Blog

I published an Op-Ed in the Pasadena Weekly about the benefits of journal writing during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. Here's a snippet! "In the midst of a global pandemic and economic turndown, many Americans are battling stress, depression, and despair. Since...

When we call someone a “writer,” typically we think of someone who has published their work professionally. Whether it’s a book, an article, a poem, or a screenplay, the product of writing is usually the distinguishing criteria. Undoubtedly, these products of writing...

What have we learned from 2020 about ourselves and our life? How will we use it to create a new way forward? When our lives were paused in March 2020, it forced us into a new way of being. Now, it’s hard to imagine going back to that previous way. That pre-pandemic...

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be teaching JOURNAL TO THE SELF®, an empowering journal-writing workshop, again this fall. The course is offered ONLINE through PCC Extension at Pasadena City College, which means you can access it from anywhere in the world. We'll...

As summer arrives, the great outdoors beckons. Many of us have been cooped up in our homes for weeks or months due to the covid crisis. Heading out into nature and -- if we have the opportunity -- diving into a pool, a lake, or the ocean sounds pretty amazing right...

"At the epicentre of a storm, it is always calm. Find that centre, your centre. That’s where you will find strength." - AVIS Viswanathan There's no denying it: We're definitely weathering a major storm as a society right now. With the twin crises of the global...

I'm so excited to be offering JOURNAL TO THE SELF®, an empowering journal writing workshop, through PCC Extension at Pasadena City College in the Spring 2020 term! The class will be held on the Pasadena City College campus and runs six Sundays, March 1 to April 5,...

I’m pleased to announce that, as of today, I’m officially a Certified Instructor of JOURNAL TO THE SELF® Workshops! Cue the cartwheels of joy!! I’m really excited about this, as little by little, over the course of the past year, I’ve worked my way through the...

Though Henry David Thoreau’s Walden is a staple of college English and humanities classes, I managed to earn a master’s in English without ever reading it. Shocking, I know! Sure, I’d read selections from it in a class or two but never sat down to read the whole book...

Here in Los Angeles, the housing market is absolutely bananas. Even though home and condo prices have cooled slightly in recent months, prices are still sky high. And even if you've got the cash to pre-qualify for a loan, that isn't any guarantee of nabbing a property...

On New Year’s Day, I lost my dear friend and fellow writer, Anise Stevens, to cancer. She was 49. Anise was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, and even though surgery and chemo eliminated it, the cancer later metastasized in her liver, bones, and other...

20 years ago, I started writing in my journal every night. I had picked up a copy of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, who recommended doing something called “Morning Pages,” where you write for 45 minutes as soon as you wake up. Not being a morning person, and...

Hello! Thanks for visiting the new homepage of Write Strong Consulting. I first launched this business in 2007, with a focus on personal statement consulting for college and graduate school applicants. Over the last dozen years, the business has grown by leaps and...