Spirit Doll Workshop · Saturday 24 October
One day, 9am to 3pm. Premade clay faces, cloth, feathers, buttons and whatever you bring in your pocket. You leave with a doll that is unmistakably yours, and your own personalized journey writing of who she is to you.
What a spirit doll is
A part of yourself you want to discover. A quality you want more of. The loss or grief you are carrying. The version of you that got through something, and the progress that makes you proud of who you are now. The doll does not do the work for you; making her is how you do it. People have made doll figures for exactly these reasons for a very long time, in almost every culture there has been.
What makes it work is ordinary and slightly strange: once you tap into the unconscious and give it a physical form, it is standing on the table in front of you, and you can look at it. You can walk around it. You can decide it needs a sword, or a crown, or another piece of cloth. That is a different kind of thinking from talking about it. It gives you the opportunity to put your emotions and feelings into something tangible.
How the day goes
No two of these come out alike, so the day is less a set of instructions than four choices you make in order. Here is what each one looks like on the table.
On the table when you arrive
Premade clay faces and a small variety of wire, cloth, feathers, beads, moss, buttons, charms, glue and tools. Every base material is included in the $150. You can enhance your doll by bringing your own personal items.
What we hope you bring anyway
Something of your own that has meaning to you. A button from a coat, a bead from a broken necklace, a scrap of a shirt, a stick from your yard, a badge, a bottle cap. These are what turn a doll into yours. If you have driftwood, you’re encouraged to bring it. You might also bring a crystal or something special to place in the foundation of your doll, to hold the qualities you’ve chosen.
01
A tray of small clay faces, pressed from a mould, waits for you when you arrive. Most people spend longer choosing an expression than they expect to. The connection between the face, the body and yourself tends to happen on its own. You pick your face when you’re ready.
“I knew her the second the face fit the body.”
02
Sticks, a length of branch, your own driftwood, a bottle for a base. Whether she stands straight, leans, or throws both arms out is the first thing anyone reads about her, and you decide it with two pieces of wood and some wire. If you have a favorite tree branch or a piece of wood that means something to you, we encourage you to bring it. Some people place a crystal or a meaningful object in the foundation before building up.
“Trust yourself and the process.”
03
Fabric, feathers, beads, moss, buttons, charms, a bottle cap, a badge. This is where the doll stops being general and starts being about one particular life. There’s a wide variety of things to choose from, and the best bits are the ones people bring from home.
Be creative. People have used a Coke cap for an eye, a cat from a magazine, mirror balls on wire.
04
What you’re creating may run deep for you. We suggest using the personal journal provided to keep a record of your thoughts, memories and process as it unfolds. It’s your own journal, and it isn’t shared with anyone but you.
The journey starts before the workshop begins and continues long after it’s finished.
Made in this room
Every one of these was made by someone who came to a previous workshop. Several are first attempts by people who thought they were not artistic, and you cannot reliably tell which ones. As you can see, the styles vary widely. You’re not meant to copy another doll. You’re here to make one that’s you. Each one is unique and holds its own space.
Who it tends to suit
grief
One participant said they didn’t know it was inside them until they made the doll.
a body you didn’t choose
She can be a figure that holds the truth about you and your body, as it really is.
a change of identity
Life happens: a divorce, a diagnosis, children leaving, retirement, leaving a faith or a job that defined you. Take this opportunity to explore what comes out when you express it.
plain curiosity
A day that isn’t about being busy. A room, some materials, other people doing the same thing. A lot of people can’t believe they made it.
Two questions people ask first
Spirit dolls are a way to express yourself by getting in touch with yourself, letting your conscious mind tap into your unconscious. Through the act of creating, you give form to what needs to come out. Whether you’re working through emotions, caring for your mental health, or simply want to have fun, it’s a way of exploring and discovering your innate sojourn.
It is a therapeutic workshop, not a therapy session. There is no treatment plan, and nobody will ask you to explain your doll to the room. It does sit inside a therapy practice, and that is deliberate: days like this can open things up, and it matters that the people running it know what to do if something comes up. If something surfaces that you want to keep working on, the practice is right here, and a 15-minute consultation is free. Everything you do in life can have a therapeutic outcome, and this is a chance to do it in a way that benefits you. There is space to write in your journal, and you decide what you need.
No. This is an opportunity for you to concentrate on yourself. There may be times to share or have a conversation, but please be aware of the people around you and their needs.
Yourself, plus your lunch and snacks. You’re encouraged to bring items you’d like to go into your doll: a button off a coat, a bottle cap, a bead, a scrap of a shirt, a stick or a plant from your own yard. It may end up on her. Every base material is provided, but only you know what needs to go inside her. In the foundation of your doll, you might want to place a crystal or something special that holds the qualities you’ve chosen.
A short welcome guide goes out to everyone who books. It has one small piece of homework: think of the people you admire and are encouraged by, and write down the qualities you respect in them. We’ll go over the list in class to discover those qualities in yourself and the ones you want to develop.
We suggest finding a basket or a box and starting to collect now. Look around your home and yard for little things with sentimental value: a stick from the apple tree, a sprig of lavender, a ribbon you’ve kept for years. Any of these might find their way into her.
Yes, and people often do. Book two places and let us know you are together so you get neighbouring seats.
The practical part
Sign up to receive free wellness tips, upcoming events, promotions, and more!
Your privacy is of utmost importance and you can unsubscribe at any time. We never share our email list.
New patients welcome. Most major insurance accepted.
