The Art and Science of Storytelling

Finding Meaning in the Stories We Live Every Day

A Two Part Series

Storytelling is one of our oldest medicines. Long before books or screens, people gathered to speak the truth of their lives aloud in the presence of others. That ritual still matters. It is still how we connect, grow, process, find meaning, become, and remember who we are.

This two part storytelling series is designed to give you practical and easy to use tools for telling stories in a way that feels personal, grounded, and deeply human. Together we will explore how to notice and gather stories from everyday life, shape them with clarity and emotion, and share them with presence and authenticity. You will leave with journaling prompts, story collection techniques, and a deeper understanding of why stories move us, along with the confidence to draw out extraordinary meaning from the ordinary experiences you are already living.

Details

• Dates: Sundays, October 5 and 19

• Time: 6:00 to 7:30 pm Eastern Time (3:00 to 4:30 pm Pacific Time)

• Where: Zoom

• Cost: Donation based, suggested donation $55

• Commitment: Each session builds on the last, so participants must commit to attending both sessions

• Recordings: Each session will be recorded and available afterwards

• Outcome: By the end of the series you will have the tools and inspiration to begin cultivating powerful and meaningful stories from your everyday life

Part One: The Everyday Story

Gathering the Raw Material

Our first session begins with the practice of noticing. Stories are not only found in big, dramatic events but are constantly unfolding in the ordinary moments of daily life, often in the small things we tend to overlook. Together we will explore how to recognize and collect those moments before they slip away. You will learn how to keep a daily story log and use a quick fire mindmap to surface memories and make connections. We will also look at how every story has many possible details and how learning to choose the ones that serve the arc of the story makes it more powerful. Through guided writing, conversation, and short meditations, you will begin to shape a moment from your own life into the raw material for a story.

Part Two: The Shape of a Story

Where Science and Presence Meet

In our second session we take the raw material you have gathered and explore what happens when a story is shaped with intention and spoken aloud. We will work with simple story structure, a beginning, a middle, and an end, and reflect on why you are telling the story in the first place. Together we will practice deciding which details to include, which add color, and which distract or weigh the story down.

We will also explore what happens in the mind and body when a story is told well, why some stories grab us and stay with us. Finally, we will consider how vulnerability and risk deepen the impact of a story and create true connection.

You will not be required to share your story out loud, but there will be space and encouragement to share stories and ideas in a supportive circle.