Advertise on podcast: Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through Writing

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: What does it actually cost you to keep going when your body has been quietly saying stop for months? In this honest, unfiltered episode, I'm sharing why Writing Your Resilience is taking a break through the end of 2026 even as the podcast has surpassed 52,000 listens and landed in the top 100 for writers and artists on Feedspot. This isn't a burnout story. It's a story about what happens when you ignore your sacral knowing, suppress your inner voice, and unintentionally censor not just your podcast, but your entire creative voice. I talk about grief, mold, exhaustion, shadow work, and the paradigm shift I'm calling leading from being  and I invite you to ask yourself what signal you've been filing under someday. If you're a creative person who is tired, flat, or quietly out of alignment with what your soul is actually calling for, this one is for you. Episode Highlights 00:00 Soul Deep Exhaustion04:44 Announcing The Hiatus05:38 Hard Summer Events16:53 Retreat Shadow Realization22:11 Reclaiming Your Voice27:16 Staying Connected During Break Resources for this Episode:  Get your human design chart now Save 30% with code RESILIENCEJoin my Substack Community Lisa’s Bio: Lisa Cooper Ellison is an award-winning writer, speaker, trauma-informed creativity and empowerment coach, and host of the Writing Your Resilience podcast. Working at the intersection of storytelling, healing, and human design, she blends two decades of clinical expertise, soul-centered practices, including Akashic Records work, guided imagery, and meditation, with deep creative mentorship to help people reauthor their lives from the inside out. Her work as a story alchemist helps people transform the heaviest, most resistant chapters of their lives into clarity, creative power, and sovereign self-expression. 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, among others. Her podcast, Writing Your Resilience, ranks in the top 100 on FeedSpot and has been described by listeners as “smart, rich, inspiring, and chicken soup for the tender soul.” 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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: In this final summer rewind episode, I revisit my highly popular episode with writer, writing instructor, and publisher Jennifer Selig. In it, we discussed how memoir writing can be a powerful tool for healing and self-discovery. Learn how Jennifer’s unique blend of depth psychology and storytelling offers a fresh perspective on the writing process, and find out how her alchemical stages of change and equations for transformation can help you navigate the emotional terrain of your memoir. Episode Highlights 4:30:  Depth Psychology and the Writing Cure12:15:  Understanding Archetypes17:28: The Three Stages of Transformation 25:30 The Four Equations of Transformation 29:00 The Issue of Catharsis 34:00 The Power of Attention Resources for this Episode:  ”Nobody Sees a Flower, Really, It Is So Small”: Extolling the Ethic of Attention” by Jennifer Leigh Selig “A Question of Catharsis” by Debra Gwartney Jennifer’s Bio: Jennifer Leigh Selig is an LBGTQ+ teacher, international speaker, book publisher, and author whose writing and teaching career spans four decades. She’s the author of dozens of newspaper articles, book reviews, essays, journal articles, short stories, screenplays, and books, including the Nautilus Gold award-winning book Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your Creative Spirit, and her latest book, Deep Memoir: An Archetypal Approach to Deepen Your Story and Broaden Its Appeal. Connect with Jennifer:  Website: www.jenniferleighselig.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.selig.1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferselig/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferleighselig/ 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 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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: In this summer rewind episode, I revisit my conversation with yoga therapist and certified death doula Natalie Buster as we grapple with this question: How do you write about really tough, or even traumatic, life events in a way that connects with your audience and the truth, without losing yourself? It’s a question so many writers ask me. Natalie's answers are ones every writer and creative needs to remain open hearted and true to their art and who they are.  Episode Highlights 2:28 What Is a Trauma-Informed Yoga Instructor? 7:18 Opening the Shop Step One: Grounding 12:07 Opening the Shop Step Two: Breathwork16:27 Opening the Shop Step Three: Moving Your Body 21:43 The Importance of Play 25:42 Opening the Shop Step Four: The Power of Affirmations 29:11 What Death Teaches Us About Storytelling 35:42 Natalie’s Best Writing Advice37:10 Closing the Shop Resources for this Episode:  Our Year at ABODEBefore You Go Bonus Episode: Opening and Closing the Shop Natalie’s CostumeHow to Locate, Reclaim and Strengthen Your Writing VoiceDonate to Abode Natalie’s Bio:  Natalie is a yoga therapist, an end-of-life navigator, a certified death doula, a grief reliever, an actor, a podcaster, a writer, and a mentor with a deep desire to help people. As a professional actor in New York City, Natalie first discovered yoga as a way to practice self-care in an incredibly demanding profession. After dealing with personal loss, Natalie found comfort in the world of yoga therapy and has since made it her life's mission to help people find relief and love. Natalie specializes in working with people at the end of life, people experiencing grief, and loss, and performers looking to practice self-care. She is currently serving as the executive director of Abode, an end-of-life home that offers contemplative care for the dying.  