Philosophy and Experience

Teaching Philosophy

I believe one of the most important reasons to write is to communicate. I also believe another important reason to write is to know what one thinks. I believe in the power of words to create story and to communicate both facts and emotions. I believe this power can be taught. I believe writing about mental illness is important because it is an avenue towards decreasing stigma and increasing a sense of community.

Teaching Experience

Alison Bergblom Johnson has taught the class Writing Mental Illness through VSA Minnesota and has taught workshops on the topic of writing about mental illness to people who have experienced mental illness for Artability at Apollo. She also teaches Writing Mental Illness online. She has also been an occasional leader of the Creative Writing Group at a local community support program for people with mental illness. She has also taught another workshop called Telling a Family Story to 5th and 6th graders. She also teaches at the Elk River Arts Alliance and at the White Bear Center for the Arts.