Helping Young Women Discover Real Beauty with Author Stephanie Raff

Helping Young Women Discover Real Beauty with Author Stephanie Raff

 

In today’s episode of “Helping Families be Happy” podcast, host Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a practicing Clinical Psychologist, Wellness Advocate and Author based in Sonoma County, California talks with Stephanie Raff, an Author and a Storyteller about her award winning book - ‘The Ravenous Gown’ and 14 more tales about the real beauty.

 

Episode Highlights

• 01:27 - Storytelling is a great way for Stephanie to connect with people through the medium that she loves so much.
• 03:50 – Stephanie tells the story behind why she wrote the book – The Ravenous Gown. 
• 06:20 – The author talks about her three year old daughter and how life began to change after she was born. Stephanie started to see things from a different perspective in terms of real beauty.
• 08:15 – Stephanie realized that if she didn't change her story about beauty then her sweet little daughter would grow-up living and believing the same story that she did.
• 10:40 - Do you have a piece of a fairy tale you'd like to share, asks Dr. Carla Marie Manly.
• 12:30 – Stephanie narrates an interesting part of the story from the book.
• 16:00 – “Whoever can crush the stone with their bare hands first wins the challenge”, Stephanie narrates from the book.
• 19:20 – “Tell me what you wish, my dear & I shall grant it, fairy godmother took out her wands.”
• 21:38 – “The princess smiled and accepted the bread and soft cheese from the first tray.”
• 23:35 – “The king was sputtering in his rage; the princess stood and addressed them all.”
• 26:33 – Dr. Carla Marie Manly enquires if there are any other tidbits of gold Stephanie would like to share with the listeners.
• 28:05 – Stephanie wanted to give parents a way to have a conversation about all of the different ideas and things in the book, because those conversations are powerful.
• 30:30 – The author says because she has four boys, she really wanted to put things in the stories that would capture their attention too.
• 32:00 – Regardless of gender fairy tales are definitely good food for the soul, heart and mind.

 

Three Key Points

1. Stephanie realized that there weren't a lot of stories out there that could help her paint a better picture of what beauty is. So, she started writing and that is when ‘The Ravenous Gown’ came into existence. These stories have so much heart and all of her life experiences & hard work. She is trying to change her view of herself so that her daughter could live more happily than she did.
2. Dr. Carla states this one story by Stephanie brought all the Familiar values together. It not only brought laughter but also was very poignant and growth oriented.
3. The different thing about the book is that the author has put some of the stories behind the stories as to where they came from. There are some great questions and quotes in the book so that it can open-up a conversation. These conversations connect us to each other and they connect us to the story and with the ideas that help us to be stronger and happier.

 

Tweetable Quotes

• “I especially love that piece you said about the incredible work that goes on within the walls of home.” – Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “I started every journal entry with - I am so ugly.” - Stephanie Raff
• “I certainly don't have the right body shape to be a beautiful princess.” - Stephanie Raff
• “So, there're 15 different stories in this book.” - Stephanie Raff
• “Okay, so I'm imagining there are 14 more tales.” - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “One of the things that make this book a little bit different is in the back.” - Stephanie Raff
• “I can see women of all ages, sharing this book and learning.” - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “I believe that boys and men due too, their pressures are just as big as ours.” - Stephanie Raff

 

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families be Happy Podcast Apple
• Dr. Carla Marie Manly Website LinkedIn Twitter Instagram
• Stephanie Raff Facebook
• Podcast Editing