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 Sign Up For My Writing Your Resilience Newsletter and Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less: Five Brain Hacks that Will Supercharge Your Productivity, Creativity, and Confidence: https://lisacooperellison.com/newsletter-subscribe/

  1. 3D AGO

    Encore: The Power of Micro Memoir: Grief, Storytelling, and Experimentation with Amy Lin

    Send us a text How do you dive into the marrow of an experience we’ll all one day share, yet so many of us struggle to talk about? And how do you write into a topic so widely covered that it feels impossible to say something new? Today, I’m joined by Amy Lin, author of the stunning micro memoir Here After, as we tackle these questions head-on. Together, we’ll explore the raw realities of grief, how Amy’s memoir acts as a powerful container for this universal experience, the magic of the micro-form, and what it takes to create something experimental. Plus, I’ll share a transformative tool to expand how you see your stories—and uncover the truths hiding within them. Amy’s Bio: Amy Lin lives in Calgary, Canada where there are two seasons: winter and road construction. She completed her MFA at Warren Wilson College and holds BAs in English Literature and Education. Her work has been published in places such as Ploughshares and she has been awarded residencies from Yaddo and Casa Comala. Here After is her first book. Resources Mentioned During This Episode: The Unseen Shore (Part One) by Amy LinYi Shun Lai’s Post “People’s Names Are Important”Lily Be “The Donas of Humbolt Park” More about Lily BeIt’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People with Dr. Ramani Durvasula Episode Highlights The Container of Grief The “Good Signs” of GriefPerformative Grief versus the Reality of Grief The Five Stages of Grief DebunkedThe Power of Micro Memoir The Story Neighborhood Exercise The Marrow of Living Amy’s Best Writing Advice  Connect with Amy:  Substack: https://atthebottomofeverything.substack.com/Website: amydawnlin.comInstagram: @literaryamyTikTok: @literaryamy Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    57 min

  2. AUG 21

    Encore: How Recovery Supports Memoir Writing and Book Marketing Tips with Laura Cathcart Robbins

    Send us a text Author Laura Cathcart Robbins shares book marketing tips she learned while promoting her memoir Stash: My Life in Hiding, and how recovery helped her cultivate the honesty needed to write her memoir.  Laura’s Bio: Laura Cathcart Robbins is the best-selling author of the Atria/Simon & Schuster memoir, Stash, My Life In Hiding, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Her recent articles on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2022 TEDx Speaker, and LA Moth StorySlam winner. Currently, she sits on the advisory boards of the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival.  Resources Mentioned in This Episode I Was the Only Black Person at Elizabeth Gilbert and Cheryl Strayed’s ‘Brave’ Magic Retreat by Laura Cathcart Robbins“A White Woman Told Me She Doesn’t Think of Me as Black. Here’s How I Reacted.” by Laura Cathcart RobbinsBook Review for Stash: My Life in Hiding by Lisa Cooper EllisonAuthor Platform Is Not a Requirement to Sell Your Novel or Children’s Book by Jane FriedmanOfficial TranscriptEpisode Highlights The Response to StashThe Power of HonestyThe Link Between Recovery and HonestyChanneling Your Energy in a Specific DirectionMarketing Your Book and YourselfCaring For Yourself As You Market Your BookYear Two and Working with Book ClubsHow Honesty Builds ResilienceConnect with Laura Website: https://lauracathcartrobbins.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauracathcartrobbinsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauracathcartrobbinsTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mscathcartrobbinsX: https://twitter.com/lauracrobbinsConnect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    58 min

  3. AUG 14

    Encore: Caring for Your Nervous System and Creativity with Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Kirby Moore

    Send us a text Writing can be a powerful tool for healing, but when writing the tough stuff, it’s easy to get triggered and relive the experiences you’re writing about. If you’re wondering what to do about this, join me and somatic experiencing practitioner Kirby Moore as we explore how the nervous system works and how to care for it and your writing life. Plus, Kirby will teach you a powerful tool you can use right now to calm your nervous system. While you can listen to this on any platform, if you’re a visual learner, this is a great episode to watch on YouTube. Now, let’s get to my conversation with Kirby Moore. Kirby’s bio: Kirby brings a unique and potent blend of modalities to his healing facilitation sessions. He has been very fortunate to study with some masterful SE faculty members, with Tibetan Buddhist heart teachers, and one of the pioneers in the field of Birth Process Work. All this training, plus 20 years as a practicing Astrologer, means that Kirby offers exceptional somatic process work – both in-person and online. In 2019, Kirby developed Trauma Informed Astrology, which is a very ambitious blend of Western Astrology, nervous system repair and theory, and embodiment tools. He loves offering courses, mentoring students, and offering clients rare insights into their process. Resources Mentioned During This Episode: Kirby’s Course: Liberating the Space ElementUse the Code Podcast30 to save 30% off this courseSouls of the Feet MeditationHeart Coherence MeditationDr. Kay Tye: The Biology of Social Interactions and EmotionsEpisode Highlights Biodynamic Cranial Sacral TherapyWhat is Somatic ExperiencingHealthy and Unhealthy Checking OutThe Consequences of DissociationReciprocals: A Powerful Somatic ToolWhy Meditation Can Harm Trauma SurvivorsDealing with Writing TriggersSomatic Advice on Writing Connect with Kirby Website: www.traumainformedastrology.comWebsite: www.mkirbymoore.comWebsite: https://astrodharma.meInstagram: @traumainformedastrologyEmail: kirby@mkirbymoore.com 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. http Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    48 min

