Meet Trailblazer Dianne Maroney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dianne Maroney.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Dianne. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am the founder and CEO of The Imagine Project, Inc., a nonprofit that helps kids cope with stress and trauma through expressive writing. My journey began in my childhood where I experienced a lot of trauma including finding my mom after she committed suicide when I was 15. My career in nursing focused on taking care of premature infants in the NICU when my daughter was born 16 weeks early weighing only 1 lb, 12 oz. She is 26 now and doing great but as you can imagine the trauma was significant for her and myself. I went back to school and received a Masters in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing with a focus on childhood trauma. I began speaking to preemie parents and medical professionals. I asked other parents to tell me their stories, beginning each sentence of their story with Imagine. Wow, it was a powerful and healing process for the writer and reader!

In 2010, I began traveling the country meeting ordinary people with extraordinary stories, asking them to write their stories using the word Imagine and then created a coffee table, storybook with these powerful stories. The process was so healing I decided to try it with kids. I asked a friend who was an 8th-grade teacher to see if his kids could write their Imagine stories and out of a classroom of 28 kids came powerful stories of bullying, parent pressures, parent neglect, illness, and sadly–suicide ideation. So, I kept going to whatever school would have me. I learned quickly that every child has a story, and they need the opportunity to heal from it.

I then created a 7-step process that helps children K-12 (and adults) process and heal from stress and trauma by writing their story and their dreams using the word Imagine–and art in and of itself. These journals are available for free from anywhere in the world. The Imagine Project is now in all 50 states and 62 countries!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was a rocky road at times and smooth sailing at times. In the beginning, I was sure I didn’t know what I was doing and leaned on others to guide me. With this came people who charged to much, didn’t have the correct knowledge, and/or didn’t give me the guidance that was appropriate for the project. Once I began trusting myself to listen to my inner guidance and the wisdom of those I trusted, things began to get smoother.

There is always healing in new adventures. Know the obstacles you face are teaching you something important. Listen, be curious, heal it (probably need outside support for this), and trust your instincts!

Please tell us about The Imagine Project, Inc. – what should we know?
The Imagine Project is an art of healing. Telling your own story so that you can process, move forward, and write a new story in its place. The beauty of this form of expressive writing is using the word “Imagine…” creates a safe space for processing and healing. I am inspired by the resilience of the human spirit as I listen to the stories that people endure, even children. Children want to tell their story and they want adults to hear it.

My message is anything is possible once we own our story by becoming vulnerable in it, just for a few minutes. Then we can release it and Imagine a new story in its place. Imagine… teaching this to children as a lifetime tool.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.
Untethered Soul by Michael Singer.

Breethe app for meditation.

www.bohobeautiful.com for daily yoga.

Pricing:

• The Imagine Project: Stories of Courage Hope and Love (Yampa Valley Publishing, 2013) $35
• The Imagine Project: Empowering Kids to Rise Above Drama, Trauma, and Stress (YVP, 2018) $28
• Byron the Caterpillar Who Loved to Imagine ((YVP) $9.99

Contact Info:

• Address: 16117 Whitestone Dr.
  Parker, CO 80134
• Website: www.theimagineproject.org
• Phone: 303-437-4836
• Email: dianne@theimagineproject.com
• Instagram: @the.imagineproject
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImagineProject/
• Twitter: @diannemaroney

Image Credit:
Lia Jenkins, Mackenzie Maroney, and myself

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