Upcoming Course
Wednesdays Sept 10th-Nov. 26th 2025 (12 weeks) 7:00-9:00 pm (New Zealand time zone) Via Zoom
Cost: $520 (+ GST) for 12 week course
(does not cover the cost of the key book: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, or the cost of a journal for your Daily Pages and art materials).
Spaces are limited to 12 participants max. so register early. If you don’t get on this course your name will be put on a waiting list and you will be offered a space if someone pulls out or priority will be given to you to register for the next course.
Before registering, please make sure you can attend all 12 sessions as priority is given to those who can make the commitment.
Course Description
Dr Ruth Lawson-McConnell has developed this online course using Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way as the guiding textbook, which is a spiritual exploration aimed at freeing your emergent energy to live a fuller, richer life. The poetry of Mary Oliver, Rumi, David Whyte, John O’Donohue and many others will also be woven into the content to aid in our reflective journey into spiritual and creative recovery. The course will focus on lives being transformed by blocks being dissolved, healing the harsh inner critic and collectively joining a reflective process, initiated, and practiced through creativity within a non-judgmental, supportive environment.
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Week 1 Recovering a Sense of Safety
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Week 2 Recovering a Sense of Identity
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Week 3 Recovering a Sense of Power
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Week 4 Recovering a Sense of Integrity
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Week 5 Recovering a Sense of Possibility
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Week 6 Recovering a Sense of Abundance
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Week 7 Recovering a Sense of Connection
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Week 8 Recovering a Sense of Strength
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Week 9 Recovering a Sense of Compassion
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Week 10 Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection
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Week 11 Recovering a Sense of Autonomy
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Week 12 Recovering a Sense of Faith
Ruth has been a sensitive and delightful facilitator of this course. I wasn't 100 per cent sure what I was getting myself into when beginning. "What will you do with this one Wild and Precious Life?" Having asked myself this question for a couple of years, I just knew I had to start. I have learned more than expected and am becoming more free to embrace new opportunities, experience greater creativity, more open to saying "Yes" and seeing new ideas and relationships develop. Learning to rephrase some of what I think and say, is a result of ongoing healing, and giving myself time to hear my heart and God's voice is bringing visible change week by week. I'd recommend this course to anyone who is at a crossroads in their life or asking the very question - What will I do with my life?
Course participant, Wellington
I signed up to this course expecting tools to help others but came away changed myself. I did not anticipate the work that needed doing and areas of my life that needed tending to. Nothing can prepared you for this course you just have to hold on, suck it up and jump in for the wonderful wild ride.
Course participant, Dunedin
I thoroughly enjoyed One Wild and Precious Life following Julia Cameron’s book the Artists Way. Ruth has hosted the group with care and warmth, encouraging us all. Each weeks zoom meeting tracked through her power point presentation enhanced with wonderful poetry which echoed our journey. It has been lovely to journey through alongside others navigating our personal blocks and releasing our playful creative child
Course participant, Sydney
This is an excellent course Ruth offers very gentle guidance, reflections and amazing empathy so although we are online I felt very 'heard' and 'held' in sharing my process. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to re-connect with themselves in a deeper way.
Course participant, Auckland
Thank you for guiding us through this creative recovery journey ever so gently, rawly and insightfully. A must do for anyone yearning to awaken their inner child and burst into their creative birth right. you will not regret!
Course participant, Tauranga
Participant Testimonials
THE ARTIST'S WAY WITH RUTH MCCONNELL
One Wild and Precious Life online course
This course has proved to be immensely popular for personal growth and professional development. It is a wonderful place for soul care and recovering the inner child in you, who may have been shut down or never invited to fully exist. Whatever age and stage you are at in life, this course provides a rich, emotionally safe community to grow in self-reflection and creative playfulness to live a more abundant, alive life! Many attendees have come seeking a safe place to process huge transitions and losses and have gained a clearer sense of themselves and the direction of their lives. Counsellors and therapists have attended it for their own recovery of compassion and vision for their work, which is so vital given the huge burnout rates in the mental health professions.
The poet, Mary Oliver, asks the profound question,
“Tell me what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
To which Rumi has a very compelling answer:
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray”.
If you want to be drawn into a richer, more fulfilling life, join Ruth on this 12-Week Online course to answer the call of your own soul to living more fully your One Wild and Precious life!
