Speaking To What Matters is a memoir where you reflect on life’s profound experiences, offering readers inspiration to nurture connections and embrace self-compassion. Why was this an important book for you to write?

What you also must understand is that I have 30 years of helping people tell their story as a coach, mentor and nonprofit leader. This time, I answered the call for myself. My dad was dying from pancreatic cancer and my husband was wrapping up a year of treatment for colorectal cancer. I sat down to process the deep relationships we were able to build over time. My story shows that when we find the courage to share what’s inside with others, we can create the intimacy we long for. I hoped that by sharing my journey and my struggle with learning how to be vulnerable, that people would be inspired to connect more deeply with themselves and the people they love. I also hoped that my story would inspire someone to share an important deep story of their own.

How did revisiting painful memories, like your struggles at 13, shape your writing process and personal growth?

As a storytelling coach, I’ve always known that the more personal a story is, the more universal it becomes. But confronting my own truth was far more challenging than I expected. It required vulnerability and profound courage I wasn’t sure I had. It took me three years to publish the book for that very reason. While I’m incredibly proud of the outcome of my book, the process of finding, writing and sharing the story gave me the life-changing opportunity to grow, let go of old wounds, and see myself more clearly.

Your book touches on mental health and self-image—what message do you hope readers struggling with similar issues take away from your story?

I believe we are all overcoming something and the more honest we can be with what it is that we are struggling with the more likely we are able to heal. So much of my journey has been about confronting shame and the internal dialogue that told me I wasn’t lovable or enough. By sharing my story—how I learned to be more courageous in my relationships and more honest with myself and others—I hope to inspire readers to embrace their own struggles. I want them to feel empowered to share what’s really going on inside, seek authentic connections, and build relationships that are rooted in honesty and vulnerability.

What advice would you give to someone looking to share their own story but unsure where to begin?

My advice is to first believe that your story matters. It’s natural to feel resistance when you start—resistance often shows up as fear, and that fear can manifest as shame, convincing you that your story isn’t important. But it is. Everyone has a story worth sharing. The key is to acknowledge and embrace that fear, then move through it. Practically, I’d encourage you to start where it feels most natural. You don’t have to begin at the very beginning of your life—you get to choose. I use and teach a framework called the Three C’s. Do a deep dive into the challenge (s) you faced, the choices you made in response and the change and transformation that came from this journey. When you use the Three C framework, you will discover the wisdom you’re here to learn—and to share with others.

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