Hello, and welcome to this space. I currently make my home in Chicago where therapeutic counseling and transition coaching have taken the place of earlier seasons when I taught college courses in writing and literature, and ran a writer’s retreat in Southwest France.
Learning, cultivating resilience, and being of service have been through-lines in the chapters of my life. Growing up in a home with active addiction my own experience of parenting, relationships, and loss, brought me into coaching and psychodynamic therapeutic counseling.
My practices are both informed by my work with language and music, by functional movement and somatic methods, twelve-step Al-anon work, Internal Family Systems and by a permaculture ethos and an ever-growing relationship to impermanence.
I received a BA from Oberlin College and an MFA in literary studies from Brown University. I am an MA candidate in clinical counseling at The Institute for Clinical Social Work, Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy, and I am a Certified Divorce, Transition, and Recovery Coach.
-
EDUCATION
M.A. Candidate, The Institute for Clinical Social Work, Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy, Chicago, 2025-2027
Certified Divorce, Recovery and Transition Coach, CDC, SCTI, CPD, and IFC accredited, 2022
M.F.A., Literary Arts, Brown University, RI, 2003
B.A., Creative Writing/English, Oberlin College, OH, 1993
TEACHING
University of Illinois at Chicago, IL
Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic & Public Contexts, 2017–2018
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Senior Fiction Studio, 2013; The Lyrical Narrative, 2013; Contemporary Latin American & European Literature, 2013; Senior Fiction Studio, 2012: The Lyrical Narrative, 2012; Contemporary Latin American & European Literature, 2012; Senior Fiction Studio, 2011; The Lyrical Narrative, 2011; Contemporary Latin American & European Literature; 2011 Senior Fiction Studio, 2010; The Lyrical Narrative, 2010; Architecture & Writing Program: Language Making, 2008; Junior Fiction Studio, 2008; The Lyrical Narrative, 2008; Sophomore Fiction Studio, 2007; The Lyrical Narrative, 2007; Creative Writing in the Cont. Ed Prgm, 2007; Introduction to Literary and Critical Studies, 2006
Providence College, Providence, RI
British Literature Survey, 2006; Creative Writing in Fiction, 2006; Freshman Writing Seminar, 2006; Freshman Writing Seminar, 2005
Rhode Island College, Providence RI
Expository Writing, 2005; Introduction to Literature, 2005
Barnard College Summer Program, New York, NY Guest Lecturer, Fiction Workshop, 2005
Brown University Summer Studies Program, Providence, RI
Introduction to Literature, 2004; Introduction to Literature, 2003
Brown University, Providence, RI
Intermediate Fiction, 2003; Introductory Fiction, 2003; Intermediate Fiction, 2003; Introductory Fiction, 2002
The Arts Conference, Star Island, NH Writing Out of Place Fiction Workshop, 2004
International Inkwell, Montolieu, FR
Fiction, Poetry, and Translation Workshops, 1994–2001PUBLICATIONS
Books
In An I, Sidebrow Books, 2015
Reading Tests, with Jack Henrie Fisher, Jan Van Eyck Academie, NE, 2012
The Sea in Me /The Riddle We Heard, “How Now” Chapbook Series, The Corresponding Society, 2011Short Publications
Prose/poetry: “Understanding”, Encyclopedia L-Z, Vol. 3, CA, 2017
Excerpt from In An I, Sleepingfish #12: Tenth Anniversary Edition, 2013
Excerpt from Reading Tests, IDEA Magazine, Tokyo, JP, 2013
Poster Project: TRI, collaboration with Jack Henrie Fisher, Surfing the Black: Yugoslavian
Black Wave Cinema, Maastricht, NL, 2010
