Episode 232: Recovery Is A Journey. Debbie Millman

Today, The Trauma Therapist | Podcast shifts a bit.

Today I’m interviewing world-renowned designer Debbie Millman who shares her story of courage, healing, and hope.

I first heard Debbie on Tim Ferriss’ podcast and was struck by her candor, strength, and vulnerability. She was on Tim’s show to speak about her illustrious design career. However, at a specific point in the interview, the tone definitely changed when Debbie began sharing the story of her childhood. It was at that point that I was drawn in by the courage with which Debbie spoke about her past, her journey, and the hope she’s hung on to all these years.

My hope is that we all can not only learn from her experience but as trauma workers, be inspired by the strength and hope in her words.

Debbie Millman was named “one of the most influential designers working today” by Graphic Design USA, Debbie Millman is also an author, educator, brand strategist and host of the podcast Design Matters.

As the founder and host of Design Matters, the first and longest running podcast about design, Millman has interviewed nearly 300 design luminaries and cultural commentators, including Massimo Vignelli, Milton Glaser, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink, Barbara Kruger, Seth Godin and more. In the 11 years since its inception, the show has garnered over a million downloads per year, a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award and—most recently—iTunes designated it one of the best podcasts of 2015. 

Debbie’s written and visual essays have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, New York Magazine, Print Magazine, Design Observer and Fast Company.

She is the author of two books of illustrated essays: Look Both Ways and Self-Portrait As Your Traitor; the latter of which has been awarded a Gold Mobius, a Print Typography Award, and a medal from the Art Directors Club.

Her artwork has been exhibited at the Boston Biennale, Chicago Design Museum, Anderson University, School of Visual Arts, Long Island University, The Wolfsonion Museum and the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art. 

Debbie is the author of six books, including two collections of interviews that have extended the ethos and editorial vision of Design Matters to the printed page: How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer and Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits. Both books have been published in over 10 languages.

For 20 years, Debbie was the President of the design division at Sterling Brands, where she worked with over 200 of the world’s largest brands, including the redesign of Burger King, merchandising for Star Wars and the positioning and branding of the No More movement. She is also President Emeritus of AIGA, one of five women to hold the position in the organization’s 100-year history and a past board member and treasurer of the New York Chapter.

Currently, Debbie is the Editorial and Creative Director of Print Magazine, the oldest magazine about design in the United States, and a board member of actor and activist Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation, Legendary Performance Space 122 and the venerable Type Directors Club.