Valentines Workshop

For: The Graduate Social Work Association (GSWA)
Occasion: Valentines workshop

I was lucky enough to be able to put on a workshop for my social work peers. Called "Valentines and the Therapeutic uses of Greeting Cards," it was a workshop about the therapeutic values and theories that come into play in the greeting card creation process. And, because Valentine's Day is right around the corner, we made our own Valentines as a way to frame the discussion.

Here was my example card that I made for my sister. First, we drew the fronts of our cards, listening to a sweet Beatles mix for about 10 minutes. We shared our drawings, and discussed the therapeutic benefits to making art and working with color.  And then it was on to writing our messages! This part of the process was followed up with a discussion about the benefits of writing therapies, narrative therapies, and gratitude therapy (each of which come into play in the creation of greeting cards!).

This is the card I made during the workshop, and it is for my partner Greg.

We wrapped up the workshop with a discussion about how greeting cards could be used in our social work practices. Though it was a small (intimate) crowd, I am really pleased with how the whole event turned out! I really love greeting cards, and it was a wonderful experience for me to be able to share that love in a constructive and (hopefully!) helpful way.