Finding Healing Through Story: A Conversation with Liz Sjaastad

In a heartfelt episode of The Resilient Author Podcast, I sat down with author Liz Sjaastad to discuss her powerful memoir You’re Too Young to Understand. The book, ten years in the making, explores Liz’s upbringing with two brilliant yet deeply complex parents—her mother, who lived with schizophrenia, and her father, a linguist and professor who struggled with alcoholism. What began as an attempt to process grief after her father’s death became a journey of forgiveness, resilience, and reclamation.

Liz’s memoir captures the duality of caring for parents who shaped her in both painful and profound ways. “My book is about forgiveness and resilience,” she said. “It’s about creating boundaries with our loved ones when we need to, but also learning how to show up for them while protecting ourselves.”

For Liz, the act of writing was both cathartic and confronting. She described it as a kind of therapy—painful but liberating. “It felt horrible and incredible at the same time,” she reflected. “When you work through things honestly, you start to understand yourself more deeply.” Through years of revision and reflection, Liz found clarity and healing in her words, transforming private pain into public truth.

The title You’re Too Young to Understand came directly from her mother’s words. “She said that to me a lot growing up,” Liz explained. “It held layers of meaning—not just her way of protecting me, but also how mental illness was often kept secret from children. People think kids can’t understand, but that silence can cause even more confusion and shame.”

Liz’s honesty extends beyond the page. In our conversation, she shared the emotional toll of wondering whether her story was worth telling at all. “There were times I thought, who wants to read this? I’m not famous,” she admitted. “But then I’d remember how much writing groups and mentors had encouraged me. I realized this book needed to be out in the world.”

That persistence paid off. Liz eventually published through Wise Ink, a hybrid publishing house based in Minnesota. “I wanted control over my story,” she said. “Hybrid publishing allowed me to make creative decisions while still having professional support.” Her choice reflects a growing trend among authors seeking empowerment outside traditional gatekeeping systems.

Since its release, You’re Too Young to Understand has resonated deeply with readers—especially those who grew up navigating mental illness within their families. Liz now partners with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she leads workshops that bridge personal storytelling with advocacy. “We often focus on the person with the diagnosis,” she shared, “but families need healing too.”

When I asked how writing changed her, Liz paused. “More than anything in my life except motherhood,” she said. “I found my voice. I stopped making myself small. Writing this book allowed me to fully embrace who I am.”

Liz’s story is a reminder that healing doesn’t come from hiding our truth but from speaking it. Her memoir stands as an invitation—to talk, to listen, and to understand, no matter how old we are.

You can learn more about Liz and her work at LizSjaastad.com, where you can find her book and join her newsletter on mental health advocacy and storytelling.