We’re Also Looking for Panel Discussion Ideas

Join us for a relaxed and welcoming hour of conversation and connection before the GAB Summit 2026 begins.

Meet fellow participants from around the world, discover what brings others to the Summit, and start making connections before we gather for three days of stories, ideas, and inspiration.

Whether you’re a writer, storyteller, facilitator, educator, GAB instructor, or simply curious about life stories and life writing, you’re welcome.

Come as you are, meet some new people, and help us kick off the Summit with a wonderful sense of community. Zoom link for this event is in your emails.

The Summit may be over, but the conversations don’t have to be!

Join us for a relaxed post-Summit gathering to celebrate our three days together, reconnect with people you met along the way, and share some of the moments, ideas, and stories that stayed with you.

Whether you attended one session or joined us throughout the Summit, come spend an hour with fellow participants, continue the connections that began during the week, and help us bring GAB Summit 2026 to a warm and joyful close.

Zoom link for this event is in your emails.

Personal historians and Guided Autobiography instructors share a commitment to helping people discover, shape, and preserve their life stories, but often approach this work differently. In this pre-Summit panel, moderator Sarah White will lead a conversation with Clinton Haby, Mike Oke, and Clémence Scouten about how personal history and GAB can complement and enrich one another. The panelists will discuss approaches ranging from legacy books, audio memoirs, and video biographies to GAB’s structured process of writing, sharing, and reflection. The conversation will also introduce the Birren Center, Dr. James Birren’s legacy, and the possibilities offered through GAB Instructor Training.

What happens when someone becomes a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor? This panel offers an inside look at the GAB Instructor Training Program and the personal and professional growth that can accompany it. Certified instructors will share what drew them to the training, what they learned, and how it deepened their confidence, self-awareness, and facilitation skills. The panel will explore how instructors have adapted GAB for healthcare, education, counselling, community, and intergenerational settings, as well as the ongoing support, resources, professional development, and worldwide community available through the Birren Center after certification.

Every Guided Autobiography instructor brings their own passions and perspective to the work. In this presentation, Elizabeth Johnston explores how identifying your own “lens” can deepen the GAB experience while making your teaching more authentic and personally meaningful.

Using her fascination with the seasons, Celtic mythology, and nature as an example, Elizabeth demonstrates how personal interests can illuminate familiar GAB themes in fresh ways. Rather than feeling constrained by the curriculum, instructors can honour the integrity of Guided Autobiography while following their curiosity and bringing more of themselves into the experience.

Many people carry powerful life stories yet hesitate to write, share, or claim their value. For Guided Autobiography instructors, the challenge is helping participants build the confidence to give those stories meaning, structure, and voice. In this session, bestselling author Sheena Yap Chan introduces Human Readiness and the VISIBLE™ Framework as tools for moving life writers from reflection to expression. She will show how Voice, Identity, Inner Work, and Belief can support storytelling, legacy writing, and deeper connection. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for helping participants engage their stories with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

In this interview, Chloe Riley talks with Lauren Knatz and Allison Maloney about their six-week music and memoir pilot combining Guided Autobiography, live music, character-development techniques, and Advance Directives. They will discuss how music triggers memories that reinforce identity, how musicians and family members can help deepen life stories, and how participants’ stories, music preferences, and healthcare wishes can become a self-advocacy tool supporting continuity of care. The conversation will also explore the program’s culmination in a Living Memorial Service, where older adults are honoured while present through curated music and a letter to future generations.

This session explores how GAB can help veterinary students build resilience early in their careers. Drawing on her experience developing a resilience course within a college of veterinary medicine, the presenter will share how GAB-style prompts and digital storytelling help students examine challenge, identity, and meaning. She will discuss gaining institutional approval, navigating objections, and using story circles to build trust and community among students. The session also considers what digital stories can reveal beyond written reflection and invites GAB instructors to imagine how this methodology might support other populations vulnerable to burnout, including nurses, teachers, first responders, and caregivers.

