Explore DBSA’s Create to Cope

Create to Cope is a collection of virtual workshops that bring creative activities and peer support together. Each session offers an opportunity to try something new, connect with others, and focus on the creative process—not the finished product.

No artistic experience is needed. Browse the workshops below to learn more about each session, including the creative activity, date and time, and registration information.

Writing Play

September 10, 2026
2:00 PM CT
90 Minutes 

Participants will receive two suggested prompts and will write for 15 minutes in response. After 15 minutes, participants will receive additional suggested prompts and write again for 15 minutes. Afterward, participants will have a chance to share (if they would like) what they have written and respond to each other in a non-judgmental, supportive environment about what they like about the piece and what they found strong and memorable.

Learning Objectives:

1. To express thoughts and feelings in words, otherwise not being able to express them.
2. To listen and share our work so we feel heard and respected.
3. To be creative in a caring environment and to feel that we are not alone.

Materiels Needed: Pen/Pencil, Paper

Register Here

Please note: Workshops are hosted on ShareWell. You’ll need to create a free ShareWell account to register and join.

Sherri Levine is a poet, mental health advocate, and squirrel lover who lives in Portland, Oregon. She spent 25 years teaching English to immigrants and refugees at colleges and universities. She is the recent recipient of the Patricia Ruth Banta Award, which recognizes a significant contribution to Oregon poetry by the Oregon Poetry Association. She has won numerous poetry awards and has written three poetry books: Stealing Flowers from the Neighbors, A Joy to See, and I Remember Not Sleeping, which is dedicated to those dealing with mental illness. She has an anthology coming out next year, Waking in the Blue: Poetry & Essays about Mental Health, which asks poets from all over the world how their mental health affects their poetry. She believes writing saves lives, as it has continued to save hers. She teaches creative writing classes and poetry at a neighborhood center. She has created and facilitated local and national writing groups for DBSA—Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, where she is on the board as Community Outreach Director. Please visit her at sherrilevine.com.

Post-It Note Poetry

September 26, 2026
5 PM CT
90 Minutes

Modeled after an exceptional American poet, William Carlos Williams, MD, who began his career as a creative writer by jotting down his ideas on a prescription pad between seeing patients. In the spirit of the short form in creative expression, this workshop will encourage participants to write in short bursts—as if jotting down first thoughts on post-it notes—on classic themes of their choice, such as hope, longing, family, cats and dogs, coffee, etc. Please come prepared with a writing implement, and for fun, perhaps actual Post-it notes. Sharing is encouraged, but not required.

Learning Objectives:

1. Reduced black and white thinking/cognitive distortions.
2. An increased sense of community.
3. An increased knowledge of peer support values.

Materials Needed: Pen/Pencil, Post-It Notes/Paper

Register Here

Please note: Workshops are hosted on ShareWell. You’ll need to create a free ShareWell account to register and join.

Wendy is a longtime member of DBSA San Diego, where she resides. She attended her first meeting in September 2001, at a crossroads in her life, and promptly became deeply involved in the organization. In 2002, she became a Volunteer Facilitator, and in 2005, took the role of Community Liaison. In that role, she became one of the strongest voices of the community and stepped up as a mental health advocate. She is a believer in the power of group to facilitate recovery and promote quality of life for all people with mental health challenges. In 2020, Wendy published a volume of poetry in collaboration with a visual artist named Tiko Makunts. This work explores themes such as mental health in all its complexities and the many facets of human nature.

 

Graphic Novel Creations

October 8, 2026
2 PM CT
90 Minutes Annie Rothmann  

Annie will share an example of one of her Graphic Novel creations as an example. Then, participants will write and illustrate their own personal mental health journeys in the form of a graphic novel. Participants will have time to share what they created at the end of the session if they would like to.

Learning Objectives:

1. A new tool for self-reflection.
2. A sense of connection with their fellow workshop participants
3.  A basic knowledge of graphic novel creation.

Materials Needed: Pencil/Colored Pencils, Paper 

Register Here

Please note: Workshops are hosted on ShareWell. You’ll need to create a free ShareWell account to register and join.

Annie went to UCSC, where she earned her bachelor’s in literature. She later moved to Hawaii and became an RN. She is an avid reader who spends her time reading, doing yoga, and surfing. She has been on her mental health journey since 2002, when she received a diagnosis that would change her life. She completed a DBSA peer specialist program in 2021 and has led numerous DBSA support groups. Her visual art and illustration workshop originated from her desire to make mental health journeys more visible through graphic novels.

 

 

Exploring Rest Through Zine Making

October 22, 2026
7 PM CT
90 Minutes

Participants will make a simple-fold zine in which each quadrant lets them explore ideas and strategies to incorporate more rest into their lives. They’ll also be encouraged to share with one another to learn collectively.

Learning Objectives:

1. An increased sense of community.
2. An understanding of the importance of rest.
3. A basic knowledge of zine-making and how they can continue to use it in their wellness journey.

Materials Needed: Pens/Markers/Color Pencils, Copy Paper

Register Here

Please note: Workshops are hosted on ShareWell. You’ll need to create a free ShareWell account to register and join.

Milly is a Certified Peer Support Specialist with a certification in trauma-informed facilitation, a working artist, and a community activist. A National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Support Group Facilitator and NAMI SGV Board Member, Milly is also a Global Effective Mental Health Fellow and brings a grief care lens to their peer support work. Milly donates their design and photography skills to causes contributing to social justice, animal rights, and the planet. A member of the LGBTQ+ community, Milly is a great listener who meets people where they are. They live by the mantra: “When we recover loudly, we protect others from dying quietly.”

 

More workshop listings coming soon!