Reclaiming Queer Joy in Difficult Times
Shifting from intention to compassionate, skillful action in supporting the trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people in your life.
Bring this workshop to your organization or explore it on your own.
For Organizations: Bring Holding the Light to your team, campus, or community. We handle facilitation, materials, and follow-up — you just gather the people who want to reclaim joy together.
For You: Want to reclaim joy at your own pace? The Holding the Light participant workbook guides you through the same practices and reflections from our live workshop — in your own space, at your own speed.
→ Get the Workbook (COMING SOON)
Overview
Organizations serving LGBTQ+ communities increasingly recognize the toll that political hostility, climate anxiety, and social isolation take on their constituents’ well-being. This workshop offers a direct antidote to despair, providing immediate, practical strategies for reclaiming joy. Participants map their existing sources of micro-joy, build personalized “joy-defense kits” for hard days, and co-create a community resource of low-effort, accessible practices. Through grounding exercises and a closing ritual of collective light, participants leave with renewed sense of agency and connection—better equipped to continue the work your organization supports.
Format
Facilitator-led and experiential, with strong emphasis on somatic grounding, small-group witnessing, collective creation, and asset-based reflection. Designed for groups of 4-20 participants. All materials provided.
Core philosophy
This workshop responds to a critical need in queer communities: the exhaustion of constant vigilance and the depletion of joy as a resource. We believe that joy is not a luxury but a form of resistance and a renewable source of resilience—and that organizations have a role in creating spaces where community members can replenish together.
Target audience
LGBTQ+ staff, volunteers, or community members who are experiencing overwhelm, despair, or isolation due to current events, political hostility, or personal struggles. Ideal for organizations looking to support their community’s mental health and resilience.
Duration
2 hours
Sample activity
Collaborative Creation The Community Joy Menu—groups brainstorm and illustrate low-effort, accessible queer joy practices for a hard day in categories like Solo, With One Person, Community, Online, and Free.
Bring this workshop to your organization or explore it on your own.