Creative Writing Workshop
Every Story Matters:
A year-long, virtual writing workshop for BI survivors.
BIASC is proud to offer a free monthly virtual creative writing workshop designed specifically for brain injury (BI) survivors. This supportive, inclusive program invites participants to explore storytelling, reflection, and self-expression in a way that honors individual experiences and abilities. This workshop centers mental and cognitive health while fostering connection, creativity, and confidence.
The workshop is led by Cinelle Barnes, an award-winning essayist, memoirist, editor, and educator — and a brain injury survivor herself. She is the author of Monsoon Mansion, Malaya, and A Way Home, and the editor of the acclaimed anthology A Measure of Belonging: 21 Writers of Color on the New American South. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Coastal Living, and other national publications, and she has served as a Pulitzer Prize juror.
After surviving a brain aneurysm in 2023, Cinelle brings lived experience, compassion, and deep expertise to her teaching. Trained in Universal & Accessible Learning, she has taught at respected institutions including Lighthouse Writers Workshop, Catapult, and Kweli. Her approach assumes creative capability while thoughtfully accommodating the unique needs of brain injury survivors.
Workshop Schedule
February 2026 – Introduction Session
1st Tuesday in February
Cinelle Barnes will join BIASC’s Thrive Together group to provide an overview of the workshop and answer questions.Ongoing Monthly Sessions
3rd Wednesday of each month
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST
Beginning in March and continuing for one full year
Sharing Stories, Changing Understanding
With participant consent, a future goal of the program is to publicly share a curated selection of writing. These personal narratives will help counter widespread misinformation about brain injury and expand public understanding of survivors’ lived realities — while empowering participants to see their stories as meaningful and impactful.
Designed with
BI Survivors in Mind
Each session is thoughtfully structured to meet the diverse needs of people living with traumatic or acquired brain injuries. Participants will be introduced to writing practices that support emotional processing, focus, and self-awareness, while also providing opportunities to share experiences and learn from one another. No prior writing experience is required.
Each session emphasizes:
Accessibility and inclusivity
Gentle cognitive stimulation
Creative expression without pressure
Peer connection and shared understanding
Over the course of a year, participants will engage in writing forms that support physical, emotional, and mental well-being, reinforcing that life with BI looks different for everyone, and that every story matters. The workshop will employ approaches that help calm an overloaded nervous system, reduce cognitive fatigue, and create space for healing through creativity.
Who Should Attend
This workshop is open to:
Survivors of all kinds of brain injuries
Caregivers and family members who identify with the survivor experience
Participants will receive an Every Story Matters Toolkit, including writing and coloring materials, sticky notes, index cards, and a workbook specifically designed for our community.
Sample writing prompts and topics include:
writing toward physical, emotional, and sensorial rest,
building your happy place on the page,
then and now,
who I really am: a six-word memoir,
my community: a Q&A between survivors,
and more.
