Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the 2025 Yearly Immersion Cohort has been cancelled. We hope to offer the annual immersion again in 2026. In the meantime, we invite you to explore our 2025 Summer Intensive cohort.
Story Parlor and Inward & Artward present: an interactive year-long program on how to create and facilitate unique offerings rooted in the intersection of the creative process, personal stories, and the human condition. Tailored for folks interested in starting a new and fulfilling career path, or simply wanting to deepen and/or refresh their approach to holistic creative facilitation.
Guideposts Include:
A thorough exploration of the psychology of creativity, and how to facilitate varying stages of the creative process
Identifying creative blocks, obstacles, and breakthrough strategies for self and others
How to create and conduct creative-based groups, workshops, classes, and retreats
Facilitation philosophies, ethics, and considerations surrounding creative citizenship
The intersection of mindfulness and the creative process, and how to implement into facilitation
Practices to cultivate a sustainable creative lifestyle — personally, professionally, and instructionally
Tools to excavate personal stories and ways they can be used for healing, transformation, and creative bounty
Marketing, business planning, and logistics
Early Bird pricing through October 31 | $2250
Regular price effective Nov 1 | $2600
In general, we will meet in person on second Saturdays from 10am-1pm ET, and online the last Wednesday of each month from 7-8pm ET . The first and final weekend we’ll meet Saturday + Sunday from 10am-3pm.
See “Dates + Details” breakdown below for specifics.
Cancellation policies can be found here.
Before registering, prospective participants must first submit the below application. Next steps will be provided thereafter.
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January
In person | Saturday, 1/11 + Sunday, 1/12 from 10am-3pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 1/29 from 7-8pm
February
In person | Saturday, 2/8 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 2/26 from 7-8pm
March
In person | Saturday, 3/8 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 3/26 from 7-8pm
April
In person | Saturday, 4/12 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 4/30 from 7-8pm
May
In person | Saturday, 5/10 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 5/28 from 7-8pm
June
In person | Saturday, 6/14 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 6/25 from 7-8pm
July
In person | Saturday, 7/12 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 7/30 from 7-8pm
Make-up Date | Sunday, 7/13 from 10am-1pm*
August
In person | Saturday, 8/9 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 8/27 from 7-8pm
September
In person | Saturday, 9/13 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 9/24 from 7-8pm
October
In person | Saturday, 10/11 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 10/29 from 7-8pm
November
In person | Saturday, 11/8 from 10am-1pm
Zoom | Wednesday, 11/19 from 7-8pm**
Make-up Date | Saturday, 11/22 from 10am-1pm*
December
In person | Saturday, 12/13 + Sunday, 12/14 from 10am-3pm
No Zoom in December*Please reserve the two designated make-up dates on your calendar in the event we have to cancel an in-person session.
**Note the zoom session in November is not on the final Wednesday to accommodate for the holiday.
Participants must attend 10 of the 12 in-person sessions. The only non-negotiables are the first and final weekends which must be attended in person. All sessions will be recorded and uploaded to a shared digital classroom space.
Frequently Asked Questions….
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The training is designed to provide a foundation for creative facilitation of all kinds rooted in a deep understanding of the universal elements of the creative process, with the goal of delivering hands-on curriculum which embraces mindfulness and momentum, while also cultivating an environment that is encouraging, supportive, and inspirational.
Open to new and experienced facilitators, artists, teachers, coaches, social service professionals, counselors, and more, this training is dedicated to delivering strategies for fostering a brave space that allows people to take creative risks, while simultaneously instilling confidence in your own creativity and ability to be an engaging facilitator.
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Between each meeting, participants will be asked to:
Read approximately 10-20 pages of topic-related resources between each session, along with viewing assigned videos (usually about 15-20 minutes in length).
Commit to a daily(ish) journaling practice.
Respond to short prompts on google classroom between sessions.
Work on/tend to a monthly creative assignment (this ranges from simple creative practice adoptions, to monitoring self-coaching techniques, to ongoing curriculum development).
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Yes! While we will be providing useful exercises, activities, and resources that could be woven into any creative facilitation, participants will be working toward developing their own unique course/workshop/retreat idea.
So long as there is a seed of an idea or concept, we welcome you to take part in the training.
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While we expect and encourage in-person attendance to make for an optimal experience, we will be implementing an option to zoom-in to accommodate for summer travel, etc.
That said, in order to receive certification, participants must attend 10 of the 12 in-person sessions. The only non-negotiables are the first and final weekends which must be attended in person.
