Overcoming Unresolved Traumas

TRANSCRIPT

Subscribe to Motivational Mondays on your favorite podcast platform!

Allison Sweet Grant, an accomplished writer with bylines in The New York Times and The Atlantic, joined us this week to discuss her powerful debut novel, I Am The Cage. With a background as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a dual master’s degree from the University of Michigan, Grant has a unique lens through which she explores medical trauma, resilience, and self-discovery. Her novel, though fictional, is deeply rooted in her own experience of undergoing a life-altering medical procedure as a child.

Listen to this episode to learn about...

• [1:22] The impact of unresolved trauma on our personal and professional lives
• [6:45] How writing can serve as a tool for healing
• [12:30] The intersection of resilience, leadership, and storytelling
• [19:15] Why self-acceptance is a critical element of personal and career success

Writing as a Path to Healing

Grant’s novel is inspired by her own experiences as a child undergoing an intense medical procedure to lengthen her leg. Though she thrived in adulthood, the emotional toll of that experience lingered. Writing I Am The Cage became a cathartic process, allowing her to revisit her past and process what she had long kept buried.

The Power of Rewriting Your Story

A key takeaway from Grant’s journey is the idea that we all have the power to rewrite our own narratives. While her novel is not a memoir, it allowed her to create a version of her story that offered closure and empowerment.

This concept resonates beyond literature. Leaders, students, and professionals alike can benefit from reframing their past struggles into stories of triumph. Rather than allowing trauma to define us, we can use it as a stepping stone toward resilience and growth.

Embracing and Owning Your Space

One of the most profound lessons from Grant’s conversation is the importance of self-acceptance. Like many who have faced physical or emotional challenges, she struggled with self-consciousness and feelings of being different. However, by embracing her story and sharing it with the world, she found strength not only for herself but for those who relate to her journey.

NSLS Members - Remember to listen to the exclusive bonus episode to learn what Allison hopes readers take away from her new book and how aspiring writers can get started in their literary journey

LISTEN TO THE BONUS EPISODE