Have you ever felt defined by your worst moment? Like one failure, one mistake, or one traumatic experience has become the story of who you are?

In this raw, honest conversation, I sit down with Pushcart Prize-winning poet Dr. Ravi Shankar to explore how writing can literally set us free—whether we're behind bars or trapped in our own stories.

Dr. Shankar went from being the youngest tenured professor in Connecticut College history to spending 90 days in jail. What happened inside those walls changed everything. Now he teaches creative writing to incarcerated people using "bibliotherapy"—the practice of using writing as a path to healing.

In this episode, Ravi shares the exact prompts and practices he uses to help people transform pain into power, face their shadows without drowning in shame, and break free from the labels society has placed on them.

This isn't just about writing. It's about liberation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Writing gives you back control of your story. Even if you can't change what happened, you can reclaim your narrative.
• Shame is a soul-eating emotion—but it can hollow you out to create space for greater empathy. By connecting with the parts of ourselves we're ashamed of, we learn to forgive ourselves and others.
• You don't have to share what you write. The act of pouring out your experiences is deeply therapeutic, even if no one ever reads it.
• When you fail spectacularly, you become less afraid of failure. Rock bottom can be the foundation for reinvention.
• If you get stuck, write: "I don't know what to say." Then keep writing. Free writing isn't about perfection—it's about generating material.
• Writing can reach through generations. It's not just about processing your own trauma—it's about healing ancestral wounds.

WANT TO TRY IT?

Start with these three prompts:

• "Someone said..." (opens the door to memory)
• Write from the perspective of an object in your childhood room
• Take a trip across town and write down everything you see/hear (side entry into your story)

ABOUT DR. RAVI SHANKAR:

Dr. Ravi Shankar is a Pushcart Prize-winning poet and author of the award-winning memoir Correctional, which chronicles his 90 days in jail and the men he met there. He teaches creative writing at Tufts University, bringing college classes into correctional facilities to help incarcerated people heal and reclaim their voices through bibliotherapy. He's authored 18 books and appeared on NPR, PBS, and in The New York Times.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Books:

• Correctional by Ravi Shankar
• The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
• My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem

Concepts:

• Bibliotherapy: Using writing to promote healing
• Wabi-sabi: Finding beauty in imperfection
• Kintsugi: Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold
• The epistolary method: Writing letters to your past/future self

Connect with Ravi:

• Instagram: @laremerpurpler
• Website: poetravishankar.com

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