Even Writing Coaches Need Writing Coaches
I retraumatized myself writing my memoir last winter.
After getting connected with a literary agent in October, I felt rushed to quickly bust out 5 chapters of the most traumatizing moments of my childhood so I could pitch it to a said literary agent and get going with a potential book deal.
It was an ego-driven move as I saw book tours, moving out of my parent’s house, and starting the next chapter of my life.
Yes, I’m writing about childhood trauma in my parent’s house, not ideal, and DO NOT RECOMMEND.
(I’ve been simultaneously writing stand-up jokes to cope with this juxtaposition season of my life. Dark humor, anyone?)
I began writing dark chapters of my memoir at 1 am when the moon was probably full and my progesterone hormones were at the lowest. (hello luteal phase)
I figured I’m a memoir writing coach who mastered the writing process and has been healing my traumas for YEARS. I can do this!
Let’s go.
Fast forward to completing this chapter, I sit at the computer, eyes wide, tears streaming down my face, my body spiraling into an energetic frenzy like I was running on a hamster wheel.
I began screaming silently, grief pouring out uncontrollably.
Images of a moment in my childhood repeated over and over again.
I had retraumatized myself, and my body was in a push-pull dynamic of wanting to run but unable to. I was stuck in this trauma vortex and began dissociating nearly every day for the next week.
Luckily, I had access to resources and knew what to do as I got certified in somatic trauma therapy.
I booked a session with a memoir coach and an experiencing somatic practitioner.
The memoir coach reminded me to approach my writing process slowly as I write about my childhood trauma.
“Go slow,” My memoir coach told me, “This is your story about the body and your body will be reliving moments from your past, so please go slow and be kind to yourself.”
The somatic experiencing practitioner helped me get out of the trauma vortex. She was able to see I was stuck in a freeze response and guided me to slowly move my body so I could enter the healing vortex and regulate my nervous system.
Both sessions allowed me to return to the present moment and continue writing my memoir safely while also affirming that I was on the right path as both a memoir writing coach and somatic experiencing practitioner in training.
I needed both professionals to guide me through my memoir writing process, which is exactly why I do the work I do combining these worlds.
Memoir writing is an energetic movement in the body.
This work has to be done safely and you don’t have to go through this alone.
When clients come ready to write their stories, we choose a chapter their bodies can handle. I use my somatic experiencing training to gauge the intensity the story can bring to their bodies.
We do more than just write a chapter of their lives. We call in their inner child, their higher self, or their ancestors.
Because the magic of writing your story is accessing all parts of you and being whole within the process.
Memoir Momentum is an all-encompassing 90-minute writing intensive for you to write a chapter of your life, learn my embodied storytelling framework you can use throughout your memoir, and learn how to access safety within the body as you move through your story.
Book a clarity call here to learn more.
Sincerely,
Mary
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