Main Topic: Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with guest Rondalyn Whitney

Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience.

With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. She would bring not only expertise but genuine heart to your audience, sharing personal experience and practical ideas that resonate with writers facing life's hardest moments.

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Announcements/Author Updates:

designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat.
request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write.
husband's birthday yesterday
saying goodbye to Radar Saturday
email day isn't working for me -- need to go through it every day
lots of input/education, trying to fit in homework around client work
What are you reading?

Just finished:
Creative Act (Rick Rubin)
Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX)
The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon)

(Main Topic): Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience.

With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. As a Narrative Medicine Practitioner, she takes pride in using her expertise on Stress Reduction through Journal Writing to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual parts of people's lives, including her own. Her writings explore multi-faceted and complex topics such as grief, loss, motherhood, and the spiritual world with depth and humor.

Notes:

handwriting connects a loop in the brain. Journal writing James Pennybaker's work said emotional laden words on the page, healing response, increasing immune system; creates wonderful outcome. (Manifesting, RAS.) Reduce sense of fear, anxiety, loss (stress) creates an opening to what is present.
first create nothing (sitting with emptiness and finding comfort with that)
afraid of emptiness
dev with emptiness in a story. W/o understanding it. Or that you"know the answer" before you even talk to the patient/client/character
Ask our character's what's up?
What's going on today? (Author)
intersubjectivity (artist, art, third piece of the puzzle) (author, character, story)
What's happening in that triangle?
Take a nap while you write the professional chapter.
inner artist child-like playful, curious sees things differently. Make up own language. (Boyaful, deer dog), open to magical moments
how would a child describe this? What does this taste/smell/sound/feel like? Is it heavy?
actually is no gap between physical and spiritual world, but writing is physical: muscles, brain, holding a physical object, in a physical space on a physical object. So, what is coming to you?spirit (own or universal source; spirit is always talking to us)
Writing is active listening.
the more in tuned (attuned) you are
Creating a clear environment, practice sitting in emptiness, "Look! This one is empty over here" creativity/spirit flows the least resistance.
Artists listen to something different. <3
creative/meaningful get better faster. OT - artistic endeavor to apply; "Huh, that counts." (Poetry)
Habits of Widows (journaling); Lies in the Afterlife (creative nonfiction, funny book about death); Unpublished: Current Title: Nothing for the Devil. (No man has a voice in the book) McCoys feud with Hatfield. Retelling of feud with female voices; Dating in the Afterlife (Fictionalize it into several women's stories). (Parts of self: Pig Tail Girl; Yesterday Me, Today Me, Tomorrow Me)
Three ways to talk about death: short and simple, medium-length version, graphic detail (used only for the purpose of making someone else feel bad when they've been mean to you).
Ways to be invisible by choice: hat, shields up, wonder women bracelet.
TRIANGLE: bring self to page, page is waiting, source comes.
if spirit is a flow, make space, we are the path of least resistance.
how find the voice of a character
practice the emptiness
Nothing was something, it was an opening for something to come in.
linkedin, FB, website, IG/TikTok
And don't forget:

Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.

Find Us:

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Tools:

ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)