Supported storytelling through the ‘Life Threads’ approach for family members after traumatic brain injury: “We’ve been through all of this trauma, and you’re giving me some string?”

Tools

Whiffin, Charlotte Jane, Ellis-Hill, Caroline, Norman, Alyson, Lee, Morag, Singh, Parmjeet Kaur, Holloway, Mark, Clark-Wilson, Jo, Yasmin, Natasha, Rose, Sara, Sheffield, David and Gracey, Fergus ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1416-7894 (2026) Supported storytelling through the ‘Life Threads’ approach for family members after traumatic brain injury: “We’ve been through all of this trauma, and you’re giving me some string?”. PLoS One, 21 (5). e0349304. ISSN 1932-6203

[thumbnail of journal.pone.0349304]
Preview
 PDF (journal.pone.0349304) - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) brings inevitable and significant changes for family members, yet there is little to relieve their trauma, resolve their grief, or prevent ongoing suffering. The aim of this qualitative pre-feasibility study was to understand the clinical potential of storytelling for families after TBI using the ‘Life Threads’ approach (LTA). An in-depth inductive qualitative design was adopted within an interpretivist paradigm. Following informed consent, participants took part in an online focus group, then engaged with the LTA over four weeks before completing an unstructured, in-person interview. A final focus group explored participants’ reflections on the LTA. A purposive sample of 20 family members began the study, three withdrew after the first focus group leaving a final sample size of 17. The analytical approach used was Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Eleven participants reported tangible benefits from engaging with the LTA, and thirteen described being able to tell their story in a way not possible through traditional methods. Four main themes were identified: ‘Scaling Cliffs with Broken Wings’ and ‘An Entanglement of Well-being’ illustrated the evolving and contextual needs of families post-TBI. ‘Hear Me, See Me: The Power of Story’ highlighted how the LTA facilitated voice, agency, and sense-making, while ‘Creating the Conditions for Stories to Be Told’ identified the enabling environment required for such benefits to emerge. The findings suggest that the LTA offers a meaningful way for family members to explore, express, and make sense of their experiences following TBI. It supports narrative reconstruction, fosters connection and agency, and provides a rare opportunity for self-reflection. However, implementation must be trauma-informed, paced, and supported by skilled facilitators capable of holding space for complex emotional responses.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Publisher Copyright: © 2026 Whiffin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Mental Health and Social Care (fka Lifespan Health)
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 06 Aug 2026 10:26
Last Modified: 09 Aug 2026 05:33
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/104007
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0349304

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item