Belonging through Art™ 101 Online Workshop
Belonging through Art 101 is a gentle, 1-hour online gathering where you’ll explore how everyday encounters with art can soften loneliness and deepen your sense of connection to yourself, others, and the world around you.
You don’t need to be “artsy” to participate—just curious about how visual art, music, film, TV, dance, and literature might become companions on your belonging journey.
In this introductory workshop, Charlotte Donlon—writer, spiritual director, and founder of Belonging through Art™—will offer a simple framework for noticing how art already shows up in your life as a place of refuge, resonance, and relationship.
Through short reflections, guided prompts, and optional sharing, you’ll name the kinds of art that help you feel more at home in your own story and consider small, sustainable practices for weaving those experiences into your daily rhythms.
Together, we’ll explore:
How engaging with art can decrease loneliness and enhance positive connections to self, others, places, and the broader world.
A few grounded, real-life examples of belonging through art—from favorite songs and scenes to paintings, poems, and shows.
Simple next steps for creating your own micro-practices and rituals with art that support ongoing emotional, spiritual, and relational wellbeing.
Belonging through Art 101 is designed for anyone who senses there might be more available in the art they already enjoy—more meaning, more connection, more room to breathe.
You’ll leave with a clearer language for belonging, a handful of practical ideas you can try right away, and a renewed awareness that you do not have to navigate your life—or your loneliness—on your own.
Please Note: Everyone who registers will receive the Zoom link via email 24 hours before the live gathering.
Please Note: Everyone who registers will receive access to the recording by March 6, 2026.
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, spiritual director, and gatherer whose work centers on helping people explore themes of belonging through art, spiritual growth, and how to Flourish Anyway™, even when life is full, busy, or chaotic. Her work has woven together themes of belonging, art, and soul exploration for more than 25 years. With a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing (2015-2018) and a certificate in spiritual direction (2018-2020), Charlotte guides writers and other creative souls in fostering sanctuaries of acceptance and connection—her approach warmly welcomes people from all backgrounds, regardless of faith tradition or spiritual inclinations.
A Christian in the Episcopal church who believes the tenets of the Nicene Creed, Charlotte employs a universal framework of belonging and connection in her spiritual direction work that’s welcoming to all and fosters meaningful, soulful conversations.
In 2020, Broadleaf Books published Charlotte's first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. Her book, Spiritual Direction for Writers, is slated for release by Eerdmans in September 2026.
As the founder of several initiatives, including Flourish Anyway™, Thoughtful Books Etc.™, Belonging through Art™, Spiritual Direction for Writers®, Spiritual Direction for Belonging®, and Parenting with Art®, Charlotte has established herself as a thought leader and an authentic presence at the intersection of creativity and spirituality. Her essays have been featured in prominent publications such as The Washington Post, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, and The Millions, among others. A new essay about art conservation, Joan Mitchell, and mystery is forthcoming with Image.
For those interested in staying updated on Charlotte's latest work, news, and insights, subscribe here and visit Flourish Anyway™, Charlotte’s online hub for all of her writing, spiritual direction, small press, gatherings, and other offerings.