Our 12-Month Program

What the Year Will Look Like

January – Foundations and Future

​

Week 1: Introductions

​The year begins with a full-group conversation about presence—what it means to arrive without explanation, and how it feels to enter a space shaped by voice. Survivors reflect on what they bring into the room and how they wish to be received. Each person then completes a short writing exercise, choosing three words to describe their voice in this moment—however that voice may manifest. In breakout rooms, singers are introduced to a facilitator-selected song centered on beginnings and belonging. They discuss selected lyrics and are invited to sing a short section with attention to tone, breath, and phrasing. As an expressive option, they may improvise gentle harmonies or ad-libs that mirror how the song’s message resonates for them. Songwriters begin with a guided recreative activity: rewriting a few key lines from the same song to reflect their current state. They then shape an original lyric, melody, or instrumental phrase to mark the beginning of their own creative process. Music production tools are offered in both tracks for those who prefer to layer, arrange, or express through sound alone.

​

Week 2: Self-Care and Coping Strategies

This session centers on how survivors navigate stress. In the full group, participants reflect on comfort, escape, and the habits that help or hinder them when emotions rise. Each person begins their emotional safety plan by listing three coping strategies that support them, three that do not, and three they wish to try. In breakout rooms, singers work with a song chosen for its calming qualities. After brief discussion, they sing a selected passage with a focus on using vocal delivery as a form of internal grounding. Those who wish may improvise harmonies, rhythmic textures, or soft counterlines to reflect emotional shifts. Songwriters respond with a recreative challenge: they receive a partial lyric or melody and are invited to complete it using their own language or musical phrasing. Alternatively, they may compose an entirely new fragment that reflects their inner rhythm. Both groups may incorporate production tools such as looping, layering, or minimal beatmaking to express what steadying themselves feels like sonically.

​

Week 3: Support Systems
This session focuses on the relationships that have helped survivors feel supported—not in contrast to harm, but in their own right. The full-group discussion explores what it looks like when others make space for voice to grow. Each participant then completes the second half of their safety plan, naming three people or moments of care that made self-expression feel possible, and three boundaries that protect that connection. Singers explore a song selected for its themes of presence and encouragement. They choose a short section to sing and are guided through variations in tempo, tone, and expression to reflect what supported voice feels like. Improvisational options include layering phrases, echoing certain lines, or humming wordlessly where needed. Songwriters use a recreative prompt to adapt a supportive song into their own language—changing lyrics, tone, or structure. They may also begin shaping a new composition that reflects the emotional texture of being supported. Both tracks may use DAWs or recording apps to arrange their pieces and explore emotional layering through digital tools.

​

Week 4: Goal-Setting for the Year
The final January session turns toward vision. In the full group, survivors reflect on how they want to feel by the end of the year—naming direction, not destination. Each person chooses three guiding words and writes them into a phrase or visual symbol they can carry forward. In breakout rooms, singers return to a previously introduced song or are offered a new one centered on growth. They sing a selected section, experimenting with phrasing or subtle improvisation to match their intentions. Those who feel drawn may create a harmonic variation or vocal blend that embodies their direction. Songwriters work compositionally this week, shaping a musical or lyrical refrain that can act as a touchstone across the year. Their piece may include melody, chord structure, beat layering, or wordless expression—whatever carries the meaning of the moment. All survivors close the month not with a finished product, but with something they can return to—something that holds the sound of beginning again.

​​

February – Identity and Influence

​

Week 1: Neurodiversity
This session invites survivors to reflect on the different ways their minds work—whether they identify as neurodivergent, neurotypical, or somewhere in between. The full group discusses how patterns like hyperfocus, sensory sensitivity, or nonlinear thinking have shaped the way they move through the world. Each person completes a reflection titled “What My Mind Does Well,” identifying a strength that has often gone unrecognized. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a facilitator-selected cover song that explores internal contrast or misunderstood identity. After lyric discussion, they sing a selected section and are invited to explore emotional nuance through tone, phrasing, or gentle ad-libbing. Songwriters begin with a recreative task: adapting a line from the same song to reflect their own experience of thinking or processing. From there, they begin shaping an original musical or lyrical idea that reflects the feel of their inner world. Both groups may use production tools to represent internal complexity—especially helpful for those who do not use speech to communicate.

​

Week 2: Values
The group turns toward belief—what they hold true now and what they no longer carry. In the full-group space, survivors reflect on which values were inherited, which were chosen, and how their principles have shifted through lived experience. Each person completes a guided sorting activity, identifying three values they live by and three they are letting go of. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song structured around conviction or change. After discussing how the lyrics align or conflict with their own beliefs, they sing a selected section with guided phrasing adjustments—emphasizing words, altering tone, or layering brief harmonies. Songwriters respond with a recreative prompt: writing a short verse that contrasts a past belief with a present one. They may also begin composing a new piece—musical, lyrical, or both—that expresses a value they want to carry forward. Music production is offered in both tracks as a way to shape tone, texture, and emotional movement.

