Poetry for Pleasure

Class Description

Through nature connection, deep listening, and playful reflection, you’ll discover the words you didn’t know

you were carrying.

Leave with a poetry playlist—a collection that meets you right where you are, and carries you toward what’s next.

No experience necessary.

Just bring your senses, your breath, and a willingness to be surprised.

“I left inspired and ready for my next creative undertaking.” – Maya Bee

“Your creativity will flourish.” – Tom Hill

Instructor

I’m a writer, teacher, and lifelong forager of wild truths. Raised in an apocalyptic cult in the Angeles National Forest, I grew up learning to survive off the land—and how to listen for what’s hidden beneath the surface. After years of running from my past, I now guide others to reclaim their creative voice, their sensual

knowing, and their inner fire.

I spent over 20 years as a tenured journalism professor, mentoring writers and creating award-winning literary spaces. My writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, TIME, The Alpinist, and other national publications. I’ve been honored as Faculty Lecturer of the Year, nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and featured on the TED podcast Sincerely, X for stories too raw or risky to tell on stage. Through immersive retreats, workshops, Substack love notes, yoga, and story coaching, I hold space for those seeking to feel more whole, more free, and more connected to their own wild intelligence. My memoir, Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult, traces my journey from survival to reclamation, drawing strength from the wilderness and the fierce determination to redefine my life on my own terms. My work lives at the intersection of pleasure and rebellion, artistry and survival. I believe beauty is a survival skill, poetry is a homecoming, and the radical act of telling the truth is how we return to ourselves. Let’s get lost and found together.