This panel, moderated by GAB instructor and writing coach Ansley Dauenhauer, brings Lily Bengfort, Randall Granier, and Jo Klap together for a conversation about AI and Guided Autobiography. They will explore what AI can and cannot appropriately do while protecting authentic voice, emotional safety, privacy, and lived experience. The panel will distinguish assistive tools, such as dictation and transcription, from technologies that generate or rewrite stories, examining both risks and potential uses. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for setting boundaries and a guiding principle: AI may support the writing process, but it must never replace the writer’s voice.

This presentation, co-presented by Dr. Lisa Emery, explores how autobiographical writing can build connection and community among university faculty who often work in disciplinary and classroom isolation. In spring 2026, Appalachian State University launched its “Writing Your Legacy” initiative for faculty nearing retirement, but interest extended well beyond this group. Participants reported challenges finding time and shifting from academic to personal writing, while also experiencing greater empathy, connection, and appreciation for being valued as whole people. The initiative is now expanding to include international and midcareer faculty, as well as intergenerational members of the broader community.

Moderated by Cheryl Svensson, this panel brings together Dr. Lisa Emery, Tom Pierce, and Roger Anunsen to explore the relationship between Guided Autobiography (GAB), life story work, and current research in aging, well-being, identity, memory, and narrative studies. The discussion will highlight how autobiographical writing, life review, and reminiscence contribute to personal meaning, social connection, and healthy aging. The panel will connect scholarly research with practical applications, highlight emerging research and interdisciplinary perspectives, examine the impact of life story work across diverse populations, and encourage collaboration among educators, researchers, practitioners, and community organizations.

Start each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding director of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this welcoming 30-minute session, we’ll gather as a community, preview what’s ahead, share important Summit information and updates, and help you get the most from your experience. We’ll also answer questions about navigating the Summit and let you know how you can extend your experience with the VIP Pass. Join us as we settle in, connect, and get ready for a day of stories, learning, and discovery.

Start each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding director of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this welcoming 30-minute session, we’ll gather as a community, preview what’s ahead, share important Summit information and updates, and help you get the most from your experience. We’ll also answer questions about navigating the Summit and let you know how you can extend your experience with the VIP Pass. Join us as we settle in, connect, and get ready for a day of stories, learning, and discovery.

Start each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding director of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this welcoming 30-minute session, we’ll gather as a community, preview what’s ahead, share important Summit information and updates, and help you get the most from your experience. We’ll also answer questions about navigating the Summit and let you know how you can extend your experience with the VIP Pass. Join us as we settle in, connect, and get ready for a day of stories, learning, and discovery.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Join Cheryl Svensson, founding Director of the Birren Center and longtime colleague of Dr. James Birren, for a special five-part live series exploring the ideas at the heart of Guided Autobiography. Each session features Dr. Birren discussing one of five themes that informed GAB and shaped his approach to writing about our lives. Having worked closely alongside Dr. Birren for years, Cheryl offers a unique bridge between GAB’s founder and those carrying his work forward today. Recently retired as Director, she brings decades of experience, insight, and passion to this rare opportunity to explore Dr. Birren’s thinking and enduring legacy.

Join Cheryl Svensson, founding Director of the Birren Center and longtime colleague of Dr. James Birren, for a special five-part live series exploring the ideas at the heart of Guided Autobiography. Each session features Dr. Birren discussing one of five themes that informed GAB and shaped his approach to writing about our lives. Having worked closely alongside Dr. Birren for years, Cheryl offers a unique bridge between GAB’s founder and those carrying his work forward today. Recently retired as Director, she brings decades of experience, insight, and passion to this rare opportunity to explore Dr. Birren’s thinking and enduring legacy.

Join Cheryl Svensson, founding Director of the Birren Center and longtime colleague of Dr. James Birren, for a special five-part live series exploring the ideas at the heart of Guided Autobiography. Each session features Dr. Birren discussing one of five themes that informed GAB and shaped his approach to writing about our lives. Having worked closely alongside Dr. Birren for years, Cheryl offers a unique bridge between GAB’s founder and those carrying his work forward today. Recently retired as Director, she brings decades of experience, insight, and passion to this rare opportunity to explore Dr. Birren’s thinking and enduring legacy.

