Through the support of partner organizations, Maria offers free community workshops that are open to the public. These sessions—held both in person and online—provide accessible opportunities for connection, creativity, and healing. Some workshops are designed for anyone seeking tools for balance and self-discovery, while others are especially tailored to support trauma survivors. Each gathering is rooted in compassion, safety, and inclusivity, creating a welcoming space where participants can learn, explore, and grow together.
Workshops at The Resilient Retreat
Maria also facilitates monthly Free Your Mind workshops on Zoom and in-person sessions of Becoming Picasso and Free Your Mind at The Resilient Retreat. These offerings are specially designed to support trauma survivors. Sponsored by Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, these programs provide safe, creative spaces for healing, reflection, and empowerment. Learn more about The Resilient Retreat here.
Upcoming Free Community Workshops
2026
Arts for Wellness Series
Free Your Mind
January 20, 2026 · 5:30–7:00pm
Selby Library
Step out of stress and into clarity. Free Your Mind is a gentle, interactive workshop blending mindfulness, creativity, and simple embodied practices to help you reset your nervous system, gain perspective, and reconnect with your inner resources. Through reflection and imagination, participants explore practical tools for navigating uncertainty with greater ease.
🔗 Sign up here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/artself-arts-for-wellness-series-3818493
Free Your Mind
March 3, 2026 · 5:30–7:00pm
Braden River Library
Step out of stress and into clarity. Free Your Mind is a gentle, interactive workshop blending mindfulness, creativity, and simple embodied practices to help you reset your nervous system, gain perspective, and reconnect with your inner resources. Through reflection and imagination, participants explore practical tools for navigating uncertainty with greater ease.
🔗 Sign up here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/artself-arts-for-wellness-series-3818493
Free Your Mind
March 28 · 2:30–4:00 PM EDT
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Step out of stress and into clarity. Free Your Mind is a gentle, interactive workshop blending mindfulness, creativity, and simple embodied practices to help you reset your nervous system, gain perspective, and reconnect with your inner resources. Through reflection and imagination, participants explore practical tools for navigating uncertainty with greater ease.
🔗 Sign up here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/artself-arts-for-wellness-series-3818493
Becoming Picasso
June 16, 2026 · 5:30–7:00pm
Braden River Library
This theatre workshop offers a transformative experience, empowering participants to expand their capacity to know and understand themselves. Through a series of engaging exercises inspired by theater directors Boal and Stanislavski, as well as ancient wisdom from the Yoga Sutras, participants will actively explore and challenge their thoughts, uncovering the ones that masquerade as facts and significantly influence their behaviors. By taking an inventory of their consciousness, examining their intelligence, outer mind, senses, and ego, participants will break free from habitual thinking patterns and step into the vast space of infinite possibilities in the present moment. This workshop brings together a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Tap into your inner Picassos, discovering your unique creative potential and embarking on a personal journey of self-discovery and transformation.
🔗 Sign up here: Link to come…
No prior experience is needed—just an open heart and curiosity.
All materials are provided.
These free workshops are sponsored by the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation.
Learn more about their work here:
👉 https://www.performingartsfoundation.org/
Lifeline Productions | Free Workshops
Lifeline Productions offers free, trauma-informed workshops that use creativity, reflection, and practical tools to support emotional well-being, resilience, and meaningful connection.
Fresh Starts & Steady Steps (Free · Zoom)
January 26, 2026 · 12:30–2:30 PM EST
January often arrives with pressure to change quickly. Fresh Starts & Steady Steps offers a more grounded, compassionate approach to the new year. Through reflection, guided practices, and gentle intention-setting, participants explore how to move forward with steadiness, clarity, and care rather than urgency.
📍 Location: Zoom
🔗 Register here:
https://www.lifelineproductionsinc.org/event-details/fresh-starts-and-steady-steps
No prior experience is needed—just an open heart and curiosity.
Navigating Loneliness Through Creativity (Free · In Person)
January 29, 2026 · 5:00–6:30 PM EST
12 Springs Church
1490 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236
Loneliness is a human experience, not a personal failure. This in-person workshop uses creative practices, reflection, and gentle group connection to explore loneliness with curiosity and compassion. Participants will engage in accessible exercises that foster self-expression, connection, and a renewed sense of belonging.
📍 Location: 12 Springs Church, Sarasota
🔗 Register here:
https://www.lifelineproductionsinc.org/event-details/navigating-loneliness-through-creativity
No prior experience is needed—just an open heart and curiosity.
Training for Life: Decision-Making & Resilience Under Pressure (Free · In Person)
February 22, 2026 · 10:00–11:30 AM EST
Seaward CrossFit
423 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Life doesn’t pause when things feel hard. This interactive workshop focuses on decision-making as a trainable skill and resilience as a lived practice. Through movement-informed reflection, practical tools, and real-life scenarios, participants explore how to regain agency and make clearer choices under pressure.
📍 Location: Seaward CrossFit, Sarasota
🔗 Register here:
https://www.lifelineproductionsinc.org/event-details/training-for-life-decision-making-and-resilience-under-pressure
No prior experience is needed—just an open heart and curiosity.