How to Write About Trauma, Addiction & Mental Health Without Oversharing, a 4-Week Zoom Intensive with Tawny Lara starts Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
Class Starts on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
The class will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 6:00PM - 8:00PM Eastern.
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.
This 4-week generative workshop is for people who’ve been through some shit and are ready to put it on the page without trauma dumping.
Learn from author Tawny Lara, whose signature wit combines mental health and humor. She wrote a book about sober sex called Dry Humping—she knows how to write about heavy topics while making you laugh. Dig into the gritty, glorious, complicated parts of yourself, then build boundaries so you know what belongs in public… and what stays locked in the Notes app forever.
Who This Course is For
Anyone who wants to write about heavy shit: substance use, sex addiction, eating disorders, daddy issues, mommy issues, long-ass medication journeys, queerness, religious trauma, gambling, shopping sprees, mental illness, grief—whatever chaos you’ve tangoed with.
Basically: if you’ve been through some shit, talked it through with a therapist or peer support, and feel ready to write from a place of reflection rather than rawness, pull up a chair. You can totally sit with us.
Specific Course Takeaways
LOTS OF WRITING: Tawny will guide you through prompts strategically designed to help you write about your adversity and mental health
BOUNDARIES: Identify what you want to keep private and what you want to publish
PITCHING 101: Learn how to pitch your mental health essays to editors and how to pitch yourself as a guest on podcasts
TALKING POINTS: Learn what makes your story unique then refine your talking points for public speaking, podcasting, and beyond
Who This Course is Not For
- Folks who’ve never talked about their struggles with a mental health professional
- People hunting for a “writing course instead of therapy” loophole
Important PSA: Tawny Lara is not a therapist, and this course is not therapy. Anything that bubbles up emotionally should go straight to your support system.
What to Expect
This is a generative, homework-having, page-sharing, feedback-giving situation. Come prepared to write and read a lot!
Course Summary
Writing With Boundaries: Learn how Tawny built The Sober Sexpert persona that landed her book deal—and what she’d do differently if she started today. Then we’ll do boundary-driven prompts that help you protect your privacy while sharpening your voice as a mental health writer who knows when to say “that’s enough.”
So What? We’ve all got our stories. This week is about figuring out why yours matters. Why should someone care? Why should they keep reading? Does your story have meaning beyond the shock factor? Write toward purpose, not trauma-dumping.
Essay Pitches: Once you know the stories you want to share publicly, view Tawny’s media pitches—the ones that landed bylines in Men’s Health, Playboy, LitHub, and more. You’ll write your own pitch, get feedback, and leave knowing how to pitch with confidence instead of, “pls publish me, I’m sad!!!”
TESTIMONIALS:
“When it comes to non-fiction, a big part of an agent’s job is wrangling a book proposal together with their author. Digging into the why of the project, discussing platform, and the like. It only benefits you to be more prepared. The more you have in there, the better. When Tawny’s proposal arrived in my agent inbox and I opened it, it was like that scene in Pulp Fiction when they open the briefcase and all golden light shines out. It was perfect. And I called her the same day asking to work on the project. You’ll learn a lot from her, absolutely” -Eric Smith, author & Tawny’s agent
“The publishing world is a minefield, and Tawny is a Bloodhound. Over the past decade, she's learned how to navigate this clusterfuck of this industry, cutting through the BS, so you can actually get published and your voice heard.” -Zachary Zane, Author of Boyslut, A Memoir and Manifesto
“Tawny is such an excellent resource for someone navigating publishing and proposals for the first time. I am a DIY-type who usually just uses Google to teach me everything, but having Tawny's help saved me weeks if not months of research and helped me feel extremely clear and prepared as I began the process. Very grateful for her expertise!” -Mariana Louis, archetypal tarotist
"Tawny Lara's class on writing non-fiction book proposals is a lighthouse for anyone eager to explore mental health topics with depth and empathy. Her expertise not only helps writers to craft impactful narratives but also to navigate the complexities of mental health with sensitivity and insight." - Sophie Saint Thomas, author of Reproductive Rites
“Tawny is not only an experienced journalist and writer, but she’s also a marketing wiz who can bring that extra special sauce to your book proposal. If you want to actually sell your book, there’s no one else that I’d rely on to teach me the 101.” - Irina Gonzalez, editor, journalist, and author of the Raising Gen Alpha newsletter
"Tawny is a master when it comes to marketing yourself as a writer. She will help you focus your vision and tap into insider knowledge of the publishing world." -Gemma Hartley, author of Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward
“Tawny will help you sell your book proposal. She knows the game, and she will teach you how to play it.” -Paulina Pinsky, co-author of It Doesn’t Have to be Awkward
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
- Instructor: Tawny Lara
- Class Starts on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
- The class will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 6:00PM - 8:00PM Eastern.
- Limited to 20 students.
- Tuition is $330 USD