‘The Power of the Written Word’ is launched at Tipperary Library
The Power of the Written Word’, the ninth – and fourth published – book by Carl J. Ashley, was launched at the Tipperary Town Library, on Friday, 25th April. Carl, who is the founder of Write Coach Ireland, now finds that he has the privilege of helping other amazing people, around the world, to write to heal and share the story of their journey.
On the back cover of his latest book Carl writes that everyone has a story to share and asks the question – Do you feel the time is right to tell yours? He goes on to say that storytelling, or scéalaíocht, has deep roots in Irish culture, mythical history and traditional values. It’s an overlooked but vital aspect of our social fabric.
“Writing your story is more than just putting words on a page; it’s about owning your journey and stepping into personal authority. Do you have the courage to share your truth? If the answer is yes, this book is for you” says Carl.
The launch of the book was attended by a number of speakers, who spoke about their relationship with Carl and of how they had been introduced to him.
Carol Moloney spoke of her relationship with grief counselling, which came about after the loss of her mother.
“When my mother died in 2019 I went into the lockdown alone. After three months on my own I found that I needed to talk to somebody. I went to the doctor and he put me in for grief counselling. I did eight weeks of counselling over the phone, which I found to be great, but I also found to be alien.
I met Dee O’Connor and was chatting to her about the book that I was trying to write and she told me about her partner Carl, who was a coach writer. We met up and we got on.
Anybody that is going through trauma or going through counselling, it’s very hard to get the written word down. You are writing it as a person but you are going through it as a child, so you need a very special person to help you do that, and I found that special person in Carl.
You are there for the person and you instinctively know what they are going through. It’s a pleasure to go through this journey with you. I want to wish you the very best with this book as I know it’s going to be a valuable tool for people” said Carol.
Carl is passionate about blogging, writing, healing, interviewing people for his MenScape podcast and following his beloved Manchester City Football Club.
Speaking at the launch Carl said that there is a key core component that is required and its honesty and authenticity. “It’s being able to look at your journey, to own your journey, and to start reflecting on where your life choices, and the consequences that they have made for you, have impacted you.
In a real sense what we’re not changing we’re choosing, so what we are actually teaching through the Write Coach and through the clients around the world that we work with, is self-empowerment.
It’s all about taking your power back, as a divine being capable of making choices that impact on your daily reality” said Carl.
Next up to speak was Timmy White of the Men’s Shed. “The first Men’s Shed that came to Ireland was in Knockanrawley Resource Centre.
We would have about 15 men on a fairly regular basis and we try to get men to come up with their own ideas for activities, rather than depending on one person all the time to come up with ideas.
We always have room for new people in the Men’s Shed as it’s important to have new faces and new ideas. It can also break into a ukulele class and this can be great fun.
The Men’s Shed is on a Monday from 3-5pm and all men are welcome” concluded Timmy.
The final guest speaker at the launch was Dee O’Connor, who when introduced said “It’s not about me today, it’s about this gentleman, Carl J Ashley, who walked into my life under a full moon in Bansha in the Old Church, to join me in one of the Sound Baths, and that was seven years ago. We’ve walked together for the past seven years and it has been an honour.
I have witnessed this man journey through a roller coaster of wounds and life experiences, with total honesty and raw courage.
I have seen him face his shadows, and do the deep inner work to unravel the emotions connected with these experiences. He has emerged on the other side more grounded, more open and standing in his power more than ever.
One of the things I find remarkable isn’t how far he has actually come but it’s how he supports others in that journey as well, and he invites people to come on that journey and get through their inner work, that is what’s stood out to me over the last few years” said Dee.
In concluding the launch Carl said that the book itself is written within mind of the prospective person who doesn’t really consider themself, high fluting enough to be an author, as they might consider this to be something that somebody else does.
“The core belief is that everybody has a story in them, everybody has a story to share, and some of the things that can come up when you start to look at the journey and to share it, might include things like imposter syndrome, like self sabotage and procrastination.
“Quite often there are things that come up that we really don’t want to look at so we can try and distract ourselves, but if you are one of the small minority of people that do have the courage to eventually want to tell the story of their journey, then this book might be useful” concluded Carl.