Threads of Healing: How Poetry is Helping Survivors and our Community
Threads of Healing: How Poetry is Helping Survivors and our Community
When Teresa Dixon first began facilitating The Thread writing workshop, she wanted to create a space where survivors of domestic violence could explore their stories through creativity rather than through testimony.
"Writing offers another way. It allows survivors to express themselves, to be heard and acknowledged without the added vulnerability of an audience staring back at them.”
“Standing in front of a crowd and sharing the most painful moments of your life can be overwhelming,” Teresa explained. “Public speaking is already one of the biggest fears people have, and asking someone to share their trauma that way can feel impossible. Writing offers another way. It allows survivors to express themselves, to be heard and acknowledged without the added vulnerability of an audience staring back at them.”
The Thread workshop has become just that: a space of safety, reflection, and ownership. Each session begins with group agreements that remind participants they are creative beings, capable of taking care of themselves while also challenging themselves. Then, through prompts, art, poetry, or even music, participants are invited to write. Sometimes the room is filled with quiet focus, other times with lively sharing. Nearly everyone chooses to share their work with the entire group, an act Teresa describes as “huge.”
“a process of reconciling this part of our life’s story, helping it to make sense in the larger context of our whole life so it’s not the only story we have to tell."
What happens in these sessions is more than writing. It is, in Teresa’s words, “a process of reconciling this part of our life’s story, helping it to make sense in the larger context of our whole life so it’s not the only story we have to tell.” Survivors begin to see their experiences not as their sole identity, but as one thread in the fabric of who they are.
This fall, writing from The Thread writing group has found a new home in Spokane’s StoryWalk, a month-long public art and poetry exhibit in Riverfront Park during Aktionsmonat gegen häusliche Gewalt. Fifteen stations pair survivors’ original poetry with artwork from local artists, accompanied by questions that spark conversations about trust, respect, communication, and support.
"A family might stumble upon it during a walk, read a poem, and suddenly recognize their own experience reflected back to them. It can quietly plant seeds of awareness, connection, and even safety planning, without anyone having to say a word out loud.”
For Teresa, the StoryWalk opens doors for both survivors and the community. “Domestic violence is something many people would rather ignore. This exhibit makes it accessible. A family might stumble upon it during a walk, read a poem, and suddenly recognize their own experience reflected back to them. It can quietly plant seeds of awareness, connection, and even safety planning, without anyone having to say a word out loud.”
“Every person who shared their story hoped that someone else out there would feel less alone because of it.”
Survivors who contributed their writing also saw it as an act of solidarity. “Every person who shared their story hoped that someone else out there would feel less alone because of it,” Teresa said. “That’s the heart of it: helping others know they are not alone.”
"It’s become a way for me, and the women in this group, to reclaim ourselves.”
The power of poetry in this work carries special meaning for Teresa herself. She shared how, in a past relationship, poetry had been used against her as a measure of intellect she was told she didn’t meet. “It’s funny that now I’m known as the poetry person,” she reflected. “I’ve reclaimed poetry on my own terms. It’s no longer someone else’s definition of what’s worthy or intelligent. It’s mine. And it’s become a way for me, and the women in this group, to reclaim ourselves.”
As participants’ words ripple out into the community through the StoryWalk, the impact of The Thread becomes clear. It is more than a writing group. It is a place where survivors are reminded of their creativity, their resilience, and their voice; a voice that, once written down and shared, can never be silenced.
The Thread Writing Group
The Thread is a free monthly writing workshop offered in YWCA Spokane's Women's Opportunity Center to survivors of intimate partner domestic violence.
This series is one of many offerings provided through the Center that are focused on holistic, restorative services for trauma survivors at no cost.
Groups and one-on-one services aim to support a survivor's healing and wellness while they build skills, engage in a supportive community, and achieve set goals.
Visit the StoryWalk Exhibit this October
An Interactive Installation available During Domestic Violence Action Month
Too often, domestic violence is seen as a private issue that isn’t openly discussed. This silence creates stigma. The StoryWalk exhibit offers a safe and approachable way to begin those conversations by walking the path with your family, friends, or coworker. Together, we can create a community that values safety, respect, and care in every relationship.
Von: Erica Schreiber