METHOD
The StoryQ® method unlocks the power of personal storytelling into your life.
Our evidence-based approach creates judgment-free experiences through video-based, one-to-one private interviews to foster self-discovery.
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Getting to
“Know Thyself”
When we are born, we are a mystery. We have little idea about who we are, and what our place is in the universe. Life experience and education teaches us how the world works but how do we discover ourselves, our purpose & our unique story?
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Key-Life Questions
The only way to find your right answers is by asking the right questions. Ours have been developed with the help of professionals in counseling psychology and developmental molecular biology– but most importantly, our two decades of interviews.
StoryQ’s flagship key-life interview questions center around one’s longings and fears– two major motivators in determining how one lives their life. More on our questioning framework below.
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Introspection
We generally have within us the answer to our own mystery, our own pain, our own problems, our own potential. When we are given the space, time and guidance to search for these answers, we start to tap into our most valuable possession– our own personal story. The practice of reflection leads to deeper introspection.
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Verbalization
As we start to explore our own story, our emotions, our fears and longings, it is vital that we expose our findings to air. By verbalizing that which is deeply personal (often hidden) to us in a safe judgment-free space, it can start to lose its power over us. In order to unleash the power of our own story into our lives, we must learn how to tell it out loud. We practice articulating until…
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Revelation!
Like the apple landing on Sir Isaac Newton’s head, our own truth is revealed as long as we are looking for it.
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Integration
Socrates said “Know Thyself” and described an ideal life as a self-examined life. If knowledge is power, self- knowledge is superpower.
Finding our own truth, understanding our own predilections, habits, fears and discovering our own passion and desires allows us to actively pursue becoming the best version of ourselves. By regularly taking inventory and practicing telling our authentic personal story, our emotional intelligence increases and we are able to move from being victims of circumstance to authors of our own lives. We are empowered.
Every day we write a new page in our lives and we alone decide what that story will be.
We ask the right Q’s,
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Unlocking the power of personal storytelling starts with the right Qs. We've been asking them for nearly two decades. That's over half a million personal story questions. We're constantly reassessing, evolving and updating our question sets. It's not brain science, but just in case... we've developed them with the help of professionals in developmental molecular biology and counseling psychology.
See "Questioning Framework" below to get an idea of how we consider the Q's we ask.
in the right way,
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Effective storytelling depends on the correct ordering of information. The same is true with questions. There is an order, a tone and a rhythm that opens the mind, memory and emotions and leads to profound, thoughtful replies.
In the right setting,
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Whether it be in a private, judgment-free interview space or the safety of one’s own room, the setting is key to feeling safe. Digging deep can be scary so a feeling safe is key to finding one's personal truth.
at the right time
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Our interviews are normally something each individual looks forward to so being motivated and mentally prepared is key to getting the most out of it. If, during a certain time, the individual is not looking forward to it, then that deserves examining as well.
to revealyour right answers.
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That is, the right answers for each individual. They're different for everyone. The process helps them find the ones that fit their priorities, values and longings. It is the perfect opportunity to calibrate their moral compass while gaining clarity on who they are and who they want to be.
Evidence-Based Approach
The Positive Impacts of Verbalizing on Mental Health
“When you put feelings into words, you’re activating this prefrontal region and seeing a reduced response in the amygdala. In the same way you hit the brake when you’re driving when you see a yellow light, when you put feelings into words, you seem to be hitting the brakes on your emotional responses. As a result, an individual may feel less angry or less sad. This is ancient wisdom. Putting our feelings into words helps us heal better. If a friend is sad and we can get them to talk about it, that probably will make them feel better.”
“Labeling emotions and acknowledging traumatic events — both natural outcomes of journaling — have a known positive effect on people. This in turn improves our immune system and our moods; we go to work feeling refreshed, perform better and socialize more (Dr. Pennebaker).”
“Expressing the effects of a trauma through art, music and dance is not as effective as expressing the feelings through language. It seems that people need to express the negative experience in words—either through writing or speaking—to reap the health benefits.”
Questioning Framework
Watch this animation for a bit more about what goes on behind the scenes as we craft and deliver key-life StoryQ interviews.
