The word ‘story’ stems from two Latin words, storia and historia, both of which refer to a telling of events (Douglas & Carless, 2019). Humans have been telling stories for a very long time in order to entertain, teach, and guide behavior. Through the process of storytelling, individuals are able to create their identity and have it validated by their community (Douglas & Carless, 2019). Stories help to pass down cultural values, behaviors, and customs from one generation to the next. It’s important to note that different cultures have different types of stories with different meanings, and not all stories are given the same value or respect. Frank (2010) and McLeod (1997) think that it’s more important to understand what stories do, rather than trying to come up with a strict definition of what a story is.
Douglas, K., & Carless, D. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Frank, A. W. (2010). Letting stories breathe: A socio- narratology. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
McLeod, J. (1997). Narrative and Psychotherapy. London: Sage.
