Welcome, weary soul. Come as you are. This space is for you. Come, be refreshed.
Sometimes it can feel like a struggle to show up at this kind of an event experience (yes, even after you’ve signed up for it).
Do any of the following resonate with you?
- Maybe you struggle to take time and space for yourself
- Perhaps stillness and reflection feels a little scary, or you’re apprehensive about uncomfortable emotions surfacing
- Maybe you crave connection and value community, but you’re also uncertain about being vulnerable… especially with people you don’t yet know
- Perhaps you’re ready to dive in, but you’re overwhelmed with where to begin
- Maybe you have your own creative process or reflection rituals already, but could use a fresh perspective from being guided with others in community
You are not alone. No matter where you are, I take my responsibility seriously in doing everything I can to help you enter the space with just enough “brave fear” to show up and be seen.
As a first step, below we answer common concerns.
As a next step, I invite you to answer these 3 welcome questions, so that I can better understand where you’re coming from, allowing me to craft the experience to meet you where you most need support.
What to Bring
Openness + presence
Just bring yourself, an open heart and posture, to explore connections with your own heart and with other people in good conversation, and with inspiration. 🙂 You may want to watch this short video to catch the vibe and intention of the spaces I create for you.
supplies
All you need is something to write with and something to write on. It can be as simple as a pencil and the backside of paper you want to reuse. It can be as fancy as your art supplies and sketchbook or journal.
For the Mindfulness in the Messy Middle workshops, you’ll also need a few squares from a roll of toilet paper.
Reflective spirit
If you have a journal or planner that would help you reflect on the events or heart happenings of the past season, feel free to bring it, though it is not necessary. If you have a very full journal, it might be a good approach to come without it, and see what emerges intuitively for you.
You can come without any preparation, but if you’re the type of person who likes a lot of reflection time, or you like to know what’s coming, I’d encourage you to ponder the following questions ahead of time, so that you’re coming into the space with some general themes/thoughts to focus your creative explorations:
- High and Low: What are your strengths and struggles related to the workshop reflection topic?
- Grow: What is surprising? What sustains you? Any new realizations?
- Let go: What do you want to release so you can enter the next stage or season in light of new insights?
You’ve got questions? We have answers!
What can I expect?
You can expect a guided journey through:
- creative reflection/expressive exercises
- mindfulness/visualization exercises
- facilitated journalling
- conscious curated conversation prompts
There will be ample time to reflect on your own, but also to connect with and glean from the group’s collective experience and wisdom. You will have opportunity to share with others, but it isn’t mandatory if you’re in more of a contemplative listening mood.
Do I have to share verbally? Will I be called on to speak?
No, sharing is never mandatory. It’s important to me that you participate in a way that is supportive to you.
There will be multiple ways that you will be invited to choose how you can engage your participation. This means you share at a level that you decide, when you feel ready or feel compelled to speak, with or without the camera on.
I do not support “peer pressure vulnerability”. Sharing is always optional and you reserve the right and have full permission to pass.
Come as you are, your full self. And if that means you’re in a more contemplative listening mood, that is totally okay.
If something comes up for you that you prefer not to share with the whole group or in your small group, but you would still like to have a 1:1 conversation about it, you can always reach out for a conversation in a private chat, or at the end of the session where there will be extra space to connect informally.
Do I have to have the camera on?
You’re welcome to show up just as you are, whether you’re dressed and in your office, or taking zoom calls from bed in your messy bun with the camera off.
That being said, you will be invited to consider keeping your camera on if you are feeling up for it, as studies have been shown that can have an effect on the sense of engagement, connection, and community in the virtual space, both on your end and on ours as we facilitate.
If it’s because you have pets, partners, or kids running around, know that we don’t view those as unwelcome distractions. Just keep your microphone on mute.
What if I don't identify as artistic or creative?
Not to worry. All workshops are designed to be accessible to beginners.
All technical ‘how to letter’ workshops are suitable for beginners.
For Mindfulness Workshops, we will engage in reflective practices equipping you with tools you can walk away with for self awareness, self discovery, and empowerment. These include options such as writing, drawing, speaking, meditating, visualizing… Multiple options and levels will always be provided, and you get to decide what is the most supportive way for you to engage. No prior experience is necessary by any means.
Deep down, I believe every human being is creative. So my teaching approach is grounded in giving you on a strong foundation cultivating the mindset needed to fully and freely engage in the creative process holistically, from knowledge and skill, to mind and heart.
- This means, you’ll be focusing on your experiences and meditating on the meaning, themes, and connections.
- It’s more about the journey of creativity and not about the end output.
- This means perfectionism is not allowed here, and we will create a safe space for practicing and processing and getting messy.
Who is facilitating this session? What are your credentials to handle this topic?
JOYCE JOPIO is a Filipina-Canadian woman, Registered Clinical Counselor with a Masters in Counselling. She is currently working as a school based therapist full-time while building her private practice Restored and Rooted Counselling, where she uses a variety of counselling approaches with a trauma informed lens.
Her passion areas include body activism, racial healing, and mental decolonization. She aims to centre the intersectional narratives of BIPOC folks experiencing mental and emotional distress.
She has over 20 years of experience working with children, youth, and families in a variety of sectors, including as an adoption social worker in Philadelphia, PA, for over 10 years and with with a non-profit in Camden, NJ doing program development and mentoring youth.
JUSTINE HWANG is a mental health advocate, certified facilitator, workshop coach, social impact calligrapher, with a Bachelor in Communication.
Rooted in her life experience as an Asian Canadian woman and multiple burnout survivor, Justine leads and shares honestly about the power of self awareness, community, and creativity in the healing journey.
With 20 years of experience in leadership and spiritual development, adult education, and communications, Justine crafts talks and facilitates workshop experiences that are supportive, engaging, and encouraging.
Her passion and skill is to create transformative experiences that empower people with practical tools on topics including mental health, burnout, soul care/self advocacy, values and purpose, racism from the inside out, and community building.
Will there be a replay available?
Replays:
- Technical workshops will have a replay available.
- Reflective and Expressive Lettering workshops will not be recorded in order to provide full safety and confidentiality for participants to share freely in the live experience. The main magic of these sessions is the connections that form with live interaction in community. So I encourage you to block of the time, make a date with yourself, add it to your calendar.
- I may or may not decide to record for my own internal purposes of capturing the teaching segments. I will check in with the group at the beginning. Either way, there will not be a replay available. None of the participant dialogue will ever be shared in any way publicly or privately. I take confidentiality very seriously.
What's your Refund Policy?
For online workshops, refunds are available up to 10 days before the class date. You may also choose to defer your ticket to a future date, or transfer your ticket to a friend. Email your request and reason for refund to justine @ itjustflows.com or you may use the contact form on this site.
For in person workshops, refunds are not available due to the nature of venue rentals and limited seats, however you may defer your ticket to a future workshop, or you may transfer your ticket to a friend. Email your request and reason for refund to justine @ itjustflows.com or you may use the contact form on this site.
For ALL workshops, if the workshop is cancelled by It Just Flows for any reason, including not reaching the minimum number of participants required to run it, you will have a choice of deferring your ticket to a future workshop, or receiving a full refund.
Have another concern or question? Let us know in our Welcome Questions.
What other students experienced
Justine always does a great job in providing a safe and intimate space (even online) that makes people feel comfortable to share their deep feelings. I loved the raw emotions people showed. I felt heard and supported by others, and I was able to do the same for others. The energy felt so genuine. And the journaling questions were really good prompts that helped me reflect and get in touch with my feelings and emotions.