The Conversation of a Lifetime
Life Review
A one-on-one, confidential conversation covering your whole life.
What Life Review Is
The most powerful story you will hear: your own life story, told fully and honestly to a trained listener.
The process is:
Chronological: decade by decade
Unhurried: 6-10 weeks, 1-hour weekly Zoom sessions
Storytelling-based: non-problem-oriented
Individualized: focused on your themes
Life Review was first introduced in 1963 by Robert N. Butler, founding director of the U.S. National Institute on Aging, and later championed by William Damon, a leading scholar on purpose at Stanford University.
Who Life Review Is For
Jane Fonda did a Life Review at fifty-nine in preparation for her “third act” and wrote a book about it. But Life Review is not for celebrities only. And it’s not only for people who feel they have a book in them. It’s for anyone looking for a reset into more clarity, confidence, and connection with others and with themselves.
“One of the smartest things I ever did - and I can say this unequivocally - was a Life Review.”
— JANE FONDA, ACTOR & ACTIVIST
Oprah Winfrey once said that giving yourself a birthday gift of Life Review is a great idea. Looking at life as a whole is especially powerful around milestone birthdays for those craving a shift toward more meaning and purpose in their second or third act.
“Life Review is a journey of self-discovery for individuals seeking perspective on their life and greater appreciation for how they have impacted their world.”
— DIANE HARRI, STRATEGIC CONSULTANCY OWNER
How Life Review Works
Have you ever experienced a perspective shift in the course of a conversation?
Stories are fluid. They can deepen and sometimes transform in the telling. How you tell your story depends on how it’s being received—and having an attentive listener can help you uncover the story beneath the story.
“When you tell someone about the events in your life - and someone listens without judgement - it’s such a wonderful thing. This kind of study reveals unique answers about your life... what everybody’s looking for.”
— NILAY G., WELLNESS COACH, USA
“The conversation of a lifetime” starts with your earliest memories and concludes with a look to your future. All aspects of your life come together—often for the first time.
As your life review guide, I ask thoughtful, well-timed questions to deepen your reflection. At the end, I provide a summary of narrative threads running through your story.
Seeing what your life has been about brings clarity for the way forward. In this way, you transform your past into a meaningful vision for your future.
Why It Works
Unlike solitary reflective practices, such as journaling, spoken Life Review is a rare human-to-human experience of being fully seen. The ripple effect of having your whole life witnessed is far-reaching.
“I love the concept of Life Review - making one’s life more compelling, appreciated, worthy of being listened to. It could break the feeling of isolation or of not being seen and heard.”
— JACQUELINE CABELLO, TRANSFORMATION COACH, CANADA
Your life story is heard without analysis, diagnosis, or prescribed change.
“It's so important in these times to make creative, developmental, relational sense of who we are, what we want, who we are becoming. … The Conversation of a Lifetime is brilliant!”
— CARRIE SACKETT, STC COACHING METHOD FOUNDER, USA
Inner transformation, your “This is who I am now” statement, has to register socially—or it fades. Life Review represents both a return to who you truly are, and the initial relationship necessary to sustain it.
I invite you to read the FAQ section below, visit the client testimonials page, or book a free 30-minute discovery call to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
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In addition to greater personal clarity, your spoken story can serve as a base for memoirs, personal essays, an autobio-zine, an audio series, a solo storytelling show, etc. It can also serve as meaningful pre-work before investing in personal development. If you choose to course-correct, it will help you pick the right course.
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In Life Review, while looking back on their lived experience, people simultaneously look forward - kind of like rowing. They connect who they’ve been to who they are, and who they might become.
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Life Review is strictly non-clinical. It provides a storytelling-based entry into greater self-awareness and self-acceptance within 2-3 months. Your life story is heard without analysis, diagnosis, or prescribed change.
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When you tell a story, it’s different from when you write it. Explaining events to another person forces you to make sense of them in real time. An unbiased listener can help untangle your narrative in a way that’s not possible on your own.
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The first step is booking a free discovery call. We will explore how you can benefit from doing a Life Review at this stage in your life, discuss any customization and the cost, and verify the goodness of fit between us.
If you have a question not answered above, please submit it here or book a free 30-minute call.