Online Workshop
Discussion: Through listening, reading, speaking and writing, words allow us to discover our world, know what we truly believe,
express ourselves and realize our deepest desires. Words come naturally to some people, but many of us struggle with attention
deficit disorder, dyslexia, anxiety, or other conditions that affect our ability to listen, read, speak or write confidently and effectively.
That doesn’t mean out words are weak…in fact, it can make them even more powerful!
WORDS: Your Secret Power
915-562-7660 - 616 N. Virginia St. - El Paso, TX 79902
Handout:
On Writing By Hand
Conclusion: Written words can capture and hold the things that torment our minds and hearts. The page keeps our
secrets and tells us the truth about ourselves.
Lesson 3
Handout:
Writing May Make You Healthier
Handout:
The Five Senses
Group Write: Let’s pretend I’m from some another planet. (Not too difficult for me some days.) I’ve heard the word
“pizza” but have no idea what it is. Help me understand this thing called “pizza” by saying whatever words you think
describe it.
I’ll write down your words and read them back to you. Which words affect us the most? Can these words actually make
us hungry for pizza?
Subjective words like “delicious”, “tasty” and “yummy” express an opinion that can’t be measured or agreed upon.
What’s delicious, tasty and yummy to you might not be to me.
Objective words like “flat”, “round”, “doughy”, “crisp”, “chewy”, “salty” and “greasy” use our five senses to capture
physical characteristics that can be measured.
Discussion:
The five senses are our common gateways to the human experience. Capture the look, sound, feel, smell and taste of
an experience, and an amazing thing happens – people “get it” because their bodies understand instantly.
The goal of art is to inspire a response, to make us feel something and thereby understand both intellectually and viscerally. Great
art can change the world, but even TV commercials use the arts to make us smell the leather interior of a new car or make our
mouths water and our bellies growl for a juicy burger.
Frequently, we tune into our senses selectively, blocking out anything that isn’t relevant at the moment. But deliberately opening
all five senses is a powerful practice.
Meditation & Writing Prompt:
Sit up, feet flat on the floor, spine straight, head lifted. Breathe deeply and relax. First,
become conscious of your environment and let your senses register what you see, hear, feel, smell and taste right
now. Once your senses are open, begin replacing each sense with an imagined experience: you’re in a “perfect” place –
safe, comfortable, beautiful, soothing to your mind, body and soul. Put yourself there so completely that you can see,
hear, feel, smell and taste the experience. When you’re ready, begin writing, describing objectively exactly what your 5
senses perceive.
Read Aloud:
I encourage everyone to share, but will respect your privacy. Also, although I will occasionally make
suggestions on dealing with personal situations, members of the group should be cautious about offering unsolicited
advice.
Conclusion:
Our words are powerful, especially when they’re connected to our human experience through our five
senses. When we express exactly what we feel, we can make others feel and understand our experiences.
Break / Stretch
Resume Discussion:
We’ve played around with pizza and our perfect place. Now, how do we put words to work to help us with
serious daily challenges?
Discussion:
Here are a couple more reasons to write:
1) Interacting with other people is good, but our truth can get mixed up with theirs. When we write our own words, we go deep
within where we can hear our own voice.
2) Writing can tame invisible monsters – problems that seem impossibly huge. Part of their power is that we can’t tell how big
they really are or what they look like. But when we write about them, we throw a can of paint over them. Our words make
them visible! We can see them clearly and often realize they’re not as big or scary as we thought. An American author,
Nelson DeMille said: “Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face.”
Meditation and Writing Prompt:
Sit up, feet flat on the floor, spine straight, head lifted. Breathe deeply, relax, focus
inward. Imagine one of your invisible monsters. Throw words on the monster and describe it. How big and scary is it?
Are there any monsters from your past that you’re not afraid of anymore? Are there any you’re grateful for? Begin
writing when you’re ready.
Read Aloud
The Patient Assistance/
Transportation Services (PATS)*
program provides assistance with
needs associated with a cancer
diagnosis, such as treatment
evaluation, travel, lodging, co-
payments, diagnostic and other
needs. Assistance is in the form of
a pre-paid VISA card and can be
used for expenses associated with
evaluation, treatment, surgery and
diagnostic studies for their cancer.
PATS is available to patients who
have a genuine financial need.
Patients may apply for assistance
once they receive a physician
referral to another treatment
facility within the Southwest.
Assistance is limited to twice a year.
Upon receipt of written
documentation from the referring
El Paso physician, the program
coordinator will work with the
patient to ensure they receive
assistance in a timely manner.
Call (915) 562-7660 or email
dmedina@rgcf.org for more
information.
* The PATS program depends upon
availability of funds and patient
qualification.
Patient Assistance/
Transportation Services (PATS) *
100% of all donations to the Rio
Grande Cancer Foundation remain
in the El Paso area and are used to
support programs and projects
benefiting El Paso area cancer
patients and their friends, family
and caregivers.
We are pleased to accept
contributions in memory of or in
tribute to people whose lives are
impacted by cancer. Funds like
these will support the many
programs and services we offer free
of charge to our local community.
Click on the PayPal logo to support
your local cancer community
resource!
You don’t need a PayPal account to
donate by credit card.
