WOMEN WITH WOMEN! CONFERENCE
Workshops
14th JUNE 2025
Workshop 1
Plotting Your Path: A Timeline Approach to Understanding Attraction With Prof Abi Millings and Prof Maddy Arden
Come to this workshop ready to reflect on what attraction feels like, delve into your past, and work out whether sapphic attractions are new for you, or have in fact always been there, hiding in plain sight. Workshop participants will be invited to consider the similarity, difference, and tension between their internal world, external behaviours, and presentation to others, at different phases of their lives – past, recent, present, and future.
Through small-group discussion and personal diagramming, we will explore our respective journeys to discovering who we really are, what barriers there might have been for us, and what facilitators can help us to recognise and become our authentic selves. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have produced a timeline of their personal sexuality journey to use as a reflective prompt for journalling.
This is the first time we will have used these workshop materials and we will invite participants to feedback on the resources and process to enable us to further develop them. Attendees will also be invited to share an anonymous copy of their diagram with the workshop organisers, as part of a larger research project although this will be entirely optional.*
*Note we will obtain ethical approval for this prior to the workshop and participants will be provided with an information sheet about how the information will be used before being asked to provide informed consent.
Workshop 2
Are you Dancin’?: Experiential Embodied Non-Verbal Communication For Couples With Miriam Grace
Come with an open mind and an open heart to experience a series of experiential exercises, you’ll be guided to explore boundaries, connection, merger, separation and the movement between these states in a non-judgemental, curious, and playful way.
It is hoped that you will emerge from the session feeling closer to each other, more clearly defined in your separateness, and with plenty to journal about and discuss together regarding your differences.
This workshop is for a maximum of six couples who can have been together any length of time. You do not need to be living together. It is not intended for couples who need conflict resolution strategies or who are closed to each other.
You will not be required to share any personal relationship information with others.
*Mobility awareness: you can let me know on the day or preferably ahead of time of any physical limitations. All exercises are appropriate for all levels of physical ability.
Workshop 3
Authenticity & Confidence Building With Sara Kay
Through the many challenges of navigating a “new” life, we often feel low and lack confidence in ourselves and in our ability to make friends. What if there were a different way to create authenticity and confidence?
This workshop playfully touches on confidence-building skills and uses simulated laughter to create genuine laughter in a safe space, to connect with others and feel empowered to be our authentic selves.
With a small amount of breath-work and using the 4 elements of joy (with no skill, special clothing, or equipment), we will create the magic of endorphins and release stress to feel empowered. A tiny nudge of the comfort zone is required for this session, and be prepared to feel incredible!
*This workshop includes cardio exercise, and you will be asked to sign a liability form. Exercises can be adapted for most levels of fitness and ability though those with heart problems and recent surgery are contraindicated for now.
Workshop 4
Storytelling with Myth: Writing for release With Cara Silversmith
Stories are deep in our unconscious and often our early conditioning lacks the tales that make sense of our same sex attraction. Find the metaphor, the myth, or the parallel with nature, that can help you find the words, sounds, pattern or rhythm for your story.
Master storyteller Cara Silversmith heads down from Scotland to work with your inner dreamer, storyteller and writer. Write, develop (or even move towards performing) your oral, written or performance stories or poems.
Workshop Leaders
Prof Maddy Arden & Prof Abi Millings
Maddy Arden is a Health Psychologist registered with the HCPC
Abi Millings is a Social Psychologist and Relationship Scientist.
Maddy and Abi are late-in-life lesbians, having left marriages to men to be together. They live in Sheffield as a blended family with 5 children.
Miriam Grace
Miriam is a psychotherapist with 35 years experience. She draws on Gestalt Psychotherapy, Zero Balancing, Laughter Yoga, Sentics and Non Violent Communication for her workshop. 15 years ago she was married to a man with two teenage children. Today she lives in Derbyshire with her wife, 3 dogs and two cats.
Sara Kay
Sara Kay is a Laughter Ambassador, Coach, Accredited Laughter Teacher and Museum of Happiness Facilitator.
After struggling with depression and coming out as queer in her mid-40s, Laughter Yoga reignited her passion, setting her on a heart-led journey.
Since 2017, Sara has featured on several radio programmes, including BBC Radio Leeds, podcasts and the prestigious Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival in Cheshire. She has delivered Laughter Yoga sessions to over 13,000 participants across corporate organisations, community groups, school staff and universities. Sara has presented at the International Social Prescribing Conference at the University of Westminster, as well as at the University of Oxford.
Sara is passionate about education and delights in witnessing the transformations that occur (especially among the sceptics!) She is dedicated to sharing knowledge about the numerous mental and physical health benefits that laughter exercises provide.
This year, Sara will share joyful Laughter sessions at Joe Wicks’ Festival in Kew Gardens and Happy Place Festival in Tatton Park, Cheshire, as well as hosting her own online and in-person Laughter workshops in Manchester. A special ADHD well-being event is taking place on 27 June in Manchester.
2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of Laughter Yoga, which was founded by Dr Madan Kataria in 1995. The worldwide community has expanded rapidly to over 120 countries.
In her leisure time, Sara enjoys concerts (Lucy Spraggan is a particular favourite!), theatre and dancing, and volunteers for Mencap. She creates positive energy and spreads kindness as generously as Nutella wherever she goes!
Events can be found on Eventbrite
Follow Sara on IG/FB at @seriouslaughuk
Watch Sara on YouTube
Cara Silversmith , Storyteller
Cara Silversmith is a storyteller, educator, and writer. She specialises in exploring stories for our environment, identity, and well-being. Cara became a professional storyteller as she became convinced it was the best way to communicate, engage, and educate about environmental and identity issues and the challenges we face in our increasingly complex and often disconnected world.
Cara originally worked in nature conservation, however her MSc thesis led her down a path of studying values and personal narratives in relation to our culture and environment. Cara runs regular storytelling workshops and has performed at Pride events and festivals. She hosts a podcast ‘What of the Ground We Are Standing On?’ with German storyteller Catriona Blanke, and is currently writing her second book.
Scottish Book Trust
Cara’s website
One Nature Stories on Facebook
Traditional Arts Culture Scotland
Morven Gow, Poet
Regretfully, Morven can now not attend but she sends her best wishes to all attending, all poets, and all on their coming out journey.
Morven began writing poetry in her mid 50s, a dangerous age some say. After a successful career in advertising, she threw it all up in the air to set herself up as a marketing consultant, completed an MLitt in Publishing Studies, and is now in the final throes of a PhD at the University of Stirling.
While studying her topic of authenticity, she began writing and performing poetry. Through this creativity and new life, Morven found a new voice and confidence through writing and performing. Morven has been featured on the radio by BBC Upload three times. BBC Scotland couldn’t broadcast one poem as they considered it too racy for their afternoon audience.
Her first live performance was on the BBC Scotland Stage at the Edinburgh Festival. She now enjoys new collaborations with visual artists in poetry and art exhibitions.
Instagram: @morv60
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