Join Cheryl Svensson, founding Director of the Birren Center and longtime colleague of Dr. James Birren, for a special five-part live series exploring the ideas at the heart of Guided Autobiography. Each session features Dr. Birren discussing one of five themes that informed GAB and shaped his approach to writing about our lives. Having worked closely alongside Dr. Birren for years, Cheryl offers a unique bridge between GAB’s founder and those carrying his work forward today. Recently retired as Director, she brings decades of experience, insight, and passion to this rare opportunity to explore Dr. Birren’s thinking and enduring legacy.

Join Cheryl Svensson, founding Director of the Birren Center and longtime colleague of Dr. James Birren, for a special five-part live series exploring the ideas at the heart of GAB. Each session features Dr. Birren discussing one of five themes that shaped GAB and his approach to writing about our lives. Having worked closely with Dr. Birren for years, Cheryl offers a unique bridge between GAB’s founder and those carrying his work forward today. Recently retired as Director, she brings decades of insight and passion to this rare opportunity.

This series is exclusive to VIP Pass holders. Upgrade here: [LINK]

Getting your first GAB class off the ground can be a scary process. How do you get a cohort together? Will the class be virtual or in-person? And perhaps the biggest fear of all: Can you do this? Will anyone show up? And will they keep showing up? As a GAB-certified instructor who just completed her first pilot class, I can tell you: the answers to all three of those are: YES! In my experience, overcoming the mental fear of starting was the biggest hurdle of all.

In this interview, Chloe Riley talks with Lauren Knatz and Allison Maloney about their six-week music and memoir pilot combining Guided Autobiography, live music, character-development techniques, and Advance Directives. They will discuss how music triggers memories that reinforce identity, how musicians and family members can help deepen life stories, and how participants’ stories, music preferences, and healthcare wishes can become a self-advocacy tool supporting continuity of care. The conversation will also explore the program’s culmination in a Living Memorial Service, where older adults are honoured while present through curated music and a letter to future generations.

This panel, moderated by Gale Kaikoku, brings together Todd Ritza, Mary Bohmke, and Christine Montgomery, who met as strangers through virtual Guided Autobiography and discovered its power to create connection and community. They will share how the experience shaped their personal growth, strengthened their work as facilitators, teachers, and leaders, and inspired them to bring GAB into their communities. Drawing on their individual journeys, the panel will explore how shared stories can create safe, inclusive spaces, reveal unexpected collaborators, and build relationships that continue beyond the GAB group, demonstrating how GAB can inspire new possibilities for connection and collaboration.

Personal historians and Guided Autobiography instructors share a commitment to helping people discover, shape, and preserve their life stories, but often approach this work differently. In this pre-Summit panel, moderator Sarah White will lead a conversation with Clinton Haby, Mike Oke, and Clémence Scouten about how personal history and GAB can complement and enrich one another. The panelists will discuss approaches ranging from legacy books, audio memoirs, and video biographies to GAB’s structured process of writing, sharing, and reflection. The conversation will also introduce the Birren Center, Dr. James Birren’s legacy, and the possibilities offered through GAB Instructor Training.

Personal historians and Guided Autobiography instructors share a commitment to helping people discover, shape, and preserve their life stories, but often approach this work differently. In this pre-Summit panel, moderator Sarah White will lead a conversation with Clinton Haby, Mike Oke, and Clémence Scouten about how personal history and GAB can complement and enrich one another. The panelists will discuss approaches ranging from legacy books, audio memoirs, and video biographies to GAB’s structured process of writing, sharing, and reflection. The conversation will also introduce the Birren Center, Dr. James Birren’s legacy, and the possibilities offered through GAB Instructor Training.

This presentation, co-presented with Brenda Thomas, explores how autobiographical writing can build connection and community among university faculty who often work in disciplinary and classroom isolation. In spring 2026, Appalachian State University launched its “Writing Your Legacy” initiative for faculty nearing retirement, but interest extended well beyond this group. Participants reported challenges finding time and shifting from academic to personal writing, while also experiencing greater empathy, connection, and appreciation for being valued as whole people. The initiative is now expanding to include international and midcareer faculty, as well as intergenerational members of the broader community.

