Tag Archives: Heather Severson

Heather Severson on JournalTalk

Q&A: “What Kind of Journal-Writing Makes for the Best Future Reading?”

Heather Severson on JournalTalkJoyce asked a beautiful journaling question: “How can I write in my journal in a way that I’ll enjoy re-reading my entries in years to come?”

Seasoned journal-writers know that there’s a treasure chest full of good reasons to go back and re-read past journal entries. But often those gems of wisdom are hard to locate among all the “chatter” that often permeates the pages.

Heather Severson, my friend who founded the Write It Out Journal Workshops returns this episode to join me in sharing tips about journaling in such a way that makes future reading more interesting. We both conclude that this is one of those journal-writing paradoxes: The most fun and interesting entries to read later are the ones which are simply honest and present, seemingly written for no future audience!

Fuel the Dialogue: Do you write for your future self to read? What types of your writing do you most enjoy reading later? Post your responses at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

You may email your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). When your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #27, April 21, 2015)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this article.

JournalTalk Q&A Podcast Logo with Heather Seversen

Q&A: “How Do I Become a Journaling Coach?”

JournalTalk Q&A Podcast Logo with Heather SeversenSandra asks, “How does someone become a journaling coach?” And the answers are many! Do you have a passion for sharing the benefits of journal-writing with others?

Have you experienced some of the tremendous benefits in keeping a personal writing practice, and now you feel the urge to help others obtain those same benefits?

In this episode, Heather Severson helps me list of some of the numerous ways to go about becoming a “Journal Coach”. And with a dose of giddy playfulness, I also remind everyone, in the words of Dr. Frankenfurter, “Don’t dream it; Just be it!”

There are several options discussed in this audio, so don’t feel there is just “one right answer” here. But there are some pragmatic and trusted roads you can take that will land you into being a confident and effective coach. Among my most highly recommended, especially for “non-therapists” is this:

Become a life coach who uses journal-writing as the primary tool to help clients get unstuck, and transform old patterns that no longer serve them. Take this assessment to see if Frame of Mind Coaching is a beneficial path for you! I am an affiliate of the Frame of Mind Coaching program because I absolutely love it, and strongly recommend it.

Fuel the dialogue: Are you looking to become a certified journal instructor or life coach? Post your response at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

You may send your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #20, January 13, 2015)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this article.

Q&A: “What Should I Do With This Awful Gift Diary or Notebook?”

JournalTalk Q&A Podcast Logo with Heather SeversenIt’s gift-giving season, and those well-meaning friends or relatives know full well that you enjoy journal-writing. But they might not understand your personal style enough to give you the perfect journal notebook!

Has this ever happened to you? Someone gives you a diary or journal, maybe one they spent some thought picking out for you, but you just don’t “get along” with it?

Jenny asked for some advice on how to accept the gift, without accepting the pressure that comes when they start wondering why you’re not using it!

Fuel the dialogue: Have you ever received a gift journal notebook that you hated? Was it from someone who keeps pressuring you to use it? What did you do with it? Can you tactfully turn it down? What’s the best way to be honest without “looking a gift horse in the mouth”? Post your response at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

You may send your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #19, December 30, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this article.

JournalTalk Q&A Podcast Logo with Heather Seversen

Q&A: “How Can I Stay Consistent in My Journal-Writing?”

JournalTalk Q&A Podcast Logo with Heather SeversenMaking a return on JournalTalk, Heather Severson is back to help me answer a few of your journal-writing questions.

Those who have experienced the relief, the insight, the rekindling of passion, or any other benefit from their writing, have noticed how momentary it can be. And when our attention goes sailing another direction, it is normal to forget to come back and keep the writing habit going. That’s why so many people ask for tips on how to keep their journal-writing consistent.

Heather and I share some basic and advanced strategies for staying with your writing. Because this is one of the most common questions I get, I’ve also written a short eBook about it which you can get right here.

 

Staying Started

Fuel the dialogue: Have you noticed that you get far more from your writing when you do it consistently? Or, do you prefer to turn to your journal only on special occasions?

You may send your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #17, December 2, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.

How To Manage A Lifetime Collection of Journals

JT_HeatherSeversonMy guest this week is Heather Severson, an award-winning writer, educator and gypsy scholar, plying her craft wherever adults gather for self-development and education. Heather’s formal writing practice began with diaries written at the feet of her scholarly grandfather. Thirty-five years and two hundred and sixty-five notebooks later, Heather has a myriad of effective, healing, and life-improving practices to share with other journal writers. She goes beyond writing prompts and periodic venting, and helps people find sustainable happiness, as well as ways to keep organized!

Heather is the facilitator of the popular Write It Out Journal Workshop discussion group on LinkedIn. She has quite the list of accomplishments on her resume, and we only had time to discuss a few of them. Speaking of resumes, I loved hearing Heather give us a journaling exercise you won’t want to miss: Write out your personal “resume of survival” to remind yourself of the challenges you’ve overcome. A great gratitude boost!

It was this episode that I learned about hypergraphia, a condition which Heather modestly confesses she is blessed to have.  When she’s not working on publishing her memoir (a gruesome tale about being taken advantage of by a schoolteacher) Heather enjoys sharing the joys of journaling with others, and helps people organize their journal collections so the material is accessible for future reference.

Book Review: Albert Diaz Cruz gives a firm book recommendation this week for Dr. Ira Progoff’s At A Journal Workshop: Writing to Access the Power of the Unconscious and Evoke Creative Ability. Use the link here and JournalTalk will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Thanks for supporting this podcast! (JournalTalk, Episode #29, April 14, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: AudioNetwork.com
Voiceover: Kym Maher, Tami Egbert & Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.