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Zebib Abraham joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to discuss why she writes fiction, the relationship between writing and mental health, and tools writers can use to cultivate resilience, self-compassion, and radical acceptance of themselves and their work. 

Here are a few questions to ponder as you listen to this episode: Have you ever considered whether something should be written as fiction or nonfiction? Do you wonder which genre might be the most compassionate to you and allow you the freedom to explore your emotional truth? Do you know what self-compassion actually means and what it takes to cultivate it? 

Zebib K. Abraham (she/her) is a writer and psychiatrist. She is a graduate of Cornell medical school and completed a Master’s in Creative Writing with distinction from the University of Edinburgh. Zebib has been published in FANTASY Magazine, The Rumpus, The Chestnut Review, Podcastle, and Necessary Fiction, among others. She is a full member of the Science Fiction and Writers Association and has been a commissioned storyteller for the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Zebib publishes under the name Z. K. Abraham, and writes film criticism in addition to her work in fiction and creative nonfiction. She is represented by C. L. Geisler at ArtHouse Literary Agency.

Episode Highlights:

• 10:00: Choosing Fiction Versus Nonfiction 
• 20:30 Writing and Mental Health 
• 30:00 The Inner Work of Your Writing Life 
• 35:00 Understanding Radical Acceptance  
• 39:30  The Challenge of Oral Storytelling 
• 49:00 Tools for Being a Resilient Writer 

Resources mentioned during this episode: 

• Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff
• “How Can You Tell If You’re Starting Your Story in the Right Place?” by Susan DeFreitas: https://janefriedman.com/how-can-you-tell-if-youre-starting-your-story-in-the-right-place/
• “What Is Wise Mind” by Dr. Paul Green: https://www.manhattancbt.com/wise-mind-dbt/

Connect with Zebib:

• Twitter - https://twitter.com/pegasusunder1
• Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/pegasusunder.bsky.social
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pegasusunder
• Website: https://zkabraham.com/

Connect with your host, Lisa:

• Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less: https://lisacooperellison.com/newsletter-subscribe/
• Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg

Connect with your host, Lisa:
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Free Your Writing Voice, Fuel Your Motivation is a 12-week course designed to help you reconnect with the creative spark that brought you to the page in the first place. https://lisacooperellison.com/free-your-writing-voice-find-your-motivation/

Produced by Espresso Podcast Production