in Vancouver, Canada.

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About the Publisher

New Society Publishers has been a leader in sustainable living books since 1980. Our books are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper to support the health of the planet.

B Corporation, SDG, and FSC Mixed Paper.

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