The Power of Storytelling and Faith

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to the Catholic Sobriety Podcast , the go-to resource for women seeking to have a deeper understanding of the role alcohol plays in their lives , women who are looking to drink less or not at all for any reason . I am your host , christi Walker . I'm a wife , mom and a joy-filled Catholic , and I am the Catholic Sobriety Coach , and I am so glad you're here . Do you know the impact that your story can have ? As Christians , we know that stories have the ability to teach , inspire , captivate , encourage , evoke emotion and empathy and connect us with God and others . Writing out our stories and sharing them with others can sometimes help us make sense of our past and reveal to us all the ways that God has been fully present in our lives all along the way , has been fully present in our lives all along the way . Now I know this to be true from my own experience because my guest today helped me work through my story and , while it was a very emotional experience , it was incredibly healing and continues to help me share my story in a way that glorifies God . Story in a way that glorifies God .

Speaker 1 1:27

Emanuela Hall is the speaking coach and story consultant for Christ-led entrepreneurs and leaders who are on a mission to change the world . She helps them tell their story and speak with conviction by mastering their presence , voice and storytelling skills so that they can captivate audiences online on stages and attract raving fans and clients and explode their impact . As a professionally trained theater actress , emanuela shared her personal story of breastfeeding a new motherhood in her award-winning one-woman play , my Breast Self . She is also a Catholic homeschooling mom of three , a published co-author , improvisation workshop facilitator and the artistic director of the soon-to-become Magdalene Theater Ministries . To become Magdalene Theater Ministries , emanuela is on a mission to raise the voices of Christ-led women because she believes that our stories have the power to change the world . Thank you so much for being here today , emanuela Well thank you , christy , for having me .

Speaker 2 2:41

I'm so excited to talk to you today and I just love , love your podcast . I love everything you're doing . It's so important . So thank you for the work that you're doing .

Speaker 1 2:51

Thank you for all that you're doing as well , so why don't you go ahead and start us off by telling us a little bit about yourself and why you are so passionate about helping others share their stories ?

Speaker 2 3:10

I would love to . I'll try to fill in the gaps of what we didn't already cover in that beautiful intro , but I I've always had this desire to do something really great . I'm sure you can relate Like there was this thing in me that always was like ah , I'm not really a nine to fiver , so I've always just been very multi-passionate and always kind of searching for what I was going to be when I grew up , and so I did a lot of things . I was a piano teacher , a flamenco dancer , an actor , a teaching artist , a creative coach for older adults , a yoga teacher .

Speaker 2 3:38

And in 2020 , I had this nudge to transfer to an online business . But I had no idea what that was going to look like , because all my skills , I felt , were very much performing , arts-based . I didn't know how that was going to look online , and then , lo and behold , everybody had to kind of jump online in 2020 . So I joined a mastermind and all these entrepreneurs were coming to me and asking like , can you help me with my videos ? And I started to realize that my skills in voice and speech and , like you said , I had just done my own play the year before were very transferable to now all of these leaders and entrepreneurs who had to speak online , and that was the light bulb moment where I felt God was like this is really where you can help , there's a need right now .

Speaker 2 4:25

And so since then , I've helped dozens of entrepreneurs mostly and leaders , people who want to go out and do big talks , but even people who just want to be more confident on camera to learn those skills like presence and voice and how to use your body , how to deliver , how to connect with your audience and then how to tell your story in a way that's really going to land with your audience . And I just love doing that because I really believe , like you said , that stories they heal us and they help us connect with the people that God is calling us to serve , just like Jesus used stories to connect with all of us because he was here to serve all of us . We are each called to a unique mission and stories can really help us to complete that mission , I believe .

Speaker 1 5:11

Yeah , I agree , and the reason why I wanted to have you on is because , I mean , a lot of people listening here .

