Karen Rippstein

I’m a certified poetry therapist, a journal writer, and a creative writing instructor.  The discovery and empowerment received from my ever evolving journal allows me to inspire students to create a writing space of their own to find comfort, safety, and solitude in a world that is too often chaotic.  Whether the goal of writing is to collect word \\\"seeds\\\" for creativity, or random thoughts for self-disclosure, a writing practice builds confidence, allows risk taking, promotes goal setting, and celebrates transformation through the written word.  My organizational, communications, and inter-personal skills allow me to easily incorporate meaningful creative writing techniques for participants to frame their own writing where emphasis is always on the process, not the product.   Karen Rippstein is a Certified Poetry Therapist, Poet and Creative Writing Teacher.  She teaches popular writing programs throughout Westchester at the Greenburgh Nature Center, Westchester Community College Continuing Ed and Mainstream, Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center and the Katonah Village Library.  Karen is the recipient of ongoing Poets and Writers, Inc. grants and is a member of the Poetry Caravan.  She has been published in National Association of Poetry Therapy’s Journal of Poetry Therapy, NAPT Museletter, Letters from the Heart, Personal Journaling magazine, en(compass): The Poetry Caravan Anthology and Layers of Possibility Anthology.  Karen lives in Hawthorne, NY with her muse, a white mini-schnauzer pup, Lili.

Certified Poetry Therapist, National Association for Poetry Therapy Bachelor of Science degree SUNY, Empire State College