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Welcome to Heart-Head-Hands: Everyday Living for Justice

You’ll find here an educational space focused on feeling, thinking, and doing (that is, everyday living) for justice.

As an educator, I take, as a starting point, that our fully embodied selves matter in the world. We can’t just think our way out of the incredible injustices, dehumanization, violence, and wrongdoing that characterize everyday life. We must feel and act, too.

We need our heart, head, and hands for envisioning and enacting a more just world. We need deep commitments to justice and an attitude of “try-try again” for striving to live out these commitments—both in everyday moments and for the long haul.

This vision guides the work you’ll find here, but don’t let BIG thinking fool you. There’s lots of attention to small matters, too. Weaving the mundane and material with deeply relational, ideological, and spiritual matters, this is a space for you. A messy, imperfect, human space. A space for making commitments, striving, learning, and unlearning.

Beth Godbee is standing in front of a bookshelf, wearing a bright orange shirt, an orange swirl necklace, and black sweater. Beth is smiling and channeling a sense of possibility.
Beth Godbee, Ph.D.
Writer, Educator, Researcher, Coach

How Do I Get Involved?

Take a look around the site, explore some recent posts, and check out a course or two. Reach out if you’d like to try coaching, and subscribe via Patreon for additional content, tailored feedback, and community support.

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This button reads "coaching" and shows two light bulbs against a light pink wood planked background.
This button reads "subscribe" and shows three interlocking gears against a light pink wood planked background.

Heart-Head-Hands is integral to my personal growth and to living my commitments. I’ve turned here for many things, including writing groups, (re)commitment hours, and coaching. No matter the offering, I so appreciate the thoughtfulness and the research that Beth puts into each one. I especially love the resources she shares, as they allow me to learn and to explore many of my questions.” —Chloe in California

Beth is a wonderful teacher: compassionate and tough and smart, smart, smart! Most of all, she teaches from the inside. She does the work. Just the teacher and guide I have needed over time.” —Kathy in Wisconsin

Beth’s work with Heart-Head-Hands has completely transformed my relationship to writing. I met Beth at the point where I was experiencing paralyzing writer’s block. Beth’s guidance, support, and caring helped ease my way back into writing. I’ve begun to love writing again. ” —Kylie in New York

Beth not only listens deeply but also reflects back the questions you didn’t even realize that you were asking, offering them out for future discernment.” —Jen in Wisconsin

Recent Posts

Image shares information about writing retreats in 12 colorful blocks framed by leaves and flowers. The text reads: Writing retreats. One-day retreats: 6 dates open. 10am-4:30pm ET. Join via Zoom. Guided meditations. Lots of writing time. Optional 1:1 coaching. Reflective prompts. Group check-ins. Writing community. Available for groups, too. Sliding-scale fees. Facilitator Beth Godbee, Ph.D. Heart-Head-Hands.com.”

Reflective Poetry Prompts from Writing Retreats: A Contemplative Writing Practice

This post shares a few reflective poetry prompts (along with my poetic answers) from recent one-day writing retreats. For context, I’ve been facilitating one-day, online writing retreats for a few years now. I love the retreat space not only for supportive writing community and dedicated writing ... Read more ...

Photo shows snapped rubber bands positioned in the shape of a heart.

It’s Valentine’s Day, and I’m Again Writing with Heartache

My heart is with you and all of us grieving, raging, and moving through the day with heartache. My heart is with all of us and our people connected with Michigan State University (MSU) and all people impacted by gun violence. With DC and Southern California, with so many people, so many ... Read more ...

Image shows three photos from this year’s holiday season. From left to right: a decorated evergreen tree with reflective gray balls; a forest scene of tall thin trees opening to blue lake and sky; and holly leaves and berries—green and red—symbolic of the season.

Doing the Holidays Differently: Untangling from the Mythical Norm and Revising Rituals for “the Holiday Season”

Preface: This post took me more than six weeks to write. I started drafting on the winter solstice, so it feels right to publish on the cross-quarter day imbolc. I’ve needed the time to sit with the questions I share in this post—questions that are sure to keep evolving. I hope you’ll come with me ... Read more ...

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bethgodbee

Hi! How is your week starting out? I've had mome Hi! How is your week starting out? 

