My Story

stories are nutritious

your guide

Cover of April Bell's book My Life In Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories

April Bell

Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved listening to people’s stories. As a child, my mom called me “the visitor,” as I’d run off most days to visit which ever elder-neighbor would have me. The homes on the small lane I grew up on in the San Francisco East Bay were occupied mostly by an older generation. I’ve always been interested in people, stories, and creativity.

In the early 1990s, I began my creative arts career in the fast-paced, exciting, and deadline-intense world of major daily newspapering; I also obtained my degree in psychology. My newspaper career spanned thirteen years. I was in leadership, on the production-graphics side; Prepress. In 2008, I had the opportunity to reinvent my path and stepped into my current passion as a wisdom-keeper. As a young person, I never could have imagined how the foundational skills of my early days would intersect; I now combine my education in psychology, my experience in leadership, and the communication, graphics and technical skills I learned.

The daughter of an artist and a mobile tech pioneer, I am enlivened by assisting folks in creatively communicating their heartfelt stories through technology. For nearly two decades, I’ve been gently guiding people to tap into the essence of who they truly are, artfully capturing that on video. I’ve honed my listening skills and enjoy helping people craft the narratives that matter to them most.

What excites me these days is facilitating the transformative gift of personal storytelling through engaging workshops. As my focus leans toward the spoken word, people daunted by writing love my process. I work with professionals and elders alike who value the power of story. I am an innovator, recognized by The New York Times, USA TODAY, WIRED, and others, for bringing the Ethical Will and legacy storytelling to the masses with the co-creation of StoryCatcher^® for iPhone.

For fun, I enjoy riding my mountain bike in the woods, trekking in the High Sierra, and exploring the mysteries of the human spirit and condition. Ultimately, it is our stories that connect and bind us, today and into the future.

What’s your story?

Telling Personal Stories Makes a Difference

“I’ve found that by digging deep and sharing our own authentic stories, we can truly transform the loyalty and productivity of our people. Leaders looking to cultivate trust, connection, and a vibrant culture benefit from using the power of sharing stories that align with their values. April Bell’s book My Life in Paragraphs: Find and Tell Your Stories offers a solid roadmap to help you do just that. It’s a useful tool for creating a lasting impact.” —Mike Robbins, best-selling author of Bring Your Whole Self To Work

“April gives you permission to play with your story in a safe environment. She invites you into an experience that feels like you can take that little bit of risk, without being judged. She has this magical way of prompting that guides you deeper and deeper and deeper into your story until you’re face-to-face with the values you hold most dear. The real gift in her process is you think you’re telling a story, and then suddenly you’re standing on the frontier of your own values set. That’s when you realize, ‘this story matters to me because these things matter to me!’” —Dan Senter, spiritual leader

“I’d spent a number of times trying to [tell my story for] my book trailer and it wasn’t working. Then April showed up. I couldn’t believe how she was able to get everything out of me the way she did. It went from impossible to beautiful! That’s the miracle in the way I see April, she makes you feel good about yourself, like you have something important to say, and you feel like you’re on top of the world. That is truly priceless.” —Christina Rasmussen, best selling author of Second Firsts

“April holds a strong, safe, empowering container for the hard work of separating storytelling grain from chaff. Her combination of clear, concise, actionable feedback while keeping my feet ever-so-gently to the fire has allowed me to sort and process decades of experience into a coherent narrative. Whenever I get stuck in the story-crafting weeds, April is able to tap into her phenomenal toolbox for just the right implement, from story-wrangling to guiding my structure of an impactful tale.” —Dr. Ann Blake, Environmental Scientist and Changemaker

“If it wasn’t for April Bell, I would not have relived my life. Some of the most enjoyment I’ve had since my wife passed away was reliving everything [during the interviews] and reflecting on my life, through where I used to live, the newspaper articles about me from when I was young, and calling friends to remind them of those times… All of them are as enthusiastic about it as I am!” —Jim Finegold in Lafayette, CA

“I watched the Real Wealth company video with three close friends Saturday night and they were blown away! They said it totally captures us and our values. They raved about the story line that runs through the video and how the final 15 seconds about connection is “absolutely what Kathy and I have always been about.” Our friends loved it so much their eyes were full of tears by the end! It was such a cool moment to share it with them and to see their reaction to it. So THANK YOU!!!”—Rich Fettke in Walnut Creek, CA

“Tree of Life Legacies, offers an invaluable service for ALL peopleーWe all have lives filled with great stories, and by recording them we come closer to ourselves, to where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. April’s skills of compassion, empathy, and a wide-open heart and ear beautifully facilitate this gift of self-discoveryーWhat could be better than that?”—Elizabeth Daskarolis in Oakland, CA

“We loved working with April. Preparing for a story of a 90-year legacy was time consuming and not without difficulties, however April was so helpful, encouraging and patient during the process. April’s quality of work and ability to adapt to revisions and changes was outstanding.”—Kevin Bernet in Los Angeles, CA

“I lost my own parents before meeting Ms. Bell. If you’re fortunate to still have yours, don’t miss the opportunity to have them interviewed, and their stories memorialized for you and your children, and their children, to enjoy. Reach out now to Ms. Bell to start the journey. April was impeccable in every aspect of the production, and the result is nothing short of fantastic. She has my highest admiration.”—Saul Smith in Los Angeles, CA

“I hired April Bell to do a personal history video of my mother and her two sisters. Wow! They all loved April and how she captured so much of their family and individual stories! I would recommend April to anyone who wants to document on video some of their most precious family history and loved ones.” —Jay P. Renneisen, Esq. in Walnut Creek, CA

“This is just a note to let you know how well received the video which you crafted has been. From our video-taped discussions, you captured so many stories and memories which I am now able to pass on to my family and friends. Many of the stories had never been recorded. Now I am certain that others will find them of interest in the years to come. At my age, I think I have passed the “autumn years” and approaching mid-winter, so I suspect that my grandchildren, and perhaps even their children, will someday find it interesting and will appreciate that “Grand-dad” took the time to tell a few stories about the unique experiences he had way back in the 20th century. Thank you for the unique experience of recording some of the highlights of my 84 years. You did a super job!”—Cliff Dochterman in Moraga, CA

“I just watched my dad’s video. Thank you so much; it captures him perfectly! I now have a lot of follow-up questions to ask. Thank you once again for doing this project with my parents. I can’t tell you what it means to know their history has been preserved as they want it remembered. I feel it has truly brought them closer and given them a real sense of calm, too!” —Janet T. in Lafayette, CA

Let’s Connect

I shine a light and show you the way

Whether you are the elder of a close-knit family or the head of a large organization, communicating your unique wisdom matters. Join me and learn how to elegantly and skillfully use personal storytelling in your leadership roles.