Narrative Healing Practice

Sacred Space Within

Dear friends

This week, I had the opportunity to bring Narrative Healing into two very different rooms — one with survivors of gun violence through the Survivor Network at Everytown for Gun Safety as part of my MSW internship, and another gathered around a book club with Omega Institute for Holistic Studies.

In both spaces, I was reminded how powerful it can be when people slow down long enough to listen inward and share what they’re carrying. Creating these kinds of supportive spaces feels more important than ever. When we come together intentionally to create easeful, trustworthy conditions for connection and sharing our stories, something transformative can emerge.

This is a sacred and even audacious act in the midst of our crisis-filled, urgent days.

Between planning, caring, working, and responding to the world, it can be hard to find that inner space. It helps to remember that this space is always available within you.

Here is a simple Narrative Healing practice, called Even Breath. It’s a portable, reusable invitation to pause, listen inward, reconnect, and move toward balance.

You can try this now, or tuck it away for later.

🌬 Breath Practice — Even Breath

This practice can support a sense of grounding and balance.

Let’s Begin:

If it feels comfortable, find a seated or lying position where you can rest.

Take one slow breath to fully arrive — inhale, and exhale.

Nothing to force. The intention here is simply to notice.

Now we’ll begin the Even Breath practice, this is how it will go:

Inhale slowly for four counts.
Pause gently for two counts.

Exhale slowly for four counts.
Pause gently for two counts.

I’ll walk you through the first round:

Inhale for four counts: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Now, pause for two counts: 1, 2.

Exhale for four counts: 1, 2, 3, 4
Pause for two counts: 1, 2.

Continue this pattern for 3–5 rounds, moving at your own pace and stop at any time.

When you’re ready, release the count and allow the breath to return to its natural rhythm.

Take a moment to notice how you feel.

What has shifted?
What has changed, what has remained the same?

🖊 Writing Reflection

You might try free writing for 10 minutes about whatever arose during the practice.

You could begin with this sentence:

The inner resource I’m carrying with me today is…

Write freely, without editing or judging what appears.

Take what’s helpful and leave the rest.

Here’s a little about the benefits of this practice: Research suggests that brief expressive writing practices can reduce psychological distress and support resilience, particularly for people navigating high-stress or caregiving roles (Procaccia et al., 2021). Earlier work by James W. Pennebaker also shows that writing about emotional experiences can support emotional processing and well-being.

I share this research to help illuminate why practices like this can be so supportive.

Sometimes a small inward pause can shift how we move through the rest of the day.

Thank you for practicing with us today!

With love, Lisa

Practice in Community

If you’d like to practice this in community, we gather each week at noon for the Narrative Healing Writing Lab. Our community also includes two live workshops a month.

You’re warmly invited to join us [ learn more ]

With care,
Lisa

Note: beginning next week, this weekly practice will arrive on Wednesdays.