Chapters

Dr. Amia Parker, a middle-aged therapist and life coach, built a thriving practice on a simple yet profound belief: we can't rewrite the past, however we can learn from it and author a new story for our future. Her clients, often busy professionals, found her blend of analytical rigor and creative storytelling to be a powerful tool for success. Amia taught them that every life challenge, every moment of stress or anxiety, could be treated as a narrative waiting to be reframed.

​One of Amia’s most challenging cases was Pam, a struggling businesswoman suddenly responsible for her three young grandchildren. Pam was overwhelmed, stuck replaying the chapter of her past that led to this overwhelming present. Amia handed her a blank journal, a pen, and a simple instruction: "Your past is written, but your future is not. It's time to start a new book."

​Pam’s first entry was a difficult one, centered around the question, "How do I build a new family out of chaos?" Amia taught Pam to turn this question into the title of her new story, "The Unlikely Gardener." The narrative that followed was a short, heartfelt piece about a woman who had inherited a wild, overgrown garden. It wasn't about the past, but about the present: documenting her feelings of inadequacy, the daunting weeds of responsibility, and the surprising resources she discovered, like an old gardening book and the helping hands of her new, tiny helpers.

​Amia gave Pam a clear method for writing these stories. Setting aside time to write a story once a week or cadence she was comfortable with. Then write based on clients to follow the following plan:

The Question: Begin with an open-ended question about a current challenge. For example, "What is my biggest obstacle right now?" or "How can I move on from this setback?"

The Narrative: Write a short story (under 200 words) from a third-person perspective, with a character based on herself or someone they admire. The story should describe the current challenge as a plot point, analyze the resources available to the character, and show how the character takes the first steps forward.

The Lesson: A short reflection on the story. What new insight did the narrative reveal? What is the first actionable step the character will take?

Wins/Losses:  Document lessons learned, fears about moving forward, as well as the good stuff such potential opportunities you didn't see before. Pam was instructed to bring her win/loss report for each story to her coaching sessions.

​With each entry and session, Pam’s perspective shifted. She saw her challenges not as burdens from the past, but as plot points in a new and exciting story. The more she wrote, the more she realized that she was not just surviving, but actively authoring a life she could be proud of.