
SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Humanities Council will host an in-person Heirlooms: Creative Life Writing Workshop on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at the Spearfish Senior Center from 10:30 a.m. MT to 2:30 p.m.
The workshop will include a combination of educational content, writing prompts, writing time, sharing time and calls to action during a four-hour session. A light lunch of sandwiches and chips will also be provided. Please bring a notebook and pen or have access to a computer with word processing software.
Workshop Overview
Have you ever wanted to write your life story or the life story of a loved one? Have you ever wanted more tools for aging gracefully? If so, this workshop is for you! This workshop will provide writing prompts to help you pen a significant story from your life. There will also be time to share your story and gain feedback from the group.
In addition to life story writing, participants will learn about the aging process and factors that improve quality of life through end-of-life. Once armed with this knowledge, participants will be introduced to gerotranscendence. This theory of positive aging describes the mental processes older adults experience as they think back on their lives and come to terms with end-of-life. Examples of these processes will be explored. During a free-writing period, participants will have a chance to reflect on gerotranscendence in their own lives. Please have an elder in mind whom you would like to write about during this session.
The workshop will be co-taught by Molly Barari, Ed.D., and Leacey Brown, M.S. Barari is a South Dakota Humanities Scholar who frequently teaches life story writing classes, and Brown is a Gerontology Field specialist with SDSU Extension who researches topics on aging.
This program was made possible by the South Dakota Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Registration
All ages of adults are welcome to attend the workshop. Space is limited, so register soon! For more information, contact Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist.
Upcoming Events
2022 Heirlooms: Creative Life Story Writing Workshops @ Genealogy Writing
Oct 20, 2022
South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension will be hosting the 2022 Creative Life Story Writing Workshop webinar for Obituary Writing over Zoom on Oct. 20 from 6-8 p.m. CST.
Related Content

SDSU Extension Partners With NDSU Extension To Host Purposeful Retirement Online Book Club
July 01, 2022
Registration for the Purposeful Retirement Online Book Club, hosted by SDSU Extension and NDSU Extension, is now available!

Emerging Sheep Producers Program
The SDSU Extension Emerging Sheep Producers Program is designed for sheep producers who want to develop or improve a full or part-time sheep operation

Registration Open for SDSU Extension’s Annie’s Project for Women in Agriculture
June 08, 2022
Registration for SDSU Extension’s Annie’s Project for Women in Agriculture is now open. Program sessions will be held every Wednesday in Yankton, SD from July 6 through August 10.