ABSTRACT
Traditional forms of storytelling can often be thought of as merely a childhood experience. However, stories (or sometimes referred to as narratives) are part of our everyday lives. Storytelling is an important and undervalued communication tool, particularly with atypical communicators. A patient generally describes their symptoms using a narrative and introduces key people (or characters) that are part of their experience. Storytelling necessitates both listening and sharing and is a two-way process. Evidence shows that storytelling can help healthcare professionals develop deeper relationships with patients and form a greater understanding of their individual needs. Narrative medicine is a relatively new concept that is gaining traction in different spheres of healthcare. It describes the importance of going beyond merely the collection of symptoms in an acute encounter to understanding the patient’s experience and journey.
This chapter explores the notion of storytelling in healthcare and its use in facilitating meaning and depth when communicating with patients. By describing and providing examples of the use of storyboarding,illustrations,journaling,graphics,and pictorial charts,these tools can be used to establish meaningful conversations with atypical (and typical) communicators in a range of healthcare settings.
