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.
Wisdom: What is Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching?
This Plus That with Brandi Stanley
Wisdom: Listening to Your Body AND Your Mind
Finding YOUR Way with Isabelle Hardesty
Creative Pep Talk #15: Rule Number Six
Age-Decoded with Mark Ryall
Creative Pep Talk #14: Comparison and Self-Rejection
It‘s Gonna Be Great with Paul ”PB” Bessenbacher
Creative Pep Talk #13: A Story about Comparison
Anger and Curiosity with Dr. Ryan Martin
Creative Pep Talk #12: How Hard Is It?
Psychology and Writing with Sarah Fine
Creative Pep Talk #11: Failure
Coming Out of the Cave with Eddie Louise
Creative Pep Talk #10: Tiny Steps
The Empathy of Art with Kathryn Malek
Creative Pep Talk #9: A Change of Scene
Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor with Michael Broussard
Creative Pep Talk #8: How to Give Feedback
Balancing Writing and Medicine with Lydia Kang
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