The Stories of Our Lives

Family Dynamics

Family Stories Are the Ties That Bind Us

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on March 25, 2023

There is no secret to happy families. Just tell stories.

Gratitude

Be Thankful for Your Families of Choice

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on December 5, 2022

A Personal Perspective: Academic family stories create a sense of identity and help us integrate professional and personal lives.

Gratitude

Sharing Acts and Stories of Kindness

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on October 7, 2022

When we feel fortunate about our own life, we are more likely to be generous and kind to others.

Relationships

Students Flourish Through Story Circles

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on September 14, 2022

Our youth are coping with unresolved social issues. Let’s help them express and hear the experiences of others in ways that will help them better connect.

Depression

Students Overcoming the Crisis of Not Belonging

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on July 29, 2022

Our students are facing a mental health crisis of not belonging; stories can help

Positive Psychology

Why Storytelling Is a Pillar of a Meaningful Life

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on July 6, 2022

Through family stories, adolescents learn that life is often about striving for something better, fighting for beliefs, and overcoming the odds.

Resilience

Intergenerational Narratives: Providing Models of Resistance and Building Hope

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on June 6, 2022

We need to change the American narrative—to listen to those who have been historically silenced and to be more inclusive in the way we understand the American dream.

Positive Psychology

Listening to Stories of Sacrifice this D-Day

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on May 23, 2022

This D-Day, as we commemorate the sacrifice of those who served in Normandy, how do we help those who continue to serve in the present?

Relationships

Sharing Everyday Stories Can Make Us Happy

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on February 16, 2022

Telling and hearing stories can help us reconnect and nurture our personal relationships.

Self-Esteem

How Life Stories Synchronize Our Brains and Raise Self-Esteem

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on December 24, 2021

New research shows how we can use the power of family storytelling to create connection and increase self-esteem even from far away.

Positive Psychology

How Being Positive Can Turn Toxic

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on November 9, 2021

Why does it annoy us when people try to reassure us that it is OK, that we have a lot to be thankful for, or that we should just cheer up?

Anxiety

Telling Stories During 9/11 and the Pandemic

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on September 11, 2021

Uncertainty wrought by experiences such as 9/11 and COVID-19 forces the nation to reflect on life in new ways, and, perhaps uncertainty can also help society grow.

Gratitude

Our Memories Become More Positive With Age

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on August 14, 2021

A focus on more positive and grateful memories can become more intentional at any age and can increase well-being and generosity.

Child Development

Why Sharing Stories of the Pandemic Is Good for Us

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on July 24, 2021

New findings suggest that parents who are more elaborative, less avoidant communicators help their children develop better emotional skills.

Resilience

Have Kids Run Out of Resilience?

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on June 16, 2021

Helping young people create stories of ways in which they have successfully faced adversity builds resilience.

Stress

Storytelling Is Good for Us and Our Bodies

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on June 10, 2021

Shared storytelling lowers cortisol, raises oxytocin, helps us manage stress, and increases empathy, according to new research.

Memory

Remembering Pandemic Time

Robyn Fivush Ph.D. on April 17, 2021

Those who are able to process and narrate pandemic experiences in more reflective and elaborated detail, may emerge from pandemic life with resilience and self-understanding.