20- Guided Autobiography: Transformational Group Story Writing

Dr Cheryl Svensson introduces us to Guided Autobiography (GAB) a process of writing your life story that is built on life themes and group interaction. GAB was created by Dr James Birren (now deceased). Its not a how to write class. Nobody gives you critical reviews, or suggestions because your story and your voice is what you need to get out.

GAB is a journey which is a surprising one for those who take it. Its more memoir because its snippets of life, and its not Autobiographical because people don’t write about the beginning of their life all the way to where they are now. The stories in GAB almost always surprise the students themselves.

As Jim Birren used to say “There has never been another you” so everyone has a story to tell. Despite there being people who came to the class thinking they don’t have a story to tell. Your story is your own unique voice and you use your own unique words.

Cheryl says that Personal Historians get the stories from the outside in, but is all about getting the stories from the inside out.


Her book co-written with Richard Campbell is available on Amazon “Writing Your Legacy: The Step-By-Step Guide To Crafting Your Life Story”.

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So well described! Preserving ones autobiography is such an important thing to do. God bless Dr. James Birren for teaching us how to do this.