If I survived, you can too! Author Emi Nietfeld on the hollowness of the transformation narrative
The rags to riches success story is everywhere – usually with a side of trauma somewhere: the homeless child with mental health issues overcomes all the odds to win an Ivy league scholarship. After graduation, they continue to “rise above” their past by joining the world’s most famous tech company. If they can do it, anyone can.
It’s a story we hear over and over again. But what if those transformation stories actually hide some deeply screwed up practices? Author Emi Nietfeld joins us to explore our beliefs about resilience, and our weird fascination with stories of triumph.
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About our guest:
Emi Nietfeld is the author of Acceptance, a memoir of survival that explores our beliefs about resilience, and our weird fascination with stories of triumph. Her essays have appeared in New York Times, Longreads, Vice, and Boulevard, they’ve been cited in The Best American Essays of 2021 and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Find her at eminietfeld.com, on Instagram @eminietfeld, and Twitter @eminietfeld
Additional resources:
- The basics of motivational interviewing
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- Check out Megan’s best-selling books - It’s OK That You're Not OK and How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed
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