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Reclaim Your Story: Writing Workshop
March 27-29, 2026 | Crystal Beach, Texas
Each one of us has a story to tell, some piece of truth that is uniquely ours. If you’re pausing here, it’s likely that you feel the pull to share it. We create space for you to do exactly that. Over three days and two nights in Crystal Beach, Texas, we offer guided workshops, meditations, and intentional sharing for you: writer, creative, curious. Our workshop space is focused on Truth more than craft, on mustering the courage to tell your story out loud. Perhaps now is the time--to reclaim your story, to share the truth you know in your bones, to announce your place in the family of things.
What to Expect:
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What is included in the retreat cost?
The total cost of $300 covers workshops, retreat space/lodging, and breakfast, lunch, and snacks for three days. As we get closer to the retreat date, we’ll send out a short survey to capture food preferences and allergies so we can plan accordingly.
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What’s the deadline to apply?
Applications close on March 1, 2026. All decisions will be finalized by March 13, 2026 (the same day full payment is due). We’ll be accepting applications on a rolling basis until then!
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When is the final payment due?
To reserve your spot, a $100 deposit is due by January 31, 2026. The remaining $200 is due two weeks before the retreat, no later than March 13, 2026.
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What is the retreat schedule?
We’ll send out a finalized schedule as we get closer, but you can expect two full days of workshops and a final morning session. Each day will begin around 9 am, include a lunch break, and end around 5 pm. You’ll have free time each evening to explore the Gulf or the nearby town. Our workshops will typically follow a read, discuss, and practice model. And don’t worry—there will be plenty of opportunities to move, stretch, rest, and retreat into your own space as you create. If you anticipate needing specific accommodations, please let us know in your application so we can plan for them.
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I’m not a writer. Can I still apply?
If you’re interested in coming, you’re definitely a writer. We’re not looking for a specific background or a letter of recommendation—just a willingness to show up and write. A writer is anyone who writes. So yes—please apply.
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I’m working on a memoir/poetry collection/novel/some other written project. Can I bring it to work on during the workshop?
Absolutely. We’ll provide prompts throughout the workshop, but you’re free to respond in whatever way feels true. We just ask that you meaningfully engage with the readings, conversations, and prompts—if for no other reason than to get your money’s worth!
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Is financial aid available?
Yes! Please indicate in your application if you’d like to be considered for financial assistance.
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How many people will be at the retreat? Will everyone who applies be accepted?
The house sleeps 23, but we plan to keep our cohort small and close-knit. Not everyone who applies will be accepted—the most important thing to us is that everyone feels safe and comfortable sharing their work. Writing can be deeply vulnerable, and we’ll do everything we can to bring together a group of like-minded, supportive writers.
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If I have an emergency, can I cancel and get a refund?
The initial $100 deposit is nonrefundable. However, if an emergency arises after that, please let us know. We’re more than happy to refund the remaining balance when possible.
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What should I pack?
In March, expect daytime temperatures in the low 70s and nighttime lows in the high 50s. We’re walking distance from the Gulf, so bring a swimsuit if you’d like to swim! There’s no dress code—wear whatever makes you comfortable. Bring whatever you need for writing (a notebook and pens, a laptop, etc.). You’ll also have plenty of downtime for leisure, so feel free to pack board games, books, or anything else that helps you relax.
Maddie Nutt + Nikki Thompson Brown
Meet Your Guides:
Maddie Nutt and Nikki Thompson Brown created this inaugural workshop from a shared desire to reclaim stories, explore meaning, and build a community of writers who listen deeply—to themselves and to one another. As eldest daughters and longtime collaborators, they spend their weeks in dialogue, exchanging voice notes, book lists, and essay drafts filled with imagination and challenges.
Maddie is a therapist, writer, and founder of Wild Geese Counseling Collective. Her work bridges philosophy, mental health, and community care—grounded in abolitionist and trauma-informed practice, and shaped by a critical engagement with the culture that surrounds us. She holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University and an M.S. in Counseling and Development with an emphasis in Clinical Mental Health from Texas Woman’s University. Deeply interested in the relationship between body, mind, and creativity, Maddie approaches writing as a practice of transformation—how creative work can alchemize difficult emotions into meaning and connection.
Nikki is a writer, editor, and grant management specialist in Dallas. She is the author of Lady Liturgy, co-founder of Soft Animal Zine, and consultant for the Wild Geese Creative Writing Processing Group. Previously, she co-hosted the Madonna and the Whore podcast and served as lead editor for Unorthodoxy. She holds a B.A. in Professional Writing and Rhetoric from Baylor University and an M.S.Ed from Johns Hopkins University. To Nikki, writing is an act of meaning-making and a way of bridging the personal and communal.
As co-creators, Maddie and Nikki guide writers through exploration of identity, imagination, and expression within a space of connection and curiosity. They bring warmth, rigor, and playful intellectual engagement to the workshop, supporting participants in sharing their stories with courage and care.