Poster Project: Text for Denaturalization, collaboration with Jack Henrie Fisher, Attica Democrati, Bolzano, IT, 2009
Fiction: “Cobra's Fight”, Ein Magazin über Orte, No.5, Berlin, DE, 2009
Fiction: “Between a Palace and a Theater”, Tarpaulin Sky, Fall/Winter Issue, 2007
Fiction: “Eumaois: Swineherd’s Rag”, Pocket Myths, Vol. 4, 2006
Fiction: “Bent Chambers”, Entre Deux Rivières Limited Edition/Letterpress, Atelier du Livre, Montolieu, FR, 1998Film: Book 25, collaboration with Miranda Mellis, Pocket Myths, The Odyssey Film Project, 2006 Fiction: “Café”, Encyclopedia A-E, Vol. 1, 2006
Translations
“Legitmacy” critical essays by Louky Bersianik, Encyclopedia L-Z, Vol. 3, CA, 2017
“La lanterne d'Aristote” and “Le portique des noms propres”, critical essay and fiction by Louky Bersianik Theory, A Sunday, Belladonna*, NY, 2013
Artists’ biographies, A Useful Dream: African Photography 1960-2010,
Silvana Editoriale, BE, 2010
“Une nouvelle logique du significant” by Louky Bersianik, Encyclopedia A-E, Vol. 1, RI, 2006REVIEWS & REFERENCES
In An I: review, Sean Bernard, The Common, https://www.thecommononline.org/friday-reads- october-2016-2/, 2016
In An I: review, Forrest Roth, The Collagist, http://thecollagist.com/the-collagist/2015/7/8/in-an-i- by popahna-brandes-sidebrow.html, 2015 In An I: SPD Fiction Bestseller (May/June), 2015
Theory, A Sunday: review, Magdalena Zurawski, Jacket2, http://jacket2.org/reviews/montreals- was-desiring-feminism-0, 2014
Theory, A Sunday: review, Daphne Marlatt, Lemon Hound, http://lemonhound.com/2014/09/25/daphne-marlatt-on-theory-a-sunday/, 2014
Writing about Reading Tests and The Sea in Me/The Riddle We Heard by Calamari Press, http://www.5cense.com/14/395.htm
Reading Tests appeared at the following curated book fairs: NY Art Book Fair, Miss Read, Tokyo Art Book Fair, 2012READINGS, EXHIBITIONS, & WORKSHOPS
Workshop: Re-centering Water: Rain Garden Practices, Comfort Station, Chicago, IL 2023
Reading: Café Moustache, Chicago, IL, 2019 Reading: Horner Park Fiction Picnic, Chicago IL, 2020
Reading: Uncharted Books, Chicago, IL, 2019 Reading & Performance: Bedtime Rituals: OverSleepOver 111, TriTriangle, Chicago, IL 2018 &Now Writing Festival, Notre Dame University, IN, 2018
Reading: We Want To Make Something With You, Eco Collective, Chicago, IL, 2017 Reading: La Manufacture Royale, Montolieu, FR, 2017. Reading: Likewise, Portland, OR, 2017 Reading: La Manufacture Royale, Montolieu, FR, 2016
Book Launch: Sector 2337, Chicago, IL, 2016
Reading: Red Rover Reading Series Experiment #92, Chicago, IL, 2016
Reading: Unnameable Books, Brooklyn, NY, 2015
Reading: Archive Kabinett Conference, Berlin, DE, 2014
Reading: Jen Scappettone’s House Reading Series, Chicago, IL, 2013
Reading: La Manufacture Royale, Montolieu FR, 2012
Exhibition: Inflation of Radical Phrases as Opposed to a Lack of Radical Action, Dizajner ili univer-zalni vojnik, Belgrade, RS, 2011
Performance: Sweet! Actors Reading Writers Series, New York, NY, 2011
Reading: Nelly Reifler’s Reading Series at Barbes, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Reading: Unnameable Books, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Reading: Faculty Reading, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Reading: La Manufacture Royale, Montolieu, FR, 2010
Exhibition: Of a people who are missing. On films by Daniele Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub, Extra City, Antwerp, BE, 2009
Poster Project: Atti Democratici, Ex-Zolldepot des Bahnhofs Bozen, IT, 2009
Reading: Faculty Reading, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 2008
Reading & Performance: My Invisible, White Electric Cafe, Providence, RI, 2007
