A restless soul and a wild heART
is all you need to begin an adventure…
Step into the Field of Creative Possibility!
with
Creative Awakenings International (CAI)
+Â
Sheri Gaynor, LCSW, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT),Â
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Let’s Create Some Magic Together!
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 Join me for
Creative Awakenings
EnVisionÂ
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An Introduction to Creative Awakenings Expressive Arts Visual JournalingÂ
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January 2025
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I'm ready to join the adventure!Hello Creative heART!
How thrilling would it be to infuse your life and career with creativity and joy, leading visual journaling and expressive arts workshops and retreats? Â
EnVision:Â Introduction to Creative Awakenings, is your first step on the path!
My book, Creative Awakenings: Envisioning the Life of Your Dreams Through Art, was years in the making. After leading expressive arts and visual journaling groups and workshops for over a decade, I had a moment of clarity: I might just have a book on my hands!
The rest is HERstory, and Creative Awakenings has blossomed into the foundational practice for my expressive arts workshops—and truly, for my life!
I invite you to join me for the Introduction to Creative Awakenings, where creative process and self-discovery converge.Â
With love + appreciation,
🦋 SheriÂ
It's time:Â Â Our World Needs Creative Feminine Leadership More Than Ever!
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In a rapidly evolving world, often dominated by male voices, the unique perspectives of women are more essential than ever. Women's voices are crucial for creating balance, fostering creativity, and uplifting future generations.
Are you ready to lead with heART?
🦋 Are you passionate about helping others unlock their creativity and achieve their full potential?
🦋 Are you ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth while helping others do the same?
🦋 Do you dream of leading retreats or building a thriving therapy or coaching practice that makes a positive impact in the world?
Who is this for?Â
🦋 Artists, psychotherapists, healers, coaches, addiction counselors and coaches, equine facilitators, and changemakers ready to harness the power of creativity to create community, inspire transformation, and ignite meaningful creative change in the world.
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“...In the silence between your heartbeats hides a summons...”
— TERMA COLLECTIVE, THE BOX: REMEMBERING THE GIFT
What is calling you?
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Based on Sheri Gaynor's internationally acclaimed book Creative Awakenings: Envisioning the Life of Your Dreams Through Art (North Light Books, 2009), the Creative Awakenings Introductory Training invites you to explore and deepen your creative practice through visual journaling.
Grounded in Sheri’s transformative EnVision process and practice, you’ll journey through the Creative Awakenings visual journaling method, strengthening your connection to your creative source while experiencing personal growth and transformation.
Experiential learning is at the heart of EnVision, and it serves as a prerequisite for the full Creative Awakenings Certification. Whether you’re a therapist, coach, educator, or someone eager to integrate expressive arts and experiential modalities into your work, this workshop will enrich you both personally and professionally.
Our students come from all walks of life, and we celebrate this diversity! They are community leaders, women seeking new directions in life and work, professionals looking for fresh tools to inspire and support their clients, and women ready to embrace new chapters. True learning happens when wisdom meets life experience. We’ve had students join us from as far away as the United Kingdom!
All that’s asked of you is to arrive with a beginner’s mind, an open heart, and a playful spirit.
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I'm ready to lead with heART!Meet Annie!Â
Creative Awakenings Level One Graduate, 2024Â
+
 Wild-hearted Creative Awakening Nomad!Â
Working with Sheri, I not only learned how to facilitate an expressive arts group but also discovered why this work is so important and healing for
everyone involved.
I experienced profound personal transformation during our course, and I can’t wait to create this kind of growth opportunity for others. I’m deeply grateful to Sheri, my mentor, for sharing her wisdom and expertise
~ Annie Rouvillois
Creative Awakenings Mentorship Graduate, 2024
www.annier.com
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On the Road with Creative Awakenings Graduate +Wild heARTed Nomad,
Annie Rouvillois!
Annie and Sheri reconnect to chat about her life in a converted school bus and her journey spreading the joy of Creative Awakenings in the Arizona desert!Â
Don't have time to watch the conversation?
Here's an audio file for you.
