Resilience Through Narratives: How Storytelling Heals, Empowers, and Connects
Posted by Improving Lives Counseling Services, Inc. | Family Counseling
Regardless of your age, race, ethnicity, or culture, recounting your story is a fundamental aspect of human communication. Experiencing life as a narrative through hearing and sharing stories opens the door to communication, problem-solving, preserving culture, and inspiring lives. An essential part of human culture for thousands of years, whether stories be real or unreal, totally unauthentic, or changed with each telling, they offer individual, societal, and psychological benefits. Narrative Therapy Psychology (storytelling) is one of many treatments used by the counselors and therapists, of Improving Lives Counseling Services.
NARRATIVE PSYCHOLOGY / PSYCHOLOGICAL NARRATIVE
Narrative therapy psychology is a perspective in psychology concerned with the storied nature of human conduct “It refers to a range of approaches to stories in human life and thought, as humans make sense of themselves; developing and organizing knowledge, memories, intentions, life histories, and personal identities in narrative patterns.” Whether true, or elaborate imagery, narratives reveal how an individual deals with life experiences.
People construct their identities and make sense of their experiences through the stories they tell themselves. Separating a person from their problems by externalizing the problem allows them to gain a new perspective on their situation, no longer identifying themselves “solely” with the problem. Narrative therapy helps individuals recognize the dominant cultural or societal narratives that may be influencing their self-perception. It helps individuals rewrite the stories they tell themselves in more empowering and positive ways.
Though they look and sound the same, psychological narrative and narrative psychology are very different. Psychological narrative is a storytelling technique that focuses on exploring and understanding the internal thoughts, emotions, motivations, and psychological processes of the characters in a story. It delves into the complexities of the mind, emotions, and behavior of the characters. Novels, short stories, historical fiction, films, documentaries, and television shows, explore the complexities of the human condition through psychological narrative.
Folk music, country music, religious music, blues, opera, and rap are examples of psychological narratives. This storytelling technique uses lyrics, tempo, instrumentation, range, repetition, and patterns to generate drama and create tension. Storytelling in music can suggest moods, uncover memories, stimulate emotions – and in the brain release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. One of the most powerful forms of psychological narrative is storytelling through music. Certain lyrics can trigger stress, and anxiety – provoke anger, and fright, cause rapid heartbeat, sweating, frisson, and tears.
THE IMPACT OF STORYTELLING
Throughout history storytelling has been used to change minds, or sway people to a different way of thinking. Storytelling in politics, economics, religion, social norms, cross-culturalism, and music allows the storyteller to connect on an emotional level. The more “real people” involved in the story, the more information the listener stores in the brain. Because storytelling synchronizes the listener’s brain with the teller’s brain creating dopamine, releasing cortisol, and oxytocin, and activating the motor, sensory and frontal cortex of the brain, books, films, music, TV shows, and media are required by law to have age appropriate recommendations and ratings.
As people age, gain knowledge, change environments, and interact socially, telling stories and listening to the stories of others shapes their identity, and their conception of themselves. Whether the stories are misremembered, or inauthentic, every action, memory, and emotion can be changed.
Healing Impact
Many believe storytelling has a “healing power”; restoring the disorder caused by illness, reducing the risk factors of heart disease and high blood pressure. Studies show storytelling can be a practical treatment for migraines, to reduce pain in hospitalized children, and slow (or avoid) Alzheimer’s in the elderly.
STORIES BRING HISTORY TO LIFE
Seniors and the elderly who have fought in wars, suffered unfairness, or experienced trauma often refuse to tell or share their stories. Abused children, victims of domestic violence, and trafficked women find it hard to share their stories, trying to forget or attempting to move on. Yet today, millennials, and Gen X and GenZ think it’s important for all stories to be heard. They want to know all the family secrets – who they are, where they come from, and the history behind rituals, customs, and traditions. Through storytelling blogs, podcasts, documentaries, StoryCorps, Stories from The Stage, and genealogy websites, these young Native Americans, Asians, Jews, Hispanics, and African Americans are foregrounding ancestral history, generational trauma, and genetic roots.
SUMMARY
Stories teach people about themselves and about those who came before them – their hardships, challenges, successes, and failures. They can teach values, introduce ideas, generate respect for ancestors, and pass down traditions. Stories can be enlightening, and they can be hurtful. Improving Lives Counseling Services can help. Narrative Therapy is just one of the many therapeutic approaches used by our team of licensed, professional counselors and therapists. Call us to learn more.
