Poetry for Difficult Times

Just like lyrics in music, poetry enables us to express difficult feelings in a way that keeps them from becoming overwhelming. Studies have shown that self-disclosure through writing can strengthen psychological well-being as well as the immune system.

In this 90-minute session, you will be introduced to the methods of the Pongo Poetry Project (PPP), which include structured writing processes such as sentence completion and more open-ended approaches such as taking dictation. Pongo techniques support creativity, especially in those not used to expressing themselves. While the Pongo Poetry Project serves traumatized and underserved teens and adults, its activities can help anyone capture the darkness and light of difficult times.

You will not only learn about Pongo’s trauma-informed methodology and demonstrated efficacy, but also witness techniques for facilitating therapeutic poetry writing. These techniques can be immediately useful for anyone on a professional or personal basis—particularly teachers, therapists, and social workers.