Book Club with Purpose

Why are you doing this book club at this time?

Book Club with Purpose has three main goals. The first is to create a community that is focused on increasing personal wellbeing. Research is clear that feeling seen and heard is one of the most important aspects of thriving in life and we are experiencing an unprecedented crisis of loneliness in the United States, as is every other industrialized country, causing chronic anxiety, depression, burnout, increased substance use, and other mental health challenges. It is estimated that 40 percent of people report feeling lonely in parts of their life; the Pandemic didn’t help us stay connected to our families or communities.

The second important goal is to learn about the experiences and activities that neuroscience has shown to make our lives more whole and fulfilling. I continuously read or listen to books that I know for sure others would benefit from as well and it is one of my greatest joys to share what I have learned. And the third reason is that therapy takes a lot of time, it’s expensive, and maybe we don’t have anything truly pressing but would benefit from connecting and learning strategies and tools that would make life even better.

Is this a subscription and ongoing book club?

This is not a subscription, you sign up and pay for the workshops/books that interest you each quarter/season. With each book chosen, a Workshop Guide is created specifically for our time together. The LIVE sessions are designed to be as close to sitting around the kitchen table together as we can be while coming from around the country or beyond (like Canada). There is an ongoing Facebook page @book.club.with.purpose that all participants are invited to be a part of so we can continue to connect at a deeper level outside of our Book Club sessions. And most of all, I also want to connect with you, I want to be a part of conversations about the things that matter most to us.

Is this considered group therapy?

The Book Club with Purpose is designed based on the principles of group counseling but each person will apply the wisdom of the book’s author, the questions in the Workshop Guide, and information I share in sessions to their own lives and situations through personal journaling, sharing with the group, and the Experience Challenge Lists. Book Club participants are learning to be their own therapist.

Book Club with Purpose is not considered ‘therapy’ in professional terms as you will not be asked to share personal details that you don’t feel comfortable sharing with the larger group. This group is not designed to take the place of individual therapy for mental health conditions whether they are diagnosed or not. The phases of wellbeing could be described as healing the past, living peacefully in the present, and growing into your future best self. These workshops are focused on the present and future, not on healing the past, at least outside your personal reflections during the workshops.

Often the more you learn, the more you want to learn and individual counseling is available in-person and online at Sacred Connections Counseling if a participant decides that would be beneficial for them. I am licensed in Washington State, but there is a Counseling Compact that allows for interstate online counseling scheduled to begin in 2025. I would also be happy to give recommendations on how to find a mental health practitioner in your area.

Do you have in-person Workshops?

One of the most important reasons I started Book Club with Purpose is to foster community. As a mental health counselor, I often wish I could bring people together and I do hope to do in-person group therapy and workshops in the future. The reality though, is that the individuals that need connections with friends most are knee deep in all the responsibilities of life and that is why I am starting online.

However, the beauty of books and gathering to learn from brilliant authors is that we can all join in. Book Club with Purpose is the perfect opportunity to gather YOUR friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, or even your book club for the sessions, talk about the discussion questions, and do the Experience Challenges together, whether you gather in your kitchen with friends and family or you are joining together online. Sometimes we need a reason to reach out and rekindle relationships that are missing experiences, fun, deep conversations that are about what’s going on in our hearts and minds, versus what’s going on in the news. Create your own Book Club with Purpose, your own community within this community. Isn’t that how it’s been done since the beginning of time?

How much does it cost?

I have so many individual counseling sessions where I think how beneficial it would have been for me to learn the things I teach my clients. I wanted to do something where ‘therapy’ conversations were affordable enough that anyone could participate: affordable for most, connecting through ideas and experiences, and accessible. And that is what Book Club with Purpose is designed for.

Each online workshop is 4-8 weeks depending on the book that is chosen. It is $50 registration and $25 per session. For example, a four-week session is $150 and an eight-week session is $250 paid at the time of registration. In comparison, counseling/therapy sessions typically cost $125 to $250 for a 50 minute appointment.

*I hold space to waive the registration fee if needed making each session $25. Send me a message if this may apply to you.

When is it and how long is each session?

Each workshop will be announced via email and on the Book Club with Purpose Facebook page. Generally we will begin each Workshop at the start of each season: October, January, March, and June. Workshop sessions will be held on Monday evenings at 5:30 pm PT. Sessions are scheduled for one hour and 15 minutes. In the future, there will be multiple days and times for each book/workshop as more participants join with different scheduling and time zone needs.