Shaking the Family Tree
A 6-week guided memoir course exploring the stories, people, and places that shaped your family.
Photo of my paternal grandparents, Nellie & Duncan Tutt, 1920.Every family hands something down.
Sometimes it's a recipe.
Sometimes it's silence.
Sometimes it's a suitcase carried across an ocean.
Shaking the Family Tree is a guided writing course that explores the people, places, traditions, and turning points that shaped your family—and continue to shape you today.
Maybe you're the one everyone turns to with questions about the family tree. Perhaps you've inherited a box of old photographs or letters and don't know quite what to do with them. Maybe there's an aging parent or grandparent whose stories you don't want to lose. Or perhaps you've simply found yourself wondering where you came from—and how your family's history has shaped your own.
Whether you've spent years researching your ancestry or you're just beginning to ask questions, this course offers a welcoming place to explore your family history through guided writing, memory, conversation, and curiosity.
Duncan & Nellie tutt, 1920. How it works
Over six weeks, we'll gather online in a small, supportive group to write, reflect, and share family stories inspired by guided prompts. Together we'll explore the people, places, traditions, and turning points that shaped your family—and continue to shape you today.
You don't need an extensive family tree, years of genealogical research, or even to think of yourself as a writer.
This course begins with curiosity, not expertise.
Each live online session is 2 hours long and includes:
an introduction to the following week’s theme
short writing activities to help the writing begin to flow
time for sharing stories and listening within the group
Between sessions, participants complete approximately two pages (800 words) of writing based on the week’s theme.
Class size is intentionally small (6–8 participants) to allow space for everyone to be heard.
Course Fees: $200 CAD
Using memory, photographs, family stories, heirlooms, and a little research, we'll piece together the stories that connect us to the generations before us. Where the historical record leaves gaps, we'll draw on the principles of creative nonfiction to write responsibly and respectfully—honouring what is known while acknowledging what remains uncertain.
Why I Teach This Course
My interest in family history began not because my family told wonderful stories, but because they didn't.
Like many families, ours had silences as well as stories. I wanted to understand where I came from and where I belonged, so I began tracing my ancestry. Before long I had pages of names, dates, and places—but I found myself wondering who these people really were.
Who was the woman behind a marriage record? What hopes did she carry when she crossed an ocean? What traditions did she leave behind? What choices shaped the generations that followed?
Those questions led me to guided autobiography and, eventually, to become a Certified Shaking the Family Tree Instructor. What I love most about this work is helping people move beyond names and dates to discover the lives, relationships, and stories that give a family tree its roots.
Some stories are well documented. Others survive only in fragments. Together we'll honour both—with curiosity, careful research, and respectful storytelling.
In case you missed it -
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No, and yes.
You don’t need to be a “writer”, but you are expected to do some writing.
Process over polish!
The point is to get your stories down on paper. -
You are expected to write about 800 words (about 2 pages handwritten) on each topic.
If you get stuck, I will provide you with tips on how to find another way “into” your story.
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My aim is to facilitate a safe and inclusive space where everyone will feels safe enough to share their stories. Sometimes the most rewarding part of the process is to be heard by others.
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This is NOT therapy- and I am not a therapist. However, in many cases, this is therapeutic work.
As you write your stories, you may find yourself experiencing unexpected emotions. If this happens, you may want to seek support from friends and loved ones, or a professional.
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One of the unexpected perks of this process for me was the discovery that I have lived an interesting life- and so has everyone else! Your stories have value. We want to hear them!
Upcoming Classes
Wednesdays at 1pm EST, starting September 9, 2026
Limited to 8 participants