Spoiler alert...
with the audio, you miss the cool photos of Annie's
school bus and art tent!Â
Why Mentorship?
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As I step into the final quarter of life’s dance—now, mystifyingly, considered an elder—I feel a profound sense of purpose and passion. My journey has been one of discovery, growth, and transformation, and now I am eager to share the gifts of creativity and experiential practices with others.
I know what it’s like to walk a path alone, but you don’t have to. Creatives are often soloists. We enjoy working independently, moving to the rhythm of our own drum. Yet, there are times when it can feel isolating or stagnant. That’s where the power of co-creation can offer a refreshing infusion of collaborative inspiration.
The beauty of my 30-year career as an experiential practitioner is that every day is a new adventure. It’s never gotten old, and even after all these years, I don’t feel burned out. I would LOVE to help you feel the same way!
My mission is clear: to pass on the magic of creativity coaching to those who are ready to embrace it. Whether you’re a therapist, life coach, artist, community changemaker, or someone simply seeking more joy and fulfillment in life, I’m here to guide you. But my vision goes beyond individual transformation.
I believe—and know—that creativity has the power to ripple out into our communities, uplifting and inspiring those around us. As you embrace your creativity and embody your unique gifts, you’ll not only transform your own life, but you’ll also infuse magic into your practices, relationships, and communities. I’ve been blessed to form incredible community partnerships, bringing the healing gifts of creativity to schools, organizations, and non-profits. You can too!
Join me in this dance of creativity and possibility. Together, let’s weave a tapestry of beauty, joy, and connection that extends far beyond ourselves. Let’s bring the magic of this work into our lives, our practices, and our communities—spreading light and inspiration wherever we go.
Are you ready to embrace your creative potential and step into a life filled with passion, purpose, and possibility? I hope you’ll join us.
With gratitude, love, and inspiration,
🦋 Sheri
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I'm ready to lead with heART!Meet Tonia Jenny!Â
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Creative Awakenings Level One Graduate, 2024
Creativity Coach + Publishing Entrepreneur
"The Creative Awakenings Creative Facilitator/Coach training was exactly what I needed to grow my confidence level in understanding the benefits and processes of the expressive arts. Sheri Gaynor is a nurturing mentor who is dedicated to ensuring her mentees gain an understanding of real-life situations they will encounter doing this type of work.
Additionally, this is not a stringent "do everything precisely how I do it" type of training. I love that Sheri encouraged each member of our group to take the foundations and principles of what she taught us and go forward using what we learned in our own ways. Thanks, Sheri, for making this training available to those of us outside of therapy academia so we can bring more healing to others in our own modes of work."
~ Tonia Jenny
Creative Awakenings Mentorship Graduate, 2024
www.toniajenny.com
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The Creative Awakenings Envision Process will teach you toÂ
fill your pages with intentions + dreams
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Is your heART beating faster?
EnVision is Your First Step on the Creative Awakenings Facilitator Path
This transformative 4-week guided immersion is designed to awaken your creative spirit, build confidence in your artistic expression, and introduce you to the powerful Creative Awakenings practices that inspire growth and transformation.
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You will gain foundational tools to confidently explore the Creative Awakenings visual journaling process, unlocking its transformative potential in your life, work, and community.
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This course is your first step toward becoming a Creative Awakenings Level One Facilitator. It is a prerequisite for the full certification program and will help you discover, embrace, and amplify your authentic voice as a facilitator.
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The process will support you in identifying and rooting out and letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve you. It will empower you to lead with passion and purpose because is my deepest belief that we cannot truly lead others without first walking the path ourselves.
In the EnVision Guided Community Online Mentorship You WillÂ
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🦋 Explore the intersection of creativity and mindfulness through the Creative Awakenings Practice and Process. Discover how presence and awareness can enhance your creative flow, deepening your connection to yourself and others through collage, paint, and visual journaling.
🦋 Through dynamic lessons and immersive online group experiences, you will embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, tapping into the wellspring of your intuition to guide you toward new realms of self-expression and possibility.
🦋 Engage in thought-provoking exercises that encourage you to dance fearlessly with your inner muse, embracing the beauty and power of your unique creative voice.