Connect with Natalie:  Websites: https://nataliebuster.wixsite.com/groundedactorhttps://www.nataliebuster.com/yogaforendoflifehttps://www.nataliebuster.com/https://abodehome.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliebusteryoga/https://www.instagram.com/groundedactorproject/Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: In this summer rewind episode, I revisit my conversation with Margaret Lee, author of the highly acclaimed memoir Starry Field. In it we explore the impacts of intergenerational trauma on our identity, the challenges of writing a researched memoir, staying motivated over the long haul, and the problem of getting an agent too soon. Since recording this episode, Starry Field has been named a best book of 2024 by the San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Independent Review of Books and Largehearted Boy. It was also the winner of the Discovery Prize for Nonfiction by the Writers’ League of Texas.  Episode Highlights 4:00 Why Explore the Past?7:00 The Impact of Intergenerational Trauma9:00 The Role of Stories in Identity Formation15:00 Maintaining Your Momentum Over the Long Haul20:00 Getting an Agent Too Soon22:00 Structuring a Researched Memoir26:00 The Miracle of the Memoir Process29:00 Turning Yourself into a Character35:00 Understanding Situation versus Story Resources for this Episode:  Starry Field with Margaret Juhae Lee and Grace M. Cho Interview for the Korea Society Margaret’s Bio: Margaret Juhae Lee is an Oakland-based writer and a former literary editor of The Nation magazine. She has been the recipient of a Bunting Fellowship from Harvard University and a Korean Studies Fellowship from the Korean Foundation. She is also a Tin House alum and has been awarded residencies at the Mesa Refuge, Anderson Center, and Mineral School. In 2020, she was named “Person of the Year” by the Sangcheol Cultural Welfare Foundation in Kongju, South Korea, for her work in honoring her grandfather, Patriot Lee Chul Ha. Her articles, reviews, and interviews have been published in The Nation, Newsday, Elle, ARTnews, The Advocate, The Rumpus and Writer's Digest. Connect with Margaret:  Website: www.margaretjuhaelee.comInstagram: @mjuhaeTwitter: @margaretjuhaeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-juhae-lee-2b95905/Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: In this summer rewind episode, I revisit my conversation with Jessica Yen, an alumni of my Camp Structure program and now a coach about the challenges she faced while dealing with discouraging feedback from a literary agent. Join us as we explore how agents think, what the market may–or may not–be looking for, and how to regain your power when difficult feedback knocks you down.  Episode Highlights  5:41: The Agent Mindset10:55: Are We Ready for COVID Stories? 13:12: The Demand for Parenting Books15:10: Finding Your Book’s Essential Question24:10: Taking Your Power Back27:15: A New Take on Writer’s Block Resources for this Episode:  Categorically So by Jessica YenBeauty by Jessica Yen (nominated for a Pushcart Prize)How I Went From “Big 5 or Die!” to Ecstatic Self-Published Author by Denise MassarNinety-Nine Fire Hoops by Allison Hong-MerrillWhat My Bones Know by Stephanie FooBetween the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi CoatesThe True Meaning of Success and The Multiple Paths to Publish Your Book with Courtney MaumRecovering from Cults and Religious Trauma Through Writing with Tia LevingsHow to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid Clayton Jessica’s Bio: Jessica Yen is a Chinese American author who explores the intersection of memory, family, culture, language, identity, and history. Her work has been supported by an Oregon Literary Fellowship, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Caldera Arts, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, and Voices of Our Nations Arts. She is a twice-Pushcart Prize nominated essayist whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Fourth Genre, The Masters Review, Oregon Humanities, and Best American Travel Writing, among others. She is currently working on a memoir. By day, she writes grants and edits academic manuscripts for non-profits, university departments and scholars, and clinics who seek to address health inequities and works as a wellness coach. You can find her online at www.jessicayen.com. Connect with Jessica:  Website: www.jessicayen.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 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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this episode: In this summer rewind episode, I revisit my conversation with the amazing Sue William Silverman about her craft book Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul. In it, we talk about the power of creative nonfiction, how to use metaphor, masks, and language to harness its power, and how this work can lead to personal growth. Episode Highlights 4:00 Why We Write Creative Nonfiction 8:00 Metaphors in Creative Nonfiction Writing 24:00 Using Masks to Externalize the Narrator and Connect with Their Voice 30:00 Writing, Creativity, and Emotional Truth 36:00 Creative Nonfiction Writing and Personal Growth 42:00 Writing, Memoir, and Essay Collections.48:00 Writing, Resilience, and Self-Expression Resources for this Episode:  “Innocence & Experience: Voice in Creative Nonfiction” by Sue William Silverman“INTERVIEW & REVIEW: Sue William Silverman, Author of Acetylene Torch Songs” Crafting Meaning in Flash Nonfiction with Sue William Silverman How