Among my favourite authors are Tim Winton, Kate Grenville and Trent Dalton. You picked it, they’re all Australian. Their Aussie dialogue, vivid descriptions of the land and how they bring history to life are teaching me about my new country, which in turn makes me feel more connected and at home.

My second favourite authors are all of my clients. Over the years, I’ve been collecting their stories of growing up in Sydney (one didn’t wear shoes until he started school), coming of age and forging their careers in the wake of the Second World War.

Like Winton, Grenville and Dalton, my storytellers are teaching me the rhythm, soul and pulse of Australia, helping me to feel more connected to my new home.

Connection is a very precious commodity today and it blows me away how powerful life story writing is with creating connection. It’s multi-layered. Not only do my clients make me feel more connected to Australia, while creating their life story books, they have:

Connected with their brothers, sisters, cousins and old friends by reaching out to them for memories and stories;

Connected to their children and grandchildren by handing them their completed book full of those memories and stories;

Solidified new friendships by sharing their backstory;

Made new friends through creating their life story books. (One Sydney-based client, I am so proud to say, has made two new friends in the US – they have an ongoing stream of emails and hope to meet in person one day.)

This is huge. Life story writing creates multi-layered connection.