My birthday is next week and I'm turning 51 🎉. Dr. Fox and I are celebrating with a road trip to DC to see Florence and the Machine in concert for the very first time. I CANNOT WAIT! But before all that, I have someone very special on the show. Friend of the podcast, Shannon Kaiser is back, and we are diving deep into something both of us have built our careers and our healing around: writing. This episode is not just for people who consider themselves writers! It's for anyone who has something inside them that wants to come out, whether that's a memoir, a poem, a Substack post, or a raw caption about what's happening in the world right now. Shannon and I have been writing professionally for nearly 20 years, and in this conversation we get honest about fear, voice, silence, and why now, more than ever, your story needs to be told. Here's what you'll hear in this episode: Why writing is one of the most powerful tools for healing, even if you never publish a word The difference between writing that processes pain and writing that actually transforms it Why so many women struggle to trust their voice (and what's really underneath that) What Shannon discovered when she wrote her memoir as fiction first Why the reaction you're afraid of is also the clarity you need How writing to one person instead of an audience can change everything What makes a piece of writing truly connect with readers right now Details on our free April 14th training and six-week writing mentorship Shannon and I are both in the thick of our own memoirs, both pushing against the publishing industry's tired advice to stick to what sells, and both deeply convinced that your story (however messy, however unfinished), matters. We hope this conversation gives you permission to start! Resource from this episode:Join us on April 14th for our free writing training! Book recommendations:I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by:We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices