One s past involves introjection of significant others even the classical notion of identification with the aggressor. I becomes a self becoming. Adolescents cannot always distance from their experience because of the emotional intensity of their feelings and their lack of coping strategies. Narration involves fragmenting the self and allows some of the sense of self to be seen as past with alarming frequency in adolescence. The past may include distance between the adolescent and a problem.
Every story is a form of censorship.
Old beliefs are shattered. Experiences are honored as the person s own voice with an unique view or explanation of the situation. The psyche is a story subject to revision. When a therapist spots omissions in their stories, clients often recover forgotten strengths. A dominant theory or story created a view of adolescence up until recently that muted differences across the species and hid essential conflicts in viewing adolescents.