Tattoos, Mental Illness, and Narratives
Narratives are significant to our lives as humans, we create internal narratives about our relationships, careers, perceptions, and struggles by entwining experiences over time in order to interpret them in meaningful ways (Haldey, 2013). Tattoo Narratives, described by Oksanen and Turtiainen (2005), refers to ways in which an individual can tell their own personal life story through their tattoos. This “autobiographical aspect of tattooing” has immense transformative power (p.112). Tattoo narratives often represent significant or traumatic life stages or changes. Tattooing can be used at times like these to better understand, structure, or restore the memory of personal experiences. In an exploratory …show more content…
White and Epston (1990) described the process of Narrative Therapy as a facilitator to re-authoring and revising of relationships, stories, and experiences an individual has with their own self-stories. In addition to, deconstructing the stories that "hold them hostage" to negative life meanings and altering them into more attractive self-stories (Roberts 2000, p.437; White & Epston, 1990). White and Epston (1990) stressed the importance of externalization within Narrative Therapy, which allows an individual to objectify and personify an experience, with the intention of creating a separate entity external from the individual. Externalization then allows the individual to describe himself, others, and his relationships from a new …show more content…
Roberts (2000) describes these concepts as transformative for individuals caught in “toxic stories”, often growing up in life-defying environments that adversely narrate their lives, thus constraining their sense of identity and self-image (p.435).
Narrative tattoos, for those who have experienced trauma, not only serve as have reminders of tragedy, but also significant marks related to memories documented on the skin, a badge of honor and pride (Gentry & Alderman, 2007). Other forms of narrative tattoos may include ones obtained to memorialize a loved one (sometimes before, but typically after their death), place, or memory held dearly. Often these tattoo wearers reported that it helped them maintain a connection to the person; honor the person through a “fixed memorial” or "keep the memory alive" (Littell, 2003, p.58; Gentry & Alderman,
Narratives are significant to our lives as humans, we create internal narratives about our relationships, careers, perceptions, and struggles by entwining experiences over time in order to interpret them in meaningful ways (Haldey, 2013). Tattoo Narratives, described by Oksanen and Turtiainen (2005), refers to ways in which an individual can tell their own personal life story through their tattoos. This “autobiographical aspect of tattooing” has immense transformative power (p.112). Tattoo narratives often represent significant or traumatic life stages or changes. Tattooing can be used at times like these to better understand, structure, or restore the memory of personal experiences. In an exploratory …show more content…
White and Epston (1990) described the process of Narrative Therapy as a facilitator to re-authoring and revising of relationships, stories, and experiences an individual has with their own self-stories. In addition to, deconstructing the stories that "hold them hostage" to negative life meanings and altering them into more attractive self-stories (Roberts 2000, p.437; White & Epston, 1990). White and Epston (1990) stressed the importance of externalization within Narrative Therapy, which allows an individual to objectify and personify an experience, with the intention of creating a separate entity external from the individual. Externalization then allows the individual to describe himself, others, and his relationships from a new …show more content…
Roberts (2000) describes these concepts as transformative for individuals caught in “toxic stories”, often growing up in life-defying environments that adversely narrate their lives, thus constraining their sense of identity and self-image (p.435).
Narrative tattoos, for those who have experienced trauma, not only serve as have reminders of tragedy, but also significant marks related to memories documented on the skin, a badge of honor and pride (Gentry & Alderman, 2007). Other forms of narrative tattoos may include ones obtained to memorialize a loved one (sometimes before, but typically after their death), place, or memory held dearly. Often these tattoo wearers reported that it helped them maintain a connection to the person; honor the person through a “fixed memorial” or "keep the memory alive" (Littell, 2003, p.58; Gentry & Alderman,