Lissa Cowan
Literary
Specialities: Creative writing, Nature-focused art, Non-fiction writing, Outdoor Art-making, Photography, Podcasting, Storytelling, Zines
Contact Info
Please note that you must communicate with the artist to confirm details such as dates, levels or grades and workshop themes.
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Email address
Phone Number
Website address
Other Weblink
Resides in
Western Quebec
Social Media
Experience working with
Student In
- Cycle 1 Elementary
- Cycle 2 Elementary
- Cycle 3 Elementary
- Secondary 1 & 2
- Secondary 3 & 4
- Secondary 5
- CEGEP
- Senior Citizens
Lifelong Learners
- Adult Learners
I regularly explore the following Broad Areas of Learning/Themes in my work
- Health and Wellbeing
- Personal and Career Planning
- Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
- Media Literacy
- Citizenship and Community Life (Identity & Belonging)
Listed in the Quebec Culture in the Schools Repertoire
- No
I have experience working with
- Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Writers in the Communities Program
I can facilitate virtual creative experiences
- Yes
Travel
- I am available for travel within the same day
- I am available for travel overnight
- An extended residency is an option
I’m passionate about storytelling and connecting our narratives to the places we live, to our family histories, and to nature. As a meditator, I teach how to be more present through writing, and, as a result to write more vividly. Learning to be present through writing can encourage youth mental wellness. My background includes publishing, journalism, storytelling, podcasting, puppetry, bookmaking, and teaching at a Canadian university. I love helping students tell stories in different ways!
Creative Approach and Experiences Offered
I approach writing from a sense-based perspective, often using nature in workshops—like foraging for leaves, acorns, or personal objects—as a doorway to written self-expression.I teach a workshop that involves deep listening in which students go quiet, tune into their immediate sensory environment, and write from what they notice: sound, texture, light, the body's own signals. This helps students access language that is alive, specific, and rooted in their immediate experience. It also gives them tools to relieve stress and encourage relaxation. The ability to be present, grounded, and in the moment has been cited as promoting youth mental health.
My background in live storytelling, publishing, podcasting, and journalism allows me to design workshops that extend beyond the classroom, connecting students to real-world experiences and audiences.
I love collaborating with educators to come up with fun, creative ideas that serve the students, the curricula, and the schools.