Performance: My Invisible, “Implicit/Complicit”, The Poetry Project, New York, NY, 2006 Encyclopedia Project & Book Launch: My Invisible, AS220 Providence, RI, 2006
Performance: My Invisible w/ Rebecca Gates, Knitting Factory Residency, New York, NY, 2006 Performance: My Invisible improvisation w/ Anne Waldman, DownCity Reading Series, Providence, RI, 2006
Radio Broadcast: reading and musical performance as Vulpine, BSR radio, Providence, RI, 2005 Thesis Reading: Brown University, RI, 2003
Performance: Film and Audio: Dark Parole (under Alvin Lucier), Brown University, RI, 2003 Hypertext: Hemingway Avante-Aprés (under Robert Coover), Brown University, RI, 2002Recordings
Cello & voice
My Invisible, My Invisible (Machines with Magnets), 2005
Wigs for the Headless, Television Astronaut (Talan Memmott), 2003cello on tracks from: TNT, Tortoise (Thrill Jockey), 1998; Dots and Loops, Stereolab (Elektra), 1997; Unstable Molecule, Isotope 217, (Thrill Jockey), 1997; In the Sun, Archer Prewitt (Carrot Top Records), 1997; C, Rex (Southern Records), 1996; Nassau, Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey), 1996; Old Paint, Freakwater (Thrill Jockey), 1995
OTHER WORK
Professional
Resilience Practice: Personal Transition Coaching 2022–
Certified Divorce, Transition, and Recovery Coach 2022–
Program Director: The Workshop For Publishing Poets in France, Montolieu, FR 2005–2018 Founder, Director: International Inkwell, Writers’ Retreat, Montolieu, FR, 1995–2001
Owner, Manager: Café du Livre, Montolieu, FR, 1994–2001Volunteer & Community
Founding Member: Wonderland Community Permaculture & Agroforestry Proj., McHenry, IL 2020– Lead Gardener, Waters Community Garden, Chicago, IL 2019–
Guest Designer in Mycelium Regenerative Co-Design, Chicago, IL 2022Academic & Administrative
Steering Committee, Waters Community Garden, Lincoln Sq. Chicago, IL, 2024–
Friends of Waters Board Member, Thomas J. Waters Elementary, Chicago, IL 2019–2021 C.A.R.T Committee Member, Pratt Institute, NY, 2012–2013
Senior Fiction Prize Judge, Pratt Institute, NY, 2010–2013
Independent Study Faculty Member, Pratt Institute, NY, 2011–2012
Writing Center Tutor, Pratt Institute, NY, 2007–2008
Guest Writer, My Sister’s Keeper: Women-Led Humanitarian Action, Southern Sudan, 2005 Student Fiction and Poetry Contest Judge, Providence College, RI, 2005 –2006
Search Committee Member for Fiction Hire, Brown University, RI, 2002–2003
International Writing Project, Volunteer, Brown University, RI, 2003–2004EDITORIAL & FREELANCE
Editor: From Bank to Bank on a Gradual Slope by Eleni Kamma (film & installation) by Eleni Kamma, Villa Romana, Florence, IT, 2011
Editor: P like Politics, P like Parratos (film & installation) and Goergofili (film) by Eleni Kamma, Villa Romana, Florence, IT, 2011Editor: Glo(w)fish (film) and Enlever et Entretenir (artist book) by Eleni Kamma, Weils: C’entre d’Art Contemporain, Brussels, BE, 2009–2011
Fiction Editor: 3rd bed, Providence, RI, 2001–2006
Board Member; Contributing Editor: Encyclopedia Project, Providence, RI, 2004–2006Editor: Soleil (novel manuscript) by Jill Pearlman, RI, 2003 Assistant Editor: Agni, Boston, MA, 1992–1993
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS
Faculty Development Grant for In An I, Pratt Institute, NY, 2012–2013
Residency Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, 2007
Nominee for Best New American Voices 2005, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2003 Salomon Grant, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2003
Summer Writing Grant, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2003
Creative Writing Fellowship, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2001–2003