1. What prompts you to offer this training?
I feel personally ready as I have not previously felt to intentionally respond to women’s requests to start  WWf(a)C schools in their communities. The Cincinnati site has deep roots, a dedicated and talented faculty, solid administration, and I was not willing to take my focus off the Cincinnati women who have trusted me all those years, until the vision was firmly planted in the lives of others. I turned 55 years old in July 2003; I had a serious health crisis two years ago. I want to offer myself as mentor to other women in the honorable tradition of eldering, of creating –not a hierarchy—but a lineage in which to hand on the work.

Here’s another thing: without sounding too dramatic, I’d say we’re in a situation of great risk. The upheavals may be an opportunity, a frightening crack in the status quo into which women—if mentored and committed and taken seriously—can develop the conscious feminine as a resource for healing and balancing a seriously out-of-balance world. It should be clear that the over-masculinized way of doing business, politics, church, etc. is not working.

2. How did you arrive at the investment levels for women who wish to license the program and start schools in other cities?
Putting a value on “soul work,” work outside the conventional economy, is very hard. I thought back to the “seed money” I had saved to invest back in 1991; I thought of 12 years of what I have invested since then in both dollars and learning, and tried to think of how to value that. I consulted two or three financial advisors to see if my calculations had market merit, and we came up with the current figure. I wanted women to be invested in doing the work on all levels, so that when difficulties arose, they would be motivated to persevere. But I didn’t want an amount which would have them incur debt as they began their schools.

3. Why is the certification training priced the same as the licensee training?
I have long wanted to create a feminist leadership academy, as I have long thought of training other women to create WWf(a)C sites. I like the idea of having one, vibrant community of feminist leaders: women who wish to start WWf(a)C sites, women who wish to use writing and WWf(a)C community wisdom in other vocations, women who want and need a depth community to support their leadership in many fields. I envision: activists, female clergy, corporate leaders, nonprofit leaders, therapists, physicians, attorneys, midwives, nurses, teachers, entrepreneurs, businesswomen, arts leaders, women religious, etc. being in this program. However, I felt it would be unwise to have two distinct investment tracks . Therefore, I’ve made the certification program shorter in terms of components, and I’ve made more scholarship money available for women who want to use the work in, for example, inner city community centers, prisons, hospice, hospitals, church settings, etc.

4. Why licensing and not franchising?
A franchise is much more expensive to create and to buy . It also requires a great deal more uniformity than I would want creative teachers and writers to employ in translating the work. The licensing and certification is built on a business structure which protects us all, but which is a “container” for the true structure: that of relationship, mentoring, community.

5. What is your plan for helping women site owners renew themselves, their work and their licensing?
I envision offering retreats bringing women together to review their work, renew their skills, and deepen their relationships. I have had other suggestions: an e-mail list-serve, projects and presentations which will bring women together to share our learning with those unable to participate, etc.

6. Could two women share an apprenticeship?
I’m not quite sure of the logistics, but I will consider a relationship with two women who want to open a WWf(a)C site together. Both would have to attend all the sessions, pay full room and board, but perhaps we could work out a contract for shared investment.

7. What if site owners need to hire more teachers?
I would want them to hire teachers who have been through at least a year of their WWf(a)C classes, and who would then train with me at shorter, less expensive trainings. We could work on that format together, we meaning site owners and I.

8. Will there be a WWf(a)C code of ethics?
Yes! I thought to write one to include in the brochure, then decided –better yet—we will collaborate on a code of ethics during this first training.

9. Will the work load between sessions be heavy?
No. I’m envisioning some reading, definitely writing, but not a heavy load of “assignments” between sessions. I want each woman to have time and space to integrate the learning into her life while she’s continuing her regular work and family commitment .

10. In terms of the Leadership aspect of the program, how do you envision the program supporting women in other fields, those are not interested in starting a WWf(a)C site, those who are not teachers?
Over the years of doing this work I have found that many aspects of the WWf(a)C model support leadership in other fields. Perhaps first and foremost, membership in a body of conscious, truth-telling women who are committed to making their part of the world (their businesses, church communities, faculties, families) healthier, more peaceful and life-encouraging. Secondly, participants will learn and practice a series of skills which will translate to their professional work: creating writing prompts which open honest dialogue and foster creativity, learning to facilitate work teams which attend to process as a way of fostering productivity, developing ongoing processes for lifting up the spiritual, creative and emotional resources of a group, dealing with conflict, embracing diversity, etc. I also feel that women leaders will be eminently supported and their skills enhanced by an understanding of women’s history in public and private spheres--much of the rich learning and research about women leaders, women’s spirituality, which came to us as a result of the so-called “second wave” of feminism.

11. How much information can you provide, and how will you provide it with respect to the financial, marketing, and other practicals of starting a WWf(a)C program?
I will share my experiences in as much detail as possible about how much money the school made in its early years, how it developed, when, why and how I added faculty and staff, why students were attracted to the school, etc. Because I am not a business professional, I will invite experts who can provide information and strategies to support prospective site owners.

12. Will there be a lot of support around the emotional psychological energetic issues of creating and maintaining groups which do “depth work” such as writing!
YES!!!!!! I have learned much and am eager to teach what I have learned (and how) about this aspect of the work. In this area, I will also invite energy healers, teachers of yoga and other disciplines to work with us.