My guest this week is Kerry Malawista, a psychoanalyst and writer who uses writing to heal. She’s the co-director of the New Directions in Writing project, which offers programs in writing from a psychological perspective. Her publication credits include the Washington Post, New York Times, and Delmarva Review, which nominated her for a Pushcart Prize. Her first novel, Meet the Moon, focuses on a young teen after the loss of her mother. Kerry talks with me about how she came to writing later in life, creating a writing program—The Things They Carry Project—to help healthcare workers cope with the pandemic, how she turned her own story of loss into a novel, how we perceive memory and truth, and more.
Episode breakdown:
00:00 Parents' encouragement led to unexpected creativity.
04:40 First published piece inspired by Costa Rica trip.
09:33 Overcame challenges, found success, inspired others.
12:09 Email testimonials show positive impact on frontline workers.
15:57 Led groups for teachers, immigrants, college-bound youth.
20:32 Reading shapes perception and understanding of truth.
22:59 Realization of an impossible event from memory.
24:34 Using writing to process powerful personal experiences.
30:25 Struggling writer finds inspiration to use imagination.
32:17 Fiction captures therapist's view on loss and resilience.
34:58 Conveying ideas in a novel can be challenging.
38:48 Memoir vs novel: finding the right structure.
43:39 Humorous movie turns into husband's choking ordeal.
47:07 Effective writing balances trauma with humor.
50:29 Use all 5 senses to describe experiences.
Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.
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Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.
Embracing Your Enthusiasm with Kyle Fletcher
Following the "Nudge" with Paige Kaufman
Protecting Your Creativity with Tracy Matthews
Bringing Your Vision to Life with Angela Fareri
Dragonflies at Night with Anne Marie Bennett
Quitting Is Not an Option with Orrin Evans
Seeing Possibilities with Rachel Marianno
Don't Give Up on Yourself with Todd Evans
Becoming the Eighth Doctor with Paul McGann, Part 2
Becoming the Eighth Doctor with Paul McGann, Part 1
Inspiration and Originality with Cindy Lynn Speer
Navigating Your Inner Wilderness with Darcy Wade
Running Away to Join the Circus with Ryan Ward
The Power of Creative Constraints with Zoha Abbas
Some Thoughts on Recent Events
You Never Know Until You Try with Alex Rudy
Learning by Doing with Desiree Argentina
Good Grammar with Curtis Honeycutt
Living an Intuitive Life with Kelly Abanda
Happily Homeless with Alison Miller
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