  4. AUG 7

    Encore: The Power of Words: Samman Akbarzada on Finding Her Voice After Fleeing Afghanistan

    Send us a text Imagine working tirelessly for years to publish your first novel—only to have the moment of celebration collide with the collapse of your country. Imagine being forced to flee, leaving behind everything you’ve ever known, and yet… still finding your voice through poetry, storytelling, and advocacy. Today, I have the honor of speaking with Samman Akbarzada—a poet, novelist, refugee, and fierce advocate for human rights. Her novel, Life is a Movie, tells the story of a working child in Afghanistan, while her poetry collection, A Glimmer in the Dark, captures the heartbreak of exile and the enduring hope of survival. Join us as we discuss the power of storytelling, the resilience of the human spirit, and how writing can bear witness to both personal and collective grief. Episode Highlights Publishing in a War ZoneThe Impact of Crisis and Loss on Our Writing LivesGiving a Voice to Someone Who’s GoneHow Helping Others Empowers YouListening to the HowlWriting as an Act of ServiceSamman’s Best Writing AdviceResources for this Episode:  Afghan refugees head to Washington asking special visas be issued for familiesAfghan refugee pleads for resettlement support on Capitol HillVolunteer Information: https://www.volunteermatch.org/Volunteer Organizations in Charlottesville: https://soundjusticelab.org/cville-tulipshttps://www.charlottesvilleunited.org/https://www.virginiaequitycenter.org/Watch the Trailer for LimboSamman Akbarzada is an Afghan refugee and the author of two books: A Glimmer in the Dark, her poetry collection, and Life is a Movie, her debut novel. A second-year student at the University of Virginia, she is committed to working with NGOs and advocating for the rights of underserved communities. Her words capture the suffering, heartbreak, gratitude, and redemption that mark a life lived on the blade of conflict, with love and empathy as her constant guiding light. Connect with Samman Website: https://www.amazon.com/author/samman-akbarzadaInstagram.com/sammanwritesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samman-akbarzada-9359792a0Samman’s books: https://bookshop.org/p/books/life-is-a-movie-samman-akbarConnect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    45 min

  5. JUL 31

    Encore: Making Meaning and Writing Toward Posttraumatic Growth with Lennie Echterling

    Send us a text Lennie Echterling joins the Writing Your Resilience podcast to talk about the lessons he learned from landmine survivors, the difference between empathy and toxic positivity, the importance of fostering your posttraumatic growth, and how to use writing to build your resilience.  Lennie’s Bio: Lennie Echterling, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus at James Madison University with more than 40 years of experience in promoting resilience, particularly during crises and disasters. He has served as crisis counselor, consultant, and trainer following many traumatic stress events, including tornadoes and floods throughout the United States, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the tsunami in India, the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon, the shootings at Virginia Tech, and landmine explosions in the Middle East. His awards include JMU’s Distinguished Faculty Award, Virginia Counselors Association’s Humanitarian Award, Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Award, Virginia Counselors Career Service Award among many others.  Resources mentioned during this episode:  The Paradox of Empathy: When Empathy Hurts Thriving in a Time of Crisis The Book of Forgiving: The Four-Fold Path Four Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu Writing to Heal with Laura Davis Good Night Jung by Lennie Echterling  Episode Highlights Lessons from Landmine Survivors  Triggers for ResilienceDefining Posttraumatic GrowthThe Problem of Toxic PositivityThe Power of Being with Another Person’s StoryThe Struggle to TrustEmbracing and Exploring the Chaos StoryThe Role of Neuroplasticity in StorytellingLessons Learned from Final ConversationsMaking Every Day Valentine’s DayThe Power of Expressing Gratitude  Lennie’s Best Writing AdviceLennie’s Resilience PracticeConnect with Lennie:  Email: echterlg@jmu.edu Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    1h 5m

  6. JUL 24

    Encore: Navigating Complex Relationships and Writing Through Trauma with Lara Lillibridge

