Mistaken for Drama

Every Tuesday, The Productive Disruptive delivers storytelling science, message makeovers, cultural commentary, and a little rebellious hope for anyone still stubborn enough to believe communication can change the world.

Dorian Johnson
September 16, 2025

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For too many people, trauma gets mistaken for drama.

Especially in marginalized communities. That dismissal doesn’t erase the pain. It affirms how strong the invalidation is.

And it’s frustrating af.

Because that reflex to downplay? It’s not harmless.

It’s in the way of worthwhile change. It’s resistance(and not the good kind).

That’s why the Wounded Healer archetype matters.

Expertise doesn’t only come from degrees and titles. It can also come from firsthand experience, and that, too, is story fuel.

The Wounded Healer reminds us: the very scars people dismiss as “drama” can become the sharpest tools for empathy and change.

The wound is valuable.

It often allows for deeper connection and more authenticity.

Enduring it changes the way you listen, teach, and tell.

🧠 Story Science Side Note: Psychologist Carl Jung coined “wounded healer” to describe therapists drawn to heal because of their own struggles. Neuroscience echoes this. Our brains are wired to learn empathy from lived experience. It’s why someone who’s been through it can usually connect faster(and deeper) than someone who’s just studied it.

📝 Message Makeover: The archetype is called Wounded Healer. But maybe it should be Scarred Healer.

There’s a saying share the scar, not the wound.

A scar = healed, new cells, perspective.

A wound= Open. Raw. Too vulnerable.

For storytellers, scars carry wisdom. Wounds still need care.

That distinction matters. It’s the difference between story fuel and self-harm.

Scars usually come from some trauma.
Trauma ≠ drama, and it is often mistaken as such from some communities.
Scars are evidence of survival, and when shared well, they can be a compelling storytelling tool.

⚠️ Quick Note

I am not a psychologist, therapist, or mental health professional. I’m a public health educator and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, saying: yo, archetypes like this can unlock deeper storytelling. However…, if using your personal experience, reflect on whether it’s a scar or a wound. Things may come up. Can you champion or steward someone else’s story with their permission?

🛠️ The PHacilitator’s Corner:

Think of one scar, physical or metaphorical(it can be low stakes)

Then try telling a 3-sentence story using that scar as the teacher.

Example

I fell off my bike as a kid, scraped my knee baaaaad.
But the cut wasn’t the worst part; it was when mom poured hydrogen peroxide on it 😭(betrayal in a brown bottle).
The scar taught me: healing stings before it strengthens.

This was decades ago, I am okay to speak on this, and let young folk on bicycles everywhere know, kneepads are your friends.

Now wheelie on up outta here(with kneepads)