A haiku is three simple lines, and traditionally, a syllable count of 5-7-5. This workshop, led by licensed mental health counselor Alison C. Issen, will explore using the reading and the writing of these short poems as a way to practice mindfulness. Creating your own haikus encourages you to calm the restless mind, notice what is overlooked, explore the world around us and fully encounter the present moment. As many spiritual practices seek to do, the haiku’s spare yet acute noticing of the immediate and ordinary, grounds us in the now. Bring pen and paper, and look at aspects of haiku composition including seasons, a haiku diary, and how to read haiku.
This program is presented by Alison C. Issen and is hosted by the Winter Park Health Foundation.
Special notes: Please bring a notepad and pen or pencil to this program for taking notes and to practice writing your own haikus.
About the Presenter:
Alison C. Issen has a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida, and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, as well as a Registered Nurse. Alison recently retired as the outpatient counselor at Orlando Health/UFHealth Cancer Center. For several years, Alison coordinated the Sage-ing Center, a program that encourages and supports adults of all ages, and particularly those in the second half of life, to inventory, evaluate, and intentionally plan a life of purpose, learning, fulfillment, and community service. Alison brought this comprehensive program to the hospice several years ago and developed Hospice of the Comforter’s Quality of Life Education Program. Alison has taught psychology at the college level and has worked in the field of health and wellness for over 35 years, including over 10 years as a hospice nurse and counselor. Her specialty areas include stress management, grief and loss, end-of-life, aging and relationship issues, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and Positive Psychology. Beyond her professional life, Alison is an “extreme gardener,” volunteers at a local animal shelter, and performs with local singing and theatre groups.
Join us in-person or watch along live online for a special Food as Medicine cooking program, focused on optimal nutrition for skin care. We often think of skin as something you care for from the outside. Special cleansers, lotions, creams, and ointments are often sold as being “essential” for healthy skin. While these are an…
We invite you to a day designed to empower, educate and inspire you on your journey through widowhood. A major study found the most stressful life event you can expect to experience is losing a spouse. The crushing stress of losing a loved one has long been linked to negative physical health impacts, and now,…
Patricia Isabella Byron, an abstract painter and poet from Crealdé School of Art, will guide you through this workshop. Art journaling is a visual diary where memories and emotions come alive onto the pages. Through the expressive use of various paint mediums, collage, and imagery, you will create a personal art journal that will uncover…
See what’s on tap at CHWB this Spring. Community Education programs, special events, blogs, a Nourish Coffee Bar + Kitchen coupon, and more in the 2023 Spring Issue of Wellspring, now available for reading in the flipbook below. Click the preview below for fullscreen viewing of the Spring issue of Wellspring.
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, marking the anniversary of the environmental movement in New York City. During that same time, Senator Nelson from Wisconsin announced the idea of “Earth Day” to the media through teach-ins on college campuses. From The History of Earth Day, “Denis Hayes, a young activist, organized the campus…
Celebrating the Women of CHWB March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD has been celebrated since the early 1900s – a time when the world saw a rise in the need for women’s equality. In 1908, “Women’s oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change” (2023).…
