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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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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

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
・・・
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
New blog post today: "Reflective Poetry Prompts fr New blog post today: "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: https://heart-head-hands.com/reflective-poetry-prompts/ --> link in bio.
 
May these prompts support reflection about the writing process, our identities as writers, and gratitude for all that writing teaches. <3
 
[This image shares information about writing retreats—where these poetry prompts have emerged—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.”]

#writing #writers #writingcommunity #writingretreat #writinggroup #writingretreats #coaching #writingcoach #writingprompts #journaling #journalprompts #poetry #poetryprompts #reflectivepractice #reflection #reflectivewriting #contemplativewriting #contemplation #contemplativepractice #writersofinstagram #writinginspiration
The next writing retreat is this Monday, March 6th The next writing retreat is this Monday, March 6th. There’s still time to join: https://heart-head-hands.com/product/writing-retreats/ 

Link in bio.
 
Thanks to Rachel Bloom-Pojar for this description of the retreat experience. :-) — @rachel_bp5 
 
[IMAGE: On the left side (against a beige background), the image reads: “Testimonial: ‘As with any space Beth helps create, these retreats center our humanity and ground us to recognize a variety of activities (i.e., reading, journaling, going for a walk) as important contributors to our writing goals and care for ourselves as writers.’ —Rachel Bloom-Pojar, retreat participant.” On the right side (against a gray background), the image reads: “Writing Retreats / Next = March 6th 10am-4:30pm ET / Heart-Head-Hands.com” and shows a workspace with a computer in the foreground and light streaming into a room filled with cushions and plants.]

#writing #writinginspiration #writingcommunity #writer #writersofinstagram #WritingResources #WritingSupport #WritingLife #WritingCenterLife #WritingTime #TimeToWrite #writinggoals #writersblock #writingmotivation #writerscommunity #writers #WritingCoach #WritingRetreat #OnlineRetreat
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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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