Speaker 1 5:19

They're not entrepreneurs , they're not leaders , necessarily , and that's not why they're listening , but the way that you help everyone just share their story and the process that you go through to do that , I felt like that would be something that would be so beneficial , because a lot of us grow up feeling like we don't have a voice , or that people don't want to hear what we have to say , or that people are uncomfortable with our emotion . But when we're able to work with somebody , or even just on our own prayerfully work through our story to get a big picture of it and really understand what was going on and what else was going on around us , I think it can be so incredibly healing . So , with that in mind , I would love to know , first of all , how your Catholic faith has influenced your approach , because I started following you like forever ago and you weren't really I mean , you didn't hide your Christianity , but you weren't as out there with being a Christ-centered coach and then I'd also like to know how it has impacted your own storytelling and personal growth .

Speaker 2 6:33

Yeah , this is a really good story . I , as you know , like I had an account before , before 2022 . And , like you said , I was not vocal at all really about my faith because I did have a reversion around that same time , so around 2021 , 2022 , I wouldn't say I stopped believing in God , but I just I wasn't coming to church . I didn't really understand the faith at all , I didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus and once I found that I I had this big like everything's bad , I have to stop doing everything . And then it was a slow crawl , like coming back to see how can we integrate the faith and the business . I am starting to see how Jesus , I started to see that like Jesus and God has been there with me through it all and he actually saved me from a lot of things that could have definitely taken me down .

Speaker 2 7:27

A different story Right now I'm actually working with a birth trauma coach and so I'm kind of working through my own birth stories . That was an exercise she invited me to do was to see Jesus in the operating room , and now I can't unsee that Like . Now that's my memory has been reframed . It definitely goes a lot deeper than just using stories as storytellers , as entrepreneurs , as speakers , but , yeah , in our own personal healing . And so now when I look at my story , I just always see Jesus there and how he's been kind of redirecting me every time I went off the other way . It's just a matter of saying yes , and he'll come and bring you back where you're meant to go .

Speaker 2 8:12

I think , as entrepreneurs are often worried we're going to be doing the wrong thing . You know , taking what , if I'm doing what God doesn't want me to do , it's like , well , he'll find a way to kind of steer the ship if you just continue to say yes and oh , exactly , and I mean there's been times in my life when I've thought I have screwed everything up like I've screwed it all up .

Speaker 1 8:33

There's no way I'm coming back from this , but you know , god is way more powerful than I am or what my human brain can even imagine or think of , and I think that that is such an important aspect and something to remember , like when we think that we've completely failed or we've gone down the wrong path or made the wrong choices .

Speaker 1 8:54

God has this beautiful way of using that in our story as we enter the next chapter , as we say yes to Him and become obedient to Him , and he just kind of shows us the way lovingly and opens those doors for us . I love that exercise , too , of looking at a traumatic experience or a difficult experience or other experiences when maybe someone felt abandoned or maybe God wasn't with them , and to reimagine those with Jesus there , and then that just opens up , like this beautiful imagery , and I feel like it takes the sting out of that memory , because it's so sweet now that you see that Jesus was there the whole time . So I'm very glad that you mentioned that exercise and I think that that's something that all of us can do , so if a memory comes up that's really plaguing you and maybe just find Jesus in that memory too .

Speaker 2 9:56

So it's , it's unbelievably powerful and now that I did it for that memory , I'm like what other memories can I go through and and place him there and see him there ? Because it has definitely reframed my whole story of how I thought things were .

Speaker 1 10:13

Yeah , absolutely so . You've worked with a lot of people and heard a lot of stories and so , just based on your experience , can you share with us about what you've seen in regards to , like , the healing power that comes from vulnerability in storytelling ? I'm not talking about like when you go to the doctor and the doctor asks you how much wine do you drink , and you lie because we all do . But being really honest with ourselves and vulnerable , how can that affect our emotional wellbeing ? How can that ?

Speaker 2 10:51

affect our emotional well-being . I like to remind clients and remind all of us that our body remembers everything . So when we get our stories out of us , when we express them in whatever way we want to express them , this is why art and creative expression to me , is so powerful and such a gift that God has given us . Because you might want to dance your story , I might want to write a poem about it . It doesn't always have to be writing , but the more times we tell it , the less power it has over us and it's like again this reframe reminding our bodies and our psyche that it is safe to tell the story . So each time we say it , each time we share it , each time we express it , I believe it helps , kind of like release it , let it go .

