Narrative medicine

Narrative medicine is a wholesome medical approach that recognizes the value of people's narratives in clinical practice, research, and education as a way to promote healing. It aims to address the relational and psychological dimensions that occur in tandem with physical illness, with the perspective to treat patients as humans with individual stories, rather than simply the symptoms displayed on their medical chart. In doing this, narrative medicine aims not only to validate the experience of the patient, but also to encourage creativity and self-reflection in the physician. The value of narrative medicine has been summarized as follows: