Journal prompts to explore our stories and family narratives.
Our family narrative and self-narrative are interwoven. Some parts may fill us with strength, and some may offer challenge and pain. You may be barely beginning or on your continued journey towards healing. Pause whenever you need, and invite in ease.
Takeaways from Carving Out More Ease Around Our Self-Narratives of Family, a conversation held in 2020 as part of the Queer Speaker Series, a project of Samantha Ashley Field of @fieldtherapy. We had a moving, honest, curious conversation about our families, and our narratives filled with generosity, tenderness, and anger.
People define and experience family based on their upbringing, experiences, and cultural context
Find ways to begin to notice your self-narratives more often
We change and grow alongside our narratives
Our narratives are an act of creation
We can reframe the telling of our stories
Choose how, when, and to who you tell your stories
Creative processes can be healing
Grab your favorite cup of tea and a notebook or journal! Choose 1-2 prompts that resonate with you. Start slowly by yourself, or with someone.
What are the recurring thoughts that you hold about your family & yourself?
What narratives have shifted over time? What practices can support our narratives to shift over time?
Do you think there are universalities to our stories? Where are the places of commonality and difference?
What are the stories with you/within you that provide you support, nurturance, reassurance?
If you offer yourself more permission to be with your truths, timing, processes, whether it means slowing down or speeding up/allowing for more movement, what can be possible?
What can you hope to discover or learn about yourself, your boundaries, a relationship you want to grow?
How do we support ourselves in not being hindered by our own stories? How do we ask for support from others when we are doubting ourselves, especially in the face of internalized oppression, systemic oppression and state-sanctioned violence, self-hate, traumatic experiences)?
Is there a particular snapshot of your story you want to tell? Is there a healing intention it can support?
When it comes to the idea of family, and even thinking about your family story, what comes up that you want to resist? What is coming up for you? Just notice. Allow. It’s okay to explore or choose not to.
How have you engaged with your family/self-narratives? Are there activities or crafts you’ve done to express yourself and your family story?
If you imagine it might take some effort, consistency, care, and intention, what activities and practices can you put in place to remind yourself of the stories you want to affirm or reclaim? To foster a new narrative about self-and others? What are the ways you might be able to access healing/support?
