RESCRIPT Your Life Story Guide – Dr. Colleen Georges: Helping People Believe in Themselves and Become Their Best Versions 

Dr. Colleen Georges, author of the eight-time award-winning book, RESCRIPT the Story You’re Telling Yourself, believes that the power to shape our future begins with our internal dialogue. Recently recognized as one of the year’s most inspirational women, Dr. Colleen teaches us how to quiet our “Inner Antagonist” and amplify our “Inner Advocate” to author a truly limitless life. 

Defining what it means to be an inspirational personality, Dr. Colleen says, “I think being an inspirational personality is being willing to be vulnerable, share your struggles, and how the things you learned through life’s challenges helped to foster your growth and development.” Also, she defines success by how aligned your life and career are with the things you truly care about. Are you living in a way that reflects your values? Do you feel fulfilled, energized, and connected to your purpose?  

According to Dr. Colleen, impact is about having a ripple effect. “If I can help one person believe in themselves, take action on a goal, or change the way they speak to themselves, that impact extends far beyond that single moment.” 

An Inspirer’s Successful Impact 

And through her books, teaching, and coaching, Dr. Colleen is doing exactly that: impacting people to script their own life stories, the way they want. In her bestselling book, she writes, “Each day, every moment, we are scripting our own self-stories. Our self-story is scripted from all the things we tell ourselves through our internal dialogue about who we are, why we are or aren’t good enough, what we are or aren’t capable of, and what possibilities the future can hold for us. Our self-story is our self-perception, and it influences our perceptions of others and the world around us. It also impacts the actions we take regarding ourselves, others, and life overall.” 

“Our self-stories are scripted through our mental narrators. We have two very different, but equally influential narrators, who talk to us in our minds—the Inner Antagonist and the Inner Advocate. As narrators, their common role is to do what narrators do—they tell you a story. It’s either the Inner Antagonist’s or Inner Advocate’s point of view from which you perceive the settings, circumstances, and characters in your story.” 

“And, remember, you are the Protagonist in your story—the main character. Thus, the narrator’s perspective you choose to listen to also influences how you perceive yourself.” 

“Your Inner Antagonist functions similarly to any character who is the antagonist in a story. Your Inner Antagonist is your story’s opposing force. It tells you that you have disorder, conflict, weaknesses, and deficits within and around you, and that you do not have what it takes to resolve any of it. Your Inner Antagonist can also lead you to act in ways that are not aligned with your values and ultimate desires. This creates a state of cognitive dissonance—a feeling of discomfort facilitated when our values are in conflict with our actions. The stories we believe about ourselves are created both by what we say and by what we do.” 

“Your Inner Advocate has your back. It’s just like any advocate character in a story. It’s your ally, your supporter, your encourager, your collaborative problem solver. It rallies with you in the face of antagonism and advocates for you exactly how a good friend would. It tells you that you’re strong and capable. It reminds you of all the resources you have within and around you. It reminds you of the wisdom you’ve gained from life experience. It tells you that you can overcome anything.”  

The RESCRIPT Framework 

Thus, based on her lifelong experience as an academician, educator, trainer, coach, counseling psychologist, and a successful entrepreneur, Dr. Colleen has devised ‘RESCRIPT,’ as both a metaphor and an acronym for a framework of practices in a life-story authoring process –  

• Release Rumination,  

• Engage Growth Goals vs. Evading Them,  

• Seek Strengths vs. Scrutinizing Shortcomings,  

• Challenge Catastrophizing,  

• Restrict Regrets,  

• Invite Imperfection vs. Infallibility/Perfectionism,  

• Pursue Passion & Purpose vs. Putting Up with Passivity, and  

• Think Thankfully vs. Thanklessly/Deprived.  

Her Life Story 

Dr. Colleen’s career journey in education and helping professions began when she was just 14 years old, with her first job working as a camp counselor.  

“That experience was the first time I realized how much I loved mentoring, guiding, and supporting others.” She didn’t have the language for it at the time, but she knew she felt a sense of purpose in helping people feel seen, heard, and encouraged. That spark stayed with her and ultimately led her to pursue psychology in college and later earn her master’s and doctorate in counseling psychology.  

During Dr. Colleen’s undergraduate years, she worked with teens in foster care, which deepened her commitment to making a difference in people’s lives. Initially, she planned to become a family therapist. But in graduate school, when she couldn’t find a hands-on opportunity in that field, her advisor suggested she intern at Rutgers University Career Services. That single redirection changed everything. “I fell in love with career counseling and helping students identify career paths that fit their interests, values, strengths, and goals.”  

That discovery led to a 13-year career in higher education administration, where Dr. Colleen worked in student affairs and eventually became a department director. At the same time, she began teaching, which became another deep passion of mine. In 2008, she started a side business writing resumes, which gradually expanded into career coaching and then life coaching. 

RESCRIPT Your Story LLC 

A major turning point came after her son was born in 2009. Dr. Colleen made the big decision to leave her secure, salaried role and pursue her business full-time in 2010. It was both terrifying and exciting, she reflects. But that leap allowed her to build a life aligned with her values, one where she could do meaningful work while also being fully present for her family. Today, as the founder of RESCRIPT Your Story LLC, Dr. Colleen coaches clients, teaches at Rutgers, writes, and speaks, all centered around helping people transform their inner narratives and create lives they truly love. 

