Begins Thursday, October 1, 2026

Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Thursdays, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET

Now Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Bio

Instructor Lauren Brazeal Garza is the author of four books of poetry and fiction, including her memoir-in-verse, Gutter, which chronicles her homelessness as a teenager. She earned her M.F.A in creative writing from Bennington College and her Ph.D. in Literature from The University of Texas at Dallas, with a specialty in testimonial literature and narratives from marginalized voices. Lauren teaches literature and creative writing at UT Dallas and serves as the project manager for SMU English's Project Poëtica at Southern Methodist University.

Who is this class for?

This online poetry workshop is for poets at all levels who are looking to explore paths to healing through writing poems. Students will leave with new techniques to help their poems shine, a better understanding of how memory shapes our work, and a deeper sense of how trauma, grief, and loss can be processed through poetry.

What to expect:

For centuries, readers and writers have turned to poetry to find hope and heal from illness, trauma, loss, and grief. This four-week generative poetry workshop will explore how poets find healing through their craft by looking at famous poems and discussing different approaches to writing as a means of healing. Each week, we will explore a different technique that can help us, as poets, access healing in our own work — studying poems by writers such as Melania Luisa Marte, Jennifer Givhan, and Joy Harjo.

Each session will feature a discussion of healing within one famous poem, an exploration of different approaches to crafting our own poems, and a unique generative prompt that encourages a new approach or technique. Each meeting will also offer the opportunity for students to workshop one of their own poems with the group for the purpose of receiving constructive, supportive feedback. Through our discussions and explorations, you'll discover how literary devices like metaphor, sound, sensory details, sentence structure, and line breaks can help us create compelling poems that articulate our thoughts and emotions with greater power.

You'll draft one poem each week that experiments with these techniques, receiving weekly written feedback from the instructor and from your peers. At the close of the course, we will discuss paths to publication, and each student will choose one poem they are most proud of to share with the class during our final Zoom session as part of a celebratory reading.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will produce four polished poems based on weekly generative prompts. Each student will submit one poem per week (up to 50 lines) and receive written feedback from the instructor within 48 hours of posting. Students will also receive written peer feedback once per week and have the opportunity to workshop one poem live during class in a supportive workshop format.

Readings

All reading will be provided at no charge. Readings may include excerpts from Plantains and Our Becoming by Melania Luisa Marte; An American Sunrise: Poems by Joy Harjo; and Belly to the Brutal by Jennifer Givhan.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 — Introduction: Expressing Anger as a Path to Healing — How poems of rage, and of feeling heard, can lead to healing; reading and discussion of the poems of Melania Luisa Marte; generative prompt and discussion.

Week 2 — Healing through Remembrance — Healing through exploring memories in poetry; reading and discussion of the poems of Jennifer Givhan; workshop of Week 1's drafts; generative prompt and discussion.

Week 3 — Insisting on Joy — How poets insist on joy in poems of healing: a reading and discussion of the poems of Joy Harjo; workshop of Week 2's drafts; generative prompt and discussion.

Week 4 — Course Finale — Discussion of publication and the path to print; final reading; goal-writing prompt and final conversations.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Four polished poems generated from weekly prompts and ready for revision or submission
• New craft techniques for working with metaphor, sound, sensory detail, sentence structure, and line breaks
• A deeper understanding of how poetry can process trauma, grief, and loss
• Exposure to the distinctive healing-focused work of Melania Luisa Marte, Jennifer Givhan, and Joy Harjo
• Written instructor feedback on a draft of your choice each week, plus weekly peer feedback
• A clear understanding of publication paths for your poetry

TESTIMONIALS:

"This class, and Lauren's inspiring presence, has changed everything for me. I have a renewed confidence in my ability, voice, and story. And I loved encouraging my fellow classmates to achieve their best too. Tears are flowing down my cheeks as I write this, because Lauren's class opened up for me the doors I had bolted shut on myself." — DeAnne H.

"I enjoyed everything about this class! Lauren did a wonderful job engaging us and giving us the space to grow and improve as writers. I'll definitely take more courses from her in the future." — Troy N.

"Lauren gave me room to grow and showcase what I can achieve as both a creative writer and reader. I'm so grateful for her class and her insights, which have genuinely made me a better writer." — Alex S.

"I love love loved this course! It was super fun and I had a great time. I especially appreciated how much freedom we were given for the writing prompts, and the structure of the workshop and peer comments were so effective and helpful." — David R.

"Lauren is phenomenal! She is extremely passionate, kind, and smart. She has the student's best interests at heart and makes great points on improving our writing. One of the best writing instructors I've had. I hope more writers take her classes in the future." — Megan K.

"This was one of the most charming and well-put-together courses I've had the pleasure of taking. Discussions were open and full of ideas, coupled with informative lectures. If you participated in class, the rewards were clear and obvious. Dr. Brazeal Garza was an excellent teacher for this subject and genuinely had me interested in new topics." — Tiffany W.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $330 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Lauren Brazeal Garza
• Begins Thursday, October 1, 2026
• Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Thursdays, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET
• Tuition is $330 USD.