Releasing Shame and Recovering Repressed Memories through Writing, with Elisabeth Corey, MSW

Elisabeth Corey, MSW, and founder of BeatingTrauma.com joins me on the podcast as a return guest to discuss how writing and journaling can be an incredibly beneficial modality of healing. I first had the opportunity to chat with Elisabeth back in episode 38 as we discussed working with our inner parts to help heal trauma. Inner Parts work is a specialty of Elisabeth and continues to be a focus in her work with private clients and in her group sessions, webinars, and other resources created for survivors.

During my chat with Elisabeth Corey on this episode of the podcast, we're diving more into those aspects of writing I mentioned earlier:

• How writing from our inner parts can help us connect with what we don't remember.
• What exactly are repressed memories, why are they so crucial to healing, and what misconceptions are there surrounding these types of memories?
• How the idea that writing doesn't come naturally for so many but why it's so important.
  • On that topic, the type of writing that Elisabeth teaches her clients and those in her programs is not supposed to come naturally because of you're diving into areas of your life that you've spent years trying to forget. In addition, the coping skills that served us during traumatic events can be a cause of keeping certain memories repressed.
• How naturally, or not, do our inner parts take to writing and being given a voice?
  • Which parts are more resistant vs which parts are more open to having a voice?
• Connecting with your inner child and writing from a place of your inner child's voice and perspective, as opposed to an adults version of their voice.
• Flashbacks, and how they are not always the overwhelming memories that cause so much turmoil and turn our world upside down.
  • The importance of using these as a learning experience in writing to help uncover repressed memories.

This was such an incredible chat with Elisabeth and she dives more in depth to those topics and shares her vast knowledge in a way that is validating and inspiring. I hope you'll consider checking out this episode and sharing it with someone who might find it helpful.

Be sure and follow Elisabeth Corey, MSW on Twitter @BeatingTrauma and her website, BeatingTrauma.com, where you can also learn about her programs, webinars, and workshops.

Matthew Pappas, CLC, MPNLP

All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.