|
New beginnings start with clarity, intention, and reflection. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
The GAB GazetteMarch-April 2026 Edition
|
|
|
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen |
|
|
|
|
You can find previous GAB Gazette editions on our website at: https://thebirrencenter.org/the-gab-gazette The Gazette is continuously improving in content. Please share your feedback and ideas for future GAB Gazette editions with us at: info@thebirrencenter.org
|
In this Issue:In this Issue: Happenings in the World of GAB Participant Experience: A Gaggle of People by Elizabeth A. Horton Spotlight On: Gord Deyell Q and A with Dr. James Birren Book Corner: Shelf Worthy Books and Podcasts Planting Seeds: Spring Activities for Guided Autobiography Groups
|
From the Interim Executive DirectorAs we head into March, I’d like to reach out personally and invite you into deeper engagement with the Birren Center. This organization was built around your needs—to support your work and to help Guided Autobiography reach ever-wider communities. That only happens when members step forward. Whether you’re curious about serving on a committee, joining a planning team, or considering board service, there is a place for you here. And to those who have already said yes in response to our recent call for volunteers—thank you. Your generosity of time and spirit truly matters. If you’re looking for an easy entry point, join a GAB Chat. These monthly gatherings are where the creative energy of this community is most palpable. February’s conversation on AI was lively and thought-provoking; if you missed it, the recording is available. If you’ve never attended, consider this your invitation. Our Anthology program continues to grow. Second Chances is now available in Kindle format, and the call for submissions for the 2026 anthology, Moments That Shape Us, is open. You’ll find details in this issue. The Birren Center thrives because of your stories, your participation, and your leadership. I look forward to what we will build together this year. - Sarah White Interim Executive Director The Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies
|
|
As we move into March, we invite you to join us for our monthly GAB Chat, a welcoming space to reconnect and grow together as Guided Autobiography Instructors around the world. These gatherings are designed to strengthen our community while supporting your professional development through shared insight and collaborative learning. This month’s meeting details: Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Time: 4:00 pm Pacific Time Subject: 🌟 LIFEazine — 24 Page Life Story Magazine Hosts: Gonny Gutierrez and Shelia Merkel, Co-Founders of LIFEazine
During this GAB Chat, Gonny Gutierrez and Shelia Merkel will introduce LIFEazine and share how it can help bring GAB stories to life in a visual and meaningful way. They will offer examples and invite conversation about how facilitators and participants are currently sharing their stories beyond the classroom. There will be time for listening, questions, and conversation. Whether you are deeply involved or quietly curious, we hope you will join us for this shared time of reflection, connection, and possibility. We hope to see many of you there!
|
|
2025 Anthology: Second ChancesThe Kindle edition of Second Chances is now available. To celebrate, we are offering a special promotional price through March 15: $4.99. This is a wonderful opportunity to expand the book’s reach and introduce new readers to the power of Guided Autobiography stories. If you are a co-author, instructor, or supporter of the Birren Center, please consider: Sharing the Kindle link on your social media Posting a brief note about why this anthology matters to you Tagging the Birren Center in your post to help amplify visibility
Peer-to-peer sharing remains one of our most effective ways to extend our community. |
|
|
Call for Essays: Birren Center Anthology No. 5The Call for Submissions is open until midnight April 30 for our 2026 anthology, Moments That Shape Us. This year’s theme invites writers to “Write about a brief moment that changed you—a turning point, realization, or incident that revealed something essential about who you are. Choose a small scene with a big echo.” Guidelines at a glance Original, unpublished work on the theme 800–1,000 words Written in English or Spanish One submission per person Include a 50-word author bio Author must hold publication rights
For submission guidelines, deadlines, and practical tips for crafting a strong essay click on the button that follows. We encourage instructors to share this opportunity with their classes and networks. Writers benefit from beginning early and revising with input from others. The anthology program continues to showcase the depth, diversity, and compassion of our GAB community. Thank you for helping us spread the word—and for contributing your stories GAB Instructors: Please encourage your students to submit. An informational session on coaching students for anthology submissions will be offered soon; contact sarah@thebirrencenter.org for details. |
|
|
|
|
GAB Anthology: Authors in Conversation at Ink Cap BookstoreAt an author reading event at Ink Cap Bookstore in Stoughton, Wisconsin, contributors to Second Chances gathered to share their stories. From left: Janet Manders, Bobbie Johnson, Sarah White (their Guided Autobiography instructor), and Joshua Feyen. Janet, Bobbie, and Josh each have essays featured in the 2025 anthology which reflect the depth and diversity of stories that emerge through the GAB process. |
|
|
|
|
New Courses Starting Soon!GAB as Food Memory: Introduction to Tasting the Past– Flavours of Memory
|
|
|
|
|
