Welcome

 I’m known as the Writing Sherpa and I take to this role joyfully. I have worked with aspiring writers for the past three decades. Dozens of my writers have gone on to be published in a variety of genres and publications. I offer monthly year-long writing consultation circles in Prairie du Sac, WI at Healing Services on the River, and at Holy Wisdom Monastery just outside Madison. I can work with you from anywhere in the world. You can also find me through the UW-Madison, Continuing Studies where I offer on-line writing classes.  All of my services are offered at reasonable rates. As your Writing Sherpa, I help you reach your personal summits. 
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I also offer in-person and long-distance counseling sessions, and, transformational circles. I take a personalized approach to self-discovery, where together we explore and discover your capacities and possibilities. When you are ready to take the next step in your life​ contact me to discuss how I may help you. I offer an initial twenty-minute free phone consultation prior to signing up for a personal session or circle. ​

Upcoming Circles, Events & News 
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YOGA & Writing Retreat this August. Yoga instructor (and blogger) Molly Chanson and I (your Writing Sherpa) will be offering 2 days of yoga and writing. A week of attending to mind, body and voice in a beautiful, natural setting. Stay tuned for details. 
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Book Release!! The Red Thread: Touching Reality in our Everyday Lives will be released in April, 2020 by Shanti Arts.  This book is based on the teachings and my conversations with Parker J Palmer. I offer ways to touch reality through simple practices like Hosting The Edge, the Inner Labyrinth, and other simple tools to discover your truest self and greatest potentials. 


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The Wheel of Initiation: Practices for Releasing Your Inner Light ON SALE at Amazon for only $5.95.
Based on my popular Initiation Course. 
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Monthly Transformative Circle: The Red Thread: Touching Reality in our Everyday Lives
at Healing Services on the River in Prairie Du Sac, WI 
Meets monthly on the 2nd THURSDAY evening of each month, 6 to 9 pm  starts AUGUST,  2019. 
Gather together with others once a month for a year to explore what is truly meaningful and possible for you.  We will use two of my books: The The Zero Point Agreement: How To Be Who You Already Are, along with, The Red Thread: Touching Reality in our Everyday Lives through Contemplation and Action. THE RED THREAD BOOK's publication date: April 2020! The Red Thread book and circles are based on the core teachings and Circles of Trust by Parker J Palmer. I have come to realize (now later in my life) that there is MAGIC to life when we are engaged in the conversational reality of life and when we live our lives forward. Connect more strongly to what matters to you. This is my 3rd decade of offering such circles. 

​This circle is open to 11 participants. Learn more and sign up.
Write by the Lake by Julie Tallard Johnson


​The Initiated Writer Online Course
Date, time and location - any time you like
This self-paced, online course includes writing, page reviews and up to 5 lessons with lots of writing prompts and personal attention from me, your Writing Sherpa. Learn more and sign up.
"Stop asking for the lamp to be put in your hand.
pick it up, and fill it with your own oil.
it is the stuff of you that’s meant to burn."  –  Rebecca Cecchini, Wisconsin poet
Madison Morning Writing Circle (Next one begins November, 2019)
Holy Wisdom Monastery, Madison WI ​
Meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday 10am - 1:00pm through Sept., 2019. This Circle is full but I invite you to join my waiting list.
Madison Evening Writing Circle (Next one begins November, 2019)
Holy Wisdom Monastery, Madison WI ​
Meets monthly on the 1st Tuesday 6-9pm. This Circle is full but I invite you to join my waiting list.
Prairie du Sac Writing Circle (Next one begins November, 2019)
595 Water Street, Prairie du Sac
Meets monthly on the 1st Wednesday 6 till 9pm. This Circle is full but I invite you to join my waiting list.

Writing

I offer a variety of writing classes and coaching based on my experience as a published author and instructor. 
Sherpa-coaching  and Sherpa-mentoring are one-to-one, monthly programs in which we work together via phone, email  or Skype over the course of 4 or 6 months. 
Writing Circles are monthly, seasonal and annual meetings in which we work as a small group. Write by the Lake is my periodic workshop offered on the shores of beautiful Lake Mendota. The Initiated Writer™ is self-paced, online course  which can be joined at any time.  Learn more about Teaching Circles.

Books

Everyone wants to experience purpose and inspiration in their lives, but the search for meaning often leaves a seeker in the hands of fate. Offering a different approach to self-discovery, one where we create our meaning from within rather than seek it from the outside world, The Zero Point Agreement shows there is a science behind personal spiritual experiences and creativity. It reveals simple evidence-based methods that can be applied to any situation to generate enthusiasm, inspiration, and direct spiritual experience and transform the inner and outer landscapes of your life. Learn more. 

Counseling

I offer a personalized approach to self-discovery, where you explore and discover your capacities and possibilities. My transformative healing practice is centered on the Zero Point Agreement — Where we live from the inside-out, from our side, meeting life and others half-way. We learn to create and integrate our inner wisdom with the outside world. These healing sessions are an hour and a half long, involve narrative medicine, meditation, explorative conversation, and, integrative energy work for the last half an hour. Learn more about counseling. 
An endorsement from His Holiness the Dalai Lama (an excerpt):
“Because the very purpose of life is to be happy, it is important to discover what will actually give us the greatest satisfaction. Everything we experience, whether it is enjoyable or not, affects either our minds or our bodies. Generally, it is our minds that have the greatest influence over whether we are happy or not. Our minds register everything that happens to us, no matter how small. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are unable to use our creative potential, we lose one of the basic characteristics of a human being. In order to find mental stability and peace, the mind itself can be trained. We can cultivate positive attitudes like kindness and compassion, tolerance and contentment. Julie describes many ways to create peace and happiness, some on your own and some with your friends." 
~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama, July 1995, for "The Thundering Years"

An endorsement from Parker J Palmer, author of A Hidden Wholeness and Healing the Heart of Democracy : 
“In this beautiful book, Julie Tallard Johnson--a gifted teacher and writer--brings fresh insight to an ancient truth: each of us must live from the inside out. This book--full of resources that range from heart-deep insight to helpful, practical exercises--can help us reclaim the treasure-trove of our own experience and being.” (Parker J. Palmer, author of Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak, and The Courage to)

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