Upcoming Pop-Up Class:

Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Working with the Darker Days

Monday December 29th, 2024, 4 - 6p

This is an in-person class at Love University:

46 S Main St., 2nd floor, Waterbury VT 05676 (head in the side door by the parking lot).

$15-200 donation range suggestion per class.

Head to our Support Us Page to donate now if you wish, and to our Register page to let us know you’re coming.

Topic Overview

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a common experience in Vermont. We empathize with those of you who find this time of year extra challenging. In this two-hour workshop, we will move beyond tools, tips, and techniques (everyone already knows to take vitamin D and get a happy light) and explore how our perspectives shape our relationship with the darker, colder months. 

Through dialogue, journaling, and storytelling, we’ll explore our beliefs and experiences of winter, inviting in the possibility of a perspective shift. Together, we’ll explore new ways of seeing and being, from childhood memories of snow play to honoring the slower pace of winter as nature’s invitation to pause, as well as discussing the hardships frequently experienced during the winter season.

Our hope is that you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how your beliefs influence your experience of winter and an openness to embracing this season with curiosity and compassion.

Let’s explore the possibility of a shift this winter. 🌨️

Open to all—come as you are!

What to Expect

We said it once but we’ll say it again, the only prerequisite is curiosity and openness! We know these topics can feel intimidating. We just ask that you try to arrive on time and get as curious as possible. We have tea, some snacks, writing materials, and fidgets. We have chairs or floor seating. Please let us know any accommodations you may need.

We hope 2 hrs will give us enough time to provide a solid grounding, but we know there will be much more to ponder. We encourage you to stay an extra 45 minutes to dialogue or ask questions if you'd like.

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Lastly, we love to hear from you ahead of time. If you’d like to email us questions or thoughts, we will be sure to email you back.

Please let us know you’re coming, sign up now. We hope to share with you soon!

Past Pop-Up Offerings:

Blind Spots

Topic Overview

Blind spots are conditioned ways we interact that become so normalized that we don’t see them. For example, I may have lived with anxiety for most of my life. Because the anxiety became a part of my day-to-day existence, I didn’t see it anymore. Without knowing it, I would project my anxiety onto my relationships and blame others for making me feel unsafe. By building awareness of this blind spot I can begin to take ownership of it, stop reacting to it, and begin to understand what the anxiety is and potentially let it go.

In this class, we will dive into…

  • How and why blind spots develop.

  • Normalization, conditioning, and adaptation to dysfunctional family and educational systems.

  • How blind spots can create unintentional harm to oneself and others.

  • How power and hierarchy impact relational dynamics and how this relates to blind spots.

  • The power of awareness in seeing and letting go of blind spots.

  • How communication and dialogue can help bring light to blind spots in a non-threatening way.