​

Week 3: Power Dynamics
This week’s session offers education and reflection on one of the most common patterns in abusive relationships. In the full group, survivors are introduced to the power and control wheel, discussing how patterns of abuse can create confusion, attachment, or even hope. Each participant completes a mapping activity to visually or narratively outline the emotional rhythm of a past experience. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song chosen for its emotional build and release. They sing a selected section and explore how vocal repetition, tonal shifts, or improvisation can be used to reflect instability or rising tension. Songwriters use a recreative technique to rewrite the arc of a song’s existing storyline, then begin shaping a new piece that expresses the emotional pull of repetition or the difficulty of breaking away. Both groups are invited to use looping, layering, or shifting textures in their production choices to mirror cyclical dynamics.

​

​Week 4: Social Storytelling

This session centers on the stories society tells about abuse—and how those stories shape what survivors are allowed to say. In the full-group discussion, participants reflect on how rape culture, media portrayals, and institutional responses teach the public to recognize only certain kinds of survivors. They examine how this messaging narrows visibility, erases nuance, and creates roles that many survivors are expected to inhabit. Each person completes a reflection titled “The Role I Was Given,” identifying one message they’ve absorbed about what survivors are supposed to be—quiet, strong, broken, dramatic, or something else entirely. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song selected for its reflection of social expectation or forced identity. They sing a selected section and are invited to shift phrasing or tone to challenge or disrupt that expectation, optionally layering harmonies or vocal effects to express resistance. Songwriters use a guided prompt to alter lines from a culturally familiar song that reinforces stereotypes, then begin shaping a short original phrase, hook, or instrumental section that reclaims a different narrative. Music production is available for those who wish to build contrast between what the world expects and who they truly are—without needing to explain it.

​

March – Embodiment and Expression

​

Week 1: Body Image
This session opens with a conversation about how survivors have learned to see their own bodies—not through judgment, but through awareness. The full group reflects on when they first became aware of their body’s appearance, attractiveness, or visibility—whether through size, skin color, perceived desirability, or how others responded to them. Each person then completes a mirror-based writing exercise, naming three physical traits they were taught to focus on—and three sensations, movements, or features they want to notice on their own terms. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that references the body in either literal or metaphorical ways. After a short discussion, they sing a selected section with attention to how breath, posture, and volume feel—not just sound. Improvised humming or harmony may be added to reflect moments of discomfort or grounding. Songwriters begin with a recreative exercise: taking one body-related line from the same song and rewriting it in a way that better fits their experience. They then begin shaping a new piece that reflects how they see, feel, or carry their body today. Music production may be used by either group to layer sounds or textures that match physical energy or tension.

​

Week 2: Dissociation
This session explores the feeling of disconnect—losing touch with time, memory, or body. The full group reflects on what it feels like to leave oneself, what brings them back, and how dissociation can happen quietly. Each participant completes a guided sensory mapping activity, identifying three sensations they notice when present, and three they associate with disconnection. In breakout rooms, singers work with a song that captures emotional distance or surreal imagery. After discussing its tone, they sing a selected section with a focus on how to embody a voice that feels like it is both present and fading. Improvised echoes, overlapping lines, or breath-driven phrasing may be used to reflect internal disorientation. Songwriters respond with a musical sketch built around fragmentation—this may include disjointed rhythm, lyrical interruption, or looping without resolution. Those who do not use language are encouraged to focus on tonal shifts or musical space. The session closes with a reminder that naming distance is a step toward reclaiming presence.

​

Week 3: Nutrition
The group reflects on how relationships with nourishment have been shaped by control, care, and survival. In the full-group space, participants speak about what eating and nourishment have meant to them—whether joyful, burdensome, mechanical, or avoided. Each person completes a reflection called “What I Feed,” where they list three things they give to their body and three things they withhold. In breakout rooms, singers explore a cover song that metaphorically references hunger, craving, or fullness. They select a short section and are invited to adjust tempo, tone, or vowel shape while singing to explore how nourishment—or the absence of it—feels in the voice. Harmonies or vocal layering may be added to reflect contrast. Songwriters are given a recreative prompt that builds from the same song’s imagery: altering lines to speak about what the body needs, not just what it consumes. They may then begin an original verse or instrumental loop that reflects what it means to receive enough. Production tools can be used to explore texture, layering, and emotional restraint.