Start each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding director of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this welcoming 30-minute session, we’ll gather as a community, preview what’s ahead, share important Summit information and updates, and help you get the most from your experience. We’ll also answer questions about navigating the Summit and let you know how you can extend your experience with the VIP Pass. Join us as we settle in, connect, and get ready for a day of stories, learning, and discovery.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Close out each day of the GAB Summit with Elizabeth Johnston and Cheryl Svensson, founding member of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. In this 30-minute session, we’ll gather to reflect on the day’s presentations, revisit some of the ideas and moments that stood out, and look ahead to what’s coming next. We’ll also share important Summit reminders, answer questions, and let you know how you can continue exploring the presentations with the VIP Pass. Join us as we bring the day to a close together and celebrate the stories, insights, and connections that have emerged.

Take a break, grab some lunch, and then join us for conversation and connection with fellow Summit participants. Each Lunch & Connection Hour includes two short breakout-room conversations, each sparked by a different question and with a new mix of people whenever possible. It’s a chance to meet others in the GAB community, exchange ideas, reflect on what you’re hearing at the Summit, and discover where the conversation takes you. We’ll come back together briefly at the end before heading into the afternoon presentations.

Take a break, grab some lunch, and then join us for conversation and connection with fellow Summit participants. Each Lunch & Connection Hour includes two short breakout-room conversations, each sparked by a different question and with a new mix of people whenever possible. It’s a chance to meet others in the GAB community, exchange ideas, reflect on what you’re hearing at the Summit, and discover where the conversation takes you. We’ll come back together briefly at the end before heading into the afternoon presentations.

Take a break, grab some lunch, and then join us for conversation and connection with fellow Summit participants. Each Lunch & Connection Hour includes two short breakout-room conversations, each sparked by a different question and with a new mix of people whenever possible. It’s a chance to meet others in the GAB community, exchange ideas, reflect on what you’re hearing at the Summit, and discover where the conversation takes you. We’ll come back together briefly at the end before heading into the afternoon presentations.

This panel, moderated by Gale Kaikoku, brings together Todd Ritza, Mary Bohmke, and Christine Montgomery, who met as strangers through virtual Guided Autobiography and discovered its power to create connection and community. They will share how the experience shaped their personal growth, strengthened their work as facilitators, teachers, and leaders, and inspired them to bring GAB into their communities. Drawing on their individual journeys, the panel will explore how shared stories can create safe, inclusive spaces, reveal unexpected collaborators, and build relationships that continue beyond the GAB group, demonstrating how GAB can inspire new possibilities for connection and collaboration.

In this interview, Cheryl Svensson talks with Gayathri about what happens when GAB moves beyond remembering and meaning-making into imagination. Drawing on her anthologies Landed and The Fires We Lit, Gayathri will share how women moved from writing lived experience to using fiction, fantasy, symbolism, and imagined worlds to explore the rules that shaped their lives and envision new possibilities. Their conversation will examine the freedom and discomfort fiction can create, the challenges for those who don’t identify as writers, and how imagination might complement life review by asking not only what our stories mean, but what could come next.

Guided Autobiography helps participants explore meaningful life themes, but how do individual stories connect to reveal the larger arc of a life? In this presentation, Shelia Merkel and Gonny Gutierrez share a framework combining GAB’s theme-based writing with a decade-by-decade timeline. Drawing from their work with LIFEazine, GAB to Gorgeous, and the Decades of Me approach, they will show how participants can recognize patterns, growth, resilience, and transformation across life stages. They will also demonstrate how photos, keepsakes, captions, quotes, and favourite sayings can connect written stories with visible memories and create meaningful bridges across generations.

Guided Autobiography helps participants remember, write, reflect, and share meaningful stories, but what happens to those stories after the group ends? This presentation introduces an accessible digital storytelling model using familiar, low-cost tools such as audio or video recordings, photos, YouTube, and a basic website. The focus is on preservation, connection, dignity, and thoughtful sharing rather than technology or social media visibility. Attendees will learn about creating a simple digital story project: one meaningful story, one recording, and one online home. The session also considers applications for GAB instructors, families, care communities, and people in the early stages of dementia.

