In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, I chat with Carolyn Roy-Bornstein about restorative writing, burnout, and healing through storytelling.

Carolyn shares how writing became a lifeline after her son survived a devastating car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury. She explains how journaling and narrative writing helped her process ambiguous grief, anger, and emotional isolation, ultimately inspiring her new book, A Prescription for Burnout: Restorative Writing for Healthcare Professionals. The book offers practical advice for anyone struggling with burnout or emotional exhaustion, whether they work in medicine or simply feel overwhelmed by modern life.

Together, Estelle and Carolyn discuss:
• Why expressive writing has been linked to improved emotional and physical health
• How writing can help healthcare professionals manage burnout and secondary trauma
• The science behind writing and stress reduction
• Narrative medicine and the importance of bearing witness
• Using prompts to unlock scene, dialogue, and emotional truth
• The role of writing in building resilience, self-awareness, and professional identity
• Why even 15 minutes of writing can make a difference
• How to structure a prescriptive nonfiction book around reader transformation
• Carolyn’s experience publishing with Johns Hopkins University Press and navigating peer review

About Carolyn Roy-Bornstein
Carolyn Roy-Bornstein is a board-certified pediatrician, former registered nurse, and writer-in-residence at the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency, where she teaches narrative medicine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, JAMA, Poets & Writers, and many other publications. She lives and writes in Maine and Massachusetts.

Watch on YouTube

Links
Carolyn’s website
Facebook
LinkedIn

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About Estelle

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and author of Writing That Gets Noticed. She is the host, founder, and executive producer of Freelance Writing Direct and an adjunct professor at NYU.

Her work has appeared in more than 150 publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines.

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