As the arts continue to be cut from curriculum across the nation, it’s more imperative now than ever to offer creative expression for our children. At Young Inklings we offer a variety of outlets for young writers. For all of us, story is universal. We watch stories on the screen, read them in books, listen to them on our headphones, and above all, we tell our stories to one another. We tell stories because sharing our narrative is what it means to be human. By sharing stories, we learn to understand ourselves and others.

British Poet and Poet Laureate Cecil Day Lewis wrote, “We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.” I would argue that expressive writing can be both. As a writer and a therapist, I do indeed write to understand myself and the world in which I reside. However, through my own personal experience with grief and my work in psychotherapy, I have learned it is equally as important that our narrative be heard and understood. In the therapeutic process we hold space for clients as they share and process traumas. We bear witness to our clients’ experiences and their healing journey. Healing is the translation and the meaning of the trauma we have experienced. And what better way to heal than through the story that we share with the world?

We lost our son, Tobin in 2012. We were immersed in a world of doctors, hospitals, medically induced comas, G-tubes, medications, and ultimately children’s hospice. It is a journey I would not wish upon any other parent. As we were immersed in this new world, we soon learned we were just another family trying to navigate our way on a horrific path we didn’t choose. The unfortunate reality is that many families must deal with the pain of childhood illness and/or loss. We also learned there are very few resources for families who struggle with this journey. I continue to be so grateful for the support we received as we walked on this very difficult path of healing, and it has been my dream to champion others as they must endure the same. A Hero’s Journey is a new storytelling and publishing program with Young Inklings that will enable these young writers to share their stories. For some, sadly, the story they create will be the legacy they leave behind. Others may be the siblings of the patient who are struggling with the grief of loss.

Please contact us if you would like to partner with A Hero’s Journey and Society of Young Inklings to share in our mission to serve these very special kids. Together we can support children to find their voice and share their stories with the world. Please join us in creating that space and bearing witness to their legacies.