In this co-presented session, Steve Hoover and Grace Holliman offer practical strategies for adapting Guided Autobiography for individuals living with dementia (ILWD). Drawing on the presenters’ experience, published research, and national and international presentations, the session provides recommendations facilitators can readily apply. Attendees will learn about three phases of the GAB experience: preparing before the first meeting, including intake and interviews; adapting class sessions, activities, materials, and caregiver involvement; and post-class surveys and evaluations. The presenters will also share relevant insights from narrative gerontology to support meaningful and appropriate GAB experiences for ILWD. Time will be provided for participants’ questions.

This presentation explores the transformational power of Guided Autobiography through the lens of Greg’s decades of spiritual practice in the tradition of Rumi. Drawing connections between contemplative practices and GAB, he examines the profound benefits of remembering lived experience, writing about it, reading it aloud, being heard, and receiving empathic affirmation. Beyond preserving life stories, GAB can help participants feel seen and heard, deepen awareness of life’s joys and sorrows, and open the door to revelatory experiences. The presentation offers instructors a broader perspective on GAB’s inner benefits and its potential impact on participants’ heart, mind, and wellbeing.

GAB facilitators know the power of hearing a story read aloud—the hesitations, pride, and emotion that bring written words to life. Digital storytelling takes this further by preserving the storyteller’s voice alongside photographs and music, creating a lasting legacy for future generations. In this session, participants will discover how selected GAB stories can be transformed into powerful three-to-five-minute short films. Through a digital story example, we’ll explore the collaborative process of moving from written narrative to recorded voice, selecting and sequencing meaningful images, and choosing music that deepens the emotional impact of the story.

Guest Panelist: What happens when someone becomes a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor? This panel offers an inside look at the GAB Instructor Training Program and the personal and professional growth that can accompany it. Certified instructors will share what drew them to the training, what they learned, and how it deepened their confidence, self-awareness, and facilitation skills. The panel will explore how instructors have adapted GAB for healthcare, education, counselling, community, and intergenerational settings, as well as the ongoing support, resources, professional development, and worldwide community available through the Birren Center after certification.

This presentation explores how poetry can help memoirists make memories vivid, alive, and true. By stepping outside traditional prose, writers can access sensory details, emotions, and deeper truths that might otherwise remain hidden. Poetry offers a playful, liberating approach to life writing, encouraging rich language and creativity without the pressure of conventional storytelling. Attendees will discover practical techniques for bringing poetic rhythm, imagery, and sensory detail into memoir writing. The session will demonstrate how poetic approaches can help writers move beyond simply telling what happened to create descriptive, resonant stories that capture the heart of lived experience.

Guided Autobiography offers rich opportunities for reflection, yet beginning can be difficult. This experiential session introduces a facilitation sequence that helps participants arrive at the page through attention rather than immediately asking for narrative. Using a contemplative practice, participants will explore observation, feeling, and thought as entry points into writing and discover how fragments can develop into autobiographical stories. A brief introduction to haiku offers another way to experiment with image and sensory language. GAB practitioners will leave with an adaptable activity that uses small acts of noticing to deepen memory, enrich language, and move participants from attention to story.

This panel, moderated by GAB instructor and writing coach Ansley Dauenhauer, brings Lily Bengfort, Randall Granier, and Jo Klap together for a conversation about AI and Guided Autobiography. They will explore what AI can and cannot appropriately do while protecting authentic voice, emotional safety, privacy, and lived experience. The panel will distinguish assistive tools, such as dictation and transcription, from technologies that generate or rewrite stories, examining both risks and potential uses. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for setting boundaries and a guiding principle: AI may support the writing process, but it must never replace the writer’s voice.