🦋 Experience the joy of experimentation and play as you discover new mediums, techniques, and perspectives, expanding the boundaries of what’s possible and redefining your creative potential.
🦋 Gain practical tools and strategies for overcoming creative blocks and self-doubt, empowering you to navigate challenges with grace and resilience—and emerge stronger than ever before.
🦋 Harness the power of collaboration and community by connecting with fellow creatives, sharing insights, support, and inspiration to fuel your creative journey.
🦋 Step into your role as a visionary creator, equipped with the skills, confidence, and courage to bring your boldest ideas to life and make a meaningful impact on the world.
I'm ready to lead with heART!The Benefits of Creative Awakenings + EnVision Visual Journaling
🦋 Visual journaling and expressive arts give voice to what may be unspoken or unknown.
🦋 The creative process supports navigating times of transition and change.
🦋 Visual journals serve as artifacts of our life journey, reflecting our past and envisioning our future.
🦋 Through the creative process, you are empowered to trust your deep intuitive and somatic wisdom.
🦋 Visual journaling and expressive arts practices nurture a profound self-connection, illuminating hidden aspects and fostering healing. By embracing these parts of yourself, you step into your role as a creative leader and visionary, fully aligned with your authentic path.
🦋 Creative practice and process serve as mindfulness tools, supported by evidence-based research.
I'm ready to lead with heART!"But Sheri, I’m not an artist—Is this workshop still for me?"
— THE #1 QUESTION FROM STUDENTS
"YES, YES, YES!"
I’m so glad you asked because this is one of the most common questions I get from my students. The very fact that you’ve made it this far tells me everything I need to know about what’s in the deepest part of your heart! No matter where you are on your creative journey, you don’t need any prior "artistic" experience to join this program—and this is exactly what you’ll be helping others to realize!
Here’s a little secret: This limiting belief is one I held too. It’s what led me to apply for photography school (my first creative incarnation) because, at the time, I thought it was the only way I could be an “artist,” and I had a deep need to explore and express what I felt inside.
My initial creative exploration began behind the lens of an SLR camera. Capturing images that stirred my soul in black and white film, and developing them in the darkroomwas an exhilarating experience that seemed nothing short of magic.
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As time passed, I realized that photography alone wasn’t fulfilling my deepest yearnings. I felt a strong desire to express myself in other ways, so I began using my journals as a source of creative exploration.
After all, creativity is innate to all of us—it’s something we’re born with, just waiting to be rediscovered and unleashed.
Think back to the uninhibited joy and curiosity of your inner 2-year-old. That’s the essence of fearless creativity that encouraged me to begin visual journaling, and it’s exactly what we’ll tap into together!
As your mentor and guide, I’m here to nurture and support you every step of the way. Together, we’ll dive deep into the roots of your limiting beliefs and reclaim the truth: creativity is your birthright! Through this personal creative inquiry, you’ll not only uncover your own potential, but also gain the skills to support others on their creative journeys.
What’s Inside the Course!
Session One
The Adventure Begins
In Module One, you'll learn the roots and origins of Creative Awakenings and the story of finding my authentic self and knowing I could no longer play it safe.
In this session, you will learn the foundations of the book as a metaphoric adventure for self-discovery and personal growth
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In this session, we’ll explore:
- The Creative Awakenings origin story and the signature prompt
- The Four Essential Sections of the Book
- The Calling + The Poem
- Gearing up for the adventureÂ
- Experiential activity + Open discussionÂ
- Session One Creative Assignment
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Session Two
The Book of Dreams Journal
In Module Two, you will immerse yourself in the practice and process of the Book of Dreams Journal, a powerful tool designed to facilitate deep exploration of your life’s dreams, aspirations, and inner narratives. This session will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how the Book of Dreams can serve as a supportive companion on your journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
In this session, we’ll explore:
- Why visual journaling?
