Dr. Daniel C. Potts is a neurologist with the VA in Tuscaloosa, AL. He’s also a highly sought public advocate for those living with dementia and their care partners. And author, poet, and singer/musician. His father died while living with Alzheimer’s. You may remember him from my post a little over a year ago…What His Father Taught This Doctor About Alzheimer’s.

As a doctor, he sees data, mega-data, and reams of data, day in and day out. Dr. Potts describes here the significance of our personal stories to the field of health care.

The Importance of Narrative

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you — Maya Angelou

“In my opinion, we healthcare providers don’t do a good enough job supporting psychosocial/spiritual well-being (both in our patients and in ourselves).

“We should strive to help people live well both in the presence and absence of disease. Appreciation for narrative is an essential element in helping to support psychosocial/spiritual, and thereby physical well-being.

“We live in a society increasingly characterized by data inundation without the framework of depth, ethics, knowledge, and narrative to always make that data meaningful. Data uncoupled from knowledge of and connection to narrative is not always helpful, and can be harmful or misinterpreted. Just because data can be acquired doesn’t mean that time and effort should be expended acquiring and presenting it.

“In my opinion, efforts should be made to bring back an appreciation for and use of narrative and story to let it inform, broaden, and deepen our experience.

“Educational models which make use of personal, familial, and cultural narrative should be developed, supported, and implemented for all ages in the educational system, particularly pertaining to education in health-related disciplines.

“We should stop, look each other in the eyes, and listen to one another’s stories.”

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Thank you, Dr. Potts. Excellent insights, especially for a field that is so woven into the wellbeing of us all. And healthy advice not only for medical practitioners but also for us patients and care partners.

Carlen Maddux
carlen@carlenmaddux.com
www.carlenmaddux.com