Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through Writing

Lisa Cooper Ellison

The Writing Your Resilience Podcast is for anyone who wants to use the writing process to flip the script on the stories they’ve been telling themselves, because when we tell better stories about ourselves, we live better lives.  Every Thursday, host Lisa Cooper Ellison, an author, speaker, trauma-informed writing coach, and trauma survivor diagnosed with complex PTSD, interviews writers of tough, true stories, people who've developed incredible grit, and professionals in the field of psychology and healing who've studied resilience. Over the past 7 years Lisa has taught writers how to write their resilience. Each time her clients and students have confronted the stories that no longer serve them, they’ve felt a little safer, become a little braver, and revealed more of their true selves. Now, with this podcast, she is creating a space for you to do this work too.  Equal parts instruction, motivation, and helpful guide, Writing Your Resilience is an opportunity for you to join a community of writers and professionals doing the work that helps us cultivate our authenticity and creativity.  More about Lisa Cooper Ellison: https://lisacooperellison.com Get Your Free Ditch Your Inner Critic masterclass—your shortcut to a confident, S.H.I.F.T.ed mindset: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/

  1. 19h ago

    Summer Rewind: The Fawning Trauma Response: Ingrid Clayton on Healing People-Pleasing and Codependency

    Send us Fan Mail Have you been told you’re a people pleaser or found yourself saying yes when you meant no, without even thinking about it? Have a friend who struggles to express their feelings or share their preferences? If so, you might have encountered the fawning trauma response. Join me and Ingrid Clayton, author of Fawning the memoir Believing me, for this summer rewind episode where we unpack the misconceptions regarding this trauma response, share our experience strength and hope, and show you how to join the unfawning revolution she’s spearheading with her new book.  Episode Highlights 1:30: The Fawning Trauma Response5:51: The Problem of Co-dependence10:04: Complex Trauma’s Impact on Our Nervous Systems12:50: Fawning’s Influence on Writing 22:29: The Energetic Signature of Your Book28:45: The Unfawning Process43:45: The Role of Tears  Resources for this Episode:  What is the Fawning Trauma Response by Ingrid Clayton How to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid ClaytonBelieving Me by Ingrid ClaytonGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now  Ingrid’s Bio: Ingrid Clayton is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Master’s degree in transpersonal psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She has maintained a thriving private practice in Los Angeles for over seventeen years, supporting individuals in healing trauma, reclaiming agency, and reconnecting to their authentic selves. She's the author of Fawning and Believing Me. Her work has been featured in Oprah Daily, The New York Times, Women’s Health, and Forbes, and she has appeared on podcasts and programs including 10% Happier with Dan Harris, Girls Gotta Eat, and NPR’s On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti. Her latest book, Fawning, addresses an often-overlooked piece of the fight-flight-freeze reaction to trauma—explaining what it is, why it happens, and how to help survivors regain their voice and sense of self. Connect with Ingrid: Website: https://www.ingridclayton.com/Instagram and YouTube: @IngridClaytonPhDGet a free copy of her PDF on the fawning response: https://www.ingridclayton.com/fawningtraumaresponse Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  2. Jul 16

    Summer Rewind: Exploring The Loneliness Epidemic with Athena Dixon

    Send us Fan Mail How do you define loneliness? How did the pandemic impact the way that you define and experienced it? What does success look like for you? What is one positive association you have with being alone? These are just a few of the questions Athena and I explore in this summer rewind episode that tackles the multiple facets of loneliness, how to decide what is for you and what is for the public, and how to create your own definition of success.  Episode Highlights 4:00 The Problem of Loneliness8:00 Establishing Intimacy Between Reader and Writer 11:00 The Skills of Being Honest16:00 Finding the Vessel for Your Story20:00 Defining Success for Yourself27:00 Digital Loneliness35:49 Intentional Isolation42:00 Loneliness and Hyper-independenceResources for this Episode:  Cherry Picking Pleasure by Athena Dixon (part of her column in Open Secrets Magazine)The Incredible Shrinking Woman by Athena DixonGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now  Athena’s Bio: Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Athena Dixon is an essayist and editor. She is the author of The Loneliness Files (Tin House), The Incredible Shrinking Woman (Split/Lip Press) and No God In This Room (Argus House Press). Her work also appears in The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 2: Black Girl Magic (Haymarket Books) and Getting to the Truth: The Practice and Craft of Creative Nonfiction (Hippocampus Book). She writes the monthly column Radical Pleasure for Open Secrets Magazine. Athena is an alumni of V.O.N.A., Callaloo, and Tin House and has received a prose fellowship from The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing and a Second Book Residency from Tin House. She serves as the Nonfiction Editor for Split/Lip Press and a Consulting Editor for Fourth Genre Magazine. Connect with Athena Website: https://athenadixon.com/Instagram: @the_muse_paperFacebook: @AthenaDevonDixon Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  3. Jul 9

