My mother Frances had a life shaped by sorrow. Her mother died when she was just eight, a loss too large for such a small girl. On her sixteenth birthday, she learned that the man she called father was not her biological one. That revelation split her world in two.

Meet Dr. Valerie L. Williams-Sanchez, A Visionary Storyteller Rewriting What Representation Looks Like

Once upon a time in her Grandma Evie’s tiny kitchen in Southern California, a curious and bright-eyed girl named Valerie and her grandmother played Scrabble, discussed “big” ideas, and embarked on myriad adventures in their imaginations to museums, galleries and gardens. It was in the heart of this special and magical bond that a young Valerie developed a love of stories.

In this conversation, Lenny Grant, PhD, explores how expressive narrative writing can help individuals process and heal from trauma. Drawing from clinical experience and research, he shares how crafting personal narratives fosters reflection, meaning-making, and emotional recovery.

Whether in clinical settings, classrooms, or personal practice, Lenny highlights how writing can be a powerful tool for resilience and growth.

When Tracie LaNier, a social worker in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Advocate Health, lost her brother, Clayton Henderson, 64, in an unexpected death earlier this year, support came from a source she hadn’t anticipated: the members of the hospital system’s Narrative Medicine program team.

Amanda Mordavsky Caleb: Championing Medical Humanities for Health Equity

“The humanities should constitute the core of any university worth the name.” – Terry Eagleton

In this Mindworks in Conversation, Jerome Deroy, CEO of Narrativ, shares how storytelling helps organizations connect mission to action, strengthen teams, and enhance professional communication.

How can narrative medicine and Conversations Inviting Change (CIC) transform patient care? In this insightful discussion, Corina Breukel, an osteopath and accredited CIC trainer based in the UK, explores how these complementary approaches enhance both clinician and patient experiences.

 Thank you for joining us for this exciting first session of Mindworks Narrative Lab and being a part of the future of Narrative Medicine in education and beyond!