The Write to Heal: Discovering Veterans' Voices
Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center For the Arts & Humanities announces an inspiring three-week, Sunday afternoon series (September 8-22) exploring the transformative power of expressive writing, led by award- winning authors Joseph Bathanti and June Guralnick. The series will have a special focus on the power of writing for members of the United States Armed Forces (active duty or reserve), National Guard, and military veterans and their families. Additionally, the series will take a deep dive into how writing (journaling, poetry, stories, etc.) can be a wellness tool – and an enjoyable creative activity for everyone! (Extensive research has shown that writing not only boosts emotional well-being and resiliency, but also positively impacts physical health and state of mind.) The Write to Heal: Discovering Veterans’ Voices series sponsors include: First Health of the Carolinas.
Over the last two decades, veteran writing groups have emerged throughout the U.S., and in a cathartic outpouring, are sharing memorable narratives capturing life under fire and at home. A helpful vehicle for military members’ self-expression, self-care, stress management, and resilience, writing is also effective in strengthening connection and a sense of community. “Writing … has given me the ability to express myself in a positive way. As a veteran with PTSD and depression, this has been life changing…” states Bill Dixon, Vietnam War veteran and Board Chair of Vets to Vets.
The Write to Heal: Discovering Veterans’ Voices series will offer three consecutive Sunday afternoon programs free and open to the public (in the Great Room of the Weymouth Center) including:
Uncovering Veterans Stories – Sunday, September 8, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Led by Joseph Bathanti (Reception 2:30-3:00): This session will begin with a round-robin of introductions and warm- up leading up to the workshop. The workshop itself is in many ways an exercise in memory. Therefore, you should bring along old photographs, letters and/or any other artifacts associated with your service. Such artifacts often prove invaluable in jump-starting memory and the writing impulse, and we’ll use those artifacts as springboards to generate a short piece of writing. What you’ll write about does not have to be something terrifically dramatic or momentous. It can be something very small, but nonetheless significant. You’ll also have the opportunity to share what you write with the group. Participants will be provided with handouts: poems, stories and nonfiction pieces written by other veterans, and specific writing prompts. Active-duty military members, National Guard, military veterans, military family members, and civilians are warmly welcomed.
Over the last two decades, veteran writing groups have emerged throughout the U.S., and in a cathartic outpouring, are sharing memorable narratives capturing life under fire and at home. A helpful vehicle for military members’ self-expression, self-care, stress management, and resilience, writing is also effective in strengthening connection and a sense of community. “Writing … has given me the ability to express myself in a positive way. As a veteran with PTSD and depression, this has been life changing…” states Bill Dixon, Vietnam War veteran and Board Chair of Vets to Vets.
The Write to Heal: Discovering Veterans’ Voices series will offer three consecutive Sunday afternoon programs free and open to the public (in the Great Room of the Weymouth Center) including:
Uncovering Veterans Stories – Sunday, September 8, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Led by Joseph Bathanti (Reception 2:30-3:00): This session will begin with a round-robin of introductions and warm- up leading up to the workshop. The workshop itself is in many ways an exercise in memory. Therefore, you should bring along old photographs, letters and/or any other artifacts associated with your service. Such artifacts often prove invaluable in jump-starting memory and the writing impulse, and we’ll use those artifacts as springboards to generate a short piece of writing. What you’ll write about does not have to be something terrifically dramatic or momentous. It can be something very small, but nonetheless significant. You’ll also have the opportunity to share what you write with the group. Participants will be provided with handouts: poems, stories and nonfiction pieces written by other veterans, and specific writing prompts. Active-duty military members, National Guard, military veterans, military family members, and civilians are warmly welcomed.
Women’s Write to Heal: A Conversation - Sunday, September 15, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Led by June Guralnick (Reception 2:30-3:00): Women’s voices have been overlooked, ignored, and forcibly silenced through history. This session will explore how writing has served as a life-changing avenue for women to claim their identity and power. Examining women veterans’ courageous stories and poems, as well as the writings of women survivors, the latter part of the session will include an invitation to participants to write a short piece (specific writing prompts will be given to spark each participant’s Muse). Active-duty military members, National Guard, military veterans, military family members, and civilians are warmly welcomed.
How Stories Save Us: A Creative Writing Workshop for Military Members and Families – Sunday, September 22, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
(Workshop free of charge but registration, on first come, first serve basis, is required due to class size limit): This
final session in the series will be a hands-on writing workshop for military members and families, co-facilitated by Joseph Bathanti and June Guralnick, designed to get participants reflecting on specific life events that in some ways capture their identities as soldiers and how that identity during and after service has influenced and shaped them. The focus of the workshop – empowerment through writing - will encourage participants to share their memorable stories, providing a supportive group environment to gain a new perspective on life’s important milestones. Whether you consider yourself a practiced writer, a beginner – or someone who has never attempted to write before – this workshop welcomes you! Active-duty military members, National Guard, military veterans, and military family members are warmly welcomed. To register: go to www.weymouthcenter.org.
Deadline to register or the workshop is Monday, September 9th.
We hope you can join us for this enlightening, three-part Sunday afternoon series about the power of creative writing to uplift us and reveal insights into our life journeys.
About the Presenters:
Joseph Bathanti is the former North Carolina Poet Laureate (2012-14) and recipient of the North Carolina Award in Literature. The author of over twenty books, Bathanti is McFarlane Family Distinguished Professor at Appal chian State University. He is the founder of the Appalachian Veterans Arts & Humanities Collective and has taught and read his work at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, The National Intrepid Center for Excellence, and many other veterans initiatives across North Carolina and beyond. He served as the 2016 Charles George VA Medical Center Writer-in-Residence in Asheville, NC, and is the co-founder of the Medical Center’s
Creative Writing Program. He will be inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in October of 2024.
June Guralnick has created award-winning plays, performance projects, large- scale community cultural projects and multi-media works for over four decades. Awards include the 2022 Raleigh Medal of Arts, North Carolina Arts Council Literature Fellowship, Southern Appalachian Repertory New Plays winner, Silver Medal-Pinter Prize (Drama), and Second Place Winner for the Judith Royer Award in Playwriting Excellence. She has been honored to lead creative writing classes for military members and their families through The Joel Fund’s Operation Arts Program, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (initially as part of a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces grant), and at George Mason University’s Veterans and the Arts initiative. Her new limited series podcast in partnership with Artist Soapbox, The Write to Heal: Soldiers Deep Dive into Storytelling, is available on audio streaming platforms and at https://artistsoapbox.org/the-write-to-heal/. For more info about June’s background, visit www.juneguralnick.com.
