Write Where It Hurts: Retreat helps women heal through words

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Women from across the United States are gathering at the Woodland Water Tower Ranch this weekend, not for a vacation, but for reflection and healing.

The second annual You Have the Write to Heal women’s retreat begins Thursday. The five-day event uses therapeutic writing to help women confront emotional wounds and rediscover parts of themselves that have been put on hold.

Athena Kehoe

For Melissa Williams, a first-time participant, it’s a personal milestone. “This is my first time, being away from my family, being away from my kids, for five days of just doing some healing work,” she explains.

“So, I lost my sister a year ago,” Williams said, and feels like she hasn’t started the mourning process.

She said she has tried some coping mechanisms like journaling, “I wrote in journals through some tough times, but then I would quit.”

Athena Kehoe

Leading the retreat is author and writing coach Kim Green, who describes her role as helping women build awareness through deep emotional work, often prompted by writing exercises.

“The science behind writing to heal is that physical manifestations happen when you don't take, get your emotions out of your body. So the people with the bad backs and the terrible knee and all that stuff, often that is emotional,” Green explains.

But the retreat isn’t limited to just writing work. “We have like an equine therapy session, we're doing an African drumming session, we have yoga everyday, and the we're having a blessing out in the Saguaro National Park,” Green says.

Williams hopes the retreat will help her finally process her grief and give her space to grow in ways she hasn’t had time for until now.

Green confirmed the dates for next year’s retreat will occur from October 15-19.

There are 14 participants in the retreat this year, which Green says she prefers keeping it a tight-knit group, because she does one-on-one therapy sessions with all of them, and says it gives them a greater chance to bond with one another.

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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.