Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Media Psychologist, and Author
Memoir Writing, Blogging, and Ghostwriting​
Weekly Doses of Pop-up Psych
We all make cringey mistakes and deserve to move on, rather than feel confused or regretful after an icky social situation. Each week, I will dissect a murky social, life cycle, or pop culture topic to help you understand, learn, and move on. As a former academic, I am a super-picky consumer of research (and you should be too) as well as the content I create and share, so those new solutions, data and/or additional resources have certainly met my approval.
Are You Ready to Write Your Memoir? Find Out Here!
Every single day, every single person on this earth goes through a series of different lived experiences. Their experiences could range from boring, normal, and dramatic to life altering. Different perspectives also put a unique lens on our experiences that eventually become memories.
Some experiences and memories shape us more than others. Although they do not define us, they are the little pieces of fabric woven into our personal tapestry. Many of us want to feel seen and validated, as shown within Maslow’s Hierchy of Needs for Social Belonging.
You know you are ready for your memoir journey when you know where to go for extra support.
Going back to those dark places can be scary and triggering. It’s okay to not be okay. You will be okay. Remember, we are people and not robots. If it gets overwhelming, take a break from the project and seek counseling or anything else you need. There are online groups and communities, information, and other resources available. You are not alone. Don’t forget about Your People who are there to love you.
You know you are ready for your memoir journey when your purpose is to empower.
Be the hero of your own story, not the victim of someone else’s. What is the point of sharing your story? There are lots of terrible memoirs with amazing stories that focus more on the whining rather than the wisdom. Your story can help other people.
You know you are ready for your memoir journey when you are not doing it for revenge.
The purpose of a story should not be to hurt, embarrass, defame, humiliate, or invade the privacy of other people. The aforementioned are different methods of cyberbullying, which tend to backfire. There are lots of celebrities making fools of themselves trying to shame other people while telling their stories. Don’t be one of them!
Is Now Too Soon?
I get lots of inquiries from people who want to embark upon their memoir journey. I will not work with just anyone, especially if they seem to be using their memoir to expose or try to get revenge on someone. For example, I have spoken to several people who escaped from cults and are now trying to expose them. I tell them “wrong author”, suggest they contact an attorney and wish them the best of luck, but will not work with someone with those intentions. Knowing if it’s the right time is essential.
You know you are ready for your memoir journey when you have made peace with your trauma.
There are no true schedules or timelines for our healing journeys. It will never go away, but at least able to talk about the experience. Healing is messy! It might still hurt and dig up emotions, but you are in a less vulnerable place. My goal with my clients is to make the rough parts as smooth and painless as possible.
Hi Beautiful Readers and thank you for reading this! I'm Dr. Joanne Broder, Media Psychologist, Author, and Fellow of the American Psychological Association. Please consider me to help you write your memoir, blogs, speeches, e-books, as well as coach you on your dissertation or thesis. Click here so we can connect!