YES
is a world
& in
this world
of
yes
live . . .
all worlds.
--ee cummings


A warm welcome to you from Lila on the bridge.

As a child I loved my encyclopedia, The Book of Wonder. My favorite sections were the poetry and the book of Why.

I believe that we all have creative energy and it is my joy and calling to provide a unique and individualized program to those who wish to train in the field of poetry therapy. I am currently accepting new trainees. I work with long distance trainees and those who can come to my office in Manhattan. I enjoy my work with international trainees, and currently am training people from Wales and Ireland. In July 2008 poetry people traveled from Japan, Canada, Mexico. Wales and New Zealand to participate in bridgeXngs poetry therapy intensive: ACTIONWEEK.

bridgeXngs POETRY CENTER has been the pioneer of online courses for those interested in Poetry Therapy.

TRAINING meets all the requirements of the National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy.
Training may be individualized or group, local or long distance.
Emphasis of Training program will be individualized for each trainee as needed.

The bridgeXngs community welcomes people of all ages and cultures. Our Intentional Community includes people from New York, Chicago, California, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Boston as well as international poetry people from Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Wales, New Zealand, and Japan.

We gather for monthly peer groups in Manhattan and convene in the many online courses bridgeXngs POETRY CENTER offers.

My evolution has been smooth as I flowed from a 28 year career as a school psychologist to a career as a poetry therapist and Master Mentor/Supervisor. Throughout all my careers I “followed my bliss.” I have been writing and reading poems and journaling since age ten. Poems became my compass and held the words that I did not share in any other way.

I have worked with trainees in the field of poetry therapy for about 15 years. Many of my trainees are well paid for facilitating poetry and writing groups. One of my trainees who earned the credential of CPT has been offered full-time work in a hospital as a poetry therapist. In April 2008 The NFBPT raised me, along with others, to the designation of Master Mentor/Supervisor.

bridgeXngs POETRY CENTER became a Not-For-Profit Corporation in 2007 after I received funds to enable me to offer scholarships to dedicated and promising trainees who were experiencing financial slumps. Kathy Moore, a member of the Manhattan Peer Group and a participant in three ACTIONWEEKS, died after a short illness. The Kathy Moore Foundation has been honoring me and the bridgeXngs community with annual donations for scholarships, which I anticipate will continue. Currently I have five trainees with full scholarships and three with partial scholarships.
No additional scholarships are available in 2008.

April 2008 NAPT honored me with The Morris Morrison Education award.

My acceptance speech at the NAPT conference in April 2008 explains my teaching philosophy:

(Lila’s Speech)

Work is love made visible -- Gibran

. . . In my world, my wealth is defined by my time, my creativity, my love of life and other people.

My way of teaching is individualized, always respectful and interactive. My trainees become part of bridgeXngs POETRY CENTER, an international community of about 60 people of all ages and races. We share poetic resources, and ideas in an atmosphere of friendship, safety and trust. The friendships and professional sharings continue after training is completed.

My way of teaching evolved from my experiences in elementary school when I saw children shamed/ minimized and blamed, Those children with no overt difficulties seemed to do fine in the school system, but there was no room for the person to be expressive of who he was. The major part of my professional career was as a school psychologist, where I could assist child-by-child, teacher-by-teacher, parent-by-parent, and administrator-by-administrator. I know I made a difference.

You know in your own heart when you are doing something from a place in yourself of love and joy. I have known throughout my careers that I was using my time/my wealth well. Awards are always appreciated because they are the public recognition from others that your work is valued.

It is said that when a student is ready, the teacher appears... Through poetry and literature, we find railings to hold onto, hands to hold as we cross even a swinging bridge.

Bird by bird, we keep aflight, learning, creating, and being there for ourselves and others.