Rewilding Through Writing

A women’s writing course facilitated by author Vanessa Chakour, Rewilding Through Writing explores the healing power of creative process while strengthening your craft, cultivating your instinct and building confidence in your voice. Whether exploring a book idea or using writing to dig deep within, this intimate online course offers space for accountability, community, and inspiration. Limited to 8 women for a nurturing environment where everyone has time and space to share.

Join Vanessa for Live online classes
Limited to 8 women so everyone has time and space to share.

Together, we’ll dig deep, run wild on the page and share.

Writing is a potent, accessible way to explore who we are. Through writing we can howl onto blank pages, deepen dialogue with our bodies, play with our imaginations, and build intimacy with the natural world. When we write regularly, beyond enclosures of self-doubt or social conditioning, we can see — even for a moment — into our vast interior landscapes and explore the wonder of our ‘inner wild.’

We begin each class with a grounding meditation and move into readings, writing prompts and discussion. You’ll be asked to write from where the energy is. Some writing may therapeutic, just for you, while other pieces may evolve into work you’d like to read and share with our community.

Rewilding Through Writing Reviews

"Rewilding through writing was a precious and intimate group experience that brought me in touch with aspects of my writing I had not yet explored. Vanessa is not only a beautiful writer and accomplished author, she is also a wonderful facilitator with so much wisdom to share about writing and the nuances that come with developing, honoring, and honing your personal craft.”
— Monica Rodgers The Revelation Project & The Revelation Project Podcast

"Participating in Rewilding Through Writing with Vanessa was one of the most life changing decisions I did not know I needed. Between the lovely relationships forged with other writers, and the cozy safe space cultivated by Vanessa, the writing and creativity that was born each week was one of universal synergy that I am still at a loss for words to describe. Vanessa has a gift of facilitating space for creators to grow into themselves in the most magical way possible. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to get in touch with themselves, their senses, and their own creativity in a new and innovative way."
— Dr. Erin Woolridge, ND

“The Rewilding through Writing workshop called to me during a huge transitional time, as I stepped into motherhood. The prompts helped me listen to my inner child and her longing to be reanimated through connection to her wild nature. I'm grateful for the space to have my writer-voice come out. Vanessa's offerings have a way of speaking to my soul, or having my soul speak to me, when I need to hear it most.”
— Jessica Strom, artist & herbalist

“The Rewilding writing group guides me outside of the vacuum of internal dialogue so I can look back and understand the impact of my written words outside of myself. Exploring my through reflective and experimental writing prompts has gifted me wisdom to understand my constellation of ideas, how they are connected, and how together they are the material that allows me to live into my wildest dreams of creation.”
— Mairead Dambruch, Artist & Musician

Student Feedback

Stay engaged between classes with suggested practices, readings, supportive check-ins and writing exercises.

The creative process may ask us to wander in the woods, create personal space, and endure boredom or emotional discomfort before we break through. Thus, your ‘homework’ (in addition to carving out time and space to create) may include mindful walks in nature or a nearby park, interviewing a loved one, handwriting a letter, or starting a new movement practice. Suggested exercises are designed to inspire your writing, bring intention into each day, and to nourish your animal body. Your creative source.


Sessions meet live on Zoom

Contact Vanessa if you’d like to join and payment plan is needed.
Each cohort will share notes & practices via Google Doc for continuity & connection between gatherings.

YOUR GUIDE:

Author, herbalist, former pro-boxer, environmental activist, Vanessa Chakour’s work is a dynamic blend of her vast personal experiences over the last two decades. A workshop leader and facilitator for 15+ years, her work has been featured in Spirituality & Health, Town Hall Seattle, Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, Aligned Magazine, Ravenous Zine, Culture Trip, and more. Vanessa’s book, Awakening Artemis was recently published by Penguin Life in the US and UK, and Ullstein Press in Germany. Her upcoming book, Earthly Bodies will be published in August 2024. Compelled to work on behalf of wild kin such as wolves and so-called weeds who cannot speak for themselves, she collaborates with wildlife organizations and writes a regular ‘Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women’ Substack newsletter. She lives with her partner in Western Massachusetts where they are stewards of Mount Owen Forest Sanctuary. Vanessa is, and will always be, a lifelong student of nature.

Rewilding Through Writing FAQs

  • A women’s group offers a more welcoming space to release freely onto the page. A writer’s sense of safety is crucial, and since personal material is often shared, it’s important that everyone feel free and uninhibited. Vanessa will have additional offerings for all soon.

  • With the permission of everyone in the course we will record a class if you let us know that you will not be able to make a session. You can watch the course at your own pace and catch up for the next one.

  • There are suggested practices and assignments between our time together. However, the assignments are what you make them and if life gets in the way that is always understood in the group. Each class shares a Google Doc with notes, suggested readings and prompts pertaining to the weekly or bi-weekly theme. It is also space to share writing or resources between classes and stay in touch with fellow writers.

  • This is a nurturing environment for writers of all levels and stages in their careers.

  • Vanessa offers one on one mentoring separate from the writing classes. If you’re interested in this option, you can learn more here.

  • Each season brings it’s own themes, pace and practices. The autumn and winter sessions help you to dive deep into your writing projects while the spring and summer sessions engage more with the outdoors offer a quicker and more spontaneous pace to spark creativity.

    Writers often opt to take a class each season as they are never the same. As an alumni, you recieve a discount so be sure to get the code from Vanessa.

  • We want to make sure this is a space where everyone feels comfortable to listen and to share. We understand that writing about traumatic events is healing and important work but can also be triggering to listeners. At the start of the class we make sure that everyone understands if they are sharing, possibly triggering information to let the group know before sharing. It is important to note that this is a craft class so the feedback you recieve will be about your writing, not the events that happened.

  • It is important that the Rewilding through Writing is accessible to all who want to join. If you are unable to pay in full upfront you can email Vanessa to set up a payment plan.