Inner Gold Workshops
One-day workshops are in Pasadena, California on:
October 24, 2026
November 14, 2026
Inner Gold Workshops
Free one-day workshops for survivors of trauma and substance abuse. Movement, music, and making — in a room with other people who understand.
Upcoming: Saturday, October 24 and Saturday, November 21, 2026 · 11 AM to 6:30 PM · Pasadena, CA
Every story deserves healing.
Every person deserves wholeness.
At the Kintsugi Foundation, we believe recovery is not about hiding broken pieces — it’s about honoring them.
Inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, where fractured pottery is repaired with gold, our work combines research-based music, art, creative writing, and movement practices with compassionate human connection to support recovery from trauma and/or substance abuse.
Creative expression reaches parts of the brain and body that traditional talk-based approaches sometimes cannot. Backed by decades of neuroscience and clinical research, music and movement help regulate emotion, reduce stress responses, and rebuild pathways connected to resilience and healing.
Here, recovery becomes something you actively create… one note, one breath, one moment at a time.
You are not broken. You are becoming.
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Our Purpose
The Kintsugi Foundation runs free creative workshops for survivors of trauma and substance abuse — days of movement, music, art and writing that support emotional regulation, connection and long-term resilience. We also maintain a free directory of crisis and recovery resources for anyone who needs one.
Why Art, Sound, and Movement?
Trauma and substance use affect the nervous system, memory and emotional regulation. Research on structured music and movement programs indicates they can engage several areas of the brain at once — those tied to emotion, reward, movement and connection — and studies in this field report reduced anxiety, better emotional regulation, and stronger engagement with recovery.
That research shapes how we build the day. Inner Gold is a creative and peer program, not a clinical one, and it is not therapy or treatment.
No musical or artistic experience is needed.
Healing begins with participation, not performance.
Our Approach
Research-informed. The program is built on published research in sound, movement and trauma recovery.
Trauma-informed. Choice, consent and emotional safety shape every part of the day. Nothing is required and nothing is performed.
Creative practice. Rhythm work, guided listening, movement, art and writing — structured ways in.
Whole person. We hold that recovery is long, non-linear, and social as much as individual.
Our Story
The Kintsugi Foundation was created from a growing understanding supported by research and lived experience:
Healing happens most powerfully when science and compassion meet.
Many individuals navigating addiction or trauma struggle to healing resources that feel safe, engaging, or culturally responsive. The Kintsugi Foundation offers a research-supported approach that reconnects people with creativity, identity, and hope.
Like kintsugi pottery, our lives carry marks of hardship. When those experiences are honored rather than hidden, they become part of a stronger, more meaningful whole.
Programs
Inner Gold Workshops
Monthly day-long workshops focused on trauma recovery through creative expression, including dance and movement, music and sound sessions, and visual arts. Free for participants, donations cover all facilitator fees, meals, supplies, facilities, liability coverage, and other discretionary uses consistent with our 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission.
Survivor Resources
Partnerships with survivor advocates, recovery organizations, and community programs to provide and expand access to key resources for trauma survivors.
Our Impact
Our work integrates clinical research, trauma-informed care, and creative expression to support measurable and meaningful outcomes:
Increased engagement in recovery programs
Improved emotional regulation skills
Reduced feelings of isolation
Greater self-efficacy and hope for the future
Healing is deeply personal, but research continues to affirm what participants experience firsthand: music can help restore connection to self and community.
Research & Professional Standards
The Kintsugi Foundation aligns its programming with established standards in:
research and clinical practice
trauma-informed care frameworks
substance use recovery science
neurobiological approaches to healing
We collaborate with credentialed professionals and continually integrate emerging research to ensure our programs remain effective, ethical, and compassionate.
3” sticker with a crack-back for easy peeling.
Overall impression: quiet, contemplative, and resilient—the broken becomes beautiful through deliberate repair, communicated through restrained color, tactile gold accents, and clean, simple form.
Cost of shipping is included in the price.