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“The Creative Facilitator Training at Story Parlor changed my life. It was truly one of the best things I have ever done. It has enriched my professional and personal life in more ways than I could have ever expected. I don't say this lightly, or heap this kind of praise on everything I do. I just really feel that I experienced an incredible teacher with a powerful curriculum and a gift for sharing her deep insight and practice in a way that teaches participants how to bring out the creative talent that lives in themselves and others. It's magical!”
“The CFT is a carefully-designed program led by an expert in creative facilitation. Participants learn, in supported step-wise fashion, about the psychology of creativity, strategies for overcoming blocks, how to use personal storytelling in creativity, and how to design and deliver impactful facilitated offerings. Students learn through experiential and didactic methods, and by contributing to group synergy. The result is not only confidence in one’s own facilitation abilities, but also enhanced understanding of the creative process and even personal self-awareness.”
“Erin has blown my mind with her Creative Facilitator Course! I have come to expect great things from taking other workshops with her, but this has been on another level! I have laughed, cried, created and shared deeply with a group of people that I barely know. I now feel permanently bonded to each of them and endlessly inspired by what they are choosing to create. Few experiences in my life have felt so powerfully moving. This training has pushed me to explore my inner creative landscape to such depth that I understand my life through an entirely new lens. It feels like giant wheels have been unblocked and set into motion individually and collectively for everyone that participated and I can't wait to see where the ride will take us!” - Torin K.
“This training offered so much more than I thought I was signing up for. Wether we were uncovering creative blocks or addressing overwhelm, each week brought a clearer understanding to my project but more importantly, to myself. Erin's gentle and welcoming disposition was addictive and her selflessness of sharing valuable information was never ending. I feel entirely prepared to host my workshop and have been able to challenge many fears that kept me from moving forward. Not to mention, I have made some lasting connections to my circle and The Story Parlor community!” - Sofia N.
”The Creative Facilitator Training was a gentle but deep rub that freed the genie from the lamp inside my storyteller's heart. I am now empowered in my own art to not only have the career I've wished for, but to mentor others in seeing their wishes come true; like a wish for more wishes. It was simply magic." - Lyon B.
”If you have been seeking more formal training in the art of facilitation, even if you have experience as a facilitator already, this experience is highly recommended. You have a splendid opportunity to learn through a variety of readings and videos created by other facilitators, collaboration with classmates, and build skills in presenting and holding space. You also learn so much about creativity itself and in the process grapple with and even win over perfectionism and other barriers. The curriculum is well organized, and the assignments present just enough challenge to encourage growth and further exploration. Erin really knows her stuff and genuinely cares about what is important to you in your own growth and exploration. I have pushed the envelope and stepped outside the comfort zone, and Erin's instruction and the support of classmates has made this learning a very worthwhile adventure!” - Ellane C.
“The care and intentionality infused in the course—the material, its delivery, and its unfolding—made way for risk-taking, giving and receiving encouragement, and discovery. An all-around engaging experience for anyone who wants to expand their creative practice and learn how to invite others into the healing and joy of meaning-making.” - Natalie C.
”I learned a tremendous amount of new and very useful information about creativity, facilitation, and personal mythology in the Creative Facilitator Training course. The educational material, group experiential aspects of the course, and Erin’s expert modeling of all she teaches about facilitation, has built my confidence and understanding of impactful facilitation and I now have a complete workshop curriculum to offer in the upcoming months!” - Amy A.
“This is so much more than a training to become a creative facilitator. It's really a path to life-changing transformation for yourself and others! It will challenge you and open you up to sides of yourself that you might normally avoid. In doing so, it will give you skills and insights into how you can help yourself and others nurture creative endeavors. It's a recipe for creating powerful magic!”
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This program is designed for the purpose of achieving certification, providing participants with comprehensive training and hands-on experience necessary to become certified creative facilitators. As such, it is not intended for auditing or casual participation. Full engagement and attendance are required to ensure that all participants gain the maximum benefit from the program.
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We have a summer intensive training offered as well (details here). If neither cohort work with your schedule, please feel free to add your name to the notification list for future trainings.
This is an experiential, interactive training designed to equip folks with the tools to create inspiring content, shepherd artists through their unique and collective journeys, and cultivate a dynamic creative community. Along with developing creativity-based facilitation strategies and tools, participants will tend to their individual creative practices, as well as building self awareness, personal presence, and confidence with delivering content to groups.
Completion will include a certification badge, opportunities to participate and teach within the Story Parlor community, and ongoing support through the Inward & Artward Creative Facilitator Collective.
To read more about the facilitator, Erin Hallagan Clare, click here.
Payment plans available upon request. Please contact us directly to inquire about options.