The Story Theory is a Key Element of Many Holistic Nursing Procedures
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Abstract
Нe meaning of the "Story theory" is universal. Patricia
Lier writes that: " Нe Story theory is composed of three
interrelated concepts: intentional dialogue, connecting
with self-in-relation, and creating ease. According to
the theory, the story is a narrative happening of
connecting with self-in-relation through intentional
dialogue to create ease. Ease emerges in the midst of
accepting the whole story as one's own in a process of
attentive embracing".
Нe LISTEN procedure consists, in practice, on
performing a 5-session intervention that is delivered in
a small group setting (3-5people). Each of these
sessions is similar to dialogues conducted in the course
of cognitive behavioral therapy and aims to heal
psychological misperceptions.Нe content of these
sessions is focused on particular important elements of
the problem which should be overcome. Нerefore the
first session is focused on perceived belonging as the
notion important for the perception of loneliness. Нe
second session focuses on relationships because it is
important for the patients to identify more meaningful
and less meaningful relationships. It guides participants
towards enhanced awareness about past and current
relationships. Нis session facilitates a thoughtful
reflection of self in relation to others and the
community.Нe third session explores the patterns of
getting out or staying in.Loneliness may be partly due
to a physical handicap which hinders interpersonal
relationships. During this session, the participant
discuss how other lonely people get out of the house or
cope with loneliness while stay in.Session four helps to
identify the realities of coping with loneliness based on
one's own experience and the experience of
others.Participants are encouraged to identify the
positive, negative and turning points in their experience
of loneliness.Нe fiіh session is about life lessons on
loneliness, the experiences of loneliness and what
might work to decrease loneliness. It encouragesthe
participants to formulate the possible means to solve the
problem.Нe degree of perception of loneliness and its
changes can be assessed using the known UCLA
Loneliness scale .The authors draw most of their
attention to the effective procedure performed by nursing
staff aimed to counteract the adverse consequences of
loneliness, the essence of which is due to the so-called
"Story Theory". They recall that this "Story Theory" is
one of the so-called "Middle Range Theories for
Nursing", proposed by Mary Jane Smith and Patrycja
Lier, which is a useful tool in formulating various
psychotherapeutic interventions. The authors cite two of
their own previous works, related to so-called "life
review therapy," in which they also proposed practical
therapeutic procedures in line with the essence of the
"Story Theory". The cited papers describe the rules of
conversation, enabling patients to obtain a "balanced,
memorized assessment of one's own live". The authors
remark that the present proposal of the Story Theory
coincides with the current and increasingly more explicit
awareness in the field of sociology and political science
of the importance of the so-called narrative, or just
constructing new stories,supporting the promotion of
new, social ideas.
Keywords: Story theory; Loneliness; Holistic nursing;
Befriending; Cognitive behavioral therapy; Life review
psychotherapy
