The Language of Loss - Putting Grief into Words - August 2026

Grief comes in many different ways. In this hands-on workshop you will put pen to paper to enhance healing and growth in your grief journey.
About this Event

The Language of Loss - Putting Grief into Words

Grief hits you hard and often out of the blue. Just when you think you are finally moving forward, grief comes again and takes your breath away. Losing a loved one, getting divorced, being downsized at work, growing older, letting go of a dream—any loss can leave us speechless. Throw world events, economic uncertainty, and environmental turmoil into the mix and grief is a natural response. All of a sudden the language we’ve relied on for years isn't enough to express our anger, soothe our sadness, or calm our confusion.

Join us as we welcome Amy Lyles Wilson to the Center for Hope & Healing to lead us through a time of expressing and beginning to heal our grief through the written word. You don't need to be a “real writer” to join us, and critique is not a part of the process. (You won’t even be compelled to read your work aloud!) This isn’t therapy, but putting pen to paper does enhance our healing, allows us to bear witness to the human condition, and draws us closer to God.

Amy Lyles believes it’s the sharing of our stories that saves us. A Mississippi native who calls Nashville home, Amy Lyles works as a story coach, spiritual director, and community-based teacher. She offers many writing and creative workshops at St. Mary's at Sewanee. She has served as adjunct professor and writer-in-residence at the Earlham School of Religion, and led workshops across the South, as well as at the Chautauqua Institution. She is a trained spiritual director and facilitator of both Amherst Writers and Artists and SoulCollage® workshops, and holds degrees in English, journalism, and theology. She recently earned a certificate in narrative healthcare from Lenoir-Rhyne University as part of her commitment to continued education and training. Learn more at www.amylyleswilson.com.

Snacks and a writing journal are included in your registration fee!