- Creating and personalizing your Book of Dreams journal, including two options for the cover
- Using the Book of Dreams Journal as a safe space for reflection and exploration
- Experiential activity + DiscussionÂ
- Session Two Creative Assignment Â
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Session Three
What is Calling You?Â
In Session Three, you'll gain a deep understanding of the signature prompt within the Creative Awakenings practice and process. Learn how these powerful prompts can spark transformation, guiding your clients through their creative journey and helping them uncover new insights and possibilities.
In this session, we’ll explore:
- Gearing up for the adventureÂ
- The Creative Awakenings signature prompt
- The Calling + The Poem
- Experiential activity + Open discussionÂ
- Session Three Creative Assignment
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Session Four
The Deck of Transformation
In Session Four you will immerse yourself in the practice and process of the Book of Dreams Journal, a powerful tool designed to facilitate deep exploration of your life’s dreams, aspirations, and inner narratives. This session will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how the Book of Dreams can serve as a supportive companion on your journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
In this session, we’ll explore:
- Learn how to use the Deck of TransformationÂ
- Discover how to create your own unique set of cards, tailored to support and empower your clients on their creative journeysÂ
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The Schedule
Enroll in EnVisionCommunity Zoom Calls
Enroll in EnVisionPrivate Classroom + Online Community
Enroll in EnVisionThe Introductory Creative Awakenings Mentorship IS for you if...
❖ You are open to joining the mentorship with a "Beginner’s Mind," meaning you are committed to learning and agree to bring your whole self to the program.
âť– You seek a community of like-minded women and are willing to help create a safe, nurturing, and healing container where all participants can flourish.
❖ You’re eager to explore expressive arts, tapping into somatic wisdom, movement, sound, ritual, and more.
âť– You embrace wholehearted vulnerability and commit to doing the work necessary to step into authentic creative leadership.
âť– You have a solid foundation of computer and technology skills. You are familiar with Zoom and have experience with online courses.
âť– You are able to attend all live classes. This is crucial for creating a container of safety and inspiration. Students are permitted to miss only ONE class.
Enroll now!The Introductory Creative Awakenings Mentorship is NOT for you if...
PLEASE NOTE: The power of visual journaling lies in its ability to bring unconscious material to the surface, offering opportunities for deep exploration and healing—though it is not therapy. As you engage with your own creative process, you'll gain valuable insights into what your clients may experience as they participate in expressive arts practices.
This mentorship may not be a good fit for you if:
âť– You have resistance to change.
âť– You are not comfortable with wholehearted vulnerability.
âť– You are not open to constructive feedback (which is different from criticism).
âť– You are not interested in shifting outdated beliefs that may be holding you back.
âť– You do not have a solid foundation in computer, email, and social media skills.
âť– You cannot attend all live classes. This is crucial for creating a container of safety and inspiration. Students are allowed to miss only ONE class
Meet Carolyn McMann! Â
Creative Awakenings Level One Graduate, 2024
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Creative Awakenings Community Arts Facilitator
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"Working with Sheri to become an approved Creative Awakenings Facilitator has been a wonderful experience in so many ways! Our sessions together were the highlight of my week. Sheri shared her knowledge in an experiential way, so that as future facilitators we were able to learn while expressing our emotions in the same way as our future clients. We also learned a lot about the foundations of this work, and received a plethora of information and inspiration to draw upon.
Sheri is a patient and skilled teacher, as well as a therapist, so she understands when we, as students, may need some gentle prodding to dig deeper within ourselves. Learning more about myself by taking this course will help me be an even better coach to others.
I feel extremely grateful and privileged to have had the
opportunity to work with Sheri.
~Carolyn McCann
Creative Awakenings Mentorship, 2024
Register for Step One
EnVision:
Introduction to
Creative Awakenings
Included in your registration
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🦋 Complimentary 2-Part Creative Awakenings Guided Imagery: A custom designed guided imagaery to deepen your visual journaling process + practiceÂ
🦋 Private Online Learning Platform:  Gain entry to a secure, professional online learning platform with all course materials.
🦋 Private Online Community: Join a confidential, non-Facebook online community where you can connect and share experiences safely.
🦋 Extended Access: Enjoy 6 months of access to the online materials and community.
