Leticia Uribe, Mexico
I think the most hopeful developments right now have to do with the gathering of therapists interested on narrative practice into groups – these groups are now practicing, studying, and teaching narrative ideas in different contexts. This means, on one hand, that more people are getting in touch with narrative practice through workshops and courses, as well as through therapy and community work, and on the other hand, this creates the possibility of developing narrative ideas that apply more comfortably to our cultural context. What I like the most about these groups is that we are collaborating with each other without any sense of competitiveness or rivalry.
Since we began studying together, we have been trying to understand and embrace the concept of multi-storied identities, so we have been ‘training’ ourselves to leave behind the single-storied views of each other in the group. This has taken us to a place of respect, admiration, and acknowledgment of the strengths and values of each member of the group. This way, whenever we have a difference of opinion, we find a way to make it coexist, instead of letting it divide us. The main expression of all these is that we have managed to work together for almost six years in a horizontal way, without feeling differences of power or needs of individualist rivalry. So along the way, we have formed a nice friendship and a valued personal relationship among us.
I wish that more people came in touch with narrative ideas in different contexts of health care services, community work, and even public service in Mexico. I believe that might contribute to more diverse, open, and respectful ways of working, and, consequently, it would spread a multi-storied way of understanding our collective and individual identities. Then, we would be able to get more in touch with our possibilities as Mexicans instead of giving so much light to our national problems and our cultural ‘flaws’ and difficulties.
