Abstract
Narratives are the stories we tell ourselves (and others) in order to understand and justify what we think, feel, and do (Brink & Karalun, 2022). Some narratives are dead-ends that leave the individual stuck in a role of victim, while other narratives promote willpower, wisdom and resilience. The goal of cognitive psychotherapy is to change dysfunctional narratives to healthy ones. Narratives are an important factor in maintaining mental health even in later life, and even with the onset of dementia (Buggins, Clarke, Wolverson, 2021; Clark, Burbank, Greene, Riebe, 2018; Li, 2022). Two case studies are presented of residents of a Mexican geriatric hospital and how their unique narratives supported either victimhood (Mrs. A) or resilience (Mr. B).