This presentation explores the pressures shaping men’s lives in Singapore, where academic achievement, National Service, career expectations, and responsibilities as provider/protector create a narrow path to success. Drawing on his own experience of pursuing achievement to the brink of losing his life, the presenter considers how GAB can offer men space to reflect on pivotal life experiences and make sense of their choices. He will examine how life review can support men at different stages of adulthood and introduce the men-only GAB program he is developing for those for whom writing—and finding the words—may not come easily.

This talk broadens our understanding of ancestry by exploring five lineages beyond bloodline: milk kinship, chosen family, cultural inheritance, affinity, and place. Each offers possibilities for writing about family and honouring the people, places, and influences that shape us. Through a brief writing exercise and guided meditation, participants will experience how ancestry extends beyond genealogy into a wider web of connection and belonging. Attendees will discover ancestors in unexpected places, gain new language for these relationships, and leave with a framework for honouring the dimensions of heritage. Ancestry is more than a family tree—it’s a whole forest.

In this interview, Chloe Riley talks with Lauren Knatz and Allison Maloney about their six-week music and memoir pilot combining Guided Autobiography, live music, character-development techniques, and Advance Directives. They will discuss how music triggers memories that reinforce identity, how musicians and family members can help deepen life stories, and how participants’ stories, music preferences, and healthcare wishes can become a self-advocacy tool supporting continuity of care. The conversation will also explore the program’s culmination in a Living Memorial Service, where older adults are honoured while present through curated music and a letter to future generations.

This panel, moderated by GAB instructor and writing coach Ansley Dauenhauer, brings Lily Bengfort, Randall Granier, and Jo Klap together for a conversation about AI and Guided Autobiography. They will explore what AI can and cannot appropriately do while protecting authentic voice, emotional safety, privacy, and lived experience. The panel will distinguish assistive tools, such as dictation and transcription, from technologies that generate or rewrite stories, examining both risks and potential uses. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for setting boundaries and a guiding principle: AI may support the writing process, but it must never replace the writer’s voice.

West Vancouver Stories began during the COVID pandemic as a series of online writing sessions designed to build community and combat isolation. It has since grown into an ongoing series of anthologies bringing together residents across generations and backgrounds. The project has preserved local stories while fostering friendships, intergenerational relationships, newcomer belonging, and family connections. The anthologies are now held in local library collections and Library and Archives Canada. In this presentation, Lindy will share how the projects unfolded, lessons learned about creating and publishing community anthologies, and the impact they have had on individual participants and the wider community.

Moderated by Cheryl Svensson, this panel brings together Dr. Lisa Emery, Tom Pierce, and Roger Anunsen to explore the relationship between Guided Autobiography (GAB), life story work, and current research in aging, well-being, identity, memory, and narrative studies. The discussion will highlight how autobiographical writing, life review, and reminiscence contribute to personal meaning, social connection, and healthy aging. The panel will connect scholarly research with practical applications, highlight emerging research and interdisciplinary perspectives, examine the impact of life story work across diverse populations, and encourage collaboration among educators, researchers, practitioners, and community organizations.

This session explores how life writing created over months, years, or decades can become a finished memoir or legacy book. Through examples ranging from biographies and personal anthologies to tribute and memorial books, attendees will see what is possible with thoughtful editorial and design support. The presentation addresses common doubts about whether personal stories are worth publishing and explains how editing, including “respectful rearrangement,” can help writing shine while preserving the author’s voice. GAB instructors and personal historians will also learn how cover design, images, and thoughtful production can help writers create meaningful books that families will cherish for generations.

Personal historians and Guided Autobiography instructors share a commitment to helping people discover, shape, and preserve their life stories, but often approach this work differently. In this pre-Summit panel, moderator Sarah White will lead a conversation with Clinton Haby, Mike Oke, and Clémence Scouten about how personal history and GAB can complement and enrich one another. The panelists will discuss approaches ranging from legacy books, audio memoirs, and video biographies to GAB’s structured process of writing, sharing, and reflection. The conversation will also introduce the Birren Center, Dr. James Birren’s legacy, and the possibilities offered through GAB Instructor Training.

