Poetic Medicine Summit 2026:
The Expressive Art of Poetry
A Year of Poetic Medicine
Join The Institute for Poetic Medicine and community partners as we gather to practice connection, hope, resilience, and agency through poetry.
Summit 2026 opens April 24-26 with
Online Poetic Medicine Summit 2026
Friday, April 24
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm Pacific Time
Connections: Synapses of Flourishing in Creating Human Experience
"Bless the spirit that makes connections,
for truly we live in what we imagine.
Clocks move along-side our real life
with steps that are ever the same."
—Rainer Maria Rilke
These days, when many things and experiences around us are grim and harrowing, it is important to not give up or turn away. Poetry and poem-making help me to not give up or turn away and I look forward to sharing this poetic medicine with you.
Poetry and poem-making remind us
that there is, everywhere, to be found:
beauty & surprise, truth & connection.
I believe it is up to you and I to live in and create together what Rilke refers to as “what we imagine.” What we imagine and the connections we make in life - this is the timeless kernel, core, essence, heart, hand-in-hand relationship of what Poetic Medicine is: nourishment for individual and community.
Join me for this evening program where we may discover together “what we imagine” by being open to and accepting of connections - at times seemingly small, significant, or surprising - being offered to us each-and-every day.
No experience with poetry necessary.
Saturday, April 25
9 am - 1 pm Pacific Time
Writing Ourselves into Wonder: Meeting Difficult Times with Poetry
In the dark times
will there also be singing?
Yes, there will also be singing
about the dark times.
—Bertolt Brecht, “Motto”
In every moment there is the chance to witness the ever-unfolding story of our own lives and the story of our world. Though a poem can’t fix things, can’t heal us, can’t change the facts, reading and writing poems can change the way we meet the facts, and this can change everything. Together we’ll read poems, converse about them, use them as launching points for our own writing and talk about process. We’ll explore playing with metaphors and paradox, letting curiosity lead us past the edge of what we think we know into new possibilities for framing a moment. Wonder will be our guide. We’ll be less interested in writing something perfect and more interested in discovering our own stumbling blocks and epiphanies.
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer helps weave a safe environment for exploring how to bring wonder and self-compassion into a creative practice. More a playshop than a workshop, more soulwork than craft, though we will talk about how craft can serve our creative process, too. All levels of poetry-writing experience welcome.
Sunday, April 26
9 am - 1 pm Pacific Time
Poetry as Praise
Have you ever wanted to celebrate someone in your life or mark a special occasion with a poem? During times of joy and great challenges, people turn to poems that connect us through our shared human experience. Praise poems carry wonder and gratitude, and allow us to empathize with others.
In this workshop, participants will explore poetic forms of praise, create new works, and learn how to identify and celebrate the awe-inspiring everyday moments of life.
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The 2026 Poetic Medicine Summit begins in April with keynote speakers John Fox, IPM founder; Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Poet Laureate of Southwestern Colorado; and Amanda Johnston, 61st Poet Laureate of Texas.
This initial event and 12 subsequent monthly facilitated workshops and talks will offer space where participants will hear their own and others' inner wisdom, truth and beauty, and celebrate our common humanity.
Investment:
$250 Standard Bundled Pricing includes registration for all three April programs PLUS early registration access for subsequent monthly Summit 2026 programming (each event for the full year of Summit programs is included in bundled pricing, however some events may have limited livestream-attendance space due to the nature of the program provided and registration will be required for each program), and access to recordings for 30 days following the event.
$225 Early Bird Bundled Pricing (price increases March 31) includes registration for all three April programs PLUS early registration access to subsequent monthly Summit 2026 programming, and access to recordings for 30 days following the event.
Registration is also available for each program separately:
John Fox, PPM
Saturday, April 25 4 hours $100
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
Amanda Johnston
Poetic Medicine Impact and Outreach Monthly Sessions following initial April event, suggested donation of $10-15 for each event:
Saturday, May 23
9:30-10:30am Pacific Time
Poetic Medicine in the River of Cruelty an informational session with writing time facilitated by James Elsaesser, PPM
Thursday, June 11
1-2:30pm Pacific Times
Our Mystic Heart: Expanding Our Inner Light During Turbulent Times an experiential session facilitated by Susan O'Connell, PPM & Terri Goslin-Jones, PPM
Thursday, July 16
12-2pm Pacific Time
Healing Words Amid Suffering: Poetic Medicine and Chaplaincy an informational session with writing time facilitated by Witek Nowosiad, PPM
Saturday, August 22
9-11am Pacific Time
The Power of Poetry to Create Community Behind Bars an informational session with writing time facilitated by Circle Up Austin
Thursday, September 17
1-2:30pm Pacific Time
Loss, Losing and Loosening: Poetic Medicine as a Communal Ritual for Grief and Loss an experiential session facilitated by The MERI Center at UCSF on Thursday, September 17 from 1-2:30pm Pacific Time.
Thursday, October 15
1-2:30pm Pacific Time
The Impact of Community-Based Poetic Medicine for Grief and Loneliness: A Study by the UCSF MERI Center an informational session with writing time facilitated by The MERI Center at UCSF
Saturday, November 14
10-11:30am Pacific Time
Poetry of Homelands and Hope: Uplifting Refugee and Immigrant Voices toward Creating Communities of Welcome and Belonging an experiential session facilitated by IPM Poetry Partner Merna Ann Hecht
December 2026
Poetry as a Tool for Wellness: "Awakening Our Voices: Choosing Empowerment, Advocacy & Action" an experiential session facilitated by The PTW Leadership Team: Kristin Thompson, Athena McClendon, and Sharon Lowe
January 2027
Vision, Voice, Vulnerability: Our Weapons of Mass Liberation an experiential session facilitated by Trina Leshay Williams, PPM
and others to be announced
Sponsorship opportunities are available with discounted ticket pricing, sponsor recognition, and more! Sponsorship commitment deadline March 31 to allow time for recognition and promotion.
Program Facilitators
Summit 2026 Sponsors
Individual Sponsors
Susan O'Connell * Sharon Lowe * Darnell Epps
Questions about the Summit? Please contact us at summit@poeticmedicine.org
To request financial assistance for this poetic medicine event please complete this form.