The Healing Power of Personal Story is a community memoir workshop designed to help participants explore the transformative potential of personal storytelling. Through guided writing prompts, discussion, and reflection, participants will learn to shape life experiences into meaningful narratives that foster insight and connection. The program provides a safe, supportive space for self-expression and healing, encouraging participants to honor their own voices and listen deeply to others. By sharing their stories, community members strengthen empathy, resilience, and belonging—celebrating the diverse experiences that weave the fabric of our shared humanity..
THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO adolescents and adults of all ages and backgrounds; the workshop invites those seeking reflection, healing, and connection through personal storytelling. No writing experience needed—just a desire to explore and share life’s meaningful moments.
THERE IS NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS
The Healing Power of Personal Story offers a space for community members to reflect, write, and share their lived experiences in a supportive environment. Through guided memoir writing, participants find meaning in their personal histories while discovering shared themes of resilience and connection. The workshop fosters empathy, emotional well-being, and belonging—transforming individual healing into a collective experience that strengthens the heart and spirit of our community.
A bit about the facilitator:
Lauren Behrman is a Monterey resident, psychologist and literary nonfiction writer whose four decades of clinical experience infuse her storytelling with deep emotional insight and psychological nuance. A recent graduate of the New Directions in Writing program at the Washington-Baltimore Psychoanalytic Institute, she explores themes of family, identity, and conflict with compassion and clarity. Her work appears in professional journals and a self-help book published in 2018 by New Harbinger Press, reflecting her keen interest in the human condition. She is currently writing a book-length memoir composed of connected essays.