You can’t always control what happens in your life, but you do have control over how you tell your story. Research has shown that expressive writing can help us make sense of unexpected and unimaginable events in our lives and reduce our stress, improve our physical and mental health, and increase our sense of well-being. This 4-session online engagement class offers a creative space to explore and process the grief you may be experiencing due to the loss of a loved one through expressive writing. In a supportive group environment, we will examine our personal losses and share our stories of overcoming pain and resilience with one another. By examining the research of James Pennebaker and others, you will be introduced to the benefit of writing on physical and mental health, understand the therapeutic benefits of expressive narrative writing, and take comfort in sharing your stories within an intimate and safe group setting. Instructor: Isabel Stenzel (LCSW, MPH) is a licensed clinical social worker and bereavement counselor at Mission Hospice, where she counsels and leads expressive writing groups and other support groups for those who are grieving. A Stanford alumna, she is an author, public speaker and a former Stanford social worker who has taught writing groups for staff in 2011.