This chapter develops three points of elaboration and theoretical expansion upon Cohler's (1982) treatise on personal narrative and life course. First, we highlight Cohler's emphasis on an interpretive, idiographic approach to the study of lives and reveal the radicalism of this approach, particularly in its ability to interrogate the lived experience of social categorization. Second, we link C...

Intimacy usually involves the body. Its dependence on and the difficulties in transcending this are explored by discussing some of the problems those with neurological impairment have in this regard. These impairments are considered in relation to intimacy with one’s own body, with others and with the world. Intimacy is also often expressed through touching, and work on the neural basis for the...

This article attempts to bring philosophy to clinical psychological practice by applying philosophical concepts to autobiographical experience. Through reflective engagement with personal narratives, the author tells three personal stories to illustrate ways in which the concept of Dasein in the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and Emmanuel Levinas's development of an ethical responsibility to th...

A Solomon Four-Group Design was used to study the effects of reading personal narratives written by an individual with complex communication needs on the attitudes, potential future behaviors, and general experiences of 109 undergraduate business majors. The Attitudes Toward Nonspeaking Persons Scale (ATNP) and a scale of behavioral intentions modeled according to Ajzen's ( 1991 ) Theory of Pla...

Correspondence: H. Lea Gaydos, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150, USA. E-mail: [email protected] GAYDOS H.L. (2005) Journal of Advanced Nursing 49(3), 254–259 Understanding personal narratives: an approach to practice Aim. This paper explores the need for and nature of personal narratives and their relevanc...

Computer games provide a unique opportunity to experience intangible fantasies and create engagement with emotions which are able to be played out in real-life. Artists speak of engagement, computer game players speak of transformation and immersion. They are all viewing images with their own personal narratives informing their participation. These personal narratives arise from the information...

Throughout STFM's 25th anniversary year, we illustrated the dynamic history of family medicine using the personal narratives of some of the discipline's founders and early leaders. We have attempted to take the energy of their spoken words and put it on paper for clinician educators to learn from and lead by. For us, as authors, this process has been enriching and has caused us to reexamine and...