Workshops and Events
New Courses Available Now!
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New Courses Available Now! 〰️
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From Page to Screen
Short Description:
Trasform your written story into a short, meaningful video story with Angie Turner and Heather Knox.
About The Course:
You've written your story. Now bring it to life. From Page to Screen is a 7-week online workshop that takes one of your written stories — a guided autobiography chapter, a memoir piece, a story you've been sitting on for years — and turns it into a short digital film. No filmmaking experience. No expensive software. Just your story, a computer, and seven weeks.
YouTube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw4qKDZAQSs&t=55s
Course Details:
Title: From Page to Screen
Dates:
Tuesday, October 27th, 7pm-9:00pm EDT
Tuesday, November 3th 6pm-8:00pm EST
Saturday, November 7th 12pm-3pm EST
Saturday, November 14th, 12pm-3pm EST
Tuesday, November 17th, 6pm-8:00pm EST
Tuesday, December 1st, 6pm-8:00pm EST
Format: Zoom
Fee: $325 USD
Who is it for?
Certified GAB Instructors, Former and current GAB students, General public
Registration limits?
8 students
Contact:
https://from-page-to-screen-2.teachery.co/from-page-to-screen-peach
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Guided Imagery Skills for GAB Instructors: Stories Beneath the Story
This professional development course for certified GAB instructors explores guided imagery as an optional educational tool to support autobiographical writing and reflection. Participants will learn facilitation strategies that help students access sensory detail, strengthen narrative recall, and engage more fully with the GAB writing themes. Certified GAB Instructor and hypnotherapist Norman Lesperance will be leading this course.
About the Course:
The course complements and builds upon the writing-centered structure of the core GAB program while maintaining its emphasis on reflection, sharing, and positive feedback.
Through demonstrations, structured practice, peer feedback, and collaborative learning, participants will develop skills in brief guided imagery facilitation, reflective questioning, active listening, and adapting imagery prompts to selected GAB themes. Journaling and reflective writing are encouraged throughout the course.
This course focuses on helping facilitators:
Deepen their own writing and memoir work
Support and enhance reflection for their students
Facilitate guided imagery within the GAB framework with confidence
Adapt imagery prompts to specific GAB writing themes
What's Included:
6 live Zoom sessions with demonstrations and structured practice
Theme-based imagery scripts designed for autobiographical recall
Peer feedback and collaborative learning
No required materials or prerequisites
Course Details:
Title: Guided Imagery Skills for GAB Instructors: Stories Beneath the Story
Dates: Tuesdays, October 13 – November 17, 2026
Format: Online – Live (Zoom) • 11:00 AM–1:00 PM PST (6 sessions)
Fee: $350
Who is it for? GAB instructors seeking advanced training. For more information, contact the Birren Center at info@thebirrencenter.org
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Find Your Students, Fill Your Classes
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.”
Want to know a bit more about what the class covers? Watch this video on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/9P8ONE-gBvY?si=fFNXdATw_wDYxipR
Course Details:
Title: Find Your Students, Fill Your Classes
Dates: Scheduling now. This 6-week class will begin when minimum enrollment is met
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 sarah@thebirrencenter.org to reserve your seat or to learn more.
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GAB To Gorgeous
Course Description
You have written meaningful life stories. Now discover how to turn them into something beautiful you can hold, share, and treasure. In this live, hands-on workshop, participants will learn a simple step-by- step system for combining stories, photos, and meaningful details into a professionally designed life story magazine using Canva. Participants will work on their own magazine during the workshop and leave with a finished or well-underway keepsake, plus a repeatable process they can use for personal projects, classes, workshops, or client work.
About the Course
Led by Certified Guided Autobiography instructors and LIFEazine co-founders Shelia Merkel and Gonny Gutierrez, this two-part workshop guides participants from written stories to a cohesive visual keepsake.
In Session One, participants will organize their stories, identify themes, select photographs, and begin building their magazine.
In Session Two, they will continue designing, refine their pages, and learn options for printing, publishing, and sharing their finished keepsake.
Course Details
Dates: Wednesdays, September 23rd and September 30th, 2026
Time: 1:00–3:30 p.m. Eastern
Format: Live online via Zoom; replays available
Bonus: An optional bonus support session
Fee: $245
Experience Level: Beginner-friendly; no design experience required
What Is Included
24-page GAB Magazine Canva template with commercial license ($145 value)
Practical ideas for integrating magazine projects into GAB workshops and programs
The GAB to Gorgeous promo kit, with ready-to-use flyers, social graphics, promotional copy, and a video to help introduce the offering to students or clients.
Who Is It For?
For GAB participants, instructors, life story writers, and storytelling professionals who want to turn stories and photos into a beautiful keepsake, whether for themselves, their students, or their clients.