— Frank McElroy photo
WHAT I DO:
By creating and editing visual stories (SoulCollage® cards), I help individuals and organizations find and share transformational tales that inspire and empower others.
WHY I DO IT:
I believe that we all have untold stories that, if shared, can inspire and empower others to take soulful action to heal themselves and/or others, and the planet.
Heather Conn: My SoulCollage® role
As an author, freelance writer/editor, and writing instructor/coach, storytelling has been in my bones for decades. SoulCollage® is a wonderful alternative form of storytelling — without using words.
I host SoulCollage® workshops in the Pacific Northwest while continuing to relish the pleasures of creating cards and introducing others to this fun and revealing art form. SoulCollage® is the perfect synthesis of my passion for image-making, creativity, and self-actualization.
As a trained SoulCollage® facilitator, I abide by the Principles of SoulCollage, as outlined by Seena Frost, creator of the process. My workshops provide a safe and supportive atmosphere that cherishes the creativity and vision of each participant. The Principles of SoulCollage® honor the special way in which each person’s own story weaves into a larger, archetypal story, incorporating the concept of “the One and the Many.”
— Alan Katowitz photo
My connection to collage
A former freelance photographer, I find ongoing parallels between SoulCollage® and my favorite creative forms.
For several decades, I have had a passion for Jungian symbology, dream work, mandalas, and archetypal forms, using them as a path of inner exploration. SoulCollage® integrates these interests and my spirituality; I love that these cards connect the Divine to one’s inner exploration and celebration of Self.
I felt immediately drawn to SoulCollage® after seeing card images in Seena Frost’s book SoulCollage – An Intuitive Process for Individuals and Groups at a Women of Wisdom conference in Seattle. I bought the book and made a few dozen cards on my own, but felt that I wanted to connect with others using this process.
During a four-month work stint in San Francisco in 2008, I took a SoulCollage® facilitators training workshop with Seena Frost at a retreat center in Los Gatos, California. It was fabulous to share cards and inspirations with women from across the U.S.
Where and when are Heather’s next SoulCollage workshops?
SoulCollage®: a perfect synthesis
Since childhood, I have loved making collages, plastering my bedroom door and walls with images. For about two decades, I have made a collage each year to symbolize my goals and dreams for the following year. This has become an annual tradition shared with my close friend Sylvia. I have also created mixed-media collages, adding shells, feathers, or small, discarded pieces of crockery to magazine images or my own photographs.
Within the community of Artist Trading Cards, I made small collages using my photos. It was a delight to meet with local artists and admire the amazing original work that each person created.
Community Card: My friend Sylvia the Balloon Lady
My soul work
From meditation and yoga to seven months in India, I have spent several decades exploring a variety of spiritual practices. I embrace “eclectic spirituality”; for me, that incorporates concepts and practices from Tibetan Buddhism to pantheism and Taoism. My spiritual mentor from about twenty years ago promoted a concept of Oneness, which I still follow. I believe in a Divine Essence that powers and unites us all.
I appreciate that SoulCollage is a non-denominational practice, open to any and all respectful faiths. Atheists have even found tremendous value in the SoulCollage process in my workshops.
Today, I am a member of the board of the Workplace Centre for Spiritual and Ethical Development. I am writing a book that includes accounts of my time in India and the growth of my spiritual beliefs. My Soul discovery work has encompassed everything from trauma healing and recovery to inspirational readings, journal writing, and of course, SoulCollage®. I am an affiliate member of the Greater Vancouver Compassion Network.
The lid design of my second box of SoulCollage cards
SoulCollage®: Blend visual and written-storytelling
I often make spontaneous writing exercises part of my SoulCollage® workshops. I have taught writing in many genres over the past 20 years and have worked in media and publishing as a professional writer and editor for almost 30 years. For five years, I taught creative writing to adults with mental illness, using writing as a tool for healing and self-empowerment. I have taught writing full-time at the college level, and at various venues in Vancouver and B.C.’s Lower Mainland, including the Kootenay School of Writing, SFU at Harbour Centre, and the Vancouver School Board.
I excel at creating a nurturing atmosphere where people feel inspired to open up with others. As an instructor, I have had students write about joyful and painful events in their lives, from how much they love nature and their home, to tales of assault, addiction, family death, and institutionalization.
Besides group classes and workshops, I coach writers one-on-one. Find out more about that at heatherconn.com.
I also work as a communications consultant with a passion for the environment and sustainability, social justice issues, history, arts and culture, and spirituality. From interviewing and research to freelance photography, my media skills and interests blend really well with SoulCollage.
Contact:
Heather Conn 604-886-6520 (phone) 604-886-3713 (fax) hconn@dccnet.com heatherconn.com heatherconnblogs.com graciesgotasecret.com Please note: Long-distance phone rates apply when calling from the B.C. Lower Mainland to the Sunshine Coast.