JournalTalk | Write4Life

Who knew, back in Episode #4 when I discovered the amazing-but-unavailable book, Writing To Heal, that I’d eventually be interviewing the co-author of its revised and updated edition?!!

I learned a lot from my guest this week, John F. Evans, MAT, MA , Ed.D., a consultant, writing clinician, and an integrative health coach who speaks at national and international conferences about the power of writing to create better health, overcome trauma, and build resilience. He is also the founder and executive director of Wellness & Writing Connections, providing individual, group, and institutional life course guidance programs.

The first thing I learned from John is that I still have much more to learn about being an effective journaling coach!  With an astute-yet-modest perspective, John shares some of the scientifically proven health benefits of expressive writing (while cautioning me of the potential dangers of simply touting them to others)!  We also discuss the Pennebaker Paradigm, and the contribution that John is making to update and re-publish the landmark guidebook in this field, Writing To Heal, by Dr. James Pennebaker.  As mentioned in Episode #4, this groundbreaking and revered work has been out-of-print for several years.

John also publishes articles for Psychology Today in a column entitled Write Yourself Well, and is leading a workshop, “Transform Your Health”, with the International Association of Journal Writers later this month.  John teaches workshops at Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke Medical School, and the UNC Wellness Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  We’ll talk more about these in a future episode!  (JournalTalk, Episode #15, September 15, 2013)

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Those of you already familiar with Dawn Herring will find this episode a special treat.  She is even more inspiring and engaging than you’ve come to expect from her years of hosting the weekly Twitter chat room she calls #JournalChat Live! Your “Refreshment Specialist” shares bountifully from her years of experience and hundreds of interviews.

Those of you meeting Dawn for the first time: get ready to meet a Wonder Woman in the field of journal writing.  Dawn Herring is a talent scout for journaling tips and techniques.  If you’ve published an article online about the many virtues or approaches to journal writing, chances are Dawn will find you!  And soon you’ll find yourself invited to the world’s largest chatroom arena on journaling, a Twitter event that she hosts on the first Sunday afternoon of each month at 1:00 PM Pacific / 4:00 PM Eastern (updated 12/8/13).

Our lively and profound conversation weaves in and out of personal stories, journaling tips, and a whole bunch of amazing projects that Dawn is up to.  From her fine art in pointillism, to a blog on electrical safety she maintains an aura she calls Authentic Refreshment for herself and those around her:  “Appreciate Yourself For Who You Really Are, Validate Your Feelings, and Nurture Your Soul.”  (JournalTalk, Episode #14, September 1, 2013)

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My guest expert this episode is Ruth Folit, the founder and director of the International Association of Journal Writers.  (Did you know there was such a thing?!  Yea, go check it out!)  But Ruth will have to come back sometime to tell us more about this amazing library of journaling resources, and the wise council of journal-writing elders . . . because in this episode, there’s too much to discuss about the newest version of her revolutionary software LifeJournal Online.

Ten years in the making, LifeJournal has all the features most cherished by typists as well as hand-writers!  Ruth recalls the moment she first decided to share journaling with the world. (Now over 30,000 people and counting!)  Plus of course, we discuss some insightful topics, and a powerful journaling exercise, along the way.   (JournalTalk, Episode #13, August 19, 2013)

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Thanks to Joan Leof, my guest expert in this week’s episode, I’ll need to update my website.  In preparation for our interview, Joan did some research about me; she figured out that I had given up on writing a book based on content from my years of journal-writing.  And in our subsequent conversation, she asked me some questions that stirred my thinking about this.  Being the amazing journal-to-memoir coach that she is, by the time we were finished talking, I was reminded of my belief that my story is a valuable one, and re-inspired to pick up my old writings to breathe new life into them!  Since then, I’ve been writing 100-Word Flash Memoirs as often as I can, collecting the pieces to assemble for a unique story about my spiritual odyssey and coming-of-age.

Joan Leof has been coaching journalers, creative writers, and spiritual autobiographers for over 30 years.  Her website displays her own accomplishment of her personal story made into a book, Fatal If Swallowed, as well as other journaling resources and workshops that she teaches in the Delaware area.

Our conversation was stimulating and fascinating.  Joan gives a clear goal for memoirists to stay focused on, to make sure the journey from journaling to published author stays satisfying.  In addition, Joan shares some excellent tips for people who want to join (or begin their own) journaling groups to deepen their practice!  I look forward to hearing your feedback.  Please post a comment below, telling what you enjoyed most!  (JournalTalk, Episode #12, August 5, 2013)

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It’s one thing to achieve personal transformation through the act and habit of journaling.  But there’s a new trend emerging among journal-writers: taking that transformation to the level of community.  My guest this episode is Lynda Monk, who has been journaling with her friends for several years, and ready to launch a book on the experience, Writing Alone Together:  Women Journaling for Creativity, Compassion and Community.

Lynda has been a Social Worker in Canada, for over 20 years, including 10 years of crisis intervention and counseling work.  In 2000, she founded Creative Wellness — a coaching and training business specializing in supporting the stress and burnout prevention needs of helping and healthcare professionals.  In 2009, Lynda became a Certified Co-Active Life Coach, and turned her passion for the transformational and healing power of therapeutic journaling into the heart of her business.  She offers “Writing for Wellness” workshops, presentations and coaching programs to  helpers, healers, caregivers and conscious-living enthusiasts.

Her company provides access to a wealth of resources for both the individual as well as organizations that seek enlivened practice and healthy living.   Her “Writing for Wellness: Getting Started Guide” (available for free on her website) is an impressive introduction to the art of therapeutic journaling, and is just one of the free resources she offers.

