Amanda’s writing about her beloved dogs and parrot has appeared in four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, Beer Dogs Virginia, and countless essays in The Richmond-Times Dispatch. She has written about dogs for ScoutKnows.com, the American Kennel Club, and Everyday Dog Magazine. In 2019, her essay about her two adopted dogs earned a $5,000 grant for the Richmond SPCA. She has joined several of her dogs in various training courses, including basic manners, AKC Canine Good Citizen, and several levels of agility courses. Amanda has also successfully taught all four of her dogs to standup paddle board and learned how to teach her parrot how to spell, count, and identify colors, weather conditions, and more. She has completed CPR and First Aid training for dogs, cats, and birds, and is a certified Life Coach for their human companions. Join her for a creative writing workshop focused on writing about your furry, feathered, or scaled loved ones.
Wild Senses: Mindful Creative Writing Workshops
Workshop V: Hearing with a Fox Ambassador
This 2-hour guided workshop uses creative writing, mindfulness, and meditation to engage one of your five senses.
This fifth and final workshop of 2026 will focus on the sense of “HEARING.”
An Educational Ambassador Fox will be in attendance to help you explore the sense of “HEARING,” something they are expert in!
The admission price is $35 per person, plus a donation of an item the wildlife rescue currently needs (see list of items needed here).
Ages 18+ Percentage of ticket sales donated to Possum-Bilities, along with all the items donated by attendees.
Date/Time: Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Mind the Dog Creative Writing Workshops
Love Never Dies: Writing to Heal From Pet Loss
“The intensity of the grief fades with time; the intensity of the love never does.”
In this supportive, therapeutic writing workshop, participants will use focused, guided prompts to help process their experience of grieving a beloved animal companion. Although many feel alone in grieving for an animal companion, that grief is real and valid. This workshop is for people dealing with grief for an animal at any stage, whether the goodbye was recent or happened years ago. Wellness Coach and writer Amanda Creasey warmly welcomes anyone looking for a creative outlet on their journey to heal their hurt and honor their beloved animal. Participants should bring a writing utensil and notebook.
Date/Time: Saturday, August 15, 2026, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $15/person
Location: Quarry, 2707 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA
This Year’s Past Workshops
Workshop I: Taste with Possum Ambassadors
This 2-hour guided workshop uses creative writing, mindfulness, and meditation to engage one of your five senses.
This first workshop will focus on the sense of “TASTE,” with future workshops featuring each of the remaining three senses.
Each workshop is co-hosted by an animal ambassador from a Wildlife Rescue or Rehab who will help you tap into your animal sense more deeply.
Possum-Bilities will be in attendance with their very own Virginia opossum to help you explore the sense of “TASTE,” a sense in which this creature is an expert!
The admission price is $28/person, plus a donation of an item in need by the wildlife rescue in attendance for that class. Ages 18+ Percentage of ticket sales donated to Possum-bilities along with all the items donated by attendees.
Date/Time: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost: $28/person, plus donated item
Location: Possum-Bilities, 211 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Workshop II: Touch with Reptile Ambassadors
This 2-hour guided workshop uses creative writing, mindfulness, and meditation to engage one of your five senses.
This second workshop will focus on the sense of “TOUCH,” with future workshops featuring each of the remaining three senses.
Each workshop is co-hosted by an animal ambassador from a Wildlife Rescue or Rehab who will help you tap into your animal sense more deeply.
Possum-Bilities will be in attendance with their very own reptiles to help you explore the sense of “TOUCH,” as these creatures offer many different textures!
The admission price is $30/person, plus a donation of an item in need (see list of requested items) by the wildlife rescue in attendance for that class. Ages 18+ Percentage of ticket sales donated to Possum-Bilities, along with all the items donated by attendees.
Date/Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost: $30/person, plus donated item
Location: Possum-Bilities, 211 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Workshop III: Smell with Skunk Ambassadors
This 2-hour guided workshop uses creative writing, mindfulness, and meditation to engage one of your five senses.
This third workshop will focus on the sense of “SMELL,” with future workshops featuring each of the remaining two senses.
Each workshop is co-hosted by an animal ambassador from a Wildlife Rescue or Rehab who will help you tap into your animal sense more deeply.
Possum-Bilities will be in attendance with their very own educatioanl ambassador skunks, Frick and Frack, to help you explore the sense of “SMELL,” something they are experts in!
The admission price is $30/person, plus a donation of an item in need (see list of requested items) by the wildlife rescue. Ages 18+ Percentage of ticket sales donated to Possum-Bilities, along with all the items donated by attendees.
Date/Time: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost: $30/person, plus donated item
Location: Possum-Bilities, 211 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Workshop IV: Sight with Pigeon Ambassadors
This 2-hour guided workshop uses creative writing, mindfulness, and meditation to engage one of your five senses.
This fourth workshop will focus on the sense of “SIGHT,” with a fifth and final workshop featuring the reamining sense, hearing.
THIEVES OF SEED BIRD RESCUE’S very own Educational Ambassador Pigeons will be in attendance to help you explore the sense of “SIGHT,” something they are an expert in!
The admission price is $35 per person, plus a donation of an item the wildlife rescue currently needs (see list of items needed here).
Ages 18+ Percentage of ticket sales donated to Possum-Bilities, along with all the items donated by attendees.
Date/Time: Saturday, August 1, 2026, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost: $35/person, plus donated item
Location: Possum-Bilities, 211 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA
A Writer’s Best Friend: Nurturing Your Relationship with Your Dogs through Writing
“To the world, you’re one person. To your dogs, you’re the world.”
In this playful, dog-friendly writing workshop, we will explore how we relate to our dogs, examine how our dogs relate to the world, and enhance our relationship with our dogs through creative writing. Dogs are welcome to attend and be by your side throughout each session of this dog-centric writing workshop.
Date/Time: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $15/person (dogs are free)
Location: Quarry, 2707 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA
Testimonials
“It’s such a supportive environment. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I came away from the workshop more energized and productive. I want to jump back into my other writing now.” – Joyce, author and workshop participant
“Here at Canine Adventure, we treat every animal we care for as our own and we want their parents to feel that through our daily e-mail reports. Amanda curated a Creative Writing Continuing Education class for our handlers, which was helpful and fun! Being a loving dog parent herself, Amanda was able to provide examples of what animal moms and dads would want to hear about, all while adding in her expertise from the field of writing.
“She created a fun, informative, and relaxed classroom setting for our handlers to easily learn and ask questions. Her warm and personable nature combined with her knowledgeable content provided a unique and helpful experience that made our handlers better at their job and I’m sure, some very happy clients!” –Hannah Fuqua, Training Coordinator, Canine Adventure, LLC
“Amanda Creasey jammed a semester’s worth of motivation and insight into our hour and a half class. I was amazed by the ease with which she helped a dozen of my coworkers and myself write just a little bit better. Highly recommend for novices, seasoned writers, and everyone in between.” –Robert Cataldo, Canine Adventure handler and class participant
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