Healing Through Storytelling™: Who Gets to Tell Your Story?
By Coco Veil of Vines | Veil of Vines™
A story is more than a sequence of things that happened. It is also the explanation we were given, the labels that followed us, the silences we learned to keep, and the meaning we made when nobody asked what we thought.
Some stories describe us accurately. Others were written from somebody else's fear, judgment, or limited view. The work of storytelling is not to pretend the past disappeared. It is to examine the narrative carefully enough that its meaning no longer belongs entirely to someone else.
A story has at least three layers
The event: what you know happened, and what remains uncertain.
The interpretation: what you or another person concluded the event meant about you.
The inheritance: the names, expectations, and family or community narratives that followed that interpretation.
Separating these layers makes room for honest reflection. It does not require denying painful events, minimizing harm, or finding a pleasant ending where there was none.
A five-minute storytelling exercise
Choose an everyday memory with manageable emotions, not your most painful experience. Draw three columns in a notebook: What happened; What I was told it meant; What I know or choose to say about it now.
For example: 'I was quiet during family gatherings' is an observation. 'You never had anything to say' is someone else's interpretation. 'I watched closely and needed time before speaking' is another account worth considering. You do not have to decide that every interpretation is false; your task is to notice the difference between observation and meaning.
Keep the exercise private if you prefer. If the memory becomes overwhelming, stop. You can select a fictional character or a neutral event instead. Disclosure is never a requirement for meaningful work.
What the seven-week course explores
Veil of Vines™ Healing Through Storytelling™ is designed around seven live learning sessions, from examining 'The Story I Was Given' and 'The Stories I Never Told' to investigating family narratives, considering how a story changes, practicing 'The Power of My Own Voice,' and recognizing 'I Am More Than What Happened.'
Participants work with guided reflection, storytelling exercises, an original student workbook, and optional personal or fictional narrative writing. You may choose not to share private experiences. This is a live educational program, not psychotherapy, and no particular emotional outcome is promised.
Dates, tuition, and the next step
The seven Wednesday sessions are scheduled for January 13 through February 24, 2027, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Texas Central time, live on Zoom. Instructor: Coco Veil of Vines. Capacity: 50 students. Tuition is $369 in full; a three-payment option of $123 each is planned but remains unavailable until its registration and payment process is verified.
Paid registration is not yet open. You can join the free priority-interest list to receive enrollment updates. Submitting the form does not charge you, enroll you, or reserve a seat.
© Veil of Vines™ | Educational storytelling with personal boundaries, historical care, and individual choice.
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