​

Week 4: Fitness
This session centers on somatic healing—using movement and physical awareness as a way to reconnect with the body. In the full-group discussion, survivors reflect on how physical activity, stillness, or body-based awareness has shown up in their lives, and how they might engage with it now as a form of care. The conversation invites exploration without assumption, offering space to define fitness on personal terms. Each participant completes a short writing activity titled “How My Body Wants to Move,” naming three forms of motion or rest that help them feel more grounded or present. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a rhythmically steady cover song and sing a selected section while focusing on breath, pacing, and vocal rhythm that mirrors bodily sensation. Improvised elements—such as pulsing syllables, layered humming, or brief melodic loops—may be used to explore movement through sound. Songwriters create a short musical structure that reflects their relationship to physicality—this might include a walking tempo, stretching pulse, stillness in tone, or layered breath. Music production is available in both tracks to shape rhythm, texture, or space in a way that invites embodiment.

​

Week 5: Style
The final week of March explores external expression—what survivors choose to wear, and how it is interpreted. In the full group, participants reflect on how they express identity, mood, or intention through style, and how those choices have been judged or policed. Each person completes a brief writing activity titled “What They Saw, What I Meant,” naming an outfit or appearance choice that was misunderstood, and what it truly represented to them. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that references clothing, identity, or self-presentation. They select a section to sing with intentional tone and pacing, and are encouraged to emphasize or echo lyrics that reflect defiance, pride, or reclaiming. Songwriters adapt a line from the song to reflect their own form of expression—this may lead into an original verse, beat, or musical motif that represents how they present themselves to the world. Production tools may be used to amplify, distort, or reshape sound in ways that match how survivors feel when they are seen.

​

April – Gender and Sexuality

Week 1: Expression

This session invites survivors to reflect on how gender and orientation shape how they are seen and how they express themselves—through voice, posture, gesture, or presence. In the full group, participants explore how gender roles and expectations have influenced how they move through the world, and what identity feels like when no one is watching. Each person completes a journaling prompt titled “What I Show, What I Hold,” listing three ways they express identity and three aspects they have kept private. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a facilitator-selected cover song that explores authenticity or self-definition. They sing a selected section with attention to tone and pacing, and may add harmonies, echoes, or short improvisations to reflect the complexity of internal identity. Songwriters rework a line from the same song and begin shaping a short piece—lyrical, musical, or both—that expresses something about who they are when free from assumption. Music production tools are available to support layering, fluidity, or contrast.

Week 2: Forms of Physical Intimacy
This session focuses on physical closeness—sex, touch, affection, and presence—and how survivors relate to it now. In the full group, participants reflect on how their understanding of sex has changed, and how other forms of physical intimacy, like hand-holding or cuddling, can feel just as vulnerable or complicated. Each person completes a reflection titled “What I Can Let In,” naming three forms of physical closeness that feel possible or comforting, and three that still bring discomfort or confusion. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that references physical connection—whether subtle or overt. They sing a selected section and are encouraged to adjust their delivery to reflect their personal relationship to closeness. Songwriters adapt a lyric from the song and begin crafting a short piece—melodic, lyrical, or atmospheric—that captures their current relationship to intimacy. Both singers and songwriters may use music production to explore contrast, space, or emotional layering.

​

Week 3: Consent
This session centers on the practice of consent—what it feels like, how it is communicated, and where it may be withheld or misread. In the full group, survivors reflect on how they first learned about consent and what it has come to mean for them. They explore how their voice, tone, or body language shifts when setting boundaries. Each person completes a reflection titled “Consent Sounds Like,” writing down three phrases, words, or gestures that help them communicate clearly. In breakout rooms, singers work with a facilitator-selected cover song that touches on choice or boundary. They sing a selected section and may adjust tempo, tone, or phrasing to reflect clarity, hesitation, or refusal. Songwriters compose a phrase, lyric, or musical idea that embodies consent in practice—through repetition, space, or strength. Music production may be used in either track to emphasize rhythm, presence, or contrast.

​

Week 4: Reproductive Health
This session explores how survivors relate to private parts of their body and the experiences tied to reproductive health—whether through menstruation, pregnancy, contraception, medical care, or bodily change. In the full group, participants reflect on how these topics have been shaped by culture, systems, and personal history. The conversation remains inclusive of male survivors and those who experience distress, numbness, or disconnection toward private areas of their body. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Carry,” listing three associations or emotions they connect with reproductive health. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a song selected for its emotional weight or reference to body legacy. They sing a chosen section and may use breath, phrasing, or subtle harmonization to express discomfort, distance, or connection. Songwriters shape a musical or lyrical phrase that reflects how their relationship to private parts of their body—or how those areas are treated by the world—has affected their voice or self-expression. Music production may be used to create space, tension, or subtle layering.

​

May – Reflection and Validity

​

Week 1: Was It Abuse?

