Deborah Whitaker
"Deborah is a psychotherapist and a screenwriter. My favorite combination."
- Academy Award-winning screenwriter Ernest Thompson
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Deborah has always been fascinated by the transformational power of story. As a young girl, words charmed her in their ability to weave ideas into shape and color. Unifying her early excursions into both prose and psychological research, she wrote a thought-provoking parable on the art and science of self-love called Looking Glass Sky (Jalmar Press, 1995), which arose from her years in private practice as a psychotherapist. Deborah’s love of story next led her deep into the fabric of screenwriting, from which she spun five screenplays based on the mythic hero’s/heroine's journey format.
Threaded throughout the lives of each of the leading ladies in these inspirational stories, you’ll find hers. They include an ageless astronaut, a 40’s jazz singer, a clipper ship captain's wife, and a mother with a deep dedication to both her daughter and the earth. Deborah’s more recent heroines, Ms. Bee Haven and Mzzz Pink, among others, originate from her cartoon world Splash City, a playful approach to personal transformation (for adults and young adults) using 'Cartoon Mentors,' therapeutically woven fables, and a splash of wonder. Deb lives near the seacoast of New Hampshire. |
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MUSINGS
THE NEED FOR HEROINE'S JOURNEY STORIES
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"There is a profound difference between writing a story of a successful woman and writing a heroine’s journey. For the audience, a film produced from the first may be interesting, while a film produced from the latter may just be life-altering. The path of a heroine is not toward success, but toward herself."
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Cover photo of hydrangeas by Josefin