FOSTER CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION
THROUGH WRITING AND STORYTELLING
. . .
Every problem we face in work and life can benefit from a creative mindset.
As a workshop facilitator, I draw on a diverse background of corporate and creative experience to help individuals and groups understand their creative challenges and find values-based solutions.
I present a holistic approach to creativity and personal development that emphasizes core values, mindfulness, and the power of individual and group narratives. I work with students, writers, educators, entrepreneurs, executives, advocates, and individuals from all walks of life who struggle with challenges like burnout, creative blocks, imposter syndrome, and procrastination, empowering them with strategies that support restoration and resilience through the peaks, valleys, and plateaus of their education and careers.
I’ve worked with a variety of organizations such as The Writer’s Center, University of Maryland, Cornell University, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, The Recording Academy, TaskHuman, Permission to Write, REWRITE London, and BAE Systems, Inc., teaching self-care strategies and storytelling techniques to diverse audiences.
CORPORATE TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT
EXPLORE GROUP NARRATIVES THROUGH STORYTELLING
“Personal narrative is the means by which an issue comes to be understood by a community.” — Marshall Ganz
I believe that storytelling heals, inspires, and connects us.
If your organization wants to promote a positive environment by exploring group narratives and empowering individuals to express themselves authentically, research has shown that expressive writing is an effective tool to increase self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Through my signature writing and storytelling exercises, my workshops will enrich how your team thinks about communication and help them achieve new levels of collaboration and creativity.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools that companies can leverage to show their values in action, engage their people, and create the kind of connection, curiosity, and trust that is essential to cultivating inclusivity and a culture of care in corporate spaces.
In addition to working with companies, my work with non-profits involves teaching the heart-centered work of vulnerability and creative courage, which is integral to storytelling for a cause. A well-told story has the power to open hearts and inspire action. Whether you're trying to raise awareness or attract support, stories reveal the emotional impact of facts and events and illustrate the values that you want to uphold.
I’ve done storytelling workshops and collaborations with corporations and universities like BAE Systems, Inc. and Cornell University, as well as non-profit organizations like The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, The Poise Foundation, Trying Together, and First Steps and Beyond.
client feedback
“GG brought innovation and creativity to our organization’s storytelling session. She was able to navigate the complexities and nuances of our company in order to draw connections,
identify common themes, and translate corporate jargon into simple language. From her thoughtful questions during our pre-briefs to the way she led with grace and poise, her masterful facilitation laid a strong foundation for our organization’s diversity and inclusion narrative.” — Tyece Wilkins, Diversity and Inclusion Senior Advisor, BAE Systems, Inc.
“GG Renee not only builds confidence; she also builds community. She’s poised and professional, and she positions your group to heal, celebrate, and advance.” — Heather Hopson, Motor Mouth Media
ORGANIZATIONAL
WELL-BEING
EMPHASIZE SELF-CARE AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
“Both employers and employees don’t just benefit from practicing self-care; they need it to be successful.” — Enid R. Spitz
If your organization wants to emphasize self-care and emotional wellness as key components of personal and professional development, my self-care focused offerings center writing as a tool to reduce stress, reflect on feelings and experiences, exercise your imagination, and set value-based goals for the future.
When I first left corporate America to pursue writing in 2013, I soon became disillusioned and burned out from chasing success with the same hustle mentality that I thought I left behind. I said yes to every opportunity that came my way, only to realize that I could not tap into my full potential and build a sustainable career without a commitment to self-care and well-being.
I learned that creativity is fueled by healthy practices.
After studying the creative process for several years, I developed a signature framework called The Creative Courage Writing Intensive that focuses on process over results and the patterns of behavior that enable long-term creative fulfillment and work-life harmony.
Now, I customize this framework for organizations that want to empower their people with mindsets and strategies that make their lifestyle habits work with the creative process and not against it to bring their ideas, projects, and goals to life.
Companies that recognize that productivity does not have to be at odds with well-being are positioning themselves to lower turnover while increasing employee satisfaction, engagement, innovation, and success.
My storytelling approach supports this mission—a creative approach to self-care. Through guided journaling and interactive discussion, we look at the origins of our inner narratives about self-care, work, and rest, and from there, we cultivate new stories and narratives that support healthier paths to our goals.
I’ve done self-care focused workshops for organizations such as the University of Maryland School of Genetic Counseling and School of Public Health, Frontier Nursing University, and The Recording Academy.
client feedback
“GG Renee Hill was very motivating and engaging for my mindful practice participants. The transparency of her mindfulness journey and transformation instantly created a therapeutic alliance with the audience. Many participants provided feedback on how much they loved GG's guest lecture and are incorporating mindful gratitude journaling in their daily routines in efforts to achieve emotional harmony and stress reduction. Thank you for offering your wisdom to help so many in need of emotional wellness.” — Dr. Jendayi Gantt, CNM, PMHNP-BC, Frontier Nursing University
CLASSES AND COACHING FOR
LITERARY ORGANIZATIONS
MASTERCLASSES AND WRITING WORKSHOPS
“It’s not what you produce as you write that’s important, it’s who you become as you write that’s important.” — Louise DeSalvo
I work with writing communities and literary organizations that offer workshops to individuals who want to write about their lives and tell their stories.
I approach coaching and facilitating as a teaching artist, with lessons from my creative journey infused into the strategies and tools I offer, including practical insights for developing process and craft, as well as personal development support for building courage and resilience.
What’s different about my workshops? I offer the practical insights and guidance of a teaching artist, and cultivate safe spaces that provide the radical acceptance and communion of a support group. My approach is to address the limiting beliefs and fears that cause creative blocks, so the unique perspective inside can be revealed and elevated. I believe that accepting yourself and your point of view is essential to any kind of writing, so I use interactive exercises to stimulate self-possession and creative courage. My workshops provide a safe space for connection, inspiration, and accountability between writers.