This session holds space for uncertainty. In the full group, survivors reflect on how hard it can be to name abuse—especially when the situation was confusing, or when denial became a way to survive. Some participants may still be unsure if what happened to them qualifies. Others may know, yet still struggle to accept it. The conversation honors both. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Felt, What I Was Told,” capturing a moment when their instincts and outside messages conflicted. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that captures contradiction or emotional hesitation. They sing a selected section and explore how tone, pacing, or vocal restraint can reflect doubt, denial, or clarity returning. Songwriters rework a lyric from the same song that felt ambiguous or silencing, then begin shaping an original phrase, motif, or hook that reflects what they know—or are just beginning to consider. Music production tools may be used to express internal conflict, layered emotion, or slow realization.

​

Week 2: Guilt
This session explores how guilt can take many forms—and how it does not look the same for everyone. In the full group, survivors reflect on what guilt has meant in their healing. Some carry guilt for things they never did wrong, like saying no, leaving, or telling the truth. Others feel guilt for choices they do regret—things said or done in moments of pain, fear, or confusion. Some feel no guilt at all. The group discusses how guilt can be tied to values, pressure, survival, or shame—and how it is often misplaced. Each person completes a reflection titled “If I Feel Guilt, What Does It Say?” with the freedom to write from any perspective: to question it, honor it, release it, or say nothing at all. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that carries emotional conflict. They sing a selected section and explore how tone, repetition, or silence can reflect the complexity of guilt without collapsing into blame. Songwriters compose a musical or lyrical piece that gives voice to their own experience—whether that means naming regret, challenging false guilt, or choosing to let go. Production tools may be used to create depth, dissonance, or clarity.

​

Week 3: Immeasurable Pain
This session centers on the idea that pain does not need to be earned, compared, or explained to be real. In the full group, survivors reflect on how they’ve internalized messages that their experiences were “not that bad,” or that others had it worse. They speak about being told to stay quiet, to feel lucky, or to move on—sometimes by others, and sometimes by themselves. Each person completes a prompt titled “It Still Hurt When…” and is invited to name a moment that left an impact, regardless of whether it was recognized. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that captures subtle hurt or internalized silence. They sing a selected section and explore how small vocal changes—like breathiness, repetition, or restraint—can reflect invisible pain. Songwriters reframe a lyric from the same song that felt minimizing or cold, then begin building a piece—lyrical, melodic, or ambient—that gives shape to what was not seen. Music production may be used to layer gentle tension, evoke stillness, or make quiet pain more audible.

​

Week 4: No Session

​​

Week 5: Grief

​This session offers space to name what has been lost—not only people, but roles, relationships, futures, or versions of self. In the full group, survivors reflect on the grief that follows trauma: what they did not get to have, who they no longer are, and what they are still mourning. Each person completes a prompt titled “What I Didn’t Get To…” and is invited to write about a moment, possibility, or identity they are grieving—whether tangible or abstract. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that evokes emotional absence, change, or longing. They sing a selected section and explore how breath, phrasing, or repetition can express quiet grief without needing to explain it. Songwriters build a musical or lyrical piece that gives shape to what they’ve lost—this may be a melody that fades, a verse that circles back, or a sparse instrumental loop. Production tools may be used to create distance, echo, or emotional softness.

​

June – Brain and Body

​

Week 1: Anxiety

This session begins with a conversation about the body’s natural responses to fear and stress. In the full group, survivors reflect on what stress feels like in their body—racing thoughts, tightness, stillness, or alertness—and how those sensations often show up before language does. Each person completes a body mapping activity called “What My Body Does First,” marking where they feel stress most often and what that sensation tells them. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that mimics emotional urgency or pressure. They sing a selected section and are invited to explore breath, pacing, or vocal phrasing that mirrors how stress moves through their body. Songwriters begin with a rhythmic or lyrical fragment that captures their own stress cycle—through speed, dissonance, repetition, or tension. Production tools may be used to loop sounds, layer dynamics, or reflect restlessness.

​

Week 2: Trauma

This session explores how trauma reshapes how the brain functions—not just in memory, but in attention, speech, and emotional processing. In the full group, survivors reflect on how trauma has affected their ability to think clearly, speak freely, stay present, or make sense of time. Some may experience flashbacks or confusion; others may go quiet or blank out entirely. Each person completes a reflection titled “What My Brain Does Now,” listing patterns they’ve noticed in focus, speech, memory, or reaction. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that evokes disorientation or internal fragmentation. They sing a selected section and explore changes in pacing, phrasing, or tone to reflect scattered thought or emotional overload. Songwriters rework a lyric from the same song to reflect how their brain navigates trauma, then begin creating a musical idea—melodic, rhythmic, or abstract—that captures how their thinking shifts under pressure. Production tools may be used to interrupt, echo, or distort sound in ways that mirror their internal experience.

