Have you felt the call to tell your story...
…but are afraid of what it might cost you?
Before The Aftermath
with author Fanen Chiahemen
A powerful recorded session for those who feel the pull to tell their story but don't yet know how.Â
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I’ll never forget the moment I knew it was time to tell my story.
I was deep into a 10-day silent retreat...
when to my shock, on the fifth day, I heard the voice of my inner child break through the silence:
I’m going to tell.
The voice quickly took on the urgency of a child tugging on her mother’s skirt.
I’m going to tell.
It grew like a wildfire, until it was a fire alarm:
I’m going to tell what they did.
And I knew, in that moment, what I had to do.
I knew that telling my story was the next step on my path to healing from my traumatic history.
So I wrote a memoir.
And when I eventually submitted the manuscript for my memoir to my publisher, I still hadn’t told my family I had written a book that told a story they were a part of.
And I lay awake at night wondering:
- How will this land?
- Who will it hurt?
- What impact will this have?
Since publishing my memoir, Never Make A Sound, I’ve spoken with countless people who want to write their stories.
And here’s what I’ve learned:
Most people aren’t afraid to write their story.
They're afraid of the consequences of telling it.
Because when a memoir involves real people, especially if they’re still alive, something is at stake.
The real fear sounds like this:
“Will they see me as disloyal?”
“Will I hurt people I love?”
“Will this fracture my family forever?”
“Will I be exiled for telling the truth?”
When my book came out and was shortlisted for a national award, I was astounded.
But what I really could not have predicted were the reactions from those who were closest to the story.
Even the favourable reactions were complicated.
And in the end...
I was cut out of the family will over my memoir.
And yet...
Here I stand, proud and with no regrets.
The voice that broke through the silence during that retreat is no longer trapped. It is free to speak, to fly and to help others be brave with its sound.
So I was cut out of the family will over my memoir, but being the first woman in my lineage to break the silence was worth it.
When I look back at what I needed to stand strong in the aftermath of telling my story, it was grounding.
â—Ź Nervous system safety.
â—Ź Emotional preparation.
â—Ź Relational foresight.
I needed guidance to learn how to stand steady inside the aftermath of revelation.
Before The Aftermath was born from that need.
What We Walk Through
This session is for those who are ready to write their story...
…but fear what might come after.
Personal Guidance
â—ŹHow I approached writing about living people
â—ŹHow I prepared myself emotionally before sharing the book
â—ŹHow I told my family
Your Tools
Name the fear
→ What you’re actually afraid will happen if you speak.
Stabilize your nervous system
→ So you feel safe enough to hold your truth.
Reclaim authorship
→ Voice, power, sovereignty.
Clarify your readiness
→ Build self-trust.
You’ll Leave With...
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●Clarity about what you’re truly afraid of.
â—ŹTools to ground yourself emotionally.
â—ŹA deeper sense of self-trust.
â—ŹFeel more grounded, self-led, and internally authorized.
â—ŹLearn how to prepare yourself for and withstand the consequences no matter what.
This is for you if...
♡You want to tell the truth, but fear the consequences.
♡You’re writing about living people.
♡You worry about hurting others.
♡You’re afraid of family reactions, rupture, or being misunderstood.
♡You care deeply about integrity and don’t want to cause harm.
What if readiness is not something you wait for?
But something you build by staying?
If you recognize yourself in any of this, you may already be standing at the threshold.
And you don’t have to cross it alone.
What People Are Saying
This is not a workshop about writing.
This is a rite of passage for those standing at the threshold of authorship.
Before The Aftermath
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