​we're back for another round of year-end journaling for creative integration — this time with live DJing

​It's been a weird year. But it's journaling season again.

​Last winter, we welcomed 2025 with the first public iteration of the journal spa — a live community journaling experience set to ambient music. I, for one, had a lovely enough time to want to do it again this year. I'm also DJing now. So join me in (softly) ringing in 2026 with another round of self-reflection set to spacious soundscapes, mixed live.

​If you're looking for a spot to make sense of the past year, to gather up what you've learned, and to retrace the glimmerings of where aliveness has been leading you — come on in. Let's tend what's next.

​FAQs

​What will we be journaling about?
I loosely keep "creativity" as an overarching theme for these sessions — not to be prescriptive or to get high up on the woo-woo pony, but because I find that creativity can be a useful framing that helps many people locate their values, interests, and threads of overall curiosity in being alive even while the world is getting very, very... [your adjective here]. (More on all this later.) There's lots of room for you to move in the directions that feel most interesting to you, and there's no pressure to dig into anything that feels like it's setting you back. My goal is to support you in surfacing things that matter most.

​Why is this work important?
Every year results in an accumulation of creative material — ideas for things, parts of things, finished things, failed things. As we collect inspirations, accidents, disappointments, celebrations, lessons, and surprises, we don't always have time to integrate them fully — to change what needs changing, celebrate what needs celebrating, and grieve what needs grieving. Taking the time to reflect on, process, and fully take in this material can help us jump into that inevitable laundry list of new year's goals for 2026 from a more grounded place. It's time to turn over the soil in preparation for all that you'll plant in the year to come.

​How?
Sure, you could do this on your own. But why not do it with the gentle, reassuring squeeze of community alongside impeccable musical ambiance and someone telling you what to do? This is a guided session, so I'll offer some warm-ups and a series of prompts to get the brain juices flowing. All you have to do is show up and write. Expect some accessible (and optional) mind-body centering exercises, a LOT of writing, breaks to breathe, some time to lie down and rest at the end.

​Will I be forced to socialize? (i.e. will there be a breakout room jump-scare?)
I would never do that to you! In fact, for most of session I'll encourage everyone to be off-camera and on-mute to prioritize deep introspection. I'll stay on at the end for anyone who wants to chat a little, but you'll probably be in a lovely internal space and I encourage you to ride that out into your evening in silence.

​What do I bring?
Bring a comfortable way of putting lots of words on a page (paper, notebook, pen, etc.) and a way to highlight or underline those words in a different color (colored pencils, highlighters...). Digital tools welcome too, if you'd prefer to type! I also recommend anything you need to be cozy and focused — blankets, cushions, candles, tea... Headphones are ideal!

​Will the session be recorded?
Nope. But after the session I'll share a care package of the prompts + the music to everyone registered.

​I'm not a writer / I don’t know if I’m creative enough — is this for me?
In a word: yes. In 133 words: yes. This is a holistic model of creativity: the generative energy or feeling of aliveness that bubbles up around things that matter. If in the last year you ever: cared for a child, tended a garden, prepared a meal, helped a parent troubleshoot an iPad, hung a poster, started a puzzle, made a playlist, watched a film, sent a zinger of a meme at the perfect moment, and/or got dressed for the day, you did creativity. (And this is a non-exhaustive list.) In fact, there's often a lot of really rich material in these smaller moments that goes unmilked, even for "serious" artists. So regardless of what your “title” is or how you identify publicly, if something about this session feels like it could be interesting and worthwhile to you, please come.

​What's the cost?
Donation only, no expectations. If you have the means, chipping in a little helps me cover things like Zoom bills, and I appreciate your support. Students, new grads, folks impacted by layoffs, and anyone in a tough spot financially — please accept this session as a gift and just show up. This is for you most of all.

What kind of person is behind all this?
I'm Trace — a designer and researcher in the mental health field by day, and musician/writer/doodler by night. I've also trained as a wellness coach, a yoga teacher, and am currently studying to be an expressive arts therapist. Events like this are a chance for me to bring everything I love to do — writing, reflecting, sense-making, space-holding, sound-crafting — together under one digital roof. Feel free to connect with me on LurkedOn or my very in-progress website.