For more than two decades, writer/teacher Melissa Greene, of Write From the Heart, has mentored people of all ages through group workshops and private classes. Calling on playfulness and compassion, she has inspired writers of all skill levels to transform blank pages into thoughtful creations that reflect their true selves.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly two years ago ground most in-person interaction to a halt. Greene had to act fast to keep her students feeling connected to the page and to each other. She quickly pivoted to virtual workshops for all general Write From the Heart sessions, as well as her cancer support writing classes at the Penn Medicine/Lancaster General Health Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute; the McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital; the Milton S. Hershey Medical Penn State Cancer Institute; and Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County.

“I had to make the shift within a week,” Greene says. “I had never intended to teach online—I was flying by the seat of my pants—but within a week, I had tech support and we were on our way. I was amazed to find that the energy and humanity that’s so important in setting the tone for my in-person classes transferred beautifully to a virtual format.”

Keeping control of an online meeting when participants are in a home environment and easily distracted by kids, pets or other gadgets can be challenging for even the most experienced leader. To create a sense of calm, Greene’s students are encouraged not to Zoom chat, surf the internet or text while in class in order to stay in the present moment.

Humor continues to be the bedrock of her leadership model. Keeping playfulness and humanity front and center brings her students out of themselves, reducing self-doubt. “A little fun relaxes us and set the tone for opening ourselves up to the creative process,” she says. “It softens the voice that tells us we have to be perfect. It also guides us beyond the awkward mechanics of Zoom, which can easily disrupt our deeper thinking. A little fun keeps us lighthearted and aware that we’re still a living, breathing community of writers, here to explore writing without stress or interruption.”

Going virtual has allowed Greene to offer her programs to people outside of the Lancaster area. She now has people joining from the West Coast to Washington, D.C. Her virtual format continues to be a safe haven where students learn to quiet the mind, write without fear and find deeper self-understanding.

Greene thinks that it’s still too risky during the ongoing pandemic to meet in person, especially for cancer patients with compromised immune systems. Her virtual format now allows even the most physically challenged patients to attend class.

Moving into a second year of pandemic uncertainty, Greene observes that people seem more accepting of online workshops as a way of life. She is convinced that the creative spirit can still find a home in the virtual sphere.

“Conducted thoughtfully and wisely, an online writing workshop still provides a refuge, a place of originality and replenishment. The pandemic has deepened us, taught our souls that art is more important than ever to a whole and happy life. It’s a sacred thing, a saving grace, and we are thankful,” she explains. “We are seeing that wherever we can gather to express ourselves openly and freely is, despite the obstacles, a precious place. Writing from the heart is the ongoing process of finding our way.”