to Write a Memoir When You Don’t Remember with Sue William Silverman Sue’s Bio: Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of nine works of nonfiction and poetry. Her new book, "Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader," is a collection of flash essays. Her book on the craft of writing, "Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul," won the 2024 IPPY Silver Award. Her memoir-in-essays collection, "How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences," won the gold star in Foreword Reviews INDIE Book of the Year Award. Other works include "Love Sick: One Woman’s Journey through Sexual Addiction," made into a Lifetime TV movie; "Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You," which won the AWP Award; and "The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew." She’s co-chair of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her media appearances include The View, Anderson Cooper-360, and PBS Books. Connect with Sue:  Website: www.SueWilliamSilverman.comFacebook: @SueWilliamSilvermanInsta: @suewilliamsilverman 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 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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail Join me and editor extraordinaire Lilly Dancyger for this summer rewind episode where we discuss her latest book, First Love, an intimate, electric collection of essays on friendship, identity, and what it means to grow into yourself in community. During our conversation, Lilly shares her sharp insights on the craft of memoir, why she bristles at the idea of writing as catharsis, and how she pushes back against the dead girl trope by keeping her cousin Sabina fully alive on the page. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn memory into art without falling into the trap of polishing your pain, this one’s for you. Episode Highlights 3:36: The Problem of Connecting Memoir with Catharsis10:12: Essays as a Space for Play and Variation13:04: Showing Intimacy on the Page21:12: Zooming In and Zooming Out27:00: Pushing Against the Dead Girl Trope33:44: Strategies for Cleansing Your Creative Palette  Resources for this Episode:  “Canceling My Book Deal Was the Best Career Move I’ve Ever Made” by Lilly Dancyger“Why Your Memoir Won’t Sell” by Jane FriedmanMore Than True Crime with Sarah Perry Sign up for Find and Sharpen Your Memoir’s VoiceGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now  Lilly’s Bio: Lilly Dancyger is the author of First Love: Essays on Friendship, and Negative Space. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Playboy, and Rolling Stone, among others, and she writes the Substack newsletter The Word Cave. Dancyger lives in New York City, and teaches creative nonfiction in the MFA programs at Columbia University and Randolph College. Connect with Lilly:  Website: https://www.lillydancyger.com/Substack: https://substack.com/@lillydancygerBlue Sky: @lillydancyger.bsky.socialInstagram: @lillydancyger on instagram 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 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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

Send us Fan Mail About this Episode: Have you ever felt like your creativity isn’t enough or that your artistic endeavors are secondary to everything on your to-do list? Have you tried all the strategies only to find yourself struggling with this yet again? Join me and my client, Carolyn Fallert, in this summer rewind episode, as we explore the impact of familial and cultural socializations and how strategies aren’t enough. You need to understand yourself. Get ready to discover the importance of understanding your unique operating system and how it should determine the strategies you use.   Resources for this Episode:  We Need Your Art by Amie McNeeCarolyn’s SubstackWhat are the nine Enneagram types?The True Meaning of Success and the Multiple Paths to Publishing Your Book with Courtney MaumThe Art of Intimacy: Crafting Connections in Memoir and Essay with Lilly DancygerSign up for Find and Sharpen Your Memoir’s VoiceGet Your Free Human Design Report Ditch Your Inner Critic Now Episode Highlights 1:40 The Number One Trick for Getting Unstuck6:40 Protecting Time and Your Creative Energy 7:31 Understanding Your Nature 17:20 Overcoming Your Conditioning22:50 Identifying Your Why Carolyn’s Bio: Carolyn Fallert is a trauma-informed, feminist self-defense coach who shares everyday practices for moving through fear, standing in our powers, and finding safety within through her substack and in-person self-defense trainings. Her essays have been published in Spank the Carp and Points in Case. Prior to dedicating herself to writing and self-defense, she consulted for Fortune 500 companies and the Gates Foundation. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA-ID (Master of Public Administration in International Development) from Harvard Kennedy School. She’s writing a memoir about learning self-defense as a survivor of sexual assault. Connect with Carolyn Instagram: @carolynfallertSubstack: https://yourpowers.substack.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-f7ObRgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/  Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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: @lossofalifetimeVisit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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

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 Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. Visit https://lisacooperellison.com/yourdesign/ and use promo code RESILIENCE to get 30% off your foundational report. 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