Living a new life in Recovery gives us the perfect opportunity to rekindle our creative spark.  Learning to play guitar can open up a whole new world of serenity in mind, body, and spirit. 

The benefits include:

• Mind

Improves Cognitive Function | Creates New Pleasure Associations | New Mindfulness Techniques | Self-Discipline

• Body

Stress Relief | Muscle Memory | Healing Energy Vibrations | Joy and Laughter | Relaxation

• Spirit

Patience | Self-Compassion | Accountability | Progress Not Perfection | Personal Achievement | Humility | Human Connection | Self-Love

In this class we will be exploring beginner guitar techniques.  We will be covering everything from tuning the instrument, holding a pick, how to read tabs and basic fingerstyle.   By the end of the 6 weeks course we want the students to be able to play 5 different chord shapes and have a basic understanding of guitar.

But above all, we will have fun, and create a new fellowship of courageous creative souls to walk alongside you on your recovery journey!

Nat Stiles Bio:

Nat Stiles is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer from Fort Collins, CO. They have over 5 years of experience as a professional touring musician and recording artist. They have performed under the record label “Side One Dummy” from Los Angeles and the sync licensing agency “Assemble Sounds” from Detroit. Teaching is a passion for Nat, having worked as the Music Director for the Larimer County Boys and Girls Club and the Performance Director of School of Rock Fort Collins. Nat has been in recovery since June 7th of 2022. They believe that music is a vital and inseparable aspect to their new life. For Nat, music is an emotional language that allows us to express ourselves in ways that verbal language cannot. Nat is grateful and excited to share the gift of musical expression to their new friends in recovery. 

Discover Your Artistic Style - A Multimedia Creative Exploration

This workshop invites you to elevate your art practice by exploring your personal visual identity. Together we will explore different mediums and art styles, with the goal of creating a personalized visual vocabulary.

No experience necessary.  Open to those with all levels of experience in all visual mediums. 

Anna Lansdon
Anna is a queer tattoo artist working out of Glass Moon Tattoo in Wheat Ridge. She loves to create a safe and vulnerable space and help others express themselves through body art. When not tattooing, she loves to create art with paint, collage, clay and resin, and to sing and play guitar. She also enjoys crossword puzzles, antique shopping,and spending time with her dog George.

Journey Writing is a practice of writing and witnessing our truths. We gather in virtual circle to listen to powerful, contemporary poems from a diverse range of poets with themes related to addiction, recovery, and ultimately, self-love. Each circle begins with a heart-opening writing exercise followed by a poem that offers the creative inspiration as well as the prompts for a process of free-flow writing that empties your heart onto the page. We then take turns sharing what we have written out loud and being witnessed in the circle. This work is creative, connecting, and cathartic. 

*No writing experience needed. Everyone is welcome!

There is no feedback or critiquing, only witnessing and thanking.

In Circle you will: 

• Be supported to express whatever it is you are longing to release or manifest
• Experience the magic of synchronicity as you resonate with other people's stories
• Feel accepted for who you are and where you are at on your recovery journey

Virtual Class on Zoom - You will receive the zoom link once registered.

Shani Raviv Bio:

Shani Raviv is a writer, circle holder, and author of Being Ana: a memoir of anorexia nervosa. Shani has been leading healing Journey Writing Circles for the past six years in her communities and more recently at The Rose House treatment center and at 5280 High School (a recovery high school). Shani believes that writing truth heals, and that recovery is a spiritual journey of learning to love yourself and contribute your soul's gifts to humanity. She lives in a semi-rural co-housing community with her 12-year-old son and her partner and loves to camp in the mountains, drink tea in her garden hammock between the Aspens, and share her 25-year love of yoga with her communities. She feels blessed to bring her passion for Journey Writing to the CAiR community!