Biography as therapy

A surprising side-effect, or perhaps I should say side-benefit, of the biography process is the healing that can occur. I was speaking with one of my authors about his fight with a life-threatening form of cancer, and he made the off-the-cuff statement "This really has changed the way I view things."

"You mean the cancer?" I asked.

"No," he replied. "This book."

In one way or another this theme comes up with many of my authors. Several, after the process, has completed, express regret that our weekly sessions are ending and sometimes even seek ways to continue. Of course, I am not a therapist of any sort, just a writer and editor. My wife Susan, is the licensed therapist, but her role with Bookmybio is mostly editing and some writing. But clients who mostly work with her find her insights soothing and compelling. As any psychologist will tell you, the patient does the work himself. The therapist is merely a sounding board, a person who is paid to do what most people refuse to do, listen intently and uncritically to your story, to care about how you've managed your traumas, to note that your reactions are not unreasonable.

I'm not suggesting that our services, or the services of any ghostwriter, be retained for the purpose of psychotherapy, but I am suggesting that the process of recounting one's history and especially the crossroads moments in life is inherently beneficial. These are places most people ignore, bury or otherwise allow to fester. These are the places that need to see the light of day, that need to be understood and resolved. Biography forces you to put these moments into words and, in doing that, you are able to explain them to your most important reader -- yourself.