Meet a Board Member: Gina Strauss
We at Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce another board member, Gina Strauss. For over 25 years, Gina has worked as a teacher and advisor in a variety of educational settings. Her advanced degrees in counseling and healing arts add a unique dimension to her writing style and interactions with others. She is an advocate for conscious living and is mindful of how all of our relationships serve as mirrors to us. Gina believes that much can be learned from life’s experiences and recognizes the wealth of positive thought that can be gleaned from small day-to-day moments. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and two teenage daughters.
Gina recently took the time to answer some questions for us.
YAP: Tell us a little something about yourself.
I never saw myself as a writer. Even though I religiously wrote in my journal during my teenage years, my calling in life has been in the areas of teaching and counseling. It wasn’t until I was in my late 20s and early 30s, as a part of my healing process, I felt the nudge to begin to put my life experiences down on paper to share my story, my voice. Since then, I have self-published a book called Letters to My Teenage Daughter: We’ve Got You, and I have also had one of my creative nonfiction stories, “Listening to the Wisdom of My Body: A Fertility Journey,” published in the RESILIENCE issue of the Yellow Arrow Journal.
In addition to writing as the spirit calls me, I am in the middle of a transition from working as a Montessori teacher to establishing my own private practice as a licensed counselor. I am looking forward to seeing how this piece of my journey unfolds, particularly as I will be continuing my learning to include skills as a Nature Informed Therapist.
YAP: What do you love most about Baltimore?
I am a homegrown Baltimore girl! I love the traditions of Baltimore—eating crabs, watching the Orioles play baseball, and driving to the snowball stand after dinner. I also love the rich history and vibrancy of the cultural events that Baltimore offers.
YAP: How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?
I first heard of Yellow Arrow through a connection with a woman who was also in the Maryland Writers Association (MWA). She asked if anyone in MWA would like to be a reader at one of Yellow Arrow’s events and I responded. After that reading, I did another workshop with Yellow Arrow and had one of my creative nonfiction pieces published in one of the Yellow Arrow Journal issues. Yellow Arrow has given me so much support as a new writer!! A short time later, I was asked to be a board member and have been in that position since January 2020, first as the Feminine Leadership Advisor and now as the Treasurer.
YAP: What are you working on currently?
Right now, I am working on a chapter that will be a part of an anthology on the healing qualities of nature. The anthology is coordinated by Heidi Schreiber-Pan from the Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative in Towson, Maryland. I am honored to be a part of this collection of personal stories highlighting how nature can be a therapeutic tool.
YAP: Who is your favorite writer?
My favorite writer is Maya Angelou. There are so many things I love about her writing as well as who she was as a person. I am most drawn to the poetic way she speaks about her life and her undying belief in the goodness of humans.
YAP: Who has inspired and supported you most in your writing journey?
In addition to the support I have received from Yellow Arrow, I am deeply grateful to Andrea Hylen who has held a space for my creativity and personal healing for several years. As a Leadership Coach, she hosts an online “Co-Working Space for Cultural Creatives” several times a year. She has been my guide in opening up more to what I want to share in my writing.
YAP: What do you love most about writing?
I love to express my life’s journey in writing. Being able to tell little snippets from moments in my life where I had an AHA moment is so fulfilling. Even though there are writing “rules” in some cases, most of the time, writing is a tool for free expression and is limitless. I love that about it.
YAP: What advice do you have for new writers?
Find a support person/group
Read and listen to other authors
Work through your fears regarding sharing your voice
Trust the ebb and flow of the writing process
Write for yourself—others will connect to your authentic sharing.
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We are so fortunate to have Gina on our team. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. Thank you for supporting independent publishing.