Featured GABBER: Stephen Dolainski

By Jana Rae Corpuz

Stephen Dolainski was drawn to GAB after learning about it through friends in Oregon in 2022. 

“I did some research on GAB and, as a long-time adult educator and writer/editor, I was intrigued with the concept and the methodology. I immediately knew that GAB was something for me to explore,” he said.

After taking the the training in November 2022, he wanted to work with LGBTQ seniors. 

“When I received certification, I contacted the Los Angeles LGBT Center and proposed forming a GAB class,” he said. “In 2023, we offered three GAB 1 classes and one GAB 2 class. More classes will be offered in 2024.”

Stephen loves teaching GAB and talks about how it how much it benefits writers by sharing their truth. 

“GAB provides a structured, creative outlet for people to examine their lives and write about significant experiences in their lives, he said. “I love being able to help people realize a goal they have, in this case to write about life experiences that often revolve around the trauma and pain of growing up gay in the homophobic mid-20th century.

“To quote Arthur Miller, ‘Attention must be paid.’ These stories must be written and shared before they are lost and forgotten.”

Over the course of teaching GAB, Stephen has encountered a few challenges.

“An occasional logistical or technical issue crops up: the room we use at the Center has been double-booked, the technical hook-up has been changed and I have to learn a new sign-on procedure,” he said. 

But other challenges have come up with teaching and participants.

“A more challenging challenge is when a participant (I don’t use the word student) uses the sharing time inappropriately, such as using the time to try out a stand-up comedy routine (this is Hollywood, after all), or when, in their enthusiasm, they forget the 800-1,000 word limit and I need to cut them off,” he said.

Otherwise, the impact of GAB is very much highlighted by participants experiences as they read their stories.

“Something that has occurred several times, but which I don’t view as a challenge, is when they are moved while reading their story and become emotional to the point of crying,” he said. “I think that just underscores the power of GAB, and that it’s not therapy, but can be therapeutic.”

Despite these challenges, he says that witnessing the impact of GAB keeps him going. The other things that keep him going are coffee, vodka martinis and salty snacks.

Stephen can be contacted via email at steve91604@gmail.com.