The GAB Gazette
May 24, 2023
A warm welcome to our new subscribers: Cheryl, Heidi, Bill, Lily, Sheri, Leigh, Sarah and Nancy!
In this Newsletter:
Announcements: GAB book 3 is open for submissions
Board Updates: Onward Fundraising campaign progress
Featured Member: Cheryl Svensson
Book recommendation: Uncovering Treasuers That Matter
Article Roundup
Marketing Tip: fund your classes with philanthropy
Collaboration opportunities: cover designer needed
Community poll: vote for your favorite book title!
Announcements
Submissions are open for Book Three of the Birren Center collection. The theme for this year is “The Aging Experience.” GAB Instructors and GAB students are invited to submit their essay on that topic, guidelines can be found at the following link: GAB Book 3 submissions
Board Update
The Onward Fundraising campaign is underway to raise the start-up costs of creating support programs for current and incoming GAB instructors. So far, 40 people have donated a combined total of $6,395. The campaign is open until June 1, donations of any amount are appreciated: https://donorbox.org/onward-gab-launch
Featured Member - Cheryl Svensson
For our inaugural issue of the GAB Gazette, who else would we feature but our fearless leader Cheryl Svensson!
Cheryl Svensson, Ph.D. worked directly with James Birren on the study and development of the Birren Method for guided autobiography. Cheryl has taught college courses in the Autobiographical Studies Program at the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Gerontology. As director of the new Birren Center non-profit, she trains new instructors and moderates the GAB forum that supports instructors worldwide.
Book Recommendation: Uncovering Treasures That Matter: A Therapist’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions
Uncovering Treasures That Matter (TTM) is a theme-based writing method to help your clients grow. A therapist can use this evidence-based protocol to help clients discover insights and new meanings in their self-discovery process.
Written by Cheryl Svensson and Bonnie Bernell, this workbook covers 50 themes with sensitizing questions and prompts to help clients explore their issues through writing.
Find it here: Uncovering Treasures That Matter
Marketing Tips and Tools
Sarah White, who teaches the “Find your students, fill your classes” course, shared with us a great resource for funding your GAB classes through philanthropy instead of tuition. Linked below is a 12 page tutorial from the American Society on Aging on how to attract donations for your work in aging. This could be especially useful for GAB instructors who serve aging adults.
Article Roundup
Here’s what our instructors have sent in from the far corners of the internet.
Collaboration Opportunities
The Birren Center Press is looking for a cover designer, please contact birrencenter@gmail.com
Community Poll
Help us title the next book in the Birren Collection series! The subtitle will be “Personal Essays on the Aging Experience.” Good suggestions can be sent to birrencenter@gmail.com, or vote on your favorite below!