This panel, moderated by Gale Kaikoku, brings together Todd Ritza, Mary Bohmke, and Christine Montgomery, who met as strangers through virtual Guided Autobiography and discovered its power to create connection and community. They will share how the experience shaped their personal growth, strengthened their work as facilitators, teachers, and leaders, and inspired them to bring GAB into their communities. Drawing on their individual journeys, the panel will explore how shared stories can create safe, inclusive spaces, reveal unexpected collaborators, and build relationships that continue beyond the GAB group, demonstrating how GAB can inspire new possibilities for connection and collaboration.

Guest Panelist: What happens when someone becomes a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor? This panel offers an inside look at the GAB Instructor Training Program and the personal and professional growth that can accompany it. Certified instructors will share what drew them to the training, what they learned, and how it deepened their confidence, self-awareness, and facilitation skills. The panel will explore how instructors have adapted GAB for healthcare, education, counselling, community, and intergenerational settings, as well as the ongoing support, resources, professional development, and worldwide community available through the Birren Center after certification.

This presentation explores how GAB skills can be extended into commercially viable life-story services. It covers three types of clients: those who need help polishing an existing manuscript, those who need support beginning their story, and those seeking a ghostwriter. Participants will learn how to attract clients, structure pricing, and manage the writing and production process from start to finish. Whether you are interested in building a full-time business or creating flexible part-time work that fits your lifestyle, this session will introduce practical possibilities for turning your life-story expertise into a rewarding professional service.

Personal historians and Guided Autobiography instructors share a commitment to helping people discover, shape, and preserve their life stories, but often approach this work differently. In this pre-Summit panel, moderator Sarah White will lead a conversation with Clinton Haby, Mike Oke, and Clémence Scouten about how personal history and GAB can complement and enrich one another. The panelists will discuss approaches ranging from legacy books, audio memoirs, and video biographies to GAB’s structured process of writing, sharing, and reflection. The conversation will also introduce the Birren Center, Dr. James Birren’s legacy, and the possibilities offered through GAB Instructor Training.

In this one-on-one conversation, Nancy Scherlong interviews journalist, writer, and newly practising Guided Autobiography instructor Chloe Riley about what it really takes to get your first GAB class off the ground. Chloe will share her experience of moving through the fears and practical questions that come with starting—from finding participants and choosing a format to wondering whether anyone will actually show up. Together, Nancy and Chloe will explore the challenges, discoveries, and growing confidence that come from taking that first leap from GAB training to leading a group of your own.

This panel, moderated by GAB instructor and writing coach Ansley Dauenhauer, brings Lily Bengfort, Randall Granier, and Jo Klap together for a conversation about AI and Guided Autobiography. They will explore what AI can and cannot appropriately do while protecting authentic voice, emotional safety, privacy, and lived experience. The panel will distinguish assistive tools, such as dictation and transcription, from technologies that generate or rewrite stories, examining both risks and potential uses. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for setting boundaries and a guiding principle: AI may support the writing process, but it must never replace the writer’s voice.

Moderated by Cheryl Svensson, this panel brings together Dr. Lisa Emery, Tom Pierce, and Roger Anunsen to explore the relationship between Guided Autobiography (GAB), life story work, and current research in aging, well-being, identity, memory, and narrative studies. The discussion will highlight how autobiographical writing, life review, and reminiscence contribute to personal meaning, social connection, and healthy aging. The panel will connect scholarly research with practical applications, highlight emerging research and interdisciplinary perspectives, examine the impact of life story work across diverse populations, and encourage collaboration among educators, researchers, practitioners, and community organizations.

VIP Pass holders are invited to continue the conversation with three post-Summit reflection gatherings hosted by Ansley Dauenhauer and Sarah White. Each gathering offers an opportunity to revisit one day of the Summit, reconnect with moments and ideas that resonated most, and explore what continues to spark curiosity, connection, or possibilities. Through conversation and small-group reflection, you’ll have space to hear what others took away and discover what you may have missed.

Join us November 2, 9, and 16 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific / 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

To join us for this series, click here to upgrade your experience.

