Lisa Regina has been involved in the film industry for more than 30 years, first as an actress, then an acting coach. But her passion for nearly 20 years has been shedding light through film on the healing process related to trauma.
Following a well-publicized domestic violence incident in the early 2000s, Regina founded her nonprofit, A Write to Heal Inc. The organization provides trauma survivors creative pathways to heal through writing as well as film, and introduces them to new career opportunities.
It seeks to take the lemons of life and turn them into lemonade.
Regina’s advocacy work focuses strongly on raising awareness on issues surrounding trauma; she has interwoven her passion for the U.S. military into her productions. For the past 12 years, she has interviewed military members and their families to develop their true stories into a dramatic TV series, “Heroic Episodes.”
In her production process, she includes veterans as consultants, cast and crew members.
That’s where her story intersects with that of Frank Sean Johnson. Now retired from the US Air Force, he served in Desert Storm as a mental-health specialist, counseling veterans who were experiencing depression and PTSD. Following his return to the states, in 1993, the veteran was shot twice in the back in Philadelphia, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
In waves of triumphs and setbacks, Johnson has used his faith and will to overcome expectations.
The pair met on set of one of Regina’s productions, where Johnson joined as a Magee Sixers wheelchair basketball player. The connection highlighted an overlap between Regina’s and Johnson’s interests in acting, community outreach and storytelling, and ultimately led to the development of the “Heroic Episodes” series.
In a push to remain independently produced and ensure creative control, the current objective of Regina and Johnson is to raise $1 million for financing six, one-hour episodes. To secure funding, they are soliciting philanthropists interested in Philadelphia and South Jersey, while simultaneously pursuing grant applications and crowd funding.
By keeping creative control, the duo’s mission of employing veterans and offering apprenticeships to at-risk teens is preserved. Their project relies on local relationships, including Lighthouse Youth Center and Jefferson Moss-McGee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, Idea Performing Arts in Camden City and Temple University’s media and film program.
This “Heroic Episodes” project relies on local voices and talent to maintain authenticity. Sometimes, though, there is hesitation. Johnson explained that the most difficult aspects of their work involve building trust with the veteran community to encourage vulnerability in story sharing.
What breaks down those barriers is the shared experiences of trauma and healing. Johnson and Regina emphasized that the series will incorporate that shared struggle, including elements of dark humor as a coping mechanism, rather than portraying a purely “doom and gloom” narrative.
Regina described the show’s narrative style as having the “grit of ‘The Wire’ (TV series),” and the “heart and soul of the film “Karate Kid.” The series is specifically designed to end with a call to action segment, where nonprofit leaders are spotlighted to provide resources and website links, directly engaging the audience in community support.
Trauma, regardless of the source, is a shared human battle, and “Heroic Episodes” plans to give voice to that experience.
Frank Sean Johnson and Lisa Regina work together through her nonprofit, A Write to Heal, to create “Heroic Episodes” and its stories of military service.
