Becoming a Storyteller

About the Book

A young mother leaves her parents, her infant son and her homeland in hope of finding a way to support her family;

A middle-aged man wrestles with the sexual abuse he experienced as a child;

A teenage girl struggles with her drug use;

A teenage boy confronts his anger about his father’s imprisonment;

A young man decides how he might best serve his country.

All of these people have something in common.

All of them are on an adventure that began within.

Storytelling: Wisdom, Trauma and the Dalai Lama   is guidebook to becoming your very best self. It is an aide to discovering the gold hidden in your experience. The treasure you seek is within you. The tale you tell is sacred history. The most important experiences in finding the meaning in your life are oftentimes the most painful ones. Addictions and other compulsions are distractions from the adventure to become your best self. This book will help you identify, write about, heal and learn from the trauma in your life. Storytelling will introduce you to other wisdom figures that, like Beatrice in Dante’s Inferno, will accompany you on your journey to becoming ‘all you can be.’ In the telling of your story you will change the world.

Enjoy the adventure. Remember, if you can tell a story about your experience, you can learn from it, heal it and help others.

About the Author

William Schmidt is the author of Standing Tall: Doing Justice in Time of War. He holds a Ph.D from the University of Houston and his Master of Divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, New York. He is a licensed professional counselor, social worker and psychotherapist. He is married to Ana Beatriz and they have three children: Ana Leticia, John Thomas and Bill.