    Send us a text If you have a complicated relationship with someone, how do you write about them? Should you craft a linear memoir that reads more like a journey or write something that mirrors your experience? Join me and Lara Lillibridge, author of Girlish, Mama, Mama, Only Mama, and The Truth of Unringing Phones, as we explore the impact of estrangement on the memoir writing process, how to protect your heart as you write about painful experiences, the power of publishing your story, as well as the a-ha Lara had about which part of the writing process actually heals you. Lara’s Bio: Lara Lillibridge (she/they) is the author of The Truth About Unringing Phones: Essays on Yearning; Mama, Mama, Only Mama: An Irreverent Guide for the Newly Single Parent, and Girlish: Growing Up in a Lesbian Home,. Lara is a Creative Nonfiction Editor for HeartWood Literary Magazine. She holds an MFA from West Virginia Wesleyan College and is a mentor for AWP’s Writer to Writer. In this episode:  When can non-linear storytelling play a role in writing about fragmented relationships?Advice for balancing dark and light moments in memoir writing to present a full picture of the relationship.The importance of audience connection and feedback as a source of resilience during the book launch period.The healing power of revision.Tips for organizing and structuring non-linear memoirs. Resources Mentioned During This Episode: The True Meaning of Success with Courtney Maum Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life by Kao Kalia Yang New York Times article on Consent by Jill Cement Episode Highlights COVID’s Impact on Our CreativityStructuring an Estrangement StoryCrafting a Nonlinear MemoirProtecting Your Heart as You WriteHow Estrangement Impacts UsThe Healing Power of Publishing Your StoryLara’s Best Writing Advice Connect with Lara Website: http://laralillibridge.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/Only_Mama Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lara.lillibridge Instagram/Threads: https://www.instagram.com/LaraLillibridge Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    39 min

  7. JUL 17

    Encore: Recovering from Cults and Religious Trauma Through Writing with Tia Levings

    Send us a text Tia Levings joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to discuss her experience as a debut author, writing to heal without retraumatizing yourself, the gaslighting that happens in religion, and getting things off your chest and onto the page to educate others with your writing. As you listen to this episode, consider the following questions:  What would you need to do to claim your story? What would tell you it has legs? What would you need to do to see it from a wider lens? If it is a really tough story, how would you care for yourself as you work on it? Tia is an author and guest expert who exposes the abuses in Christian Fundamentalism. She’s been quoted in Salon, the Huffington Post, and the New York Times and appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Her memoir, A Well-Trained Wife, will be published August, 6, 2024 by St. Martin's Press. Online, Tia connects our current news headlines with high-control religious roots. Episode Highlights: Signals Your Project Has LegsHow Writing HealsGaslighting and ReligionFinding the Wider LensUnderstanding Your BoundariesWriting Without Retraumatizing YourselfClaiming Your StoryCaring for the Soft Animal of Your BodyItems mentioned in this episode:  The  Best Way to Deal with End-of_year Angst  (Blog post on writing in a vacuum)  Welcome to The Anti-Fundamentalist Shiny Happy People where to find it Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott Dr. Ramani On Gaslighting Plotting Your Novel with The Plot Clock Deep Work by Cal Newport Connect with Tia:  Website: https://tialevings.com Tia’s Book: https://tialevings.com/book Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TiaLevingsWriter Facebook: https://facebook.com/TiaLevingsWriter Substack: https://tialevings.substack.com Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    55 min

  8. JUL 10

    Encore: Understanding Neurodivergence with Katie Rose Guest Pryal

    Send us a text Katie Rose Guest Pryal joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to take a deep dive into what neurodiversity is and how it impacts writers. Here are a few questions to ponder as you listen to this episode: What do you know about neurodiversity? Do you consider yourself to be neurodivergent? If you are, how does that impact the way you set up your writing life, what you write about, and how you see the world? Katie Rose Guest Pryal, J.D., Ph.D., is a bipolar-autistic author, keynote speaker, law professor, and expert in mental health and neurodiversity. Her books include Life of the Mind Interrupted: Essays on Mental Health and Disability in Higher Education, the IPPY-Gold-winning Even If You’re Broken: Bodies, Boundaries, and Mental Health, and A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education. She writes frequently for national magazines and speaks around the country about mental health and neurodiversity. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Episode Highlights Defining NeurodiversityThe Power of a DiagnosisThe Problem of OverwhelmReclaiming the Word SelfishLearn to CopeFitting into the Narrow Band of “Normal”Writing and Neurodiversity  Items mentioned during this episode:  Katie’s post about overwhelm: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzbTVgJgc5L/ Compton Cowboys: https://www.instagram.com/comptoncowboys/ Contact Katie:  Substack: https://krgpryal.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krgpryal/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krgpryal/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/krgpryal Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Sign up for The Art of Reflection in Memoir: https://janefriedman.com/the-art-of-reflection-in-memoir-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

    50 min
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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 Sign Up For My Writing Your Resilience Newsletter and Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less: Five Brain Hacks that Will Supercharge Your Productivity, Creativity, and Confidence: https://lisacooperellison.com/newsletter-subscribe/

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