    Summer Rewind: The True Meaning of Success and The Multiple Paths to Publishing Your Book with Courtney Maum

    Send us Fan Mail In this summer rewind episode, we revisit my conversation with Courtney Maum, author of Alan Opts Out, Before and After the Book Deal, and The Year of Horses. During our chat, we discuss writer mental health, the key ingredients in an author brand, what success really means and how you can achieve it, as well as the number one skill all authors need to cultivate.  Episode Highlights 3:00 The Importance of Protecting Your Mental Health6:45 The True Measure of Success15:00 Understanding Your Yesses and Nos19:50 Building Brand Assets for Your Author Platform28:50 Navigating the Realities of the Publishing Industry42:00 The Impact of Health Challenges on Our Identity60:00 Having Faith in Yourself Resources for this Episode:  Buy Alan Opts OutMaking Art Inside Delicious Darkness Last Night an ENT Saved My LifeExploring the Loneliness Epidemic with Athena DixonHow to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid ClaytonGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now  Courtney’s Bio: Courtney is the author of six books, including ALAN OPTS OUT, the groundbreaking publishing guide that Vanity Fair recently named one of the ten best books for writers, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL and the memoir THE YEAR OF THE HORSES, chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness. A writing coach, director of the writing workshop “Turning Points,” and educator, Courtney's mission is to help people hold on to the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands. Passionate about literary citizenship, Courtney sits on the advisory councils of The Authors Guild and The Rumpus and runs a bestselling Substack on publishing conundrums. You can sign up for her weekly newsletter and online masterclasses at CourtneyMaum.com Connect with Courntey:  Website: courtneymaum.com Substack:https://substack.com/@courtneymaum Instagram: @cbmaum Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  4. Jul 2

    Summer Rewind: Writing to Heal with Laura Davis

    Send us Fan Mail In this summer rewind episode, we revisit my conversation with writing instructor and author of The Courage to Heal, Laura Davis. During this episode, Laura and I discuss the healing power of writing, the difference between writing to heal and writing for a public audience, and the challenges Laura faced while writing her memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars. Episode Highlights 8:25 Dealing with the Emotional Rigors of Memoir Writing12:45: Writing to Heal21:00 Writing for Yourself versus an Audience34:45 Beginning Your Book46:50 Structuring Your Book and Including Primary Resources Resources for this Episode:  Free Ebook: Writing Toward Courage: A 30-Day Practice. Get Your Free Human Design ReportDitch Your Inner Critic Now  Laura’s Bio: Laura Davis is the author of The Burning Light of Two Stars, The Courage to Heal, and five other groundbreaking books. In addition to writing books that inspire, the work of Laura’s heart is to teach. For more than twenty-five years, she’s helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. Laura has been published in Publisher's Weekly, Writer's Digest, CrimeReads, Brevity, and The New York Times, featured in Los Angeles Review of Books, and on QWERTY, Write-Minded, The Only One in the Room, and dozens of other podcasts. She's a featured speaker for The National Association of Memoir Writers and a popular teacher at The San Miguel Writers’ Conference and at Esalen in Big Sur. Learn about her workshops, classes, and international retreats, and read the first five chapters of her memoir at www.lauradavis.net. Connect with Laura Website: www.lauradavis.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurasaridavisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewritersjourney Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  5. Jun 25

    Summer Rewind: The Loneliness of Sibling Loss with Alyson Shelton and Lynn Shattuck

