Narrative Medicine and how it is used

Professions such as Social Work, Medicine and Psychology are becoming increasingly aware of the therapeutic properties of writing and storytelling and there are numerous examples of how people of all ages face and overcome life’s challenges through the art of telling their stories.

Everyone understands the important role of stress in life experience. The relief of stress and stressors by narrative (either verbal or in writing) has also been well known for over 100 years. The Europeans, starting with Anton Mesmer (of mesmerism fame) and the use of hypnosis, called “verbal healing,” laid significant foundations in narrative therapy. It was further developed by Sigmund Freud and his followers who discovered that patients became better when they “free associated.” His patients became more functional in their lives simply by “talking out” whatever came into their mind. Analysis and “talking therapy” is still primary form of treatment with individuals when seen by mental health professionals.

Writing and journaling have been found to have very positive effects in reducing stress and have been used very successfully in a number of programs. A number of Life Management systems such as the Franklin-Covey model rely on thinking out one’s day and goals and writing these down. They do this as a way of gaining control of the individual’s life situations. The AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) Twelve Step Programs focus significantly on writing down thoughts and sharing them with oneself, and one’s sponsor. There is also a significant movement in a number of cultures on reclaiming one’s oral history as a way of grounding oneself to their heritage, traditional pre-consumer culture and their roots.

Research conducted in this field suggest that both speaking and writing, either as journaling, or in messages to others, are ways to reduce stresses. Whilst narrating one’s thoughts does not initially affect the external stressors, it can certainly help to change the way one feels about the world. A story allows one to share these feelings with others and to organize one’s thoughts around these issues and to move forward in life. The very act of committing one’s thoughts to paper, e-mail, collages or recording facilitates a better and healthier formulation of the issues, and hopefully leads to decisions that can then react to and deal with life stresses.

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