Turning Trauma into Purpose: The Story of Lisa Regina
When Pain Becomes Purpose
“Sometimes our biggest pain becomes our biggest strength.” — Lisa Regina
The most powerful stories often rise from the darkest chapters.
When we share our pain, we connect — and in that connection, healing begins.
This truth defines the journey of filmmaker, actress, and trauma advocate Lisa Regina, founder of A Write to Heal, a nonprofit that empowers survivors — including veterans and at-risk youth — to find their voice through writing, film, and storytelling.
Her mission: to prove that our scars don’t define us. What we do with them does.
GUEST BIO: WHO IS LISA REGINA?
Lisa Regina is an actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian with more than two decades of experience in the entertainment industry.
A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she has appeared in iconic shows such as The Sopranos, Law & Order: SVU, and All My Children.
Beyond her on-screen career, Lisa’s life’s work focuses on storytelling as therapy. As founder of A Write to Heal, she teaches trauma survivors to express their experiences creatively, turning pain into empowerment.
She’s also the co-creator of Heroic Episodes with actor Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds), a TV series that dramatizes real veteran stories and connects viewers with mental-health resources.
“Storytelling can save lives,” Lisa says. “When we give voice to pain, we transform it into power — and that’s where real healing begins.”
A Creative Spirit Born in Philadelphia
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lisa was a born storyteller — imaginative, artistic, and drawn to performing. She directed neighborhood plays and used her creativity as an escape from the hardships of home life.
Her mother’s health struggles — a stroke, surgeries, and later cancer — deeply shaped her sense of empathy and determination. Those early lessons in resilience would one day guide her through unimaginable challenges.
After studying film and screenwriting at NYU, Lisa began teaching at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Mentoring students gave her a new sense of purpose: helping others find confidence through storytelling, even when life felt uncertain.
Breaking Into Television and Film
Lisa’s career breakthrough came with a speaking role on HBO’s The Sopranos. Having spent years as Lorraine Bracco’s stand-in, she finally stepped into the spotlight.
“Even though it was just a few lines, it was a big deal,” Lisa recalls. “Watching James Gandolfini transform into Tony Soprano — that was a masterclass in acting.”
Her experiences on set taught her discipline, humility, and the emotional truth required to tell powerful stories — qualities that would later help her survive the unimaginable.
A Relationship Turns Violent
Behind the scenes, Lisa’s personal life spiraled into tragedy.
In 2005, after becoming engaged to a fellow actor, she became the victim of a brutal domestic assault.
“I never planned on being the poster child for domestic violence,” she says softly.
What started as love turned into control, manipulation, and physical abuse. On April 2, 2005, during what should have been a joyful drive to visit family, her fiancé attacked her in a rage — slamming her head against the car console before throwing her from the vehicle onto Houston Street in Manhattan.
Lisa survived with severe injuries, including a concussion, but the emotional wounds ran deep.
Media attention turned predatory; paparazzi hounded her for a photo, while tabloids sensationalized the story. Discharged from the hospital in secret, she returned home alone, terrified and broken.
“I was in shock, pacing my apartment, too scared to go outside,” she remembers. “PTSD and agoraphobia took hold — but I was alive, and that meant something.”
Reclaiming Her Voice Through Storytelling
Out of that darkness came purpose. Lisa poured her pain into writing, then into film — and eventually into A Write to Heal, her nonprofit dedicated to helping others do the same.
Through workshops and film projects, she teaches survivors to channel their experiences into creative expression. Participants write screenplays, perform monologues, and produce short films that tell their own stories of resilience.
Her project Heroic Episodes, co-created with Joe Mantegna, continues that mission — shining light on veterans’ real-life struggles with trauma, loss, and recovery.
“When we tell our stories, we reclaim our power,” Lisa says. “Healing isn’t linear — but it’s possible.”
WATCH FULL EPISODE HERE
From Survivor to Servant Leader
Today, Lisa’s life stands as a testament to transformation.
Her story is not about what broke her — it’s about what she built afterward. Through art and advocacy, she’s helped countless survivors rediscover their voices and purpose.
Her journey embodies the Stories of Service mission — ordinary people doing extraordinary work. By turning her trauma into a vehicle for empathy and leadership, Lisa reminds us that even the most painful stories can become sources of light.
Through her filmmaking, teaching, and nonprofit leadership, she continues to inspire a global community of storytellers who prove that healing begins when we are heard.
