Long before her own divorce, Dr. Stephanie Nash had already abandoned herself, just in smaller, quieter ways: shaping who she was around what others needed, mistaking self-sacrifice for love, losing touch with her own intuition. Her forthcoming book, The D Word, uses divorce as the backdrop for a much more universal story: what happens when the identity you built around someone else's expectations falls away, and you have to meet yourself for the first time.
This talk speaks directly to anyone navigating an identity in transition, including students forming their sense of self outside family or societal expectation for the first time, professionals questioning a path they didn't fully choose, or anyone who has ever felt like a stranger inside their own life. Dr. Nash, an occupational therapist with a PhD, blends personal story, clinical insight, and practical tools to help audiences recognize the early signs of self-abandonment and begin the return to an authentic identity, long before a major rupture forces the issue.
Participants will leave with: a framework for recognizing self-abandonment before it becomes a crisis; the psychological research behind why we lose ourselves in roles and relationships; and a practical first step toward living from a more authentic, self-chosen identity.

Note for organizers: this session pairs well with a bulk book order of The D Word as a course companion, student-life resource, or audience takeaway, and Dr. Nash is glad to coordinate honorarium structures that include book copies in place of or alongside a speaking fee.

Here is information about the book: https://drstephnash.com/dword