For our latest author spotlight, we’re so excited to chat with Meg Josephson – therapist, writer and author of Are You Mad at Me?, a deeply compassionate guide to understanding people-pleasing and reclaiming your true self. More than just a self-help book, Meg’s work invites us to slow down, reflect and write our way toward healing through thoughtful journaling prompts and real-life stories. We loved hearing her honest, down-to-earth answers to our 12 quick questions – a little window into the mind behind a truly transformative read.
1 . Which book have you reread the most?
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It’s such a grounding book to return to.
2. How would you describe your writing process in five words?
Ritualistic, intuitive, introspective, raw and messy!
3. What was your path to becoming an author?
Being an author has been a dream since childhood, but one that I never entertained as a realistic possibility until a few years ago. I’ve always written and have had some sort of creative outlet throughout my life; it’s just changed forms as technology has evolved. I’ve written in journals since I was a kid, I made a blog when I was in middle school (that I kept strictly private), I wrote poetry that I kept stored in a folder on my computer, and then after graduating college I started writing newsletters that I shared publicly online, which ultimately led me to getting a book deal for Are You Mad at Me? Consistency, consistency, consistency!
4. What is the importance of telling stories?
Stories convey emotions, and those emotions are what thread us all together. Our lives, families, circumstances, dreams and fears may look different, but our emotions are human and shared. Storytelling is such a powerful way to relate to other people, to spark empathy and to feel less alone in emotions that we otherwise can feel quite alone in.
5. How much of your writing happens with pen and paper?
A fair amount! I free-write in my journal every morning, and many of my thoughts form on those pages. But my handwriting is horrific, so I naturally need to transition to a computer if I ever want to do anything with it.
6. Are You Mad at Me? unpacks the trauma response of “fawning” (or people-pleasing). When did you first recognise this in yourself, and did journaling help you work through it?
Growing up in a home that was quite volatile, I’ve always had this people pleasing pattern within me, and I can remember myself doing it from a really young age. Like many others, learning to people please from an early age is what allowed me to maximise love and safety. But I didn’t fully realize this pattern until I started to really put language to it in my early twenties. Journaling was what allowed me to unearth my thoughts, emotions and papers, bring them into the conscious mind, and finally see them clearly.
7. Each chapter of your book ends with reflective prompts. Did designing those questions shape your own journaling practice – and did any particular prompt surprise even you?
Funny enough, I think the reverse! Those prompts came from my own journaling practice, and are some of the questions I have guided myself through in my healing.
6. Which 3 authors or literary characters would you choose as housemates?
This is so hard! Jo March would be a creative, fiery force and a great companion for late night writing sessions. Matilda Wormwood because she’d balance things out with her calm energy, and would keep things tidy with her telekinetic powers. And then Aibileen Clark because she’s wise, grounding and a brilliant writer. I think we’d all have a good time.
7. If your inner child could design a piece of stationery, what would it look like?
It’d be filled with watercolor illustrations of woodland creatures, plants, candles, tea and the moon!
8. Your personal journal is being turned into a podcast – what’s the theme music?
Oh no, even the thought alone terrifies me. The Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkle.
11. What are you reading at the moment?
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
12. What do you hope readers feel after closing Are You Mad at Me? and picking up a pen?
I hope readers feel inspired to reconnect with their true essence, and to use journaling as a way to get to know their inner world.
Want to stay connected with Meg’s insights, journaling tips and more? Follow her on Instagram this way.
Start your journaling STORY
