Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Fonseca.
Christine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a young child, I was intense and creative. I spent my days in my head, conjuring up stories filled with heroes and villains. I wondered about the world, people, and life.
Things haven’t changed much! I still spend much of my day wondering. As a survivor of abuse and trauma, I know firsthand how stories can transform lives. Other people’s stories gave me hope and understanding when I had none. And now, my words have the capacity to do the same for others. As a professional storyteller, I use my imagination to bring stories to life in engaging, informative, and entertaining ways. Whether it’s tackling the mental health needs of children and adults or delving into the world of myth, my words guide you to the power of your personal story.
My writing career officially started in 2010, when my first book, Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, was published. Born from a parenting workshop I’d taught for over ten years, the book blended my training as an educational psychologist with my personal experiences dealing with emotional intensity. Through this book, I wanted to help parents better understand what it means to live as an intense human. As the parent of two gifted children, the spouse of a gifted husband, and a gifted adult, I live with intensity every moment of every day. Over the years, I’ve come to understand that the intense behaviors that so often threw us off-balance were the very same passionate emotions that enable many of our greatest joys. Achieving equilibrium wasn’t about diminishing the intensity of the moments, but about changing our mindset about those moments and building stronger coping strategies for life’s curveballs.
Emotional Intensity was instantly successful, resonating with parents who had experienced similar feelings to mine. The book started my life as an author. As parents and educators began to reach out and ask me to teach the concepts in the book, my speaking and consulting business began. I began to speak at state and local conferences, train educators, coach parents, and take the work I had done in my local district and bring it to educators and parents across the country. I also wrote more books – many more books.
In 2017, I explored additional ways I could help children, parents, and educators who worked with highly creative, intense children. I started a small online coaching practice, developed courses that could blend my writing side with my psychology side, and grew my speaking events.
Today, I think of myself as a storyteller, a thinker, and a changemaker. I am committed to using my training and experiences to help others harness their creative energy, explore truth, and embrace their intensities.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth? Absolutely not. Most of my life, I’ve been told I’m “too intense, too much, too…everything.” I’ve struggled to get published, experienced failure with my books, and felt bone-crushing fear. I even stopped writing for several years. But here’s the thing – I can’t walk away from who I am. Achieving one’s dreams isn’t always easy. Living an authentic life isn’t easy. But for me, there is no real choice here. I have a massive desire to serve, a calling to create and help others to find their purpose and meaning on the planet.
Success isn’t about a formula or a recipe. It is about mindset and connections. If you have a big dream or big vision, lean in, and learn to trust. Do the personal work. Focus on authenticity and connection. Show up for yourself and your dream every day. Take action on your vision, one step at a time.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I typically tell people that I am an author, consultant, and coach. But, I prefer to think of myself as a storyteller, a thinker, and a changemaker.
As a storyteller, I write novels for young adults and adults, teach courses online and live about writing, and coach others how to write from the soul and use storytelling to heal past traumas. As a thinker, I write self-help books for children and adults on topics that range from mental wellness to giftedness, to developing empathy and resilience. As a changemaker, I provide psycho-educational assessments and educational counseling covering issues like anxiety, understanding giftedness, and mental wellness. I also support parents through my blog, Parenting for a Digital Generation on Psychology Today, and the many articles, podcasts, and webinars, I’ve been fortunate enough to develop.
I am deeply committed to helping intense humans embrace their intensities using strengths-based practices, mind-body connections, and storytelling.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Humans crave connection. When starting a new path or business, a thought-partner or mentor can help provide a partnership that can help you on your journey. Start by looking for a like-minded individual or group that shares both your vision and your values. Perhaps they have traveled a similar path, or have achieved something you strive to achieve. Ask questions of your would-be mentor. Don’t rush, but don’t stall out of fear. And when in doubt, trust that inner voice of wisdom.
Contact Info:
- Website: christinefonseca.com
- Email: info@christinefonseca.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinefonsecaauthor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristineFonseca/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrstinef
Image Credit:
Fabiana Fonseca, Kiley Shai
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