Sue McCollum
Loudoun, VA (Washington DC area)
suemccollum@gmail.com
The 120 year-old embroidery piece my grandmother created when she was a teen hangs on my office wall. Its edges are frayed now and its value questionable. Yet to me it is priceless. It reminds me of my heritage, a legacy that connects me with my Swedish ancestry and the many traditions she and my mother introduced me to as a child. Today I look at Grandma’s handiwork and see it as the tapestry of my life. Each thread is a person in my story, and each stitch is a unique gift or experience that connects me to all my people across time and space. This is the gift of legacy.
I came to legacy work as an outgrowth of my personal professional experiences. As a counselor, I have always been interested in each person’s unique story and the wisdom that flows from a life filled with joys and heartaches, twists and turns, challenges and triumphs. I believe story has the power to transform lives. As a writer, I’ve journaled to understand my own life in the context of my family and community. I’ve found writing helps me define who I am as a person with thoughts and feelings, disappointments and successes, values and beliefs. In my writing and legacy workshops, I’ve seen how reflecting on life stories deepens links to past and future generations. I believe legacy work is soul work. It is a gift we give ourselves and those we love. It needs to be shared.
Sue McCollum is a graduate of Loyola College’s pastoral/clinical counseling program, certified by the Amherst Writers and Artists, a Certified Legacy Facilitator, and has completed coursework at the Therapeutic Writing Institute. She is the co-author of Write Your Stress Away, Tame the Tension in Your Life. Sue has led writing workshops in Malawi with Voice Flame Writers and locally in Northern Virginia.
In legacy work, Sue has discovered an opportunity to help people of all ages weave their story into the fabric of family and community. She is available to facilitate legacy workshops and work one-on-one with individuals interested in writing their spiritual-ethical wills. Sue believes our most important gifts to future generations are our wisdom, blessings and love as seen through the lens of legacy.
Deborah Ross
Fairfax, Virginia
debrosslpc@gmail.com
www.deborahrosslpc.com
www.yourbrainonink.com
Deborah Ross retired from private practice psychotherapy in 2015 in order to focus on teaching journaling/expressive writing. She is certified as a Journal Therapist, is a core faculty member of the Therapeutic Writing Institute and Journalversity - both part of the Center for Journal Therapy. Deborah also teaches writing in healthcare settings including cancer programs, brain injury programs and mindfulness based meditation programs. She supervises writing trainees and offers workshops in her community as well as private consultation and is a popular presenter at the annual Expressive Arts Summit.
Legacy Writing has become an extension of Deborah's belief and experience in the power of one's story to heal, not only oneself, but as a gift to loved ones and to future generations. As a student of the ongoing research in writing and the neuroscience world, Deborah co-authored with Kathleen Adams, "Your Brain on Ink," which invites participants into a very user-friendly guide exploring how to create a self-authored life and legacy.
The gift of our story including our values and heritage is truly a priceless gift and Deborah is honored to facilitate that process.