🦋 Downloadable Lessons: These materials enable you to build your own personalized workshop binder!
🦋 Eligibility to Apply: Upon completion, you'll be eligible to apply for the Creative Awakenings Level One Facilitator training!
FAQ's
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Can I facilitate groups after completing the EnVision Introduction?
Do I need to be present for every class?
How much time should I plan to dedicate outside of class
How long will I have access to the materials?
Is there a money back guarantee or refund?
Are CE's Available?
A little bit about me…
I am a psychotherapist, artist, author, and transformational life coach, weaving the alchemy of creativity and the wisdom of horses.
I’m a bit of a rebel and as such, not very good at staying in the lines, and enjoy inspiring others to do the same.
I have a love/hate relationship with risk and challenge, so this appears to be my life path and what makes me good at helping others take small (or large) calculated leaps.
I am a gypsy through the blood of my maternal great-grandmother Sarah, for whom I am named, and apparently, that lineage was strong, as I have an insatiable taste for adventure.
With 35 years of both original and passed-down wisdom, I bring heartfelt guidance to my mentorship. I am deeply passionate about my work and honored to support my clients, serving as a fierce advocate for their growth and transformation. It’s a true blessing to have witnessed so many beautiful awakenings along the way.
Nature and animals are my sanctuaries and it’s where I spend my downtime…and a lot of my work days too.
I’d rather be hanging out in the field with my horse Dreamweaver Sunday and my dog Osa, than any place else on earth, except by your side, as an ally and cheerleader, for your personal growth.
Giggles, dusty boots, girlfriends and road trips are a few of my favorite things.
For the full professional bio click the button below.
LUV Notes from
University of Denver Students
Madison Magor, MSW,
University of Denver, Colorado
Creative Awakenings EnVision Introduction, 2023
“This class was very helpful both professionally and personally. Sheri is an amazing instructor who clearly demonstrates her ability to help students support their clients.”
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Hilary Hampton, MSW,
University of Denver, Colorado
Creative Awakenings EnVision Introduction, 2023
“I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I feel like it gave me the direction I needed for myself and my practice. I am keen to learn more and continue to develop this as my primary practice”
Diana DeVito, MSW,
University of Denver, Colorado
Creative Awakenings EnVision Introduction, 2023
“I really enjoyed the content and the way you presented it. I also felt it was easy to use these skills and intentions with any available materials, making it easier to utilize with clients.”
The Pathway to Creative Awakenings International (CAI)Â Certification
 Mission + Vision
The Creative Awakenings Level One Certification Mentorship and Training is a thoughtfully designed three-part pathway. I have been facilitating this mentorship in various forms since 2011, and I have come to understand this transformative creative journey unfolds naturally in stages.
Each step builds upon the last, creating a cohesive and empowering process that supports deep personal growth, mastery of expressive arts facilitation, and the confidence to share this work in meaningful ways with others. This structured pathway ensures a balance of personal growth, skill-building, and practical application, setting you up for success as a Creative Awakenings facilitator.
This program was born out of a heartfelt need to train the “wild horses,” as my dear friend and colleague Maria Gonzalez-Blue so beautifully named us when she received her International Expressive Arts Shining Star Award. These are the passionate, untamed souls who know, deep in their bones, the power of creativity to heal and transform lives.
I am deeply committed to bringing the expressive arts back to their roots—back to a time when artists and therapists worked hand in hand, side by side, to serve their communities. In my view, our profession has strayed too far from this history, losing touch with the foundational belief that creative processes are gifts to be shared freely and openly.
I don't believe you need two years of graduate school, two more years of supervision, a Ph.D., or the burden of debt to guide others in discovering the profound healing and growth that creativity offers. What you need is a passion for creativity, a desire to serve, the willingness to hold space for transformation, and the guidance, principles, and confidence to facilitate with care and ensure no harm is done.
The CAI PathwayÂ
How it Works
Step One - Start Here
EnVision: Introduction to Creative Awakenings
START HERE - January 2025
January 2025 - Register NowRegister for Step One
EnVision:
Introduction to
Creative Awakenings