We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Dohr. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share a story that illustrates an important or relevant lesson you learned in school

When I was a senior in college, I was lucky enough to be taught in creative writing by a woman who has since become an international bestselling author.

One day, I bounded into her office and asked, “What did you think of my short story?”
“I couldn’t finish it,” she said.
“Why not?”
“How many times does a train blow its whistle when approaching the station?”
“Twice…I think? Yeah, twice.” I didn’t like where this was headed.
“It’s once. One long whistle.”
“So that’s why you stopped reading? Because I got the whistle wrong?”
“If you don’t care about a whistle, what else don’t you care about? As a reader, how can I trust you if you don’t bother to get the smallest detail right?”

Sheepishly walking away to revise, I thought I understood. A week later, I ran back to her office hoping for a positive critique of my next story. Again, the same reply: “I couldn’t finish it.”
“Why not?”
“You have a dog in your story?”
“That’s right,” I said. I was really proud of that dog.
“You never feed your dog, never give her water, never pet her, never take her out for a walk.”
“It’s just a story,” I said.
“Exactly…To you, it’s just a story.”

I had finally understood: putting pen to page creates a sacred contract between the writer and reader: “I will tell you the truth, and I will care deeply about every element of the world I have built, in exchange for your attention.”

These were my first lessons in being honest on the page. “Nothing, if not honest,” she used to say in class. That line doesn’t apply only to the writer’s relationship to the reader; more importantly, it expresses the fundamental relationship between the writer and herself. If I cannot be truthful on the page about my feelings, my experiences, my memories—the stuff that makes me me—then I am wasting my time.

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We all seek the same things: love and friendship, health, and success. And in these quests, we are told to “just be real, be authentic”—so much so that Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary just named “authentic” as 2023’s Word of the Year.

But this well-intentioned advice is unhelpful. We are far too complex to have a “real” or a “true” self.

What we do have is a “whole” self, borne of an understanding of the moments that make up our life.

So how do we access the whole self? That’s where Authentic Voice comes in.

I guide people to reconnect with their whole self by moving the pen freely on the page. Making subconscious thoughts and feelings conscious, inspired by sensory-based prompts, is the heart of my teaching. You’ll realize things about yourself you never knew you believed. And once you see it on the page, you cannot unsee it. From there, you can make decisions about what serves you and what you’re ready to let go of.

I get a lot of questions when I talk to people about the transformative power of this process. “But I’m not a writer,” they say. “Why can’t I just think about my life?” they ask. “What if I’m afraid of what I see on the page?”

I understand the hesitation. I’ve felt it, too. It’s scary to quit hiding and write your way into the truths that will help you live from a place of healthy authenticity.

That’s why, after 27 years as an educator, working with more than 3,000 students, I developed five straightforward steps to help you move past what may be holding you back.

Whether you work with me individually or in a group setting, at a workshop or retreat, you’ll internalize these steps. I’ve had clients start new businesses, begin new relationships, stop living from others’ expectations, and finally put to bed decades-old limiting beliefs.

What sets Authentic Voice apart is that, while we are writing, our work is not about the writing. This is not a writing workshop, and we do not focus on craft, which, at the early stages, only stifles our ability to meet ourselves on the page.

We have a much more important pursuit: to pause, to look inward, to integrate the past into the present in order to emerge with our authentic voice. And I’m so proud of my clients for their willingness to dive into such challenging, rewarding work. Over and over, my clients realize they have a lot to say, and they can no longer remain silent. To be a part of their journey is my life’s work.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

My best source for new clients is referrals. I can trace every participant—from my private sessions to workshops and retreats—to a previous one, and that makes me feel so good.

My favorite phone call is, “My friend told me not to ask questions, just register for your next event!”

I know that a client has shared their profound experience, has thought through who would benefit from working with me, and has made the introduction.

What an honor to do the work I love and to find that it’s reverberating throughout circles of trusted friends and colleagues.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Consistent, impeccable service defines Authentic Voice, sets me apart, and builds my reputation.

From my first interaction with a potential client, every moment is central to the Authentic Voice experience.

Nothing is more important to me than honing in on each person’s needs by asking the questions that will identify their pain points and help them decide if the Authentic Voice tools and process are the right fit, at the right time, for them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.authenticvoicenow.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticvoiceus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authenticvoicenow
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdohr/
• Other: https://www.alignable.com/los-angeles-ca/authentic-voice

Image Credits
David Palmer Stuart Radford