Speaker 2 11:40

I don't know if anyone has ever said this to you . This is kind of maybe a little vulgar , but when you're throwing up , I used to have people say to me all the time it's better out than in . Has anyone ever said that when you're better out than in , better out than in , you're like , but this feels awful while you're doing it , you're like this is not helpful . It's kind of the same with our stories , especially if they are a little more vulnerable , a little more touchy . It's better out than in , it's better to get it on paper , it's better to paint the picture to tell a friend than to just keep suppressing it and repressing it and trying to push it away and forget it , because our body is powerful . That I truly believe and I'm actually learning a lot about this mind body connection more and more every day .

Speaker 2 12:21

But that can actually lead to a lot of physical illness as well , not just mental grief , but our body then starts to see those kinds of situations as unsafe . So if we're ever in a similar situation , we might react with like a skin rash or a sore throat or a runny nose . Right , those kinds of things actually do pop up . I know that's kind of like a whole different topic , but this is why I believe that stories are important . We have to express the story , get the emotion out , and then we can start to remind our body that it's safe , that that was in the past , that this is a new experience , and start to live more vibrantly . It doesn't mean that we're going to be void of conflict or void of trauma or any of that , but the more we can learn to vocalize it and express it , the less power that it's going to have in our body .

Speaker 1 13:13

Yeah , I've never thought about the throwing up metaphor , but I mean it makes sense .

Speaker 1 13:16

I usually talk about like cleaning out a closet or like under the bed . You know , when you just have to like get things out , and then you look at it and you're like , what do I do with this ? What do I do with this ? You know , and and you're right it just takes the power away when we actually take it out and look at it .

Speaker 1 13:35

So many people that I work with the first time that they come to me and start talking honestly about their struggles with alcohol or this increase in frequency , they may have never uttered that to another human person before , because it was so scary . Because the thought is what does that mean about me ? What is that saying ? And it doesn't mean anything about you , it's just let's get it out , let's get curious , let's really look at everything and get honest , because once it's all out there , then you can deal with it , then you can address it . And so , yeah , I think that that is such a good point and I would like to have you back on to talk about the mind body connection and all of that too .

Healing Through Storytelling and Expression

Speaker 2 14:21

I'm sure that your clients I'm sure when they tell you the first time you can see it physically in their body , Like that's how I knew I needed help with my birth story . Actually , I was telling a friend and she looked at me and she was like are you getting some help with all this ? And I'm like what do you mean ? She's like I can just see the way you talked when you tried to tell it that first time , like everything closed off , everything was tight . So it's really interesting for you , I'm sure , as a coach , to hold that space and for me , when I hear people and just to hold that space and see them and then when you go to the end of your time with them , they're able to say that story without all that body tension and fear . It's a beautiful process .

Speaker 1 15:06

Yeah , well , I remember when I was working with you in those early days and I could like barely get things out , I would just and if I just thought about it , it wouldn't really affect me emotionally , but it was like the act of telling , like saying it out to another person , that really just kind of flooded me with emotion . But you're right , the more that I wrote it down , that I spoke it out , that I thought about it , the less it affected me . It's just that it loses its power over you , and I think that that's so important .

Speaker 2 15:40

I love . I do want to stop and talk about that point really quick , christy , because again , going back to like the Christian aspect of it , jesus didn't just think us into creation , he spoke it . So , yeah , people can say , well , I think about it all the time or I journaled about it . It's like no , but did you say the words ? Like there's a reason why God gave us a voice to use to say the words . And I know a lot of times I can journal till the cows come home and think like , oh , I'm healed , I journaled about it , but then somebody asked me to say it . My throat closes up .