VIP Pass holders are invited to continue the conversation with three post-Summit reflection gatherings hosted by Ansley Dauenhauer and Sarah White. Each gathering offers an opportunity to revisit one day of the Summit, reconnect with moments and ideas that resonated most, and explore what continues to spark curiosity, connection, or possibilities. Through conversation and small-group reflection, you’ll have space to hear what others took away and discover what you may have missed.

Join us November 2, 9, and 16 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific / 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

To join us for this series, click here to upgrade your experience.

VIP Pass holders are invited to continue the conversation with three post-Summit reflection gatherings hosted by Ansley Dauenhauer and Sarah White. Each gathering offers an opportunity to revisit one day of the Summit, reconnect with moments and ideas that resonated most, and explore what continues to spark curiosity, connection, or possibilities. Through conversation and small-group reflection, you’ll have space to hear what others took away and discover what you may have missed.

Join us November 2, 9, and 16 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific / 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

To join us for this series, click here to upgrade your experience.

Guided Autobiography helps participants explore meaningful life themes, but how do individual stories connect to reveal the larger arc of a life? In this presentation, Shelia Merkel and Gonny Gutierrez share a framework combining GAB’s theme-based writing with a decade-by-decade timeline. Drawing from their work with LIFEazine, GAB to Gorgeous, and the Decades of Me approach, they will show how participants can recognize patterns, growth, resilience, and transformation across life stages. They will also demonstrate how photos, keepsakes, captions, quotes, and favourite sayings can connect written stories with visible memories and create meaningful bridges across generations.

In this co-presented session, Steve Hoover and Grace Holliman offer practical strategies for adapting Guided Autobiography for individuals living with dementia (ILWD). Drawing on the presenters’ experience, published research, and national and international presentations, the session provides recommendations facilitators can readily apply. Attendees will learn about three phases of the GAB experience: preparing before the first meeting, including intake and interviews; adapting class sessions, activities, materials, and caregiver involvement; and post-class surveys and evaluations. The presenters will also share relevant insights from narrative gerontology to support meaningful and appropriate GAB experiences for ILWD. Time will be provided for participants’ questions.

This panel, moderated by Gale Kaikoku, brings together Todd Ritza, Mary Bohmke, and Christine Montgomery, who met as strangers through virtual Guided Autobiography and discovered its power to create connection and community. They will share how the experience shaped their personal growth, strengthened their work as facilitators, teachers, and leaders, and inspired them to bring GAB into their communities. Drawing on their individual journeys, the panel will explore how shared stories can create safe, inclusive spaces, reveal unexpected collaborators, and build relationships that continue beyond the GAB group, demonstrating how GAB can inspire new possibilities for connection and collaboration.

Moderated by Cheryl Svensson, this panel brings together Dr. Lisa Emery, Tom Pierce, and Roger Anunsen to explore the relationship between Guided Autobiography (GAB), life story work, and current research in aging, well-being, identity, memory, and narrative studies. The discussion will highlight how autobiographical writing, life review, and reminiscence contribute to personal meaning, social connection, and healthy aging. The panel will connect scholarly research with practical applications, highlight emerging research and interdisciplinary perspectives, examine the impact of life story work across diverse populations, and encourage collaboration among educators, researchers, practitioners, and community organizations.

Guest Panelist: What happens when someone becomes a Guided Autobiography (GAB) instructor? This panel offers an inside look at the GAB Instructor Training Program and the personal and professional growth that can accompany it. Certified instructors will share what drew them to the training, what they learned, and how it deepened their confidence, self-awareness, and facilitation skills. The panel will explore how instructors have adapted GAB for healthcare, education, counselling, community, and intergenerational settings, as well as the ongoing support, resources, professional development, and worldwide community available through the Birren Center after certification.

This talk explores the urgency of preserving stories while people are still here to tell them. Inspired by a cell phone recording made during a moment of clarity with the speaker’s sister Kristina in hospice, it considers what happens when someone realizes their story matters and will outlive them. GAB instructors accompany people through life review, creating opportunities for stories to be written, shared, and witnessed. This session invites instructors to consider how those stories might also be seen, heard, and felt beyond the page—not replacing the written word, but preserving voices and moments that cannot be recovered.