Writing Your Way Forward

Course Overview

Writing Your Way Forward is a reflective writing workshop designed for adults who want to explore their life experiences through writing in a supportive and welcoming environment. Using simple prompts, brief writing exercises, and guided reflection, participants are invited to put words to moments of transition, memory, grief, growth, and meaning. The workshop emphasizes curiosity and discovery rather than literary critique, making it accessible to both experienced writers and those who may be picking up a pen for the first time.

Participants will benefit from having a structured space to slow down, reflect, and connect their inner experiences with language. Through writing and optional sharing, they often discover greater clarity about their stories, renewed creativity, and a deeper sense of connection with others in the group. Many participants leave with practical tools they can continue using in their own writing practice, along with the confidence that their voice and experiences are worthy of expression.

The workshop ultimately offers participants a chance to use writing not only as a creative practice, but as a meaningful way to better understand themselves and the paths they are traveling.

 

Class Instructors

Charles Cote, LCSW is a psychotherapist, writer, and founder of Path Forward Counseling and Path Forward Creative Wellness in the Rochester, New York area. His work integrates psychotherapy, expressive arts, and reflective writing as pathways for healing, meaning-making, and personal growth. Charles has spent many years helping individuals and groups explore life transitions—including grief, illness, identity, and purpose—through creative and mindful practices.

A longtime writer and poet, Charles believes that writing can serve not only as an art form but also as a powerful human practice for understanding our experiences and finding our way forward. Through workshops like Writing Your Way Forward, he creates welcoming spaces where people—whether experienced writers or beginners—can discover their voice, reflect on their stories, and connect with others through the shared practice of writing.

Kathy Pottetti is a facilitator with Path Forward Creative Wellness and is passionate about creating welcoming spaces where people feel comfortable exploring their experiences through reflection and writing. Kathy believes that everyone has a story worth telling and that writing can be a meaningful way to slow down, listen inwardly, and connect with others. Through programs like Writing Your Way Forward, she supports participants in discovering their voice and using writing as a tool for insight, creativity, and personal growth.