Life Re-Decisions – Stories That Divide in Order to Connect

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to explore the narrative thread My Own Voice – (Not) My Own Voice, reconstructed through an analysis of the life stories of women who have declared making significant, transformative life changes. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The central research question is: What do the collected narratives of these women reveal about the individual and social contexts surrounding major life transitions? The study employs a narrative-biographical approach, utilizing both the narrative interview technique and a proprietary tool called the Life Line. The analysis of autobiographical material is grounded in four interconnected and mutually influential life contexts: personal, interpersonal, social, and historical. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: 1. Presentation of the theoretical foundations rooted in humanistic and narrative psychology. 2. Overview of the research process. 3. Analysis of the narrative thread My Own Voice – (Not) My Own Voice as an expression of the search for autonomy.4. Description of the process of narrative redefinition. 5. Discussion of the practical and educational implications of the research, along with prospects for extending it through a quantitative framework. RESEARCH RESULTS: The study found that, in order to narratively understand significant others – such as parents, caregivers, or peers – the women first needed to find Their Own Voice. This involved distancing themselves from familiar narratives and identifying what differentiated them from others. In doing so, they developed a new, integrative perspective that enabled deeper, more empathetic understanding of others, including their families and social peers. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: The findings are already being applied in developmental and therapeutic work with women across age groups and are currently being extended through quantitative research, including the development of a Life Re-Decision Questionnaire.