Writing Toward Wisdom: A Guided Reflective Writing Workshop for Post-Work Transitions
Life after work is often described as a time of freedom, possibility, and reinvention. And it can be. But it can also raise questions that don’t always have easy or immediate answers.
- What’s life going to be like once my career comes to a close?
- Who am I now that my professional role has changed?
- I’ve reached my financial goals, so why am I not more excited about this next chapter?
- How do I make sense of what I’m leaving behind?
- What is calling me forward?
If any of that landed, welcome. You’re in very good company.
Here’s something I’ve noticed after years of working with people in exactly this spot: the insights you’re looking for probably aren’t going to come from more thinking, more planning, or more Googling “things to do in retirement.” They might, however, come from a conversation with yourself that you haven’t had yet, with a little help from some colored pens and natural objects.
Writing Toward Wisdom is a two-hour guided online workshop for people who are approaching the end of a career, newly retired, or already navigating life after full-time work. In this reflective experience, you’ll explore a question, concern, or challenge you’re facing about this next phase – not by trying to figure it all out, but by listening more deeply to the wisdom already within you. It’s part reflection, part creative play, and, in my clients’ experience, part pleasant surprise.
Using a blend of reflective writing, guided prompts, and objects such as stones, shells, leaves, feathers, or other meaningful items, you’ll be invited to look at your question from more than one inner perspective. This gentle process helps loosen the grip of overthinking and opens space for insight, curiosity, and fresh possibility. You can read more about this process in my chapter of Retirement Voices: Stories of Reinvention, Purpose and Possibilities.
You do not need to be a writer, an artist, or “creative” to participate. You don’t even need to worry about spelling and grammar! Just bring a willingness to pause, reflect, and let yourself be surprised by what emerges.
In this workshop, you will:
- Identify a meaningful post-career related question, challenge, or area of “stuckness”
- Be led through a facilitated reflective writing process with prompts
- Use simple natural objects as guides for insight and perspective
- Listen to different parts of yourself that may have something important to say
- Learn from others who are asking similar questions in this phase of life
- Leave with greater clarity, self-understanding, and a next step or shift in perspective to carry forward
- Receive a take-home guide so you can do it again whenever you’d like
You’re not expected to produce beautiful writing or create a perfect plan. What you will do be invited to slow down, hear yourself more clearly, and reconnect with parts of you that may have been waiting in the wings during your working years.
Your wisdom is already there. This workshop gives it room to speak.
Investment
$95 per person, which includes the 2-hour live facilitated session via Zoom, preparation guide, and a take-home practice guide.
Available dates:
Saturday, September 19, 12-2 pm ET
Thursday, October 1, 4-6 pm ET
What happens after you register:
- 5 days prior to the workshop, you’ll receive the preparation guide and confidential Zoom link.
- Immediately following the session, you’ll receive a take-home practice guide to repeat the practice on your own anytime you’re interested.
- Live workshops will not be recorded to preserve the intimacy and confidentiality of the group discussion.
Cancellation and refunds: A 50% refund will be granted for cancellations made 7 days in advance. Apologies, no refunds will be made within 24 hours of the session start. There is an option to transfer the fee to a future session if one is scheduled, for which same cancellation terms apply. Access to Zoom is required to participate.
About Your Facilitator
Welcome! I’m Kati Livingston, founder of KLivingston Collaborative and a certified executive and retirement transition coach. I have a Master’s in Adult Development and Psychology from Harvard, a coaching certification from Columbia, and more than a decade of experience helping people navigate the part of retirement that a financial plan can’t solve. I’ve delivered 175+ keynotes at major financial firms and taught graduate courses for over a decade at Harvard Extension School. My favorite part of this writing experience is the moment a client looks up from their writing and says, “I had no idea that was in there.” I look forward to learning what this exercise reveals within you!
Please Note
Writing Toward Wisdom is a reflective coaching workshop designed for personal exploration and growth within the context of life and career transitions. It is not psychotherapy, counseling, or a substitute for mental health treatment, and does not provide clinical assessment, diagnosis, or therapeutic intervention. Participants currently experiencing a mental health crisis or in active treatment for psychological conditions are encouraged to consult their healthcare provider before enrolling. By registering, participants acknowledge that this workshop is an educational and coaching experience, not a clinical service.