    Send us Fan Mail About this episode:I am currently on break so I can focus on my writing and some much-needed rest. Until I return with new episodes on September seventeenth, I’ve curated a summer rewind series of fan favorites. This week’s episode with Lynn Shattuck and Alyson Shelton was recorded in October 2024 Back then, the Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope anthology was a dream they were working to fulfill. This month, the book celebrated its first birthday. The wisdom in this episode, which fueled the publication of this book, is as timely as ever.  Resources Mentioned During This Episode: Buy The Loss of a LifetimeThere’s No Escape by Alyson SheltonWhat I Want You to Say When I’m Grieving by Lynn Shattuck: My 20-Year-Old Brother Died By Suicide. Here's Why I Almost Joined Him by Lisa Cooper EllisonLynn’s Where I’m From Poem Lisa’s Where I’m From Poem Alyson’s Where I’m From Poem Get Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now  Episode Highlights: 3:23 Silent, Unacknowledged Grief7:45: The Impact of the Hierarchy of Grief12:23 The Benefits of Writing about Sibling Loss18:31: Grieving and Writing in Community23:49 Building the Sibling Loss Anthology32:48 Getting to Know Alyson and Lynn35:23 Lynn and Alyson’s Best Writing Advice Alyson’s Bio: ALYSON SHELTON is an award winning screenwriter and essayist. Her writing is widely published at outlets including The New York Times, Ms. and The Rumpus. She’s deeply proud of her collaborations with other female creatives, most notably, the comic, Reburn  and the films, To Hold The Night and Eve of Understanding. She’s anthologized in Comics Lit Vol. 1 (Accomplishing Innovation Press), No Contact: Writers on Estrangement (Catapult), Root Cause: Stories of Health, Harm and Reclaiming Our Humanity (Editor: Jeannine Ouellette) and The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope (Contributor and Co-Editor). She’s best known for her Instagram Live series inspired by George Ella Lyon’s poem, Where I’m From which celebrated episode 200 in summer 2025 and its partner podcast, Where I'm From. The poem also provides the spine for her memoir in progress. Lynn’s Bio: Lynn Shattuck writes on topics like grief, parenting, and mental health. She was a columnist at Elephant Journal for ten years, where several of her essays on the topic of grief and sibling loss, and parenting went viral.Lynn co-founded the website lossofalifetime.com, a hub of resources and community for those who’ve experienced sibling loss. She co-edited the essay collection, The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, which was released in June 2025. Connect with Lynn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064888772287Substack: https://lynnshattuck.substack.com/ Connect with Alyson Website: www.alysonshelton.comInstagram: @byalysonsheltonWhere I’m From poem project: https://www.alysonshelton.com/where-im-from.html#/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Byalysonshelton Connect with the Loss of a Lifetime Sibling Loss Group Website: https://www.lossofalifetime.com/Instagram: @lossofalifetimeBuilding Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  6. Jun 18

    Linger in the Uncertainty: Jill Christman on Writing Through Grief and Loss

    Send us Fan Mail What do we carry with us from the people we love and lose, and how do we make a choice from the center of our grief? This week, I'm wrestling with these questions alongside memoirist Jill Christman, whose new book The Heart Folds Early is a fierce and tender exploration of the decision to end a pregnancy after a devastating diagnosis. Jill and I talk about how grief from an earlier loss shaped her path toward this choice, the craft of handling time and signposting in memoir, and why she believes memoir is an act of extraction, not accumulation. Episode Highlights 05:31 Serial Memoir Method14:32 Writing To Many Audiences28:10 Making The Hard Decision33:49 Opposite World Exercise34:43 Disrupting Dark Spirals35:38 Finding Levity in Pain Resources for this Episode:  Falling by Jill ChristmanBeautiful Things on Riverteeth MagazineGet Your Free Human Design Report Register for Build Better Memoir ScenesDitch Your Inner Critic Now  Jill’s Bio: Jill Christman is the author of The Heart Folds Early: A Memoir (released March 2026 from the University of Nebraska Press). Christman’s other books include If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays (2023 Foreword INDIES Silver Winner), Darkroom: A Family Exposure (winner of AWP Prize for CNF), and Borrowed Babies: Apprenticing for Motherhood. Her essays have appeared in many anthologies and in magazines such as Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, Iron Horse Literary Review, Longreads, and O, The Oprah Magazine. A 2020 NEA Literature Fellow, she teaches at Ball State University and serves as co-editor of River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative and Beautiful Things (a weekly online magazine of micro nonfiction). Visit her at jillchristman.com. Connect with Jill Website: Jillchristman.comBluesky: @jillchristman.bsky.socialInstagram: @Jillchristmanwriter  Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  7. Jun 11

    Writing as the Language of Emotions: Lindz McLeod on Storytelling, Empathy, and Our Shared Humanity

