Writing for an Audience Without Losing Yourself: Trauma-Informed Storytelling with Beth Docherty

Send us Fan MailWhat does it mean to write the truth when your story includes trauma—and how do you do it without retraumatizing yourself or your readers?That’s what I’ll explore with this week’s guest, Beth Docherty—a trauma-informed healthcare educator, musician, and emerging memoirist—as she shares her journey from research chemist to advocate for safer, more compassionate care. Together, we dive into one of the most important questions memoirists ask: How do we write about hard truths in ways that are honest, responsible, and healing? Get your notebook, open your heart, and get ready to explore nervous system regulation while writing, what your readers really need from you, and how to know when your story is ready for the world.Episode Highlights2:19: Balancing Truth and Care for the Reader4:45: Understanding Your Window of Tolerance8:31: Attending to Your Audience’s Needs 16:06: Making Sense of Your Story18:00: Preventing Overexposure20:46: Author and Speaker Self-CareResources Mentioned During this Episode:Beth's Essay: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/doctor-trauma-informed-health-care-septic_n_686af8dde4b0762f74e11c1e?eyo#The MothThe Power of Writing Rituals | Building a Resilient Writing Practice (Pt 1)Managing Your Creative Energy | How to Write What Matters Every Day (Pt 2)Working with Your Inner Critic | How to Make It Your Creative Ally (Pt 3)Finish Strong & Plan Your Next Writing Session | Building a Resilient Writing Practice (Pt 4)Beth’s Bio: Beth Docherty is a chemist, musician, writer, and a passionate advocate. She is the Principal of The TRUST Project, a research and outreach initiative dedicated to educating medical professionals and students about the connections between trauma, health, and well-being. Beth lectures nationally at universities, conferences, medical facilities and public events, speaking on the importance of trauma-informed care. She is an active member of the Physical and Behavioral Health Action Team of the HEAL PA initiative, which aims to implement trauma-informed practices across Pennsylvania. Beth has also testified in legislative hearings to advocate for the rights of sexual assault and crime survivors. She is currently writing her first memoir, which explores her personal journey through sexual violence and trauma, how it impacted her healthcare, and why trauma-informed care is essential. Her essay on this topic is soon to be published in HuffPost.Connect with Beth: Website: https://www.thetrustproject-pa.com/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/beth.docherty.paLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-docherty-trust/Click here to learn more about Free Your Voice, Fuel Your MotivationBuilding Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedInProduced by Espresso Podcast Production