Story Telling IS Therapeutic June 7, 2021
I recently hiked along the Blueberry Trails in Wasaga Beach with my beach buddy.We talked, laughed and shared stories for over three hours. During the time we spent bonding on foot, we talked all the way. The journey was “effortless”.
We both started off our day from a place of belief that we attracted one another into our lives because we had a lot in common. I identify as a black woman born in the Caribbean and my buddy as a white woman born in Germany. However, we believed that while women’s stories and experiences are different, they are very much the same.
Women’s stories are usually wrapped around issues related to family, travel, relationships, career and emotional happenings. Rarely, do we talk specifically about religion, art, or even politics but this is not to say that these subjects are not embodied in the main expressions of our stories.
Storytelling by women produces bonding energy and such experiences can also:
Initiate healing
Broaden perspective
Teach and relive history
Help us connect with the spiritual self
Allow permission to release
Lighten emotional burden
Create freedom of expression
Lead us to discover commonalities
During our bonding journey, we were able to recognize that while we originated from different places and spaces, we are very much alike. We quickly acknowledged that we are so much alike even if we accentuate, express and relate differently. We impacted each other because of the energy we created. We confirmed that while the content of our stories was different, the impact of the experiences remains the same.
The day after our three-hour journey along Blueberry Trail, my buddy wrote to thank me for the experience and expressed how “effortless” the three-hour hike was for her. Clearly, talking and sharing can be very releasing, leaving us feeling lighter and more free.Story sharing and telling with other women can be extremely cathectic, and the mental and emotional involvement can lead to a state of healing and wellness.
Image 1: Women’s Circle with True Botanicals Image 2: Waterford Whispers News, 2015 Image 3: Women of Colour Healing Retreats Image 4: by Kristine Lo for WMN Space Image 5: Her Packing List Image 6: The Love of Black Women