Coherent Life Stories

In the readings I have been doing I speak about research that tells us about the importance of a coherent life narrative when disaster strikes. People who have such stories before disaster do better after disaster.

So what is a coherent life narrative and how do we write one?

It is a story that combines our knowledge of family, culture, and community, with a sense of how we manage our lives in the present and what we look forward to in the future. The Keepers Seekers and Teachers in the book, "Blowing on Embers" and on this blog tell us their coherent narratives. Their stories offer us an opportunity to strengthen our own stories and weave them together so that we have a clear sense of our past, present, and future. This is one of the ways to be prepared for whatever is up ahead.

From readers about "Blowing on Embers":

Your reading could not have come at a better time. I had a horrible week atwork and really needed something to take me out of myself and that was thecure. I have read about half the book so far and have really enjoyed it. Byacknowledging up front that each of us has to face adversity, we need to finda way to get on with our lives and find the joy where ever we can. Byanticipating the adversity and creating a framework for survival, we guarda gainst depressing thoughts which hold us down. I think that was lesson of your talk and the book, and I really needed that inoculation at the time.
Labe

JUST RETURNED FROM OUR TRIP TO B.C. READ YOUR BOOK IN A FLASH ON THE TRAIN. I LOVED IT! I SAW MYSELF IN EACH WOMAN'S STORY AND ALSO SAW STRENGTHS DIFFERENT FROM MINE THAT I COULD REFLECT ON. I LOVED THE WAY YOU WOVE YOUR STORY AND REFLECTION THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. IT WAS A VERY INTIMATE EXPERIENCE. CHRIS

The book reads keeps pulling me along at a lively pace. I think the book would be so useful to therapy clients. After reading it they can write their own story. If I get to teach a writing course next semester I will make it one of our class texts!!

Joan