Dr. Colleen feels incredibly grateful for the professional milestones she has achieved, but what matters most to her is the impact behind them. One of her proudest accomplishments is her book, RESCRIPT the Story You’re Telling Yourself, which received multiple awards and has resonated with readers. “The fact that it has helped people shift their mindset and take action in their lives means everything to me.” 

The Many Milestones 

Another defining milestone was her TEDx Talk, “Re-Scripting the Stories We Tell Ourselves,” which laid the foundation for her RESCRIPT framework. That talk expanded Dr. Colleen’s reach and allowed her to share her message with a larger audience. 

She has also had the honor of teaching at Rutgers University for over 15 years, including women’s leadership and graduate counseling courses. “Seeing my students grow into confident, empowered individuals who go on to make a difference in the world is incredibly rewarding.” 

Additionally, being named “Top Life Coach of the Year 2025” and receiving recognition for her coaching work has been meaningful, “But the real achievement is the thousands of clients I’ve had the privilege of supporting in transforming their lives and careers,’ shares Dr. Colleen. 

Winning Over the Inner Antagonist 

Like most people, Dr. Colleen’s journey has not been without its challenges. In her twenties, she struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, largely connected to awful self-talk. That period of her life became the catalyst for a personal transformation, leading her to discover the power of gratitude and mindset shifts, tools that would later become the foundation of her RESCRIPT framework. Another major challenge was stepping into entrepreneurship. Leaving a stable job, especially as a new parent, required courage and faith. She also struggled early on with imposter syndrome and pricing her services appropriately. “I had to learn to own my value and set boundaries.” These experiences taught her resilience, self-compassion, and the importance of taking action even when you feel uncertain. “They also made me a better coach because I truly understand what it feels like to navigate fear, doubt, and major life transitions.” 

Walking the Talk 

Today, Dr. Colleen believes that leadership is about walking your talk. She strives to lead by example by being authentic, positive, and intentional in my actions. Whether she is working with clients, teaching students, or speaking to an audience, her goal is always to create a space where people feel empowered and supported. She influences others by helping them see what’s possible for themselves. She always brings positive energy, encouragement, and practical strategies to every interaction. She also believes in meeting people where they are while helping them move forward. 

Befriending the Inner Advocate  

Also, Dr. Colleen aspires to have empowerment be at the heart of everything she does. Through her coaching and speaking work, she helps her clients and participants identify limiting beliefs, shift their self-talk, identify the specific steps toward their personal and professional goals, and take empowered action. In her women’s leadership course, Dr. Colleen focuses on helping students find their voice, advocate for themselves and others, and challenge systemic barriers. Beyond her professional work, she is committed to giving back through mentoring and volunteering in the community. And in her personal life, she works to empower her son, other family members, and friends in any way that she can. 

Blocking the Clock 

Maintaining work-life balance is something she approaches very intentionally. She uses time blocking to structure her days and ensure that her work, family, and personal well-being all receive attention. “My mornings are especially important to me,” she says, and starts early with exercise, reflection, and planning, which helps her set a positive tone for the day. She blocks time for all of her coaching, teaching, speaking, volunteer work, and personal life responsibilities and associated prep work. However, she also blocks time to connect with family and friends and does things that energize her, like hiking, for example. She also prioritizes boundaries, saying no when needed and protecting her time and energy. “One of the greatest gifts of entrepreneurship has been the ability to be present for my family, especially my son. Balance, for me, is about creating a life that feels fulfilling both professionally and personally,” she reveals.  

The Biggest Advice 

To young women who aspire to create an impact in their respective fields, Dr. Colleen’s biggest advice is always, ‘Don’t wait, initiate!’ You don’t need to wait for the right time or someone else to give you an opportunity – create the right time and opportunity for yourself. Confidence comes from doing, not from waiting. Trust your intuition, own your value, and take up space unapologetically. Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and inspire you. And don’t let perfectionism hold you back, progress matters far more than perfection. Also, remember that leadership is also about lifting up others as you rise. Advocate for yourself, but also use your voice to create opportunities and equity for others, too. 

A Legacy of Helping As Many People As Possible 

When it comes to her legacy she wishes to create, Dr. Colleen says, “I want to be remembered as someone who helped people believe in themselves, rescript their inner narratives, and create lives aligned with their passions, purpose, and values. If my work helps people quiet their inner critic, pursue their goals, and feel more confident, fulfilled, and balanced, then I’ve done what I set out to do.” 

Continuing Her Meaningful Work 

Finally, looking ahead, Dr. Colleen feels incredibly grateful, “because I already love the life and career I’ve built.” Her vision is to continue doing meaningful work – coaching, teaching, speaking, and writing – while staying aligned with what feels authentic and fulfilling. Outside of work, she intends to continue making time “to spend with the people that I love, as well as maintaining time for self-care. More than anything, I want to keep growing, learning, and showing up in a way that reflects the work I teach,” she concludes.