Speaker 1 16:11

I let's talk about some practical steps that someone could take if they wanted to start getting their story out , or at least parts of it out . Are there any steps or techniques that you would recommend for someone who is looking to kind of map out their story but they're just feeling very overwhelmed and not sure where to begin , because if they're old like me , they've lived a lot of life and so there's a lot of boiling around in there .

Speaker 2 16:42

Yeah , I know , old like me , Well , I think . Well , just the exercise that I walked you through in our first session first is really a visualization , Like allow yourself to kind of just find a safe space , relax and go through your life timeline , Like even from the moment of conception where were you when you were first born ? And kind of just picturing your mind's eye , your journey through life as you grow up and all the things you like you've said , all the lives you've lived . And then sometimes it's helpful to , even before we write anything , to draw like that timeline map , you know , with the highs and the lows and you can kind of see , because we're not going to remember every day of our lives , obviously , but there's going to be those peaks and those valleys . And if you draw it on a timeline you can see like which peaks were really really high peaks and which valleys were really really low . Maybe there's some stories around those particular moments of how you came back up from the valley , what did you learn on that peak .

Speaker 2 17:40

And then I would say , write it out , like either by hand or type it and just get it out of you . Even if that's all you do , I would say that's still probably going to help a lot If you do feel like , okay , I've written it out . Now what I would say get a safe space , get somebody who can listen . Not everybody can invest in coaching and I totally understand that , but sometimes our loved ones aren't gonna be able to be objective , especially if they're in our stories . Right , so I can talk to my husband all the time and tell him my story . But if I have a hired professional who is there to listen to me and maybe you have benefits and you can get a good therapist who's going to let you talk . But I would say , find somebody that is objective , that you feel safe and connected with , and start there . And you never know , not everybody is called , like you said , to share their story on a TED stage or even on a podcast , but just expressing it . And I would say , once you've written it down , so you've gone through the visualization and you've done the creative kind of timeline , you've written it down , then maybe choose your medium .

Speaker 2 18:50

Like , the beautiful thing about stories is that we get to express it . Like I said , creative expression is a gift from God . Maybe you've always loved playing the piano and you just sit down and kind of like , what does that sound like ? What does that story feel like ? This is why art is so important for us as human beings like paint it , draw it . Do what feels good for you what's going to help you feel like you're healing in that process ? You , what's going to help you feel like you're healing in that process . And so for me , with my play like you mentioned , my breast self it was my opportunity to get back on the stage , to direct a play , to act out a play , and it was all my words . So it was a whole different experience , but I got to do something that I loved

The Healing Power of Sharing

Speaker 2 19:34

again . So , even if it's not for anybody else's eyes , it doesn't have to be a talk like a big speaking opportunity to be able to be expressed and shared and feel like you've healed .

Speaker 1 20:53

Yeah , I appreciate that you mentioned all of those Cause sometimes when I'm talking to a client and I love writing , so I just think everybody loves writing and not everybody loves writing and so when I'm like journal about it , they're like I'm not journaling about that , I don't like it . But I love that you said it doesn't have to be journaling , like it doesn't have to be writing , it can just be expressing yourself artistically or in another way that works for you , that feeds your soul and helps connect you with yourself and with the Lord as you're expressing your story . And then I also liked and appreciated that you talked about we don't necessarily have to tell our story to anyone and we don't have to tell all of it . So when I was going through my process of writing out my story I would get stuck because I would get stuck in details and then I'd be like why am I writing out all of this ? But then I realized in writing out certain things even if it's something I'm never going to share it kind of gave me clarity around that situation and then also led me to another story that maybe I would like to share , or it kind of helped me remember what I was feeling in that moment so that I can be more like I can understand what other people are feeling who are in that situation , because sometimes we're so far removed from something .

Speaker 1 22:17

It's kind of like when we're parents , we're so far removed from being a kid . It can be really hard and we'll be like why are you acting like that ? And then , when we think about it and we're parents , we're so far removed from being a kid . It can be really hard and we'll be like why are you acting like that ? And then when we think about it and we're like they're just curious , you know , they're just exploring , they don't , they haven't lived the whole life that we've lived . So I think that it gives clarity and perspective as we write out those stories and not to or think about those stories or speak those stories out , because I just think it's so healing and so beneficial for all of us .

