Introducing Katie Bean's Substack

Creating space for healing through writing and vulnerable storytelling because we all have a #writetoheal

Welcome to the #WriteToHeal community where all are invited to read, reflect, write, and share. I am grateful to have this amazing space to connect with all of you and eager to engage in meaningful conversation.

What will we be doing here?

TLDR: Writing and vulnerable storytelling are two of the most powerful healing tools I’ve ever found. Here, I hope to share my understanding of those tools with you. I aim to create a space that builds courage, compassion, and connection. Subscribe and watch for once-a-week posts that combine personal stories with journal prompts for your own reflection and healing.

My Highlights

I live in a charming walkable little town about an hour outside of Philadelphia, PA called Phoenixville. My husband, John, and I bought our house in 2015. We love to walk the trails with our dog, Charlie, and enjoy going to the historic Colonial Theater for movies. We actually got married there in 2017! I practice yoga, work in higher education health promotion, and love to read and write. Here’s our holiday card:

My Reality

I am a type-A stubborn Capricorn who will work myself to death if I am not reminded to take a break. Turning self-care and wellness, as well as reading, into “work” has allowed me to focus on myself while still feeling productive. I love to read self-help and spiritual books as I consider myself a life-long learner, but am returning to my roots of fiction as I am intentionally trying to have more fun this year. I am obsessed with tea, all the varieties and the aesthetic of a tea pot or friends gathered with cups in hand - and am a new Swiftea. (Puns are my favorite). I go through bouts of depression, typically every fall semester when work becomes overwhelmingly busy. John is in recovery from a substance use disorder and I am grateful for our sober lifestyle. We have had to deal with a few relapses in our relationship but came out of them stronger. I have a hard time having small talk so let’s dive in…

What will we be doing here?

Longer version: As a child with a speech impediment, I learned to write as a way to communicate. It was easier on all of us because when my thoughts came through a pen, they were so clear that no one ever had to ask me to repeat myself. Once I found my speaking voice, I continued to write as a hobby, which turned into a passion, and also became a way to manage the challenges in my life.

Journaling helped me sort through my feelings and discover connections between my emotions and experiences. Writing allowed me to process pain, deal with drama, and cope with trauma. From overcoming body image issues, to dealing with depression, to surviving sexual assault, writing helped me heal. I continue to write, and with each turning of a new page, I continue to discover more and deeper levels of peace. Once I started practicing yoga, the healing process was sped up.

In 2021, in an effort to keep our yoga studio engaged during COVID, I began a Learning Circle - an online book club with a self-study twist. In the group, we use the author’s stories as a jumping off point to reflect on our own lives which allows for authentic connections. We utilize Brene Brown’s work outlined in the Gifts of Imperfection to build courage, compassion, and connection and the vulnerability was (and continues to be) transformative.

Multiple participants in the Learning Circle shared the powerful impact the process had on them and empowered me to share my insights with the world. I am grateful to have had that encouragement and I published my memoir in May 2023 with New Degree Press. Written as both a personal narrative and a practical guide, Fragile Thoughts: A Healing Memoir helps readers find their own path to healing through vulnerable storytelling as well as journal prompts for reflective writing and accessible yoga-based activities at the end of each chapter.

One example of a writing exercise I’ve done for years is the Word of the Year practice.(Check out my youtube video with writing prompts to discover your word of the year!) My Word of the Year for 2024 is Playful so I am seeking ways to bring more joy and fun into my life. There is nothing I love more than connecting with people, especially when engaging about books and writing and yoga. So I decided to join Substack as a way to engage with a wider community and try to have more fun.

My first Notes on Substack were responses to the Meet The Writer series from

Beth Kempton

. The last prompt was to make a commitment about our writing. After more reflection, I have a new commitment to make and I wanted to share it here in my first post.

*I will post once a week including a combination of personal vulnerable stories with prompts for readers to reflect and write. Look for my post each Sunday.*

Today’s Prompt

My absolute favorite childhood movie was Cinderella, but not the Disney version. I was obsessed with the Rogers and Hammerstein 1957 version with Julie Andrews. The songs were poetry and spoke to the way I felt. I spent a lot of time in my own little corner, wishing and dreaming of being someone else. Diving into books was an escape. I could imagine myself as the characters in the story, not bullied by a speech impediment, but having confidence and becoming the hero of my own life. My mom said that I used to feel so a part of the story that when I had to put my book down for dinner, I felt bad that I was leaving the characters behind. As if the characters all just stood around chatting waiting for me to return so the story could continue.

Cinderella taught me to dream impossible dreams, knowing that they really can come true. Now, my impossible dream is to reach 100,000 people on their healing journey through my work - this Substack channel, my book, and the monthly Learning Circles I run online. When I first wrote out this dream, I wrote 10,000 people but added that extra zero after listening to the Impossible song again. Listen below to feel inspired.

Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother said, “Impossible things are happening every day!" Perhaps my dream of reaching 100,000 people is a daft one but the fairy godmother said: dreamers are not “dizzy in the noodle” if they have “someone who loves them to help them.” And I have the absolute best support system in the world. So I think reaching 100,000 people is possible!

It also helps to shift from thinking about how BIG the number is to seeing it as a SMALL number. I start to see the possibilities open up when I shift my perspective.

Reaching 100,000 is 6,500 less than the amount of people who fit into the Penn State football stadium. So I’m hoping that, in my lifetime, I can reach less than the number of people that show up to Beaver Stadium for a single college football game. Thinking of it that way makes me feel it is within reach. Perspective shifts help see the impossible as possible.

So tell me, what's your impossible dream? What kind of perspective shift can help make the impossible seem more possible? Please share in the comments.