Identity reconstruction is the psychological process by which a person integrates an experience that broke the previous sense of self (grief, breakup, job loss, illness) into a new coherent narrative. It is not forgetting: it is re-signifying.
Concept origin
Tedeschi RG, Calhoun LG. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15(1), 1-18. doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01
How it manifests
- ▸ Feeling of "I don't know who I am now"
- ▸ Conflict between previous and new identity
- ▸ Difficulty projecting into the future
Therapeutic approach
Narrative therapy (White and Epston) works on building a new alternative story that integrates the event. CBT identifies and modifies core beliefs about the self. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) clarifies values that transcend circumstances.
Related concepts
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