Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything - Paperback

by Adam Young (Author), Dan Allender (Foreword by)

Looking back at painful stories from the past seems counterproductive, especially when it appears unrelated to our present lives. But what if exploring our past stories can help us make sense of where we are now and begin to imagine who we would like to become? Rather than ignoring, suppressing, or running from our past hurts, looking at our stories of heartache and how they have shaped us helps make sense of who we are now and points the way to freedom and meaningful change.

In Make Sense of Your Story, trauma therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Adam Young helps you explore your personal story so you can understand how your experiences have shaped your brain--which, in turn, allows you to understand why your present day-to-day life looks and feels the way it does. He shows you how to confront and process the story of your family of origin, your sexual story, the story your body is telling you, your cultural story, your story with God, and more with kindness rather than judgment so that you can experience healing, self-acceptance, and release.

The secret to making sense of your present life is understanding your past experiences. And if you want to change the narrative, you have to engage your story.

Back Jacket

How to explore your past, transform your present, and look to the future with hope

Do you sense something is broken or not working in your life? Despite reading the right books, attending healing conferences, perhaps even working with a good therapist, progress feels elusive. The problem is not that you lack the right information--it's that you need to engage your story.

In Make Sense of Your Story, trauma therapist Adam Young teaches you how to explore your personal story--to understand how your past experiences have shaped your brain, allowing you to make sense of why your present day-to-day life looks and feels the way it does. Sharing his own experiences, as well as the latest research into how our brains and bodies process memory, Young helps you adopt a posture of curiosity and kindness toward your own story so you can

- experience relationships where you don't feel the need to suppress your true self
- understand, express, and regulate your emotions
- bring your anger and disappointment to God and receive comfort
- find true connection with others

Engaging your story is the single most important thing you can do to experience healing and freedom. Are you ready to dig deep, see the truth your story reveals about you, and discover the different future you desire?

"Without a doubt, you will not be the same person you were when you began this book."--from the foreword by Dan Allender, author of The Wounded Heart

"Adam Young has become one of my favorite people to learn from. Make Sense of Your Story has the power to lead us into the whole and healed life we all long for. To do this work requires much of us, but we have a trusted and incredibly skilled guide in Adam. I can't recommend this book enough."--Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship and author of The Narrow Path

Author Biography

Adam Young is a trauma therapist and the host of The Place We Find Ourselves podcast. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with master's degrees in social work (Virginia Commonwealth University) and divinity (Emory University). Adam regularly speaks at conferences and currently serves as a fellow with The Allender Center. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with his wife and two children.