Baby Steps Studio Summer Session
JULY 28 TO OCTOBER 2 ◆ TUES-FRI, 9AM TO 11AM EASTERN
A live morning co-working studio with Holly Whitaker
Join Holly for four two-hour co-working sessions each week, with live check-ins, monthly group coaching/workshopping sessions, and dedicated community time, designed to help you take baby steps forward on what you’ve been putting off.
Find structure. Make progress. Get unstuck. Receive guidance. Become part of a community of people doing the same thing.
Baby Steps is for people looking for structure, companionship, guidance, and motivation to start—or keep—showing up for their creativity, projects, or everyday tasks through the long summer. From July 28 to October 2, 2026, we’ll come together every Tuesday through Friday morning, from 9am to 11am EST.
—> Course is closed, add your name to waitlist here
Baby Steps 9 week summer session includes:
72 hours of co-working; 4 sessions per week, Tues- Fri
Each session includes a breath exercise and then 1 hour and 50 minutes of heads-down time to work on whatever you want to in the company of others; led by Holly. Tuesday through Friday, 9am to 11am Eastern
Monthly group coaching call with Holly (three total)
We’ll have three group coaching and workshopping sessions, each lasting 60–90 minutes on the final Friday session of each month
Dedicated community time
We’ll spend dedicated time up front getting to know each other and sharing our projects. Our co-working room will open ten minutes early for casual hangs, questions, resource sharing, coffee drinking. Connections will be made.
A bunch of other people doing the same thing
Be less lonely! Get motivated working alongside others! Share things if you want! (Active participation not required/shy people welcome)
take a little baby step forward
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take a little baby step forward 〰️
How it works/what you get
Four 2-hour weekly co-working sessions (8 hours per week; 72 hours total). Tuesday - Friday, 9 am to 11 am ET (check your time here). These sessions include breathwork at the beginning, check-ins (verbal, chat) and check-outs (verbal, chat). These are dedicated times to work on projects or tasks you tend to put off in the company of other people doing the same. Folks work on a variety of things: establishing new routines; filing back taxes; poetry; working out; writing book proposals or manuscripts; or just showing up to some place regularly while they do their job or everyday tasks.
Three monthly group coaching/AMA/workshopping sessions, each lasting 60–90 minutes. Each month we’ll use the last hour of the last Friday for a coaching/workshopping call (and go over by at least 30 minutes). Topics may include creativity and productivity; showing up; writing practice; building habits; resistance vs. burnout; ‘downcycling’/’wintering’ and long transitions; working with our nervous systems; re-igniting or maintaining passion for our art or work In This Climate; meaning making, purpose, apathy and nihilism.
Hang time. Most mornings, Holly will open up the room ten minutes early for folks who want internet friends or who have a question for her. And also because she’s an over-achiever, we’ll likely schedule a dedicated community hang here and there. (That is 6 hours over the course.)
Note: This is not a space for emotional processing, or addiction and recovery support. More on this in the FAQs below.
Things you could do in 72 hours:
work on a creative project
learn a new skill or craft
your regular job but with strangers watching you
commit to that yoga practice
make a DIY writing or art residency
practice showing up at the same time
create a morning routine
finish a book proposal
your everyday to-dos
clean out your garage
finally read Infinite Jest
70 hours of meditation
back taxes!
research your next project
softly re-enter working after time away
train your pet to do something
learn a new language
make new internet friends
{insert what you’ve been putting off here}
Cost
Baby Steps Summer Session
$295
Space is limited! Refunds offered within 24 hours of purchase, after that all sales final.
Questions about whether Baby Steps is right for you? Email contact@hollywhitaker.com
Your host
Hello! I’m Holly Whitaker, author of: Quit Like a Woman (PRH); 30 Days to a New Relationship with Alcohol(Audible); the forthcoming How to Be Lost Deck (Chronicle), and the forthcoming How to Relapse (Tin House/Zando). I publish the Recovering newsletter on Substack.
I’ve been self-employed, leading Zoom calls, coaching, and teaching online classes since 2015. I created and built a digital/educational behavior-change program used by thousands, and a practical guide to quit drinking that’s been read by over half a million people and is recommended by leading recovery centers and institutions, including the Mayo Clinic, Weill Cornell, and the Center for Motivation and Change.
Over the past five years, my work has deepened in a different direction. I’ve moved through a long period of creative disruption, struggling with motivation, procrastination, purpose, and showing up consistently—and learning, firsthand, what it actually takes to keep going when your old systems stop working.
I started using online co-working in 2023 to access body doubling (the practice of working in the presence of others to increase motivation, focus, and accountability), connection, and to help create structure while working on a long and difficult project, and it changed my life.
I love holding this kind of space and sharing what I’ve learned as a neurodivergent self-employed perimenopausal author and creative in long-term recovery with other sensitive souls who are trying to both pay their bills and make beautiful things during this weird, horrible, and emergent time in history.
I’ll be using the 72 hours together to work on my two ongoing projects.
Other things about me include: I live in a rural location; I am an awkward introvert who loves planting pollinator gardens, organizing drawers, and talking on the phone. My favorite late summer things are taking advantage of sun energy, power gardening, reading, jumping in streams, and doing nothing with other people who are also doing nothing.
Find structure. Be productive without hurting yourself. Get your time back.
What the people say about Baby Steps
I thought because I'd failed at finding the "perfect routine,” I'd be on the struggle bus for life. This program helped me see I'd caught the wrong bus. Instead of following a set route towards "productivity,” I needed to be curious and explore. But I also needed some guidance and other passengers. Holly provided both. Sure, I get more done, but more importantly, I'm calmer and happier with my time.