    Send us Fan Mail What if understanding your characters (and your readers) came down to something as simple as a cup of coffee? In this episode, I sit down with author, writing coach, and rule-breaking storyteller Lindz McLeod to explore writing voice, character motivation, and the iceberg principle that makes stories hauntingly unforgettable. Lindz shares the simple but revelatory "coffee question" that unlocks who your characters really are, why the stories that move us most are the ones brave enough to leave things unsaid, and how writing — no matter the genre — is ultimately the language of emotions that connects us to our shared humanity.  Episode Highlights 07:04 Romance, Motivation, and Self Love16:27 Voice Icebergs and Craft Ambition31:39 Building a Craft Anthology34:22 Icarus on a Farm41:28 Collaboration and Closing AdviceResources for this Episode:  Practicing Radical Acceptance with Zebib AbrahamCinema Worms: Hokum and MichaelFinding Your Voice and Crafting Stories that Ignite the Soul with Sue William SilvermanGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now Lindz’s Bio: Lindz McLeod (she/they) is a queer Scottish writer whose short work has been published by Apex, Catapult, DIVA, Nightmare, and many more. Her longer work includes the award-winning short story collection TURDUCKEN, as well as books including THE UNLIKELY PURSUIT OF MARY BENNET, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAROLINE BINGLEY, and craft anthology AN HONOUR AND A PRIVILEGE. Her work has been taught in schools and universities, turned into avant-garde opera and animation, and optioned for television. She is currently in her final year of a PhD in Creative Writing. You can find Lindz waxing lyrical about books, cats, and her film podcast, Cinema Worms, on Bluesky at @lindzmcleod, Instagram @lindz.mcleod, and examples of her work can be found on www.lindzmcleod.co.uk Connect with Lindz:  Website: https://lindzmcleod.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindz.mcleod/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.mcleod.90 Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

  8. Jun 4

    Are You Writing for Others or Yourself? How to Break Free From People-Pleasing as a Writer

    Send us Fan Mail About this episode: Have you ever said yes to something that felt like destiny, only to realize later it took you further from your goals? In this episode, I share a personal story about a writing group experience that taught me one of the most important lessons of my creative life: the difference between people-pleasing and truly following your gut. I break down what people-pleasing actually is, why we do it, and how it shows up in our writing and our lives in ways we don't always recognize, including through the fawning trauma response. Plus, I share the Achilles’ heel question that gets writers into more trouble than almost anything else. If you've ever said yes to something that felt like destiny only to find it took you further from your goals, this episode is for you. Resources for this Episode:  The Fawning Trauma Response with Ingrid ClaytonFawning by Ingrid ClaytonThe Gifts of Adversity by Norman RosenthalGet Your Free Human Design Report Register for Build Better Memoir ScenesDitch Your Inner Critic Now  Episode Highlights 03:19 Defining People Pleasing06:46 Fawning Trauma Response12:34 How It Shows Up Writing15:58 Get Clear What You Want18:52 You Should Write Book Trap27:30 Wrap Up And Journal PromptLisa’s Bio: Lisa Cooper Ellison is an author, speaker, trauma-informed writing coach, and host of the Writing Your Resilience podcast. Working at the powerful intersection of storytelling and healing, she blends her writing expertise, clinical training, and soul-centered practices—including Akashic Records work and Human Design—to help writers turn their hardest experiences into art. Her essays—on sibling loss, grief, trauma healing, and the craft of writing—have appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, and The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, among others.  Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

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The Writing Your Resilience Podcast is for anyone who wants to use the writing process to flip the script on the stories they’ve been telling themselves, because when we tell better stories about ourselves, we live better lives.  Every Thursday, host Lisa Cooper Ellison, an author, speaker, trauma-informed writing coach, and trauma survivor diagnosed with complex PTSD, interviews writers of tough, true stories, people who've developed incredible grit, and professionals in the field of psychology and healing who've studied resilience. Over the past 7 years Lisa has taught writers how to write their resilience. Each time her clients and students have confronted the stories that no longer serve them, they’ve felt a little safer, become a little braver, and revealed more of their true selves. Now, with this podcast, she is creating a space for you to do this work too.  Equal parts instruction, motivation, and helpful guide, Writing Your Resilience is an opportunity for you to join a community of writers and professionals doing the work that helps us cultivate our authenticity and creativity.  More about Lisa Cooper Ellison: https://lisacooperellison.com Get Your Free Ditch Your Inner Critic masterclass—your shortcut to a confident, S.H.I.F.T.ed mindset: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/

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