Speaker 1 22:48

Again , so many of us just a lot of times feel like nobody's listening . I know that from my experience with my clients and probably you too people do not always feel deeply listened to , and so when people seek out a coach , it's their first time often not always , but often just being deeply listened to . And I love when you always say , like we hold space for people so that they can , you know , tell their stories , so that we can ask them questions that help them think about other things , and I'll have clients that will apologize and I'm like , please don't apologize , that is what I'm here for and it gives me clarity about them so that I can ask other questions that help pull out information or ideas that they may not have thought about before and had they not shared that , I wouldn't know .

Speaker 2 23:43

I love the rabbit hole , like you said , for you it's writing , and I feel the same when I'm writing or journaling . I'm like oh yeah , oh yeah , oh yeah . You know your hand is just going and you almost can't write fast enough . Another idea is like if I find when I walk I get a lot of those stories coming to my head and we all have these devices with us all the time now , so pull out your voice app and just talk to yourself while you're walking and like record it . It might be again . Just another idea , another exercise that you can play it back to yourself and kind of like hear your own story and then you get to kind of be that person that that , objectively , can listen and absolutely Like I love my husband . He's really great .

Speaker 2 24:21

But again , men and women , we are wired differently and I we do need to vocalize , we do need to express it and sometimes , like I don't know about you , sometimes it's like the end of the day , it's nine , 30 . And I'm like , hey , I want to tell you my whole life story right now . And he's like my brain has shut off . So having , yeah , having that person is is great . And I was laughing when you said about kids , because I know you're a boy mom too . So I'm like , no , I definitely always think what is what's going on with you , but my husband always has to say , no , that's normal , like that's what boys need to do , okay , but yeah , it is hard to relate . We've all had different experiences . We've all lived different lives .

Speaker 2 24:58

But this is what I say the beauty in storytelling is that , even if we haven't lived those exact situations and experiences , there are things , there are emotions , there are desires , struggles , that human condition that we can all relate to .

Speaker 2 25:15

This is why we love stories of the saints and this is why Jesus used stories , because and I always bring the example of Star Wars we can't imagine , you know , living the Star Wars life . But yet this movie has been the biggest movie of all time because it's not about the situation , it's about the characters and that , that hero's journey and that struggle . So , and somebody might be able to relate to someone else in your story that they're just going to be able to relate to you . So I do feel like stories are service to the people who get to hear them . And I don't know , I'm sure you agree when you feel blessed and honored , when your clients do feel safe enough to be vulnerable and to share . You're like , wow , I get to be here for this , I get to listen in and just experience your story with you all over again , like what a blessing that is .

Speaker 1 26:09

Yeah , it really is such an honor to be able to do that , and I thank God all the time that he like put this on my heart and brings me the clients that he brings me , because so often I'm like , oh , that's why they're here , oh , that's why they came to me , and yeah , I think that it's just so beautiful and it's priceless . It truly , truly is . And then I also , when you were talking about stories and sharing our stories and I said it at the top of the show and you've mentioned it too like it connects us to each other . When you tell your story .

Speaker 1 26:46

Somebody might not necessarily see themselves in your particular story , but maybe somebody in your story or maybe your story kind of reminds them of a situation that did kind of happen to them . And you know , when you're in a group of people , especially when it's a group of women , and we're chatting and somebody's talking about like what happened with their boys , and you know they did this and that , and then another mom will be like , oh my gosh , but you have to hear this and so , and it's so fun because then we learn more about each other . We have so much fun being able to tell those stories too If we're vulnerable or if it's something that we're struggling with , to have another person that kind of understands and can speak into that , speak some encouragement and love and support into that . It can also be another way that we can experience healing .

