Narrative Medicine Program
Being in unfamiliar surroundings and being sick can be stressful for your child and your family. It’s been proven that journaling and having a place to write down health information can greatly reduce some of the stress of a hospital stay. Through our Narrative Medicine Program, we provide concrete ways to encourage these activities for your child and your family.
We can’t make stress go away, but we can help you and your child feel safer and more comfortable while you’re in our hands.
What is narrative medicine?
Narrative medicine encourages children to write or draw pictures about their experiences to help them cope with the stress of hospitalization. Our Narrative Medicine Program uses different techniques to encourage children to express their feelings through writing and journaling.
3-Minute Mental Makeover
The 3-Minute Mental Makeover is a narrative medicine technique developed by pediatric cardiologist Dr. David Thoele. Children and their doctors each do a short writing exercise together.
When they talk about what they’ve each written, it helps build trust and understanding between them. Watch the video below to learn more about this simple yet profound practice.
Try meditations based on the 3-Minute Mental Makeover on our LiveWell app.
Narrative medicine and how it helps, doctors, nurses, and other clinicians, as well as patients and their caregivers.
Other narrative medicine activities
Diaries and other uses
Diaries are offered to children and their caregivers in departments with the most critically ill patients in Advocate Children’s Hospital – including the pediatric ICU, NICU and pediatric cardiology ICU.
Narrative medicine strategies are also used in our pastoral care and Child Life programs.
For younger children, narrative medicine may take the form of drawing exercises or verbal storytelling.
Narrative medicine meetings
Our twice-a-month online meetings offer opportunities to practice writing, listening to others’ stories and reflecting quietly. Our meetings include parents, health care professionals, medical students, former patients and a variety of people from the community.
We welcome anyone who wishes to use writing to connect with others in a loving, supportive, nonjudgmental environment.
See our online schedule to register or email us for more information.
Special events
The Narrative Medicine Program at Advocate Children’s Hospital holds special events throughout the year. Past events have included:
- Annual conferences in the fall
- Guest speakers
- Workshops about specific topics
- Collaborative program with the Art Institute of Chicago
To receive information about upcoming events, email us.
Explore YouTube videos about Narrative Medicine and the 3-Minute Mental Makeover.
Benefits of narrative medicine
Narrative medicine delivers benefits like these for children, their families and their health care providers.
- Lowers stress levels
- Helps your child learn to trust their health care providers
- Promotes healing for your child
- Provides channels for effective communication
- Improves health care providers’ understanding of your child’s emotional needs, leading to more empathetic delivery of care
About narrative medicine
The idea of narrative medicine was explored in a book written by Dr. Rita Charon in 2000. She wrote about applying skills learned through the humanities and arts – specifically personal story, listening and interpreting – to humanize interactions between patient and doctor.
The Narrative Medicine Program at Advocate Children’s Hospital was founded in 2013 by longtime colleagues Dr. Marjorie Getz and Dr. David Thoele.
Make a donation
Our program is funded through grants and the generosity of donors. Learn more about making a donation to the Advocate Children’s Hospital Narrative Medicine Program.
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