Writing the Wave, Writing through Trauma to Truth, and Blogging Your Voice, Crafting Your Niche teacher Shawna Ayoub shares some insights into both her teaching and creative processes.
Director Stacia M. Fleegal: What excites you, inspires you, makes you grin from ear to ear about your Center class? Where is the joy for you in the teaching? Is there any relationship between the pleasure you feel teaching and the pleasure you feel when you’re writing?
SA: Writing has been a powerful coping tool for the stresses of my life as far back as I can remember. I can always rely on words to tell the story I want to tell, even when that isn’t the story I’m living. Writing is an avenue to wellness that I believe everyone should have access to. In my Center classes, I teach expressive writing as a tool for release and recovery. We all experience hardship. We all have trauma. Bringing the truth of those vulnerabilities to the page empowers us to survive our stories. I love sharing the transformative power of writing with students and, ultimately, witnessing them take the reins of their narratives. Teaching Writing through Trauma to Truth is work that expands my heart. There is no greater feeling for me than service through witnessing others’ stories.
Writers, what about writing brings you joy? Share with us in the comments!
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