May 2026 | Poetic Medicine in the River of Cruelty | Jim Elsaesser, PPM

Part of the Poetic Medicine Summit 2026 year-long series

The Expressive Art of Poetry

Saturday, May 23, 2026

9:30 - 11 am Pacific Time

Register for the full Summit series of events here.

How can poetry help us face cruelty, and begin to heal its lasting impacts?

Together, we’ll consider poetry as a form of medicine: a practice of speaking, witnessing, and affirming the inherent worth of every person.

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The greater scope of this workshop is intended for participants to gain a deeper, workable understanding of the impact of domestic violence in so many lives and to celebrate the healing power of Poetic Medicine. Given the nature of the subject matter, a Content Warning is appropriate. Some participants may find the material distressing. This presentation is offered in a supportive, sensitive, and compassionate manner.

Please contact Jim at jameselsaesser68@gmail.com with any questions.

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The facilitator, Jim Elsaesser, will share examples of Poetic Medicine garnered from years of experience in working with both victims of violence and men who have caused harm in their relationships.

Workshop activities with writing prompt suggestions will guide participants through the process of understanding the principles of using Poetic Medicine in the River of Cruelty. 

The River of Cruelty is a term for a trauma focused modality used in addressing cruelty, created by Steve and Dorthy Halley, of the Family Peace Initiative, https://familypeaceinitiative.com/.   

In this reflective workshop, we’ll explore how harm takes shape in our homes, relationships, and communities, and how writing can open space for accountability, dignity, and restoration. Through guided conversation, writing, and sharing we will engage the idea of the “River of Cruelty” as a way of understanding how cycles of harm develop — and how they can be interrupted.

Workshop content will be offered in order to prepare participants in opening the door to understanding Poetic Medicine in the River of Cruelty in their own Healing Poetry and Healing Poetry Workshops. Access to print materials, online resources, and bibliographies of applicable materials will be provided.

Together, we’ll consider poetry as a form of medicine: a practice of speaking, witnessing, and affirming the inherent worth of every person.

James Elsaesser, BS/English Secondary Education, PPM

Practitioner of Poetic Medicine

Jim has facilitated Healing Poetry workshops in his community in a variety of settings. He currently facilitates weekly Healing Poetry Groups at Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault

Interventions Services (DASI), https://www.dasi.org/ Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services,

and NORWESCAP. He also leads Healing Poetry Workshops with the DECIDE Program of

DASI. DECIDE is an Abuser Intervention Program for men who have caused harm in their

relationships.

He has served as an instructor of GED English and has led online ESL classes and facilitated

poetry workshops for School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA), since 2013. He has served as

Community Outreach Specialist, at DASI, Newton, NJ. He currently serves as a Group

Facilitator for the DECIDE Program at DASI. He is a certified Peer Recovery Specialist and

holds a certification as a Practitioner of Poetic Medicine from the Institute for Poetic Medicine.

Poetic Medicine Summit 2026

Learn more about the full series of Summit 2026 events here: https://www.poeticmedicine.org/summit2026

We would love to have you be in the circle with us. Come on your own or bring a friend!

Sponsorship opportunities are available too!

We hope that you will be able to join us for one or more of these upcoming events!