REWRITING TRAUMA - USING NARRATIVE COACHING TO RECLAIM YOUR CAREER IDENTITY

Updated: Sep 24

Written by Georgia Lee Arts

January 24, 2024

Have you ever felt like your career story was written for you, instead of by you? For many, career trauma—whether it’s a toxic workplace, sudden job loss, or the emotional fallout from military service—can leave deep scars. It can make you feel stuck, powerless, and disconnected from the person you once were or dreamed of becoming. As a veteran and survivor of my own career trauma, I know firsthand how life can shatter in an instant, and how hard it is to piece together a new version of yourself. But here’s the thing: trauma doesn’t have to define your career forever. You have the power to rewrite your story and create a new professional identity that’s rooted in resilience, strength, and your authentic self.

What Is Career Trauma?

Career trauma can occur when a significant, distressing event or prolonged toxic experience disrupts your professional life and sense of self. Whether it’s a job loss, harassment, burnout, or post-service identity loss, these experiences can alter your confidence, purpose, and direction. Career trauma often leads to feelings of inadequacy, shame, or confusion about your next steps.

But it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Through narrative coaching, we can turn that trauma into an opportunity for growth, healing, and empowerment.

What Is Narrative Coaching?

Narrative coaching is a powerful process that helps individuals find power in chaos and explore the stories they’ve told themselves about their lives and careers. It encourages them to rewrite those stories in a way that reflects their strengths, values, and future goals. Trauma can distort our perception of our worth and capabilities, but through guided reflection and writing exercises, narrative coaching helps individuals reclaim control over their narrative.

In essence, it’s about reframing the past and shaping a future that’s aligned with who you truly are—not defined by what has happened to you.

Rebranding Your Career Identity

When trauma has shaken your professional world, rebranding yourself can feel daunting. Whether you're a veteran struggling to integrate into civilian life, or a professional who’s endured job-related trauma, rebuilding your career identity is essential. The key lies in telling a new story that aligns with your authentic self.

Here are some steps to help you start the process of rewriting your career narrative:

Acknowledge Your Trauma, But Don’t Let It Define You

Your trauma is part of your journey, but it is not the totality of who you are. By giving yourself permission to acknowledge what happened—without letting it become the central theme—you create space for healing and growth.
Reframe the Narrative

Narrative coaching encourages you to reframe the story of your trauma. Instead of focusing on what was lost, you begin to explore what was gained: resilience, new insights, untapped strengths. Think of it as transforming from the victim of your story into the hero/heroine of your journey.
Identify Core Values and Strengths

Trauma can blur our sense of self. But by reflecting on your core values—what truly matters to you—you can start to rebuild your identity around your personal strengths. These values become the foundation for your new professional identity.

Set Future-Focused Goals

Rewriting your career story isn’t just about reframing the past; it’s about creating a new vision for the future. Where do you want to go? What skills do you want to develop? By writing your story with an eye toward the future, you can begin to make career moves that align with your desired path.
Embrace Your Survivor’s Strength

As a veteran or trauma survivor, your experiences have likely given you skills that go beyond what you could have learned in any job: adaptability, mental toughness, the ability to persevere. Lean into these strengths as you carve out your new identity, positioning yourself not as a victim of career trauma, but as someone who overcame adversity.

Using Writing as a Healing Tool

Narrative coaching often involves writing exercises that allow individuals to reflect on their trauma and reframe their experiences. Here’s a writing exercise you can try if you’re looking to begin your journey of rewriting career trauma:

Write Two Versions of Your Story:
First, write about your career trauma as you currently see it, without holding back. Include every painful detail, every challenge, and how it made you feel.

Next, rewrite that story, focusing on how the experience has shaped you in positive ways. Include the lessons you’ve learned, the strengths you’ve discovered, and how it has prepared you for your next chapter. This isn’t about glossing over