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Researching Narrative Storytelling with Adults with Acquired Brain Injury

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Handbook of Social Inclusion

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Abstract

Narrative storytelling is gaining interest within healthcare as an inclusive approach to engagement in research and practice. This chapter examines the use of narrative storytelling as an approach to listening to and valuing the lived experiences of people with disability. The chapter commences with a brief description of narrative storytelling, positioning storytelling as an everyday human experience of connecting with self and others in a relational context. It then provides a more detailed understanding of storytelling, drawing from the findings of qualitative research that sought to explore the subjective experience of narrative storytelling from the perspective of adults with brain injury. Experiences of feeling heard, releasing emotions, and reflecting about self are discussed. Next, it explores the inclusive nature of storytelling in the practice/research context by outlining strategies to maximize the engagement of people with cognitive and communication impairments. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the potential value of sharing stories of lived experience of disability to positively impact the lives of others. In this context, narrative storytelling is recognized as an opportunity for meaningful occupational engagement and a way to connect with and contribute to society.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Summer Foundation, Australia & Discipline of Occupational Therapy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Kate D’Cruz

  2. Summer Foundation, Australia & Living with Disability Research Centre, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Jacinta Douglas

  3. School of Education, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Tanya Serry

Authors
  1. Kate D’Cruz
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  2. Jacinta Douglas
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  3. Tanya Serry
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kate D’Cruz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Pranee Liamputtong

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D’Cruz, K., Douglas, J., Serry, T. (2022). Researching Narrative Storytelling with Adults with Acquired Brain Injury. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Inclusion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89594-5_59

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89594-5_59

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-89593-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-89594-5

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