​

Week 3: Depression

This session focuses on the slower, heavier states of mind and body that trauma may leave behind. In the full group, survivors reflect on how depression shows up—not just as sadness, but as exhaustion, disinterest, or numbness. Each person completes a reflection titled “When I Can’t Move,” describing what their voice, energy, or presence feels like during those times. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a song that reflects stillness or fatigue. They sing a selected section slowly and may use whispered tone, breath-heavy delivery, or quiet harmonies to express internal weight. Songwriters shape a small musical phrase that expresses emotional inertia—whether through minimal lyrics, dragging tempo, or subtle shifts in tone. Production tools may be used to strip back sound, stretch timing, or layer quiet details that might otherwise be missed.

​

Week 4: Self-Harm

This session gently opens space for survivors to reflect on harmful ways they tried to cope. In the full-group discussion, participants talk about behaviors they used to manage pain, overwhelm, or shutdown—methods that may have brought temporary relief but caused harm in the long term. Each person completes a writing activity titled “What I Was Trying To Say,” exploring what their actions were trying to express, even if they could not say it out loud. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that captures emotional intensity or inner struggle. They sing a selected section and may alter volume, phrasing, or layering to reflect the complexity of that struggle. Songwriters are invited to build a piece—lyrical, musical, or both—that expresses what the behavior was trying to manage, not what it looked like. Their work may hold contrast between silence and noise, control and chaos. Production tools may be used to safely hold that tension and allow for emotional release.

​

July – Health and Accessibility

​

Week 1: Treatment
This session opens space to reflect on what it means to seek, receive, or refuse help. In the full group, survivors consider how they have engaged with treatment—whether through therapy, medication, community-based care, or other forms of support—and how those experiences have shaped their relationship to healing. Some may associate treatment with relief, others with harm or disconnection. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What Help Has Meant to Me,” listing moments when help was present, absent, welcomed, or complicated. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that reflects emotional vulnerability, hesitation, or renewal. They sing a selected section and explore how tone, pacing, or breath placement shifts when voice must move through uncertainty. Songwriters begin by adapting a lyric from the same song, then shape a musical or lyrical fragment that expresses what it feels like to ask for care—or to be left without it. Music production tools may be used to build contrast between hope and resistance, silence and sound.

​

Week 2: Chronic Conditions

This session centers on what the body continues to carry. In the full group, survivors reflect on how trauma may have contributed to long-term physical experiences—such as pain, fatigue, inflammation, or regulation challenges. Some may have received diagnoses, while others remain without names for what they feel. Each person completes a reflection titled “What My Body Carries,” naming three sensations, patterns, or shifts that continue to shape how they move through the world. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that embodies physical weariness or steady endurance. They sing a selected section and are guided to explore pacing, vocal weight, and phrasing as reflections of inner resource or depletion. Songwriters rewrite a single lyric to match what their body feels like today, then begin composing a short piece that expresses the experience of living with symptoms that may not be seen. Production tools may be used to stretch rhythm, repeat subtle motifs, or create sonic textures that reflect physical intensity or internal slowness.

​

Week 3: Sleep

This session turns inward, focusing on rest and the ways trauma can reshape it. In the full group, survivors reflect on how they experience sleep—whether they find it, avoid it, fear it, or long for it. The discussion may include insomnia, nightmares, hypersomnia, or the act of pretending to sleep in unsafe environments. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “When I Try to Sleep,” naming thoughts, images, or sensations that surface when they attempt to rest. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that evokes dreamlike detachment or nighttime fragility. They sing a selected section and explore delivery that feels suspended, subdued, or hypnotic. Songwriters use a line from the same song to begin crafting a piece that mirrors their personal relationship with sleep—through texture, repetition, or unresolved melody. Music production may be used to shape atmosphere, layer emotional distance, or allow for quiet unraveling.

​

Week 4: Disability Accommodations

This session centers on what it means to ask for support. In the full group, survivors reflect on moments when they have needed accommodations—whether formal or informal—and what it has felt like to request them. Some may have been granted what they needed. Others may have been dismissed, misunderstood, or too afraid to ask. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Asked For, What I Deserved,” listing one moment when they advocated for themselves and one thing they still wish they could receive. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that expresses unmet needs or the longing to be understood. They sing a selected section and explore tone, pacing, or subtle vocal shifts to reflect the tension between vulnerability and strength. Songwriters rewrite a lyric from the same song to mirror the moment they voiced a need—clearly or indirectly—then begin crafting a piece that gives voice to what they want others to hear. Production tools may be used to create space, emphasis, or clarity—amplifying what is so often ignored.

​

​August – Safety and Boundaries

​

Week 1: Disclosing Abuse

This session opens with a reflection on what it means to name harm. In the full group, survivors explore how they have navigated the decision to disclose—whether they shared the truth openly, offered only fragments, or remained silent to protect themselves. They speak about the fear of being misunderstood, the cost of telling, and the weight of holding something alone. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “If I Tell,” identifying three factors that influence whether they disclose: to whom, when, and how much. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that carries themes of truth-telling, withheld emotion, or inner tension. They sing a selected section and explore how vocal expression—through restraint, release, or repetition—can reflect the complexity of disclosure. Songwriters revise a lyric from the song to reflect their own experience of being silent or speaking up, then begin composing a piece—melodic, rhythmic, or ambient—that gives shape to the voice they carry, whether used or unspoken. Music production tools may be used to structure space, control tone, or layer emotional buildup.

