Storytelling has been around a long time. It is a way people can connect with one another, by learning from one another’s stories, including the trials and tribulations of being human. The storytelling movement is one way people share their genuine, authentic selves, which can have a great impact on people who are struggling with addiction and recovery. Find out why there are so many benefits to telling your own story.

Story as Therapy

The real story behind the stories is that sharing personal narrative can function as a type of group therapy where helping everyone involved is the name of the game. The storyteller begins to share, lightening their burden a bit, and the listeners can find an emotionally rich connection and healing process through hearing them speak. Self-disclosure, sharing your story, can feel particularly validating when others respond. That feeling of being understood can enable a person to feel connected to a community of people who stand with them in sharing their story.

Listening is Captivating

Listening captivates people in a way nothing else can. The restorative power of sharing personal story can help bring feelings of optimism, improved mood, less pain, and greater positive feelings overall. Not just in oral storytelling formats, but also in written word, people can find emotional support and healing in sharing their story. That is why so many people enjoy blogging or writing memoir. It is a way of putting their story out there for people to resonate with.

How to Share

There are myriad benefits to sharing your story, but there is a certain way to approach it that can help both the person sharing and the listeners.

  • Be specific. Details make people fall in love with your story. When you are thinking about what makes your story unique, it helps to add details that are pertinent to only your story.
  • Jump around in time. Create suspense to bring something from the end of your story to the beginning. This type of foreshadowing compels the people to hang on and listen for awhile longer to get to the end.
  • Don’t bury the point. If you lose the main point, you lose your audience. If you are trying to write or tell a story orally to an audience, you don’t want to get lost in time.

The goal of storytelling is connecting to an audience of people and perhaps forming community with them. You are sharing part of yourself, which is hard to do, but also maybe looking for the humor in the challenge. There is a way to do this that allows you choose what you want to share but also still work on building bridges to others who may share and understand your experiences. This can be very healing in recovery, early on or down the road.

The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of each client. Whether you are struggling with getting off drugs for the first time or need help because of relapse, our treatment program helps you figure out the best next steps for you. We will help you heal from addiction with our programs and services that focus on group and individual work. Call us for more information: 432-620-0255