Amplify Voices
and Heal
with Words
For writers, healthcare professionals, and community advocates
Turn compassionate listening into a healing art
Join a small, live online cohort exploring how listening, compassionate presence, and reflective writing can support healing.
What is a Listener Poet?
Listener Poets create space for people to speak openly and be deeply heard. Through one-on-one conversations, Listener Poets craft poems inspired by what is shared – honoring lived experiences through attentive listening and creative expression.
Originally developed in hospitals and healing centers around Washington, D.C., the Listener Poet practice has since grown into an international community spanning healthcare, arts, education, caregiving, and community spaces.
About the Course
Join a dynamic course that blends deep listening, reflective writing, and community engagement. You’ll be part of a small cohort of 6-10 participants all drawn to the intersection of care and creativity.
Participants come from a range of fields and life paths, including:
Nurses, physicians, and healthcare workers
Poets, writers, and artists seeking community impact
Therapists, chaplains, and social workers
Educators and public health professionals
Practitioners and students of Narrative Medicine
Veterans, caregivers, and organizers
If you care deeply about others, love poetry or creative expression, and want to listen in ways that matter, we’d love to meet you.
What You’ll Experience
Throughout the course, participants:
Practice deep listening in one-on-one and group settings
Learn the foundations of the Listener Poet methodology
Write poems inspired by real conversations
Explore the role of poetry in healthcare and community spaces
Receive mentorship, reflection, and supportive feedback
Participate in live discussions, writing prompts, and experiential exercises
Complete an independent practicum experience
Course Schedules
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and will close when the cohort reaches capacity.
Summer 2026
•
June 15 - 19
Live Online
Monday through Friday
10 AM - 5 PM Eastern Time
Final Practicum Celebration: Monday, July 20
Fall 2026
•
September 7 - October 8
Live Online
Mondays & Thursdays
3-6 PM Eastern Time
Final Practicum Celebration: Monday, November 9
Winter 2027
•
January 11 - 15
Live Online
Monday through Friday
10 AM - 5 PM Eastern Time
Final Practicum Celebration: Friday, February 12
Schedule an Interview
After submitting a brief application here, please schedule a time to meet with us.
Tuition & Accessibility
Tuition is offered on a sliding scale to support both accessibility and sustainability. We accept professional development funds and offer scholarships and payment plans because we believe cost should not be a barrier for those committed to bringing compassion and creativity into the spaces they serve. We’re committed to working with participants to find a tuition option that feels equitable, sustainable, and supportive for everyone involved.
$3,100 – Standard / Employer-Sponsored Rate
This rate reflects the full cost of the course, including live facilitation, mentorship, guest speakers, practicum support, and the care and coordination that sustain this learning community. Tuition may be paid in installments over time, and professional development funds are accepted.$1,750 – Scholarship Rate
Supported through community-funded scholarships, this rate is intended for participants in low-income situations and those from historically underrepresented communities. We trust participants to choose the rate that best reflects their circumstances and needs, and we do not require additional documentation to access the scholarship rate.$4,100 – Supporter Rate
This rate helps make scholarships possible and expands access for another participant, supporting the long-term sustainability and reach of this work. By choosing the Supporter Rate, you help strengthen a growing international community and support the continued offering of Listener Poet initiatives.
Your investment helps make this course possible and brings the practice of good listening to communities in need around the world.
Questions about tuition or fit? We’d love to talk.
How the Course Works
Live Online Sessions
Meet in a live online cohort combining discussion, listening practice, reflection, and writing. We offer the course as a five-week option or as a one-week intensive.
Practicum Experience
Participants complete independent Listener Poet sessions and create poems inspired by those conversations.
Community of Practice
Graduates are invited to continue through our twice-monthly Community of Practice, connecting with Listener Poet alumni across regions and cohorts.
In Their Own Words
“This is the best writing group I’ve ever been a part of. The authenticity. People. Creativity. Talent. Structure. Organization. The potential it has for growth and personal development. I’m incredibly glad I made this investment in myself.”
“This was much more than educational. This was like a poetry workshop, meditation, therapy session, and roller coaster ride all in one. Unforgettable.”
“I loved that this course fully engaged and supported the work I have been doing, reinforcing concepts, but also creating the space for community, support, encouragement, and discovery of self and others. It has been a complete pleasure to be in this cohort as a witness, participant, learner, and poet.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a professional poet?
No, participants come from many backgrounds. Curiosity, care, openness, and willingness to engage the practice are more important than formal writing experience.
Do I need to attend each class session?
Sessions are live and emphasize practicing deep listening and reflection in real time. For occasional absences, certain portions of the course, such as guest speaker sessions, may be recorded for course use only.
Can I receive graduate-level credits?
We’ve partnered with Wilson College to offer 3 graduate-level, transferable credits for students who complete the course and submit a successful portfolio.
Course credit: HUM 515: Poetics of Listening: Healthcare Writing
Credit fee: $710 (separate from tuition)
Eligibility: Must hold a Bachelor’s degree
If you’re currently an undergraduate, you may be able to pursue this as an independent study through your school.
What happens after the course?
Alumni carry the Listener Poet practice into many different areas of their lives and work. Some integrate it into existing roles in healthcare, education, caregiving, community engagement, or the arts, while others pursue new creative projects, partnerships, research, or publication opportunities through The Good Listening Project.
We value transparency around the availability of organizational partnerships and publication opportunities, while actively encouraging continued relationship-building, collaboration, and community connection to help expand this work thoughtfully and sustainably. Graduates are also invited to remain involved through our ongoing Community of Practice and alumni network.
What if I don’t see a time that works?
We’d still love to connect.
Where Listener Poets Are Making an Impact
Ready to Begin?
Become part of a growing international community bringing listening, poetry, and compassionate presence into healthcare and community spaces.
Want to Talk First?
Schedule a short conversation with our team to learn more about the course, ask questions, and explore whether it’s the right fit for you.