Re-Writing Yourself
Re-Writing Yourself
One way to look at therapy is changing the story you tell about yourself. You come into therapy with one story and you leave with another. The first story is causing you pain and restricting your freedom. The new story feels like a resolution and sets you free.
Clients frequently present their stories in one of three ways:
A detached, matter of fact narrative
A dramatic retelling rehearsed many times
Or a blocked, unfinished story that feels stuck
What these share is scriptedness. A narrative that was written early and rarely revised.
When we are children, we lack the capacity to write with emotional nuance, complexity, and self compassion. Yet that early narrative voice often continues shaping identity, meaning, and decision making well into adulthood.
The Role of the Therapist
A therapist’s role is to create the conditions where it feels safe to begin writing something new.
This happens gradually.
Perhaps one new word is added.
Then a sentence.
Then a paragraph.
Sometimes the character that needs rewriting most is the one you thought you knew best: yourself.
Over time, the story becomes more three dimensional, emotionally resonant, and compassionate. Most importantly, your writing style changes. You begin to author your life with greater awareness, regulation, and authenticity.
If this reflection resonates and you are considering beginning trauma therapy in Ventura County, California or Oregon, reaching out is the first step in rewriting what comes next.
You are allowed to revise your story.
About The Author
Alex is an associate marriage and family therapist (AMFT134332) supervised by Jeremy Mast, MS, MDiv, LMFT, CSAT (CAMFT90961). Alex’s experience includes trauma work, psychodynamic training, crisis intervention, and providing therapy in private practice High School and correctional facility settings. In his free time, Alex enjoys surfing and writing short stories and poems.
