YpsiWrites collaborates with Washtenaw County Health Department’s “Wish You Knew” campaign to deliver mental wellness writing workshop series

An overhead view of a person writing "Wellness" in green pen in a journal on a desk with computer keyboard and a houseplant.

YPSILANTI – Self-care is the topic of a series of writing workshops hosted by Eastern Michigan University’s Office of Campus and Community Writing and its community writing resource, YpsiWrites, in collaboration with Washtenaw County Health Department’s Wish You Knew mental health campaign. The workshops will be held on campus or via Zoom to promote community mental wellness and provide writers of all ages with tools for navigating daily stresses.

"The YpsiWrites partnership with the Washtenaw County Health Department's WishYouKnew Washtenaw is providing community members of all ages with opportunities to explore how writing can be used as a strategy for self-care,” said Ann Blakeslee, director of EMU’s Office of Campus and Community Writing. “We have had tremendous community response to this work so far and look forward to expanding it further and reaching new groups, including groups on our campus."

According to Blakeslee, caring, honest, and open conversations about mental health across generations are essential for encouraging individual and community wellness. When paired with a maintainable creative practice, like writing, the topic of self-care becomes something attainable,” she added.

YpsiWrites, through its work with WishYouKnewWashtenaw, is also partnering with classes and groups on EMU’s campus and in the Ypsilanti community to encourage the use of writing to support mental health and wellness throughout the community.

“There's so much potential at the intersection of writing and wellness work,” said David Boeving, clinical social worker and local poet. “There's potential to reflect, challenge, grow, plan, express, and more. Through workshops, worksheets, and social media prompts, our YpsiWrites Write for Wellness team and its partners are encouraging all of those potentials in accessible ways,” they said.

Upcoming workshops:

  • A Story Worth Writing: Self-care and Autobiography, Wednesday, April 5, 2:30 - 4 p.m.  Participants can join this high-flex workshop via Zoom or in person at EMU's Faculty Development Center, 109 Halle Library.  
    Taking care of yourself is a story worth writing. The EMU and Ypsilanti communities are invited to explore intersections between writing and mental wellness. Facilitators include poet and clinical social worker, David Boeving and poet Michelle Lietz. To register, visit the webpage.

  • From You Past to the Page: An Introductory Poetry Workshop, Saturday, April 15, 1 - 2:15 p.m.
    Celebrate National Poetry Month at this virtual beginner-level poetry workshop. Ypsilanti poets David Boeving and Michelle Lietz will teach participants many key poetic devices and new ways to get their ideas onto the page. Lietz is the author of Occasionally Petty. No poetry experience is necessary, and all skill levels are welcome. To register, visit the webpage.

  • Meditation and Journaling, Wednesday, April 19, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. This will be a high-flex workshop that participants can join via Zoom or in person at EMU's Faculty Development Center, 109 Halle Library.
    This workshop will focus on writing, mental health concepts, and self-care strategies. Join poet and clinical social worker David Boeving and English Department Lecturer Pam McCombs in a meditation and journaling exercise, and learn to explore and expand feelings and thoughts through writing with open hearts and minds. To register, visit the webpage.

  • Toward a Poetic Album: An Intermediate Poetry Workshop, Saturday, April 29, 1 - 2:30 p.m. This is a virtual workshop.
    Wrap up National Poetry Month with this intermediate-level poetry workshop. Ypsilanti poets David Boeving and Michelle Lietz will introduce intermediate poetic devices and challenge writers to imagine a suite of poems they can write after the workshop. All skill levels are welcome, even though this will be an intermediate-level workshop. To register, visit the webpage.

YpsiWrites is one of a variety of initiatives and programs overseen by the Office of Campus and Community Writing at Eastern Michigan. For more information on the center, contact Blakeslee at ablakesle@emich.edu. 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.

March 29, 2023

Written by:
Melissa Thrasher

Media Contact:
Melissa Thrasher
mthrashe@emich.edu
734-487-4401