As you listen to my interview with Lynda, we’ll explore a powerful dynamic of journaling within the context of community.  Lynda touches on the power of storytelling, and encourages us to consider beginning our own journaling circle, for many of the same reasons a book enthusiast would join a book club.  I also appreciated the way Lynda so beautifully acknowledged how this podcast series itself is a project of community-building amongst journaling advocates.  (JournalTalk, Episode #11, July 22, 2013)

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This podcast series is a way to create and share within a community of people who have remarkable stories of growth and healing through journal-writing.  And the more I look for examples, the more incredible and numerous they come!

This week’s guest is Carrie Leigh Sandoval, author of Journals Have Feelings, Too!  In this episode, we discuss her book and the ways that journaling helped her through the dramas and traumas of her adolescence.  It’s no wonder that Carrie’s passion is empowering youth, showing them how to find, release, and heal past wounds, and replace them with new beliefs.  She also offers online coaching for teens and their parents.

Carrie is also a Law of Attraction coach, and after she shared what that means, she took me on a short journey to fulfill an intention of my own creation.  In turn, I used that as an example for another journaling exercise together!  So grab your journals and tune in as Carrie shares The Law of Attraction!  (JournalTalk, Episode #10, July 8, 2013)

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For the past four months, I’ve been sharing my reasons for creating JournalTalk.  But I also want to share how JournalTalk is creating me!  In this episode, I discuss four profound lessons that I’ve learned since starting this project, along with a whole variety of other stories:

All this, and more, on Episode #9 of JournalTalk!  (June 24, 2013)

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Joseph Bernard, Ph.D. has been blogging about life-enrichment, spirituality, and self-actualization for the past seven years.  Occasionally, he posts an article about the benefits of journal-writing, and that is how we met.  In this episode, we had fun discussing the similarities and differences between journaling and blogging.

His blog, ExploreLifeBlog.com is filled with insights and fresh perspective that invite a gentle self-examination. Dr. Bernard frequently reminds his readers and clients to challenge their assumptions, and to take a broader view.  His book, Awaken: 100 Questions To Expand Your Mind and Open Your Heart, is the perfect journaling companion.  Each page bears a unique question, inviting us to look deeper into ourselves and become more aware of new possibilities.

Dr. Bernard is also an empathic counselor, and I enjoyed learning about the career choices which led to his current practice.  But my favorite part of this interview was discussing how we recognize the wisdom of that inner, guiding voice when we write in our journals with an open heart.  I could have easily titled this episode “Journaling for Divine Guidance”!  Leave your comment below, and I will send you information about how you can receive a free, private fifteen-minute consultation with Dr. Joseph Bernard personally.  (JournalTalk, Episode #8, June 10, 2013)

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I am consistently impressed with each person I meet in the field of journaling; we are authentically glad to share our secrets, techniques, and we sincerely want to work in collaboration with one another.  My guest this week is Michael Pearlman, M.D., and while he is exceptionally gifted in the area of journal therapy, he is no exception to the generosity I have found among journaling teachers.  What sets Dr. Pearlman apart from others is the unique system he developed for transformative journaling he calls Out of the Whirlwind.  It’s free, online, confidential, and easy to use.

This episode, Dr. Pearlman walks me through the five writing prompts of his online journaling tool, after I choose an area of focus.  The five prompts: APPRECIATION, KNOWING, MY VISION, CURRENT REALITY, and ACTION.  Listen as I transform a nerve-wracking dentist visit into “loving my mouth and all its inhabitants”.  You can also receive free training in this tool with Dr. Pearlman himself, on “Free Coaching Thursdays” once you start using the online journal.

Dr. Pearlman invites me (and by extension, all journaling coaches, and JournalTalk fans too) to participate in the expansion and co-creation of the future of this tool.  Check out this powerful method for getting to the heart of any issue.  Let us know what you think, and how you could use it in your own journaling practice!  Your comments below are encouraged!  (JournalTalk, Episode #7, May 27, 2013)

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In case you thought I only interviewed beautiful women, I had to prove that there are other men who enjoy discussing their journaling habits!  This episode, I’m pleased to introduce Sam, nick-named the “Digital Journaling Guru”.  Sam’s perspective is unique on several levels. An accomplished Civil Engineer with strong family values, he speaks about helping people ensure their writings safely reach future generations.

Sam and his wife Tiffany, started EasyJournaling.com for people who feel they journal better on a keyboard than by hand.  In fact, Sam has diplomatically settled the debate between those who type and those who hand-write, by stating it depends on your goal:  If you’re looking to preserve your writing for the future, using the latest technology is your key.  Sam has formulated a free online selection tool called BestJournalApp.com to help you figure out which journaling application should suit your needs best.

Sam is barely thirty years old, and yet has as much experience journaling as I have!  He’s been documenting his life (at the wise prompting of his parents) since the tender age of eight!  Now with children of his own, Sam advocates journaling as one of several effective ways to capturing life’s lessons and precious memories.  For writing prompts and guides, Sam respectfully points his followers back to myself and other journaling coaches.  But Sam is delighted to offer expert advice on best practices for digitizing, editing, securing, backing up, and printing your journal entries.  In our conversation, we discuss his brand-new podcast, Capturing Life Through Technology, as well as his plans for an upcoming Digital Journaling University!  Along the way, we discuss his book, 101 Reasons To Write a Journal, and exchange ideas about family newsletters, upgrading videos, photography and more.

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