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What life story coaching taught me about narrative, reflection, and the quiet power of telling our truths.
Is there a story about your life that you’ve felt compelled to share—but for whatever reason, it’s stayed locked inside your head? Are there idea dribs and drabs scattered across journals or Google Docs, fragments that feel meaningful but don’t yet add up to a whole?
Sometimes we start writing, but lose track of the thread. Other times, the story is so big—or painful—that we don’t know how to shape it. What do we include? What do we leave behind? And how do we create a version that feels not only honest, but hopeful?
Life story coaching helps you explore, reframe, and make sense of where you’ve been and illuminates a path forward. Its foundation is the act of writing your story, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a structured process for gaining insight, forming deep connections with others . . . and in many cases, healing.
We all carry stories that we rarely tell. But what if some of those stories could change the way we see our past and possibly even light the way towards our future?
At its heart, it’s about shaping narrative—choosing the throughlines, the defining moments, and the meanings you carry forward. It’s about telling the truth of your life in a way that makes space for growth, understanding, and grace.
Where It Began – My Journey As a Life Story Coach
Even as a child, I was drawn to writing. My memories are filled with images of me, crouched over the desk in my bedroom, journaling my innermost thoughts against the backdrop of 1970’s wallpaper blooming with groovy marigold and orange flowers.
Writing to me at that time was a solitary affair, and also a secretive one. I wouldn’t dare share my private thoughts with someone–how embarrassing! Writing my personal stories remained a largely private endeavor for me until a pivotal moment about 15 years ago when I opened my heart and wrote a hastily-penned “love letter” photo book to my godmother Christine, who was in the last weeks of her life. When I learned that Christine requested to be buried with the book I created, it was a turning point in how I saw storytelling. When we share our stories with others, there is a beautiful, poignant alchemy at work–and we are all changed for the better.
What is Life Story Coaching?
Life story coaching (or, as it’s sometimes called, “Guided Autobiography”) is not therapy, but it can feel therapeutic. When I first heard about it, I was skeptical because the process is deceptively simple: it’s a structured writing process for reflecting on key life moments, finding meaning, and writing it down in a way that feels true. The process is led by a certified facilitator and participants take turns reading their brief essays aloud to the group.
After attending my GAB certification training, I finally understood the “secret sauce” of this process: it’s learning to say out loud those important thoughts and feelings of your story. And because you need to keep the essay to 800-1000 words, you find yourself sifting through all the details, deciding which ones best support the narrative you want to tell. That editorial process—the choices you make about what belongs and what’s ready to be set down—is where the narrative takes shape. And it’s where the magic of meaning-making happens. It’s a masterclass in memoir, yes—but also in the art of living a life you can see clearly.
One of the most powerful aspects of immersing yourself in a life stories class is seeing your transformation with each new story you read aloud. You will honor your life, claim your voice and see connections with your classmates that would have seemed unlikely prior to starting the course.
In shaping your story, you reshape how you see yourself. That’s the heart of life story coaching—not just writing what was, but living what’s next.
And that’s why I’m a fervent champion of helping others write their life stories. If you’ve ever felt the pull to write something down—but didn’t know where to begin—this work might be for you. I’d be honored to walk the path with you. Drop me a line to learn more.
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Original Article Published at People Equation
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