This 2-hour, 15-minute professional development webinar introduces Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructors to a structured teaching approach that extends life story writing through food memory. Rather than presenting the full Tasting the Past: Flavours of Memory curriculum, this session explores three complementary instructional frameworks and guides participants through one experientially using structured writing and story circle practice. Food memory serves as a culturally rich, low-risk entry point into voice, craft, and meaning. Participants will experience how sensory prompts activate embodied autobiographical memory while reinforcing the core GAB model: write, share, and offer positive feedback. March 19, 2026, Thursday at 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET This informational session is offered at no cost. If you would like to support the Birren Center’s mission, we ask you to please make a tax-deductible donation at : https://thebirrencenter.org/donate About the Instructor Janet Ferguson is a certified Guided Autobiography Instructor and holds a University of Cambridge Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing (confirmation pending). Her facilitation emphasizes ethical story work, psychological safety, and formative feedback aligned with the GAB model. Questions and registration info contact Janet at: thelukasa@gmail.com
|
|
|
The Heart’s Thumbprint: Honoring the Sacred Art of Memoir in the Age of AI
|
|
|
|
|
GAB Trainers Lily Bengfort and Leigh Morrow are hosting This two-part workshop designed for Guided Autobiography instructors who want to deepen their craft while navigating the world of AI thoughtfully and ethically. Part I – The Un-copyable Soul explores the “Human Advantage” in storytelling — why emotional truth, vivid sensory detail, and tactile memory are things no algorithm can replicate. Through creative exercises, participants will learn to protect and amplify their unique voice. Part II – The Creative Co-Pilot shifts to the practical side, showing instructors how to ethically use AI tools to organize memories into narrative arcs, overcome writer’s block, clarify marketing messages, and build smarter business systems — all without compromising voice or integrity. Monday, May 4th, 2026 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST Registration fee is $49. Space is limited. Questions and Registration visit: https://thestoryguides.com/the-hearts-thumbprint
|
|
Spring does not rush. It softens the ground first. It waits. It trusts that something unseen is growing beneath the soil. For Guided Autobiography facilitators, this seasonal wisdom offers more than a than a lovely image—it offers instruction. Before a story finds its final shape on the page, before insight is spoken aloud in the group, something quieter must happen. The soil of memory is gently turned. A prompt is offered with care. Writers are given time—unhurried, protected time—to remember. In the safety of attentive listening, stories begin to rise. As GAB trainers, we are not pulling growth from the ground. We are tending conditions. We encourage specificity, invite sensory detail, and remind writers to trust small moments. We model patience. We normalize pauses. We help writers recognize the “seeds” within their drafts and guide them toward the rich soil of lived experience. When we work this way, clarity emerges naturally—and the GAB garden flourishes. |
|
|
|
|
Participant’s Experience: A Gaggle of People by Elizabeth A. HortonA room full of strangers gathers for a memoir class, and what begins as stiff politeness slowly unfolds into a powerful reminder that every ordinary person carries an extraordinary story.
|
|
|
|
|
Some instructors arrive at Guided Autobiography through academia, others through writing workshops or coaching. Gord Deyell found his way through film sets, music stages, and senior living communities. |
|
|
A Series of Q & A with Dr. BirrenAs our founder and friend through GAB, Dr. James Birren had many words of wisdom to share with GAB instructors. Through an online Q & A series with Dr. Cheryl Svensson during her GAB online instructor training sessions from 2010 to 2015, he answered questions from GAB instructors. You may find that you have similar questions. His answers are as relevant and helpful today as they ever were. This is the seventh installment in a series devoted to the Birren Q & A. |
|
|
|
|
With gratitude for Dr. Birren’s long and productive life … here are some of his thoughts on GAB and aging. Question for Dr. Birren: Do men and women benefit the same way in participating in the GAB groups? Are there some topics women like discussing more than men or vice versa? Dr. Birren’s Answer: Yes, I think they do. Men differ in the way they talk about life. In fact, many men may feel it is too personal or feminine to talk about their lives. However in GAB they open up and change. It all primes the memories. Question for Dr. Birren: I would like to hear about the lives of men, too, since there are mostly women in GAB groups. Dr. Birren’s Answer: Yes, there are almost always more women than men in GAB groups. Women are more willing to talk about their lives and they network in much better ways than men do. When you talk with a man, you talk about what they ‘did’. While women talk about relationships. We need to find new ways for the men to tell their stories. I have received a book, The “Indisposable’ (read...Disposable) Male by Michael Gilbert. This book discusses the relationships between men and women. Men worry about money, their job and caring for their families. Our lives are changing and the role of women is also changing. It was a cultural change in the 1920s when women gained the right to vote. We are all living longer and healthier but our culture is lagging behind. We are not prepared for the increasing number of 100+ year olds. Professor Emeritus James E. “Jim” Birren, the founding dean of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and an aging-research pioneer considered by many to be the father of modern gerontology, passed away on January 15, 2016, at the age of 97. Remembering James E. Birren
|