I've had moments of frustration in the midst of actually moving writing forward. Very slow revisions are coming into place, and I'm feeling some momentum in the midst of the familiar refrain: "I want more writing time!" 

During one of my breaks from writing, I edited recent photos and found myself smiling at this whimsical one. 

Here I am dressed in all black, still bundled in a winter coat, surrounded by pink decorations for DC's cherry blossom festival. 

Yes, it's spring, even on gray and rainy days. 
Yes, it's possible to play, even when cold and wet. 
Yes, it's time to sparkle with all the shades of PINK.

I send a lot of good wishes for this week. May you also feel freeing energy with spring, with invitations to play, with moving projects forward. <3
Really amazing resource! I hope you’ll navigate Really amazing resource! I hope you’ll navigate over to @miamingus ‘s page for the link and fuller description. I so appreciate the additional pod mapping worksheets, including the visualizations to conceptualize and connect with pod members’ many other relations. 💛 

Also, check out SOIL. Subscribe to the newsletter. If it feels possible, consider an ongoing contribution. 💜

#Repost @miamingus with @use.repost
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New updated and (very) expanded resource on pods with 4 new pod maps. Hope it is useful 💫

LINK IN BIO for Pods: The Building Blocks of Transformative Justice & Collective Care

This went out last week to our SOIL email list. If you'd like to sign up for our very low-volume list, you can do so through the link in bio under "contact." 

[Image Descriptions: 1) photo of four orca fins moving through calm water. The image is taken just above the surface of the water and the image is slightly overexposed from the sun, creating a dreamy golden glow. two of the orcas have a small portion of their backs visible above water. The text, "Pods: The Building Blocks of Transformative Justice & Collective Care. Written by Mia Mingus and posted March 16, 2023," is in black under the photo.

2) Text that reads: WHAT IS A POD? A pod is a tool to address and prevent harm, violence, emergency or crisis. Pods can also be used to address specific needs and aid in general support. Pods are made up of the people in our lives we can turn to first and rely on. These are the people in our lives who have consented to being there for us either for general or specific purposes. When we are referring to pods in the context of TJ we are often talking about harm and violence, both how to respond after the fact or in real time, as well as how to prevent or plan for when harm may occur. However, pods can be used in a myriad of different contexts, far beyond acute harm and violence. And it should be noted that even

Image descriptions continued in comments]
Today's newsletter "Welcome spring, poetry prompts Today's newsletter "Welcome spring, poetry prompts, and reading recommendations" begins with the following wishes: 

"Welcome spring!

It's time to reawaken.
To stretch with longer days.
To regenerate after the stagnation of winter.
To plant seeds and intentions and to tend to those we're planting.
To experience renewal with wonder, play, curiosity, and laughter.
To revive our senses and grow with the growing light.
To bloom. To blossom. To become.
To compost. To create. To cultivate."

Read more here: https://mailchi.mp/6de7a1751064/mar-2023

#spring #springrefresh #springreflections #springwishes
Thanks @inspirationalsoulqueen for all that goes i Thanks @inspirationalsoulqueen for all that goes into this deep work of recognition, of holding space, of strengthening community. 🧡

#Repost @inspirationalsoulqueen with @use.repost
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Register now! 2023 Hiphop Literacies Conference & Concert honoring LGBTQ+ contributions to hiphop and social equity. March 30-31, free, virtual and in-person. The conference that puts educators, scholars, artists, youth and the community in dialogue. Concert features 🔥headlining artist @SaucySantana. go.osu.edu/hhlc #BlackQueerandTransFeminismsAndLivesMatter. #OSUHiphop #HiphopIs50
Welcome spring! IMAGES: -- First two photos show Welcome spring! 

IMAGES:
-- First two photos show cherry blossoms here in DC.
-- Third photo shows the wider scene of me standing in a construction zone. My arms are reaching up and snapping photos with my phone. I'm wearing layers of jackets, black pants, and a black hat. ~ This tree is flourishing in the midst of it all! <3

#cherryblossoms #spring
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About Beth Godbee

I'm an educator and former writing studies professor who believes our fully embodied selves matter in the world. We can’t just think our way out of the incredible injustices, dehumanization, violence, and wrongdoing that characterize everyday life. We must feel and act, too. [Pronouns: she/her.] Read more ...

This image shows books alongside the words: courses, coaching, consulting. learning + unlearning.

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