BIO
There are countless ways to write stories. One is to take
the rich, raw material of our lives (or someone else’s)
and use it to shape new stories with better, more satisfying
resolutions or interesting characters. This is called writing
fiction. Another approach is to record what has happened
to us (or others) as colorfully or plainly as we like. This is
called writing non-fiction or memoir.
As a writing coach who leads meditation and writing groups,
I believe anyone can transform their story or be transformed by their story. Writers can recover from
imperfect childhoods or preserve the best parts of family legacies. Clearing the mind by focusing
on the breath, an image, or a still point is called meditation. It’s also great tool for getting
out of mind’s way and into a writing flow. I’m not saying we should write mindlessly, but that over-
thinking can lead to over-writing. It’s better to draw from a
clear well and meditation allows us to sift out all that clogs
or obscures the story.
I coach people to master their own stories, and not to be
victimized by them. So when someone says, “you don’t
understand, I had the worst childhood ever,” don’t argue
with them and also don’t believe them. Believe that you can,
but don’t have to commit a bad story to writing.
Whether writing fiction, fantasy, poetry or non-fiction,
meditation gets us to the bottom of our well and to the
top of our form. Writing and meditation are transformative
processes that inform each other.
I'm a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher. I'm co-author with
Sheldon Lewis of a pioneering classic for parents, Stress-proofing
Your Child (Bantam). I've written educational curricula, children’s
stories and articles, grants, handbooks and website content for
Girl Scouts USA and other organizations.
Passionate about helping other writers find their voice and write with
clarity and insight, I lead writing and meditation groups and creativity
workshops. I hold an MA in Educational Media from Teachers College,
Columbia University, and a BFA in Fine Arts from Boston University.
I have a strong background in integrative health and co-directed one of NYC’s
first holistic health centers. As a parent of two grown sons, one with autism,
I'm a consultant and advocate for VOW (Vision of Wholeness), an organization
dedicated to serving young adults with special needs. We have also been busy
this year advocating on our son's behalf for more oversight and better services in the agency that serves him.
I'm learning a great deal about oversight from contacts at NYS Commission on Quality of Care for People with
Disabilities (CQC is the mercifully short acronym), and the OPWD (Office of People with Disabilities).
I completed a middle grade novel that addresses the relevance of the early women’s rights and abolitionist
movements for today’s young people. I'm interested in uplifting the minds and hearts of readers while telling a good story.
Since 2007, I've been a board member of Women’s National Book Association, moderating panels of authors, agents,
and publishers, and writing columns for their newsletter.
I've helped professionals with all their writing needs in the fields of education, parenting, religion, communication,
the arts, personal growth, health and healing. As a longtime practitioner and teacher of meditation, I integrate
contemplative practices from a variety of traditions in my workshops. I welcome clients who want to improve their
writing for personal expression or professional use, and students who want to access meditation as a resource
for less stressful and more enlightened living. Currently, students who are parents of young children are finding
that meditation is a great de-stressor that brings greater patience and ingenuity to their parenting. Likewise, senior
students find that meditation builds flexibility and vitality. Everyone wants to age gracefully.
the rich, raw material of our lives (or someone else’s)
and use it to shape new stories with better, more satisfying
resolutions or interesting characters. This is called writing
fiction. Another approach is to record what has happened
to us (or others) as colorfully or plainly as we like. This is
called writing non-fiction or memoir.
As a writing coach who leads meditation and writing groups,
I believe anyone can transform their story or be transformed by their story. Writers can recover from
imperfect childhoods or preserve the best parts of family legacies. Clearing the mind by focusing
on the breath, an image, or a still point is called meditation. It’s also great tool for getting
out of mind’s way and into a writing flow. I’m not saying we should write mindlessly, but that over-
thinking can lead to over-writing. It’s better to draw from a
clear well and meditation allows us to sift out all that clogs
or obscures the story.
I coach people to master their own stories, and not to be
victimized by them. So when someone says, “you don’t
understand, I had the worst childhood ever,” don’t argue
with them and also don’t believe them. Believe that you can,
but don’t have to commit a bad story to writing.
Whether writing fiction, fantasy, poetry or non-fiction,
meditation gets us to the bottom of our well and to the
top of our form. Writing and meditation are transformative
processes that inform each other.
I'm a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher. I'm co-author with
Sheldon Lewis of a pioneering classic for parents, Stress-proofing
Your Child (Bantam). I've written educational curricula, children’s
stories and articles, grants, handbooks and website content for
Girl Scouts USA and other organizations.
Passionate about helping other writers find their voice and write with
clarity and insight, I lead writing and meditation groups and creativity
workshops. I hold an MA in Educational Media from Teachers College,
Columbia University, and a BFA in Fine Arts from Boston University.
I have a strong background in integrative health and co-directed one of NYC’s
first holistic health centers. As a parent of two grown sons, one with autism,
I'm a consultant and advocate for VOW (Vision of Wholeness), an organization
dedicated to serving young adults with special needs. We have also been busy
this year advocating on our son's behalf for more oversight and better services in the agency that serves him.
I'm learning a great deal about oversight from contacts at NYS Commission on Quality of Care for People with
Disabilities (CQC is the mercifully short acronym), and the OPWD (Office of People with Disabilities).
I completed a middle grade novel that addresses the relevance of the early women’s rights and abolitionist
movements for today’s young people. I'm interested in uplifting the minds and hearts of readers while telling a good story.
Since 2007, I've been a board member of Women’s National Book Association, moderating panels of authors, agents,
and publishers, and writing columns for their newsletter.
I've helped professionals with all their writing needs in the fields of education, parenting, religion, communication,
the arts, personal growth, health and healing. As a longtime practitioner and teacher of meditation, I integrate
contemplative practices from a variety of traditions in my workshops. I welcome clients who want to improve their
writing for personal expression or professional use, and students who want to access meditation as a resource
for less stressful and more enlightened living. Currently, students who are parents of young children are finding
that meditation is a great de-stressor that brings greater patience and ingenuity to their parenting. Likewise, senior
students find that meditation builds flexibility and vitality. Everyone wants to age gracefully.