The Art of Creating Workshops for Women : A Guide to Facilitating Soulful Spaces, Events, and Retreats

Create workshops that truly nourish, inspire, and transform―while feeling grounded, confident, and prepared as a facilitator.

If you feel called to bring women together in meaningful ways―but aren't sure how to design, lead, and sustain powerful group experiences―The Art of Creating Workshops for Women offers a clear, supportive path forward.

Drawing on nearly four decades of experience, Marlene Schiwy shares how to create workshops and retreats that are not only well-organized, but deeply resonant―spaces where creativity, connection, and personal growth can unfold naturally.

What You'll Gain

• The confidence to design and lead workshops with clarity and purpose
• Practical frameworks for creating safe, supportive, and engaging group spaces
• Tools for guiding creativity, reflection, and meaningful participation
• Strategies for handling group dynamics and challenging situations with care
• A complete understanding of how to plan, deliver, and evolve your offerings

Rather than offering generic facilitation advice, this guide focuses specifically on creating spaces for women―where emotional depth, creativity, and community are central.

From Idea to Fully Realized Workshop

This book walks you through the entire process of creating and facilitating workshops and retreats, including:

• Shaping a compelling vision and structure for your offering
• Planning logistics, pricing, and promotion with confidence
• Preparing yourself as a facilitator―emotionally, creatively, and practically
• Holding space through deep listening, presence, and responsiveness
• Reflecting, refining, and growing your work over time

If you're looking for practical ways to turn your ideas into meaningful gatherings, this guide provides grounded, experience-based support at every stage.

Facilitation that Honors Depth and Connection

Rather than focusing only on techniques, The Art of Creating Workshops for Women emphasizes the inner and relational aspects of facilitation:

• Creating environments where participants feel seen, heard, and supported
• Encouraging creative expression through writing, movement, ritual, and art
• Navigating vulnerability and emotional depth with sensitivity
• Building community-centered experiences rooted in trust and authenticity

This is especially helpful for facilitators who want to move beyond surface-level teaching and create spaces that truly matter.

Who This Book Is For

• Women who want to lead workshops, retreats, or group programs
• Facilitators, coaches, therapists, and educators working with women
• Creative practitioners in writing, wellness, or personal growth fields
• Beginners seeking a clear, step-by-step path to facilitation
• Experienced leaders looking to deepen the emotional and relational quality of their work

Guidance from a Seasoned Facilitator

Marlene Schiwy has spent nearly four decades facilitating workshops and retreats for women internationally, integrating her background in literature, psychology, and group process.

Her work blends practical structure with deep attention to creativity, embodiment, and emotional awareness―offering a rare combination of skill and insight.

A Meaningful Way to Bring Women Together

In a time when many are seeking connection, creativity, and purpose, well-held group spaces are more important than ever.

This book offers a grounded, encouraging path―helping you create workshops that support both individual expression and collective growth.

Marlene Schiwy has been facilitating workshops and retreats for women internationally for almost four decades. After completing her doctorate in literature at the University of London, she spent a decade teaching at City University in New York, where she also completed a year-long Gestalt training course in group process. Marlene was a faculty member at the University of British Columbia's Writing Centre where, among many other offerings, she taught Body Soul Writing, the first university course in Canada to combine writing and movement. After completing a three-year Body Soul Rhythms Leadership Training Program with Marion Woodman, Marlene did extensive postgraduate study at ISAP (the International School for Analytical Psychology) in Zurich. The author of A Voice of Her Own: Women and the Journal Writing Journey and Simple Days: A Journal on What Really Matters, Marlene lives in Vancouver, Canada.