Ink & Insight: Expressive Writing for Emotional Clarity
Expressive writing for clarity
An immersive, sensory-inspired group experience (90–120 minutes) combining gentle prompts, supportive sharing, and creative reflection to guide participants through writing as a deeply therapeutic tool. Participants are invited to: Ground through senses — a brief mindfulness or grounding…
Body Scan & Body Awareness
Creative Activity
Creative Writing
Group Activity
Journalling & Reflection
Mindfulness
Workshop
Description
An immersive, sensory-inspired group experience (90–120 minutes) combining gentle prompts, supportive sharing, and creative reflection to guide participants through writing as a deeply therapeutic tool.
Participants are invited to:
Ground through senses — a brief mindfulness or grounding exercise to connect with body and emotions.
Explore writing prompts such as:
“The emotion I feel most often—and why if it could speak, what it would say…”
“A moment when you were surprised by your own feelings…”
“Dear Future Self: what do you hope you’ll know about yourself next year?”
Write freely, allowing non-judgmental expression to flow with pen and paper (or digital, whichever feels more natural).
Reflect and share, as comfortable, in small, supportive breakout groups.
Close with creative embodiment—drawing, visual metaphor, or a piece of “found” text to represent an insight uncovered in your writing.
Benefits
Emotional processing and clarity — writing helps externalize complex feelings and bring unconscious thoughts into conscious awareness.
Self-insight and meaning-making — participants often discover patterns, values, and inner narratives they hadn’t noticed before.
Grounding and calm — starting with sensory anchoring nurtures emotional safety and presence.
Connection and validation — optional group sharing fosters empathy, mutual recognition, and deeper human connection.
Creative empowerment — blending writing with creative expression offers new, liberating ways to engage with your inner world.
Hosted by Maria Ortega Garcia
About the Host
María is a transdisciplinary poetry therapy practitioner and educator working at the intersection of mental health, language, and creative expression. With a professional background as a language teacher and coach, she brings a trauma-informed, narrative-based approach to her work, using poetry and verbal mediation to support individuals—particularly those navigating displacement, marginalization, or challenges with self-expression—in reclaiming their voice and reshaping their personal narratives. Her practice blends education, psychosocial care, and the arts to foster healing, empowerment, and social transformation. A systems thinker with a deep curiosity about how the mind works, she is committed to both personal and societal well-being. She lives between northern Spain and southern Ireland, and her work serves both local communities and a global audience through online spaces. Spanish is her mother tongue, English her primary language of professional expression—but neither tells the whole story. Her approach to language is fluid, relational, and rooted in the belief that authentic self-expression is a vital force for connection and change.
Certifications & Credentials
▻ Community-based mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies and displacement (30h) by IOM (2025).
▻ Diploma in trauma and mental health informed schools and communities (Level 5 diploma, practitioner status) by TISUK (2024).
▻ Trauma-Informed Teaching, delivered by educational consultant Ryhan Nadji (2022).
▻ Intercultural Awareness, HSE, Ireland (2022).
▻ Understanding trauma and supporting the needs of people fleeing war and/or persecution, webinar delivered by Jennifer Hayes, Department of Psychology, HSE, Ireland (2022).
▻ Poetry Therapy Practitioner by iaPoetry (2023).
Focus Areas
Creative/CultureWell-being/HealthDevelopment/Coaching
Location
Gorey, County Wexford, Ireland
Languages
English, Spanish
Travel Locations
Burgos, Spain (+100€), Bilbao, Spain (+200€), Cork (Ireland), Dublin (Ireland), Waterford (Ireland)
Corporate Experience
Significant
Session Types Offered
Interactive (eg. improv, group-art, yoga etc.)
Past Experience Doing Sessions
Yes - Interactive
Client Requirements
Writing materials
Photo Gallery