Supporting writers holistically in this way allows them to build confidence and resilience, which leads to deeper clarity and conviction about their creative work.
Current and past clients include The Writer’s Center, The Maryland Arts Summit, James River Writers, Maryland Nonprofits, Scribophile, F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival, Permission to Write, and more.
client feedback
“What a fabulous workshop. You beautifully weave in personal stories, your exercises were inspired and thought-provoking, and the energy you nurture was one of a kind."
— Ali Cherry, DC Writer’s Salon Founder
“GG was brilliant! From the get-go she was super communicative and friendly. Despite the 6 hour time difference, she accommodated all of my wants and requests. The booking process was simple and hassle-free. The actual workshop was beyond my expectations; although I was only supposed to keep time, I ended up taking in the activities. Although the workshop was done online, GG created a safe and healing space for us all. I cannot wait to book her for more!”
— Christina Fonthes, Founder of REWRITE Creative Writing Org for Black Women & Women of Colour
WORKSHOPS THAT BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO EXPRESSION
Below, you will find examples of workshops that I am on the roster to teach for certain clients on a regular basis, and workshops that I have customized for specific client needs.
The Creative Process Workshop
Learn how to navigate all phases of the creative process without giving up or burning out.
In this interactive workshop, participants assess their approach to idea generation, decision-making and productivity through the lens of a four-step creative process model. They come away with an understanding of how their work and lifestyle habits can work with the creative process and not against it to bring their ideas, projects, and goals to life. This workshop supports creators from all walks of life who are struggling with challenges like burnout, creative blocks, overwhelm, and procrastination.
Learning outcomes:
Recenter a values-based connection to their work and explore their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations
Examine the beliefs, habits, and activities that support creativity and resilience, as well as the ones that are unhelpful
Strategize patterns of behavior that replenish their reserves and provide a roadmap to their creative genius
Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling
Learn tools for becoming the storyteller you want to be in a healthy, intuitive, and sustainable way.
Writing presents us with the opportunity to examine our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform into art. It also presents us with the challenge of taking care of ourselves through the vulnerability of exploring, strengthening, and sharing our voices to become more fully expressed. This three-hour session helps writers find the courage to be vulnerable and write about sensitive subjects. In this workshop, you learn how to view creative vulnerability as an act of generosity and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how this understanding builds courage. You will also learn best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this introspective work. This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers.
Learning outcomes:
How to turn the fear of vulnerability into creative material to write about
Identify the sources of your creative motivation as the foundation of your why
The difference between examination and exposure when it comes to personal storytelling
Techniques to tell your story and maintain your anonymity
How to ethically approach writing about other people
How to turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication
Writing Transformational Stories
Discover personal themes and write about your life.
How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. Participants come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
Learning outcomes:
Idea generation
Journaling techniques
Story development
Building a writing practice
Beyond Burnout: Storytelling to Build Awareness, Connection and Resilience
Explore the shared values, needs, risks, and opportunities that affect the individual, team, and organization as a whole when it comes to burnout and resilience.
Connection is one of the keys to alleviating burnout, and storytelling is one of the most accessible and powerful ways to forge connection. The Beyond Burnout workshop leverages the power of storytelling to bridge perception gaps, highlight shared values, and help individuals process the impact of their experiences with stress and burnout. Through group discussion, participants take stock of the beliefs, influences, and experiences that have shaped how they manage burnout. Participants are prompted to write about the challenges they’ve faced, what they learned, and what the experience revealed about their needs and values within the context of work, wellness, and productivity. This workshop focuses on how writing, storytelling, and active listening can empower us to become more aware of the internal and external determinants of resilience in the workplace.
Learning outcomes:
Increased capacity to identify the signs, impact, and lessons of burnout by labeling feelings and describing experiences and outcomes.
Increased ability to reassess and reimagine fixed perspectives on difficult situations to open the door to solutions.
Discover potential biases and blindspots that affect workplace dynamics and interactions, as well as shared values that serve to promote collaboration and inspiration.
Cultivate the restorative ability to vulnerably share experiences and be heard while forging empathy and connection between coworkers.
Journaling and Self-Care for High Achievers
Develop a creative self-care toolbox to cultivate courage and resilience daily.
Journaling is a well-known practice for deepening self-awareness, releasing difficult feelings, and improving overall well-being in the best of times. In times of adversity, it becomes an essential tool for building resilience and maintaining a sense of creative possibility. In this workshop, participants learn unique self-discovery techniques and how to use expressive writing to fuel their personal and professional development.
Learning outcomes:
How to use storytelling as a self-discovery tool
How to identify attitudes, beliefs, and inner conflicts that interfere with creative expression
How to transform fearful thoughts into healing narratives
How to incorporate journaling into their daily lives
Writing to Heal and Reclaim Your Story
Learn the difference between writing to vent and writing for healing, self-discovery, and connection.
In this session, we explore self-healing and cathartic storytelling through writing. Participants learn a creative approach to the expressive writing method, a well-researched practice that leads to fresh insights and healing narratives for adversity, trauma, grief, and loss. As a literary technique, this approach also serves as an effective prewriting exercise that allows writers to clarify their ideas and find the core question, message, or theme that can be developed to turn a memory into a piece for publication.
Learning outcomes:
Learn self-discovery exercises for mining memories and generating ideas for writing
Identify impactful memories to explore in an emotionally safe way
Choose a memory to experiment with the expressive writing method in class
Learn techniques for writing about experiences with a limited memory
Understand the basics of narrative arc and story development
GET IN TOUCH
My signature themes can be customized. Please fill out the form below, and I’ll be in touch within three business days.