Shelf-Worthy: This Edition’s Top PicksTalking to Writers: The Craft of Nonfiction by Dean Nelson Am I a writer? Where should I get ideas? Is my writing any good? How did my favorite authors make it big? The act of writing is a daunting task for many people, and becoming a “writer” means so much more than putting pen to paper. Dean Nelson embraces the questions that plague writers by turning to some of the best-known authors of our time. With encouragement, advice, and refreshing honesty, writers discuss their own beginnings, struggles, and victories in a manner that will make readers say, “I can do that.” In Talking to Writers: The Craft of Nonfiction, readers will hear from Anne Lamott about what she means by writing to heal herself, from David Brooks about what it takes to craft an informed opinion, from Tracy Kidder about the need for revision, and from Elizabeth Gilbert about being humble. Among the many other featured writers are Jeannette Walls, Cornel West, Nick Hornby, George Plimpton, Susan Orlean, and more. Bringing together interviews from 30 years of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, Nelson reveals writers' motives, connects the dots to their past, and acknowledges their struggles. Often beginning with, “I've never said this publicly before…”, these treasured authors' revelations give aspiring writers of every level the courage and support necessary to live the writing life. |
|
|
|
|
Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer Your Life as Story is a thoughtful, practical guide to transforming lived experience into meaningful narrative. Drawing on decades of experience, Tristine Rainer shows how personal stories gain shape, depth, and emotional resonance. She helps readers identify pivotal moments, uncover deeper themes, and move beyond simple recollection toward interpretation and insight. Emphasizing clarity, honesty, and craft, Rainer offers accessible tools that support writers in telling their stories with confidence and purpose. For Guided Autobiography (GAB) facilitators, this book is especially valuable. Its accessible techniques help participants—particularly those uncertain about their writing—develop narrative skills and confidence. Because GAB centers on theme-based writing, Rainer’s strategies support shaping raw memories into well-formed stories aligned with life themes. Her focus on meaning-making deepens reflection and insight, helping participants discover the “story behind the story.” It also provides facilitators with practical language for offering guidance without criticism, making it an excellent supplemental resource for life story writing groups. |
|
|
Writing Together: A Year of Meaning-Making and Friendship by Penny Williamson and Darcy Shaw Writing Together: A Year of Meaning-Making and Friendship asks a simple question: What if connection—not critique—made your writing come alive? Separated by age, gender, profession, and geography, the authors commit to a year-long experiment in shared reflection. The result blends dual memoir with a practical creative guide, modeling a writing practice rooted in trust, curiosity, and friendship. Rather than focusing on craft or publication, the book emphasizes meaning-making. Through poetry-inspired prompts and an accessible process, Williamson and Shaw show how a safe, nonjudgmental space invites exploration of pivotal moments, unfinished stories, and questions of identity. The aim is not polished prose, but deeper self-understanding. For those engaged in life review, reminiscence, or Guided Autobiography, the approach feels both familiar and affirming. Writing becomes transformative when presence replaces performance. Praised by Parker J. Palmer as “a real gift,” the book offers a humane, restorative vision of storytelling grounded in relationship and shared discovery. |
|
|
|
|
For the Memoir-Minded: What to Listen to & WhyPodcasts are everywhere—nearly 450,000 active shows in the U.S.—and they’re free, mobile,and available on demand, making them ideal for busy GAB instructors. We’ve gathered memoir and writing podcasts offering practical advice and inspiration to support your own writing and the writers you guide. Send us your suggestions: info@thebirrencenter.org Happy listening. |
|
|
|
Second Chances: How Guided Autobiography Transforms Life Stories into Published Legacies February 10, 2026 • Lisa Joworski • Episode 24 What happens to your life stories after you write them? Could they become part of a published book shared with readers around the world? In this inspiring episode, host Lisa Joworski speaks with Dr. Cheryl Svensson and Sarah White of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies about their newly released anthology, Second Chances: Lives Change One Story at a Time, and the transformative power of Guided Autobiography. Listeners will learn how Guided Autobiography differs from traditional memoir writing and why its theme-based structure makes storytelling accessible to everyone. The conversation explores the origins of the anthology, how students and instructors can submit work to future collections, and practical strategies for interviewing older adults and fostering meaningful reflection. The episode also highlights research-backed benefits of life review and the Birren Center’s global impact, having trained more than 800 instructors in 35 countries. This conversation offers insight, encouragement, and a powerful reminder: personal stories can become lasting legacies. Dr. Cheryl Svensson, as Founding Director of the Birren Center, has helped build a global community of storytellers. Sarah White, a former marketing entrepreneur is the Executive Director of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies.
|
|
|
Meet the GAB Gazette editorial team, a hardworking group of volunteers who generously give their time and expertise to support the mission of The Birren Center. |
|
|
|
|
The GAB Gazette is a bi-monthly
publication from the Birren Center. GAB Gazette Team Contributors: Duke Coats, Melissa Coats, Ansley Dauenhauer, Alice Gaddi-Roselo, Roselyn O’Connell, Barbara Smith, Cheryl Svensson, and Angela Turner
|
Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”— Chinese Proverb
|
|
|
|