Speaker 2 27:40

I'm kind of having a light bulb moment right now , christy , because I don't know if you've ever felt this . I've always said I'm an open book , but I've said it in a negative way , because sometimes I'll be with someone who I think is a close friend and then I'll leave and I'll think I just shared everything and they didn't say any . Has that ever been an experience for you ? I don't know if some of your listeners can relate and there are definitely those people . They just didn't share back and then you feel kind of like you were left open and vulnerable and they weren't so again , that's why , like offering your two cents , giving your perspective , your story , it connects us to that heart place that you feel . Okay . If she's saying that , then maybe I can say this and you just keep snowballing and riffing off of each other . But if you're not going to share at all , it's kind of like you're saying don't tell me more because I'm not going to share back , or like it feels like you're kind of left raw and open and vulnerable .

Speaker 1 28:38

Yes , for sure For the person that shared .

Speaker 1 28:41

but then that other person who's not sharing might be like oh my gosh , she's going to think I'm so stupid or terrible or whatever , if I say this or you know , there are those people who are over thinkers and so every time they say something , the whole ride home and for maybe even days afterward they're like replaying it in their mind . And that's the enemy . People , that is the enemy . And so then that will sometimes prevent them from wanting to share as well . But you're right , it's like a two-way street . Like you give a little , you don't have to share everything , you don't even have to share equally , like the same amount that the other person did , but just giving them a little bit is a gift , yeah .

Speaker 2 29:23

And then you know you're going to overthink what you didn't say too . So and you're going to . I mean , we all have a bit of that in us , right , the perfectionism , the like why did I say that or why didn't I say that ? So sometimes I guess I lean more on the like you might as well just do the thing and say the thing . But sometimes , yeah , your voice can be a gift and your story can be a gift to the person . You have to discern whether that's safe for you and whether it's wanted in return . But ultimately we all kind of overthink and judge ourselves regardless of what we choose . So that comes with a little bit of practice and discernment .

Speaker 1 30:05

Oh yeah , absolutely , and I have followed up with a text before , like to clarify what I said and I'm like , just so you know , when I said da , da , da , this is what I meant , and like they'll be like oh yeah , I took it like that and I'll be like , oh , good Cause , I was like I'm overthinking it in my head and you're like it's a non-issue for them .

Speaker 1 30:24

Yeah , yeah , exactly . Oh well , this has been such a great conversation and I know that you have a new podcast . You have lots of tools and resources and lots of places that people can find you . So , emanuela , why don't you just share all the things with everyone ?

Speaker 2 30:41

Yes , my podcast is called the Speaking and Storytelling Podcast and you can get it wherever you get your podcasts . I also have the Speaking and Story Mastery Facebook group if you want to go a little deeper . So next Wednesday , june 26th , we've got the five-minute story workshop happening . So if you want to learn how to tell your story concisely for like a networking event or podcast interview , then come and join me , but lots of things are always happening in the Facebook group . If you are on Facebook , that would be a great place to connect , or Instagram .

Speaker 1 31:16

Great . And then that link . Where can they get the link , just like from your Instagram page ? I can put it in my show notes , but because it's this , will air on Tuesday and the workshop is on Wednesday . So if I put my show notes it'll just be for a short amount of time .

Speaker 2 31:31

Okay , yeah , it's in , uh , on my Instagram page , which is emmanuelahall . You can find my link there and then come join us .

Speaker 1 31:39

Perfect . Thank you again so much for being here . I definitely need to have you come on again in the future . I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and your talent and your story with everyone as well .

Speaker 2 31:54

Thank you so much . It was such a blessing .

Speaker 1 31:56

Well , that does it for this episode of the Catholic Sobriety Podcast . I hope you enjoyed this episode and I would invite you to share it with a friend , who might also get value from it as well , and make sure you subscribe so you don't miss a thing . I am the Catholic Sobriety Coach , and if you would like to learn how to work with me or learn more about the coaching that I offer , visit my website , thecatholicsobrietycoachcom . Follow me on Instagram at thecatholicsobrietycoach . I look forward to speaking to you next time , and remember I am here for you , I am praying for you . You are not alone . Thank you .