Hi Reader,
I hope all is well in your world. Here is the expanded version of the Narrative Inquiry process. At the bottom is a numbered list of the steps.
Let me know if you have questions and if you try it 🦷🪥
The technique is fairly straightforward. Take the problem or issue and tell the story of it, write it out, or speak it into a notes app for transcription in fifteen minutes or less. The time limit is important, it keeps you focused on the topic and doesn’t let your mind interfere too much. Instead of leaning into the intuitive knowing of the situation.
This gets to the story that you are telling yourself. It highlights the beliefs you have, particularly the subconscious ones.
In my case, I told the story of my fear of dental care.
Let the story sit for at least an hour or two, even overnight – as long as you remember to come back to it.
This gives you a little distance from the experience.
Next read the story from a third person perspective. Some of my clients have even given the third person a name.
This helps to shift perspective and highlight beliefs that may or may not serve you.
Part of my dentist example: I’ve had a really bad dental experience. I was in severe pain and the dentist didn’t seem to care. I had no choice but to stay and finish the extraction and then it got infected.
She had a really bad dental experience. She was in severe pain and the dentist didn’t seem to care. She had no choice but to stay and finish the extraction, and then it got infected.
Mia had a really bad dental experience. Mia was in severe pain and the dentist didn’t seem to care. Mia had no choice but to stay and finish the extraction, and then it got infected.
Notice what pops up Curiosity? Empathy? Solutions? Jot it down.
What I noticed was my feeling of helplessness, and no control over the situation or outcome.
Now identify the most important sentence. There is no right or wrong, it’s about what feels most important to you. Highlight it.
In my story, it was “I am not an anxious person, except when it comes to the dentist.”
Next identify the pivotal point, a single sentence or a moment that shifts the story. Underline this.
In my story, it was “I laid there in the chair waiting, for the sixth time spanning 4 hours and 12 minutes, my jaw throbbing, my eyes red and swollen, I couldn’t leave not with half my tooth in and half out.”
Now read through and see what’s missing.
What jumped out for me was I didn’t do anything about the original situation or the lingering anxiety.
Is there a way to shift the story even a little bit?
I reminded myself that things always work out for me, and my current dentist is really great at making sure I’m comfortable. I also have a plethora of tools at my disposal.
On Tuesday morning, I was nervous but not quaking in my boots, nauseous and fighting the urge to run and hide nervous. The crown was cemented back in place in about 15 minutes.
Mind you, it’s perfectly fine with me if I don’t have to go back for a long while 😃
Narrative Inquiry Outline
- Tell the story of a problem or stuck point in fifteen minutes or less.
- Let the story sit for at least an hour or two even overnight.
- Read the story from a third-person perspective.
- Notice and write down what pops up after reading it.
- Highlight the most important sentence.
- Underline the pivotal point, a single sentence or moment that shifts the story.
- Read through and see what’s missing.
- Assess if there is space to shift the story even a little bit.
Be Well,
Cathy
PS. Drop me a note if you have a topic you would like me to explore