Poetry as Survival: Laura Van Prooyen on Grief, Healing, and the Power of Words

Host Natalie Buster welcomes poet and restorative writing facilitator Laura Van Prooyen for a conversation about how poetry can become a lifeline in times of grief, trauma, and transition. From her work with soldiers experiencing PTSD to healthcare workers navigating burnout and loss, Laura shares how writing offers a sacred space for emotional honesty, resilience, and healing.

Through personal stories—including the loss of her brother and mother—Laura reveals how poetry helped her survive, process, and transform grief into art. Whether you're intimidated by poetry or drawn to its quiet power, this episode invites you to explore how language can hold us when nothing else can.

Topics Covered:

• Laura’s journey from academic poetry to trauma-informed writing workshops

• Her transformative work with soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center

• The evolution of grief through writing: from raw emotion to published chapbook

• How poetry creates accessible, sacred space for processing loss

• The role of emotional honesty in facing mortality

• Mission Belonging’s free weekly writing group for healthcare workers

Resources Mentioned:

• Gregory Orr’s Poetry as Survival

• Mission Belonging’s Tuesday night virtual writing group (free and open to all)

• Laura’s upcoming chapbook (Spring release)

Call to Action: Join Laura’s free Tuesday night writing group through Mission Belonging. Whether you’re a caregiver, healthcare worker, or someone navigating grief, this space is for you.

• 00:00 – Opening Reflection Natalie shares her evolving relationship with poetry and how it intersects with mortality and meaning. 

• 02:00 – Introducing Laura Van Prooyen Laura’s background in poetry, education, and trauma-informed writing.

• 04:00 – Poetry Meets PTSD Laura’s first experience facilitating writing for soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center—and the unexpected power of six-word memoirs.

• 07:00 – Grief as Catalyst Laura opens up about losing her brother and how poetry became a survival tool during her deepest grief.

• 10:00 – Mission Belonging & Weekly Writing Groups Laura describes her free, virtual Tuesday night workshops for healthcare and hospice workers.

• 13:00 – Writing Through Loss How Laura continued facilitating workshops while grieving her mother—and how the group became a lifeline.

• 15:00 – Creating Safe, Sacred Space The trauma-informed approach Laura brings to every session, and how poetry invites emotional honesty.

• 17:00 – Craft, Accessibility, and Prompts Laura’s method for selecting poems, crafting prompts, and guiding participants through reflection and response.

• 19:00 – Final Reflections The healing potential of poetry, the importance of emotional honesty, and how writing helps us live fully—even as we face death.