​

Week 2: Reactions

This session turns toward the aftermath—what happened when survivors told, or what they feared might happen if they did. In the full group, participants reflect on how others responded to their disclosures, or how imagined responses shaped their silence. They speak about being believed, ignored, pitied, interrogated, or punished. Each person completes a reflection titled “What They Said, What I Needed,” listing one actual response and one thing they wish someone had said instead. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that mirrors emotional disconnect, response delay, or misalignment. They sing a selected section and may explore contrast between tone and lyric to express internal versus external experience. Songwriters reshape a lyric to reflect emotional fallout from being misunderstood, then begin composing a short original piece that centers unmet emotional needs or protective withdrawal. Music production tools may be used to construct sonic walls, create conversational distance, or isolate moments of clarity within noise.

​

Week 3: Bullying

This session addresses the violence of blame and ridicule—especially when it comes from peers, communities, or institutions. In the full group, survivors reflect on being targeted, harassed, or discredited for speaking up, being different, or simply surviving. They speak about being called names, labeled a liar, mocked for breaking silence, or punished for setting boundaries. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What They Called Me, What I Am,” reclaiming three words or aspects of themselves that others tried to define. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that reflects emotional defiance, shame recovery, or identity reclamation. They sing a selected section and explore vocal shifts that move from suppression to strength—through breath, repetition, or tonal layering. Songwriters reframe a lyric from the same song to reject the words placed upon them, then begin composing a piece that asserts their own name, rhythm, or truth. Music production tools may be used to amplify voice, disrupt external framing, or carve sonic identity into the structure itself.

​

Week 4: Complex Feelings

This final session of the month opens space to hold contradiction. In the full group, survivors reflect on what it means to feel love, grief, empathy, or confusion toward someone who caused harm. They consider how a person can be kind and cruel, and how emotional attachment does not erase trauma. Each person completes a prompt titled “They Hurt Me, And…,” using it to name what else is true: memories, emotions, roles, or unfinished threads. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that holds unresolved feeling, emotional conflict, or soft resistance. They sing a selected section and explore how breath, tone, or pause can express contradictions that words cannot carry alone. Songwriters revise a lyric to include both harm and complexity, then begin shaping a piece that does not resolve but instead makes room for ambiguity. Music production tools may be used to balance sharpness and warmth, stretch pacing, or shape emotional tension without forcing closure.

​

Week 5: Forgiveness

This session invites reflection on forgiveness—not as a moral imperative, but as a personal choice. In the full group, survivors consider what forgiveness means to them, what they have been told about it, and what they want it to be. They explore whether it is for others, for themselves, or not part of their healing at all. Each person completes a prompt titled “Forgiveness Means,” followed by “I Choose…” to define what they want moving forward. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that expresses letting go, withholding, or uncertainty. They sing a selected section and explore breath, tone, or pause to reflect their stance—whether release, resistance, or non-closure. Songwriters revise a lyric to reflect their personal definition of forgiveness, then begin shaping a musical or lyrical fragment that does not seek resolution, but instead honors their own path. Production tools may be used to allow space, spaciousness, or slow shifts.

​

September – Protection and Preparedness

​

Week 1: Conduct Hearings

This session explores what it means to report abuse within academic or workplace systems. In the full group, survivors reflect on what they were told about Title IX, human resources, or mandated reporting—and how those systems either supported or endangered them. They consider the difference between being encouraged to speak and being truly safe to do so. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Was Told to Do, What I Could Do,” listing three options they were given and whether those options felt possible or protective. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that evokes controlled speech, tension, or moral pressure. They sing a selected section and explore how vocal choices—like clipped phrasing, breath control, or restrained delivery—reflect what it feels like to speak inside a rigid system. Songwriters revise a lyric from the song to reflect how they were positioned—asked to follow procedure while navigating fear—and begin shaping a musical or lyrical piece that captures the weight of institutional language. Music production tools may be used to highlight layers of surveillance, tone-policing, or quiet resistance.

​

Week 2: Criminal Justice System

This session focuses on what it means to engage—or choose not to engage—with law enforcement and the criminal court system. In the full group, survivors reflect on the emotional, social, and safety-based risks involved in calling the police, testifying in court, or filing charges. They speak about the gap between legality and justice, and how legal options often come with personal cost. Each person completes a prompt titled “What Was Legal, What Was Not Right,” naming three ways the criminal justice system either upheld or betrayed their truth. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that reflects external judgment, inner resolve, or silent defiance. They sing a selected section and explore vocal tension, tonal layering, or dynamic shifts to express their relationship to power. Songwriters rewrite a lyric from the song to reflect a specific legal or procedural moment that impacted them, then begin building a piece that speaks directly to the distance between law and lived experience. Music production may be used to fragment rhythm, distort sound, or layer conflicting tones.