—MAGGIE RUSSEL
I went from 25k words in a draft to a completed 75k manuscript during this course, and I felt much more aligned with my own core values. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.
—MEREDITH RODKEY
Since COVID and disruptions in my life, I’d been flying by the seat of my pants—getting things done, but with avoidance, procrastination, and isolation. Baby Steps gave me a structure I could hold onto without feeling overwhelmed. The co-working sessions got me moving, sharing my daily tasks made me much more likely to do them, and seeing other people facing similar struggles made me feel far less alone.
I started cooking and knitting again and completed all of my tax preparation—three areas where I had been completely stuck. I’m also much more willing to approach the things I don’t want to do instead of continually avoiding them. It gave me momentum, practical tools, and, most of all, hope.
—KATHY WEISSBERG
Baby Steps gave me a home for looking at my inner and outer life, with structure and zero bullshit. Holly’s combination of focused work, being human in a shared space, and a simple weekly focus made it easy to keep showing up. I discovered how much baby steps add up—and how much I had missed like-minded people.
—YVONNE LANDMANN
I’ve thrived since joining your first coworker cohort and learning just how effective that is in supporting me. I had no idea until I spontaneously signed up for your first offering last fall.
- GABRIELLE STAR
More details
What are the dates and times of the co-working sessions?
Co-working sessions are four days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 6–8 a.m. Pacific and 9–11 a.m. Eastern. Check your time zone here.
What are dates and times of group coaching/workshopping sessions?
Coaching sessions will take place the last hour of the last Friday of the month (July 31, August 28, September 25). They last between 60 to 90 minutes depending on group need. (The final session on October 2 will be one hour and fifteen minutes of co-working, and 45 minutes of check out, final Q&A, celebrating.) Check time zone here.
Is 1:1 coaching available? What about asking questions in-between group coaching sessions? What can I expect in terms of support?
I no longer offer 1:1 coaching in any form.
The group coaching sessions will be a combination of me providing prompts and exercises; answering questions or coaching through specific issues related to our course topics (motivation, productivity, transitions, habit-building, meaning-making, tools, existential dread, apathy, etc.); workshopping specific problems (i.e., “How do I keep working when I don’t give a fucking shit about anything?” or “Why does all this deep internal work feel like failure?”); or me sharing something you all are interested in (for instance, an explainer on how I organize research for large projects;). You can also ask me personal questions, AMA-style, that I’ll choose the boundary around (meaning, you can ask me anything your heart desires).
There will also be opportunities for quick questions during our early-morning hangs, and you can submit questions to me to be answered in the group throughout the course.
Basically, think of it as live group coaching, guidance, and problem-solving inside the Baby Steps container—not private coaching or ongoing access to me in between sessions. I won’t be available for coaching by email or direct message, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to bring questions into the room.
Please note that I will not address any questions about your recovery, relapse, addiction, or sobriety. I do not do that type of coaching work at all anymore and have a very firm boundary around it.
Are scholarships or discounts available?
Baby Steps is offered at one price: $295. This includes 72 hours of live co-working, along with coaching, guidance, and community time (less than $4 per co-working hour). I’ve intentionally priced the program below what this amount of live access and support would typically cost, and there aren’t additional discounts, tiers, or scholarship pricing for this session.
This time doesn’t work for me—can you add additional times for different time zones?
The schedule for this session is firmly fixed, Tuesdays through Fridays, 9–11 a.m. Eastern. I’m offering it at the time that works for me to lead it consistently and sustainably, so I won’t be adding additional sessions in other time zones this round. If this time doesn’t work for you, there will be future offerings that may.
What if I can’t start immediately?
You can start whenever—this is not a traditional program where there is any kind of catch up work, and you won’t disrupt anyone by missing the first week or so.
What level of participation is expected?
You can use as much or as little of the program as you want. You’re welcome to arrive after the start time, leave before the session ends, or attend only on certain days—you might prefer Wednesday through Friday, or Tuesdays and Thursdays, etc. There will be opportunities for participants to share, but sharing is never required. You do not have to talk, share, or participate in any way you don’t want to. All offerings are optional, lurkers welcomed.
Can I keep my camera off?
Yes! Although—here is my plug for how great it is to see other people doing things! Part of the point of this is body doubling and co-working, so camera on is encouraged, but also this is for YOU so you get to do what feels comfortable, and we’ll all support it.
Do I have to use my real name?
You’ll need to use the name that matches the name you registered under, and you’ll need to register under the name you use in real life (government or non-government; just the name you actually use); no aliases, usernames, fake names. First name and last initial are great. (If this is an issue, email contact@hollywhitaker.com). I’ll also be inviting folks to share pronouns, location, and what they are working on in their Zoom handle.
Is this refundable?
Refunds are available within 24 hours of purchase. After that, all sales are final and nonrefundable. Because space is limited, holding a spot prevents someone else from enrolling.
Do I need to create a login somewhere?
This is a simple setup meant to be bare bones/low maintenance. No login or additional software/apps required. We use Zoom, email, and a Notion landing page. No login or additional software/apps are required.
Is this a recovery/sobriety program, or a space for emotional processing?
Baby Steps is not for emotional processing or addictions or recovery support. It is focused on co-working, creative practice, structure, motivation, and making progress on the things you want to do, and includes coaching around these topics: creativity, work, motivation, habits, transitions, and the practical and emotional challenges of showing up. It is not a space for deep emotional processing, crisis support, therapy, recovery support, or ongoing personal coaching. Things may get emotional, but these calls are designed to be light, practical, energizing, and useful, not emotionally exhausting.
Do you have a question not answered here? Email contact@hollywhitaker.com
