In the Narrative Therapy Session, the therapist helps Elan externalize guilt, treating it as something outside himself rather than an internal issue to overcome. This simplifies it in a way that Elan can understand and deal with much easier, essentially explaining that he must associate guilt as something apart from himself. For example, instead of saying “I am guilty” he should rather refer to it as, “Guilt is bothering me.” Similarly, John Sharp argued that changing your own personal narrative is like editing a documentary and he explains that you can choose which scenes to highlight and which ones to get rid of. Both highlight the idea that externalizing problems allows for transformation and growth.

Diana Moreno’s TED talk expands this idea by sharing how storytelling helped her navigate identity and build community across cultural divides. She kept her audience engaged through invitation to imagine and reflect on their own identities. Her message can tie into the podcast on inclusive healthcare, where Dr. Shaub explains how narrative medicine allows for marginalized patients to be heard for their experiences in which they were not treated how they should have been. By listening to and deeply understanding the stories of these patients, we can gain and offer much more compassion and care that is equitable for each and every patient.

A great point of agreement is the role of wonder and imagination in a majority of these sources. In the therapy session, the therapist invites Elan to explore his story with curiosity to help overcome his guilt. Sharp describes narrative change as a creative act in order for the audience to understand the concept in a much simpler way. Moreno even uses metaphors to help others imagine their own sense of belonging. 

All sources highlight the importance of collaboration and imagination. Whether it’s with a therapist, educator, or physician, the role is not to tell them what to do but instead to foster growth in the individual. Among all these perspectives we can see how narrative approaches such as externalizing guilt can empower individuals and overall cultivate deeper human understanding in not only ourselves but those around us which makes them essential tools in both therapy and health humanities.