The first theme across narratives of healing is that of hope—hope that healing is possible, that choices do matter, that tomorrow doesn’t have to be the same as today. As Mark put it, “I didn't want to just cope. I needed to hope that tomorrow could somehow be different, and clinging to that hope was what had kept me alive so long.” (25) Although hope is clearly relevant to all the stories sampled here, we draw below on themes from 20 of the accounts where participants spoke especially directly about the role hope played (2, 12, 14, 21, 25, 27, 42, 44, 46, 47, 61, 63, 65, 72, 82, 87, 89, 91, 105, 108). “There is always hope” (63) Beth said, with Nyla adding, “Healing is a process less about a destination than it is about maintaining hope.” (61) Another woman described “the promise of healing” as what “urged her forward.” (27)
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Retaining Hope In The Possibility Of Deeper…
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The first theme across narratives of healing is that of hope—hope that healing is possible, that choices do matter, that tomorrow doesn’t have to be the same as today. As Mark put it, “I didn't want to just cope. I needed to hope that tomorrow could somehow be different, and clinging to that hope was what had kept me alive so long.” (25) Although hope is clearly relevant to all the stories sampled here, we draw below on themes from 20 of the accounts where participants spoke especially directly about the role hope played (2, 12, 14, 21, 25, 27, 42, 44, 46, 47, 61, 63, 65, 72, 82, 87, 89, 91, 105, 108). “There is always hope” (63) Beth said, with Nyla adding, “Healing is a process less about a destination than it is about maintaining hope.” (61) Another woman described “the promise of healing” as what “urged her forward.” (27)