Podcast

self-discovery

602: Roles and Identities Part 2 (for Counselors and Educators): A Framework for Understanding How Your Roles Shape Your Work

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SHOW NOTES

To kick off Season 6, Ethan shares some practical resources based on a new framework he's been exploring.  If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already be familiar with something we call the Roles and Identities List, which is a huge menu of roles (things like “catalyst” and “change-maker” and “party-bringer”) — Ethan has used it as a get-to-know-you exercise with a number of previous guests. 

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 of this mini-series where Ethan walked through some practical exercises for students and parents based on the Roles and Identities framework. 

But what about counselors? We who spend our days (and often nights) answering emails, phone calls, texting and generally caretaking in 100 different ways…  Today’s episode is the second of two where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students. Ethan explores: 

  • How can counselors make sure we fill our own cups (and not just our coffee cups)? 

  • How can we make sure we’re even more spacious and resourced… so that we’re able to give back from a full cup, and with a full heart?

  • And more. 

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play

  • 0:08 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework? 

  • 5:34 - Exercise #1 : The Roles & Identities List 

  • 11:39 - Exercise #2: The “shadow” version

  • 21:30 - Exercise #3: The “foil” to your role 

  • 23:20 - Closing thoughts 

Resources

 

601: Roles and Identities Part 1 (for Students and Parents): A Framework for Exploring Who You’ve Been, Who You Are, and Who You’re Becoming

Listen Here

SHOW NOTES

To kick off Season 6, Ethan shares some practical resources based on a new framework he's been exploring.  If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already be familiar with something we call the Roles and Identities List, which is a huge menu of roles (things like “catalyst” and “change-maker” and “party-bringer”) — Ethan has used it as a get-to-know-you exercise with a number of previous guests. 

Today’s episode is the first of two where Ethan will dive into a few short, practical exercises for students and parents that can help them figure out things like how they’d like to focus their time as they go through this process. He gets into, among other things: 

  • The philosophy behind the Roles and Identities framework

  • Some hands-on exercises that students can do — whether in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade — that can help them, for example, plan summer/EC activities, or even map out their college application. 

  • A simple but powerful exercise for parents thinking about who they want to be in this process—since let’s be honest it isn’t the students who are learning about themselves here. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students. 

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play

  • 3:36 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework? 

  • 6:57 - Exercise #1 (for both students and parents): The Roles & Identities List 

  • 8:59 - Exercise #2 (for students): Using the Roles & Identities list to plan your summer or extracurricular activities

  • 11:30 - Using The Values list to expand on your roles and identities

  • 13:23 - Which parts of you will you show in your college application?

  • 18:21 - Exercise #3 (for parents): Who do you want to be in this process? 

  • 27:50 - Closing thoughts

Resources

 

522: Storytelling & Identity with Ethan Sawyer (Bonus Part 4): On Productivity, Writing as a Journey, and What It Means to Be Enough

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SHOW NOTES

In our most recent series on storytelling and identity, Ethan sat down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In this bonus episode, the tables are turned as Ethan is interviewed by CEG Essay Coach, Ali Pineo. In their conversation, Ethan and Ali get into:

  • Ethan’s background and how his identity has evolved over the years

  • The roles Ethan identifies with most: connector, harmonizer, and seeker

  • How Ethan measures success in his personal and professional life

  • His journey from aspiring screenwriter to teacher and writer

  • Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today

  • And more

Ali Pineo is a writing coach and college admissions essay specialist with a BA in English from Stanford University and MFA from UC Irvine. She is passionate about building her students’ confidence in the writing process and developing them into strong self-advocates for their individual learning needs. She has spent thousands of hours coaching admissions essay writing and tutoring AP English and US History,. and the highlights of her career center around her mentorship of bright students with learning differences. In addition to teaching, she is an arts entrepreneur, former professional ballet dancer, and mama to a busy toddler.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

  • 1:41 - Introductions

  • 2:48 - Ethan shares the roles he identifies with most

  • 10:36 - What does Ethan’s identity of “Connector” mean to him?

  • 14:34 - How does Ethan distinguish between the “Connector” and “Harmonizer” roles?

  • 20:16 - Do any roles conflict with other identities? 

  • 25:13 - How does Ethan balance his many roles? 

  • 28:37 - How does Ethan measure success in his personal and professional life?

  • 33:20 - In what ways have Ethan’s career aspirations changed over the years? 

  • 37:00 - How does Ethan define his role as a “Culture-Tender?” 

  • 43:55 - What has Ethan been writing about lately?

  • 47:18 - Ali shares her a bit about her background, roles, and identities 

  • 52:33 - How do Ethan’s outward identities overlap with his inner world? 

  • 56:48 - Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today

  • 1:11:37 - Closing thoughts and wrap-up

Resources