Writing for Wellbeing

Annie Barrett delights in being with others as they explore their creativity. In her writing for wellbeing workshops she guides people to play with words, discover their writing voices and to experience the tender and profound, and the light and humorous in their writing. She gently encourages personal exploration, uncovering hidden gems and enhancing wellbeing through a wide variety of themes and short creative free-writing exercises.

Her work and life experiences inform her writing and workshops. Annie has been employed as a counsellor in women’s health and sexual health services, in education, and worked in disability services. She has parented her two, now adult sons, and traversed inner and outer landscapes.

Annie has offered individual and group writing for wellbeing sessions since 2010 with Byron Community College, Byron Writers Festival, the Sanctuary Byron Bay (drug and alcohol rehabilitation), Breast Cancer Support Groups, plus for teachers, retirees, Hospice Volunteers Tasmania, and local groups.

Please contact Annie for more information.

Annie Barrett
B.A M.Ed. (Counselling and Development)
Member ASA
Member Lapidus International the words for wellbeing association

Courses

Monthly Sunday writing in Brunswick Heads
Please contact Annie for more information.

Writing for Wellbeing at Byron Community College
Please contact Byron Community College for more information

https://www.byroncollege.org.au/

Testimonials

Annie’s soft, soulful authentic self provides the perfect synthesis for the writer’s unique voice to take flight.

The time spent writing with Annie (and other like-minded people) is simultaneously challenging and soothing. I find I reach places that I had no idea were concealed under the general business of everyday life. It becomes pure ‘flow’ – very therapeutic indeed. I love it!

I don’t aspire to be a published writer, but in retirement I found I really missed the pleasure and satisfaction I’d previously experienced writing creatively in the workplace. Annie’s Writing for Wellbeing course provided me with the support and direction to experiment with and develop my writing skills.  I now attend Annie’s Sunday Writing Group and continue to appreciate Annie’s enthusiasm and encouragement. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who finds pleasure in putting words on paper.

Sometimes my emotions seem locked away, just out of my reach; I’m aware of their presence but I can’t identify them. Annie’s Writing for Well Being classes have provided a safe space for my pen and I to discover hidden places within, sometimes exciting, and at other times achingly raw, but always within the circle of her wisdom and encouragement.

Loaded with a pen and a paper, we gather under Annie’s literature or personal offerings, from which we create mosaic-like texts of beauty, understanding, emotion, sincerity, humility, and often old hushed courage. With our precious differences, she helps us build a piece of time that will stay in us, a piece of peace, to walk on lightly into our lives.

I arrived on Sunday morning wondering what I had got myself into. Writing… oh my, was I crazy? Annie gently took us through the two hours, which went far too quickly. Her confidence in us, and encouragement enabled me to share. I wasn’t going to share but found it very healing. I highly recommend writing for wellbeing with Annie. I will be back!