​

Week 3: Civil Justice System

This session turns attention to non-criminal paths toward justice—civil suits, protection orders, advocacy work, or public naming. In the full group, survivors reflect on what accountability looks like outside the courtroom and how they have chosen, or considered choosing, these routes. They explore the tension between privacy and exposure, justice and risk. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Want to Say,” imagining a single statement they would offer if given the chance to speak on their own terms. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that conveys strength without aggression—truth told without apology. They sing a selected section and explore tonal intensity, phrasing, or intentional restraint as a way to hold steady ground. Songwriters adapt a lyric to form a statement of impact, refusal, or declaration, then begin composing a piece that honors their desire to be heard. Music production tools may be used to emphasize clarity, repetition, or rhythmic grounding.

​

Week 4: Stalking

This session centers on what it means to feel watched, pursued, or contacted without consent. In the full group, survivors reflect on stalking—whether through physical following, digital harassment, or emotional monitoring—and how the experience altered their sense of safety. They speak about patterns, presence, and persistence, and how boundaries were repeatedly tested or ignored. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “How I Noticed,” listing three signs that told them someone was tracking or pursuing them. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that reflects repetition, tension, or unshakable presence. They sing a selected section and explore subtle shifts in breath, phrasing, or volume to reflect the emotional arc of vigilance. Songwriters reshape a lyric from the song to reflect the emotional rhythm of being pursued, then begin composing a piece that gives structure to movement, reaction, or defense. Music production tools may be used to layer cycles, trigger sound cues, or mimic closeness.

​

October – Conflict and Connection

​

Week 1: Relational Safety

This session focuses on how survivors assess safety within relationships—whether romantic, platonic, familial, or professional. In the full group, participants reflect on what safety feels like with another person, how they identify signs of danger or care, and how previous harm may shape their perception. They speak about red flags, green flags, and the quiet space in between. Each person completes a reflection titled “What I Am Looking For,” listing three qualities that help them feel safe and three that give them pause. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that carries themes of emotional risk or cautious hope. They sing a selected section and explore pacing, breath, or delivery that expresses the tension between connection and self-protection. Songwriters revise a lyric from the same song to reflect what they are learning to look for, then begin crafting a piece that expresses presence, discernment, or gentle risk. Music production tools may be used to shape contrast, warmth, or restraint.

​

Week 2: Building Trust

This session centers on what it means to rebuild trust—within relationships and within the self. In the full group, survivors reflect on how trust has been given, earned, broken, or repaired across different types of connection. They speak about consistency, transparency, and the slow pace of rebuilding something fragile. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “Trusting Again,” identifying three things that help them feel open and three things that make them hold back. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that reflects steady growth, emotional honesty, or hesitation. They sing a selected section and explore tone, rhythm, or breath to express the act of softening without losing self. Songwriters rework a lyric from the song to reflect the process of giving or receiving trust, then begin composing a piece that allows for slow openness. Music production tools may be used to create space, shift layers gradually, or anchor a steady emotional pace.

​

Week 3: Healthy Confrontation

This session focuses on the difference between being abused and having a disagreement. In the full group, survivors reflect on how difficult it can be to tell the difference—especially when past harm has made all conflict feel unsafe. They explore how to recognize ordinary tension, how to identify manipulation or danger, and how to respond when something truly is just an argument. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What Conflict Feels Like,” listing three ways they respond to disagreement and how they know if they feel safe. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that expresses emotional complexity, tension, or grounded strength. They sing a selected section and explore phrasing, tone, or repetition to reflect what it feels like to speak up without fear. Songwriters revise a lyric to reflect a boundary that does not carry blame, then begin composing a piece that supports honesty, containment, or repair. Music production tools may be used to shape contrast between escalation and balance, helping express what it means to stay present without staying unsafe.

​

Week 4: Ending Well

This session offers guidance and support for ending relationships of all kinds—romantic, platonic, familial, or professional—with clarity and care. In the full group, survivors reflect on what it has meant to stay too long, to leave abruptly, to end something without safety, or to be the one left behind. They speak about fear, grief, and the courage it takes to end something that no longer supports their well-being. Each person completes a writing prompt titled “What I Would Say If I Left,” outlining a message they would want to communicate—whether for practice, preparation, or closure. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that reflects emotional distance, calm assertion, or farewell. They sing a selected section and explore tone, pacing, or phrasing to express emotional steadiness in parting. Songwriters rework a lyric from the song to reflect an intentional departure, then begin composing a musical or lyrical piece that helps them prepare for, express, or recover from the decision to walk away. Music production tools may be used to shape emotional transitions, taper endings, or build clarity into the sound.

​

November – Reactivity and Resilience

​

Week 1: Triggers
This session explores how trauma responses can show up unexpectedly in everyday situations. In the full group, survivors reflect on what it feels like to be triggered—by sounds, words, smells, memories, or dynamics—and how those moments affect their ability to think, speak, or stay present. They speak about what they have learned to avoid and what they wish they could reclaim. Each person completes a prompt titled “What Brings It Back,” listing three things that tend to trigger them and three grounding tools that have helped. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that carries emotional intensity, sudden shifts, or memory recall. They sing a selected section and explore how phrasing, breath, or volume might reflect the onset or aftermath of a trigger. Songwriters rework a lyric from the same song to reflect their personal experience of reactivity, then begin crafting a piece that helps name and contain that response. Music production tools may be used to create abrupt contrasts, soft repetition, or grounding motifs.

​

Week 2: Social Interaction
This session focuses on what it feels like to connect with others when struggling internally. In the full group, survivors reflect on how shutdowns, meltdowns, or invisible overwhelm can affect their communication. They speak about asking for help, masking distress, and being misread by friends, family, or coworkers. Each person completes a prompt titled “What I Meant to Say,” listing three ways they show distress and what they wish others understood. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that reflects miscommunication, vulnerability, or invisible need. They sing a selected section and explore how tone, breath, or silence can express something words alone cannot. Songwriters revise a lyric to reflect what they would say if they could express themselves in their most overwhelmed moments, then begin composing a piece that makes space for being seen without having to explain. Music production tools may be used to highlight dissonance, soften sharp transitions, or emphasize clarity through sound.

​

Week 3: Spoon Therapy

This session introduces survivors to the concept of energy budgeting—using “spoons” as a metaphor to manage time, energy, and capacity. In the full group, participants reflect on what drains them, what restores them, and how they make decisions when energy is limited. They speak about burnout, overextension, and the guilt of saying no. Each person completes a planning activity titled “What I Can Spend,” organizing their week into high-, medium-, and low-energy tasks. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that reflects depletion, resilience, or thoughtful pacing. They sing a selected section and experiment with tempo, dynamics, or breath to mirror fluctuating capacity. Songwriters reshape a lyric to reflect balance or burnout, then begin crafting a piece—melodic or rhythmic—that expresses how they move through the week with intention. Production tools may be used to highlight pacing, energetic shifts, or restorative loops.

​

Week 4: No Session

​

Week 5: Fun

This session opens space for joy that is not dependent on productivity, healing milestones, or proving strength. In the full group, survivors reflect on what brings them laughter, comfort, or lightness—and how those moments have shifted since trauma. They speak about learning to feel safe in joy again. Each person completes a reflection titled “What Feels Good Now,” naming three things that help them feel playful, free, or at ease. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that evokes delight, celebration, or movement. They sing a selected section and explore vocal play—through tempo, tone, or rhythm—that allows them to reconnect with unguarded feeling. Songwriters rework a lyric from the same song to reflect their personal experience of fun, then begin composing a piece that centers joy for its own sake. Music production tools may be used to add lightness, upbeat textures, or energetic experimentation.

​

December – Legacy and Transition

​

Week 1: Dreams
This session revisits the goals set earlier in the year and opens space for new ones. In the full group, survivors reflect on what they imagined in January, what has changed, and what still feels true. They speak about what they are reaching for—creatively, personally, or professionally—and what they want to carry forward. Each person completes a reflection titled “What I Want Next,” revisiting their original goal-setting and creating an updated vision. In breakout rooms, singers engage with a cover song that expresses longing, possibility, or growth. They sing a selected section and explore vocal phrasing that reflects expansion—whether through openness, repetition, or range. Songwriters reframe a lyric to reflect a forward-looking desire, then begin crafting a piece that gives voice to where they are headed. Music production tools may be used to build structure, tempo, or emotional pacing that reflects movement into the future.

​

Week 2: Conclusion
This final session brings closure while making space for continuation. In the full group, survivors reflect on the year they have spent together—what they have shared, what they are taking with them, and how they want to mark the transition out of this space. Each person completes a creative prompt titled “What I Am Leaving With,” which may take the form of a short poem, letter, or list. In breakout rooms, singers work with a cover song that reflects gratitude, release, or personal transformation. They sing a selected section and explore how phrasing, dynamics, or silence can express farewell. Songwriters choose a lyric that reflects completion and reshape it to reflect what they are carrying forward. They then compose a final piece—musical or lyrical—that offers themselves a parting message. Music production tools may be used to build finality, layering, or quiet presence.

​

Week 3: No Session

​

Week 4: No Session