This course is designed to support writers and reflective learners in exploring personal memory through the lens of food. Dr. Janet Ferguson, a writer, educator, and Guided Autobiography practitioner, will be leading this class.

About the Course:

Food memories often linger long after the meal is finished. A smell, a taste, or the rhythm of preparing a familiar dish can open a path into stories of family, migration, celebration, and everyday life. Tasting the Past: Flavours of Memory is a five-session Guided Autobiographical Writing studio that explores food memory as a rich doorway into life story writing.

Participants write short autobiographical "flash" pieces inspired by sensory memories of food. Through the familiar GAB rhythm—write, share, and respond—these pieces are explored in small story-circles that emphasize attentive listening and supportive feedback.

Across the course, writers will:

— Draft several short food-memory stories

— Explore sensory detail, voice, and scene

— Experience supportive storycircle exchange

— Revise one selected piece across the five sessions

The Tasting the Past studio offers a welcoming environment where writers work at their own pace, discovering how small moments around food can carry deeper stories of culture, identity, and belonging. Participants leave with a portfolio of short pieces and a renewed confidence in their storytelling voice.

Course Details:

Title: Tasting the Past: Flavours of Memory

Dates: Thursdays, April 16 – May 14, 2026 (5 sessions)

Time: 1:00–3:00 PM ET

Format: Online – Live (Zoom)

Fee: $225.00 for five sessions (10 contact hours)

Who Is This Course For?

This course is designed for certified GAB instructors interested in expanding their teaching practice, current or former GAB participants, writers interested in memoir or autobiographical reflection, and anyone curious about exploring memory through writing. No prior writing experience is required. Class size is limited to 5–7 participants.

Contact Janet Ferguson at thelukasa@gmail.com to register or learn more.

Available to Certified GAB Instructors

This course is designed to support our instructors in expanding their teaching portfolios with an offering for students interested in family stories, personal history, and genealogy. Heidi Thorsen and Sarah White, GAB Trainers, will be leading this class.

About the Course:

This six-session, 2.5-hour instructor-only course equips Guided Autobiography facilitators to teach family-history writing with depth and skill. Participants will explore how context—era, geography, and culture—shapes family stories, how roles and values move across generations, and how rituals and artifacts reveal identity. The course also provides essential craft tools to help writers bring relatives to life on the page, develop a strong narrative voice, and shape meaningful, resonant stories.

Completion prepares instructors to teach Shaking the Family Tree within their own programs and communities.

Course Details:

Title: Shaking the Family Tree Certification

Dates: Wednesdays, March 18–April 22, 2026 (6 weeks) • 1:00PM- 3:30pm Pacific Time

Format: Online certification course

Fee: $450

Who is it for? GAB instructors wishing to teach or incorporate this curriculum into their class offerings

All student handouts and extra teaching resources are included.

A portion of the proceeds supports the Birren Center.

Contact Sarah White and Heidi Thorsen at sarah@thebirrencenter.org or heidi@thebirrencenter.org, to reserve your seat or to learn more.

This course is designed to support our instructors in expanding their teaching portfolios and helping participants reflect deeply on their personal journeys. GAB Trainers Lily Bengfort and Leigh Morrow will be leading this class.

About the Course:

This two-part workshop is designed for Guided Autobiography instructors who want to deepen their craft while navigating the world of AI thoughtfully and ethically. The first segment, "The Un-copyable Soul," explores the “Human Advantage” in storytelling—why emotional truth, vivid sensory detail, and tactile memory are things no algorithm can replicate. Through creative exercises, participants will learn to protect and amplify their unique voice. The second segment, "The Creative Co-Pilot," shifts to the practical side, showing instructors how to ethically use AI tools to organize memories into narrative arcs, overcome writer’s block, clarify marketing messages, and build smarter business systems—all without compromising voice or integrity.

Course Details:

Title: The Heart’s Thumbprint: AI as a Creative Co-Pilot

Date: Monday, May 4th, 2026

Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Format: Two-part online workshop

Fee: $49

Who is it for? GAB instructors wishing to teach or incorporate these practices

Space is limited.

Visit https://thestoryguides.com/the-hearts-thumbprint to reserve your seat or to learn more.

Available to Certified GAB Instructors

This course is designed to support our instructors in expanding their teaching portfolios by building skills and confidence in marketing their Guided Autobiography workshops. Sarah White, GAB Trainer and Facilitator, will be leading this class.

About the Course:

This six-part online workshop is designed for GAB instructors who want to feel more confident and intentional in how they promote their Guided Autobiography offerings. Over six weeks, participants will be guided step-by-step to build a personalized six-month Marketing Action Plan using a provided template. With structured support and examples, you’ll develop an Elevator Pitch and create practical marketing materials you can immediately put to use. By the end of the course, you’ll have a clear roadmap so you no longer feel, “I just don’t know where to start” or “I just don’t know what to say.”

Course Details:

Title: Marketing Your GAB Workshops: 6-Month Action Plan

Dates: Fridays, May 1-June 5 (6 weeks) • 8:00-10:00 AM Pacific Time

Format: Online workshop via Zoom

Fee: $300

Who is it for? GAB instructors who want to gain more confidence and clarity in marketing their Guided Autobiography workshops

Registration is limited to 10 participants.

Contact Sarah White at whitesarah.cnf@gmail.com to reserve your seat or to learn more.