Here are a few topics I’ve delivered to small groups. If you see a blog topic you’d like explored further, I’d be glad to visit your group to provide more information. And feel free to suggest topics, too.
High Hopes: The Lifelong Importance of a Mother. You may think it strange that a woman who is childless would give a message about mothers, but I received mothering. I want to encourage mothers who may feel as though what they are doing isn’t working to keep on speaking into the lives of their children, as my mother did in mine. She wanted me to be a can-do personality, but I was not a can-do child. What happened to change all that, and what lessons can we take from her example?
Processing Grief Through Journaling. Full of anecdotal stories and tips on getting started journaling. Something special happens when we write down our woes. Sometimes we only discover how we really feel when we start writing. We access pieces of ourselves, and that can help us heal.
Was I a Good Daughter? Was I a Good Caregiver? Caregiving was the hardest job I ever had. My father was dead. My mother was dying. My little brother was in prison. And I – never married at 39 – took on a new, ill-fated relationship. This was a perfect recipe for chaos. After my mother’s death, I felt profound regret over my caregiving efforts. How did I resolve the haunting question grief posed, and how can other caregivers let go of the drive for perfection?
Putting Writer’s Block on the Chopping Block. Writer’s block is just like the word implies – a HUGE obstacle. As a crime reporter, I faced daily deadlines in order to get stories to morning readers. The situation provided me no wiggle room with writer’s block. I simply had to perform. I walk listeners through several effective ways to defeat idea and performance snags that any writer, reporter or leisure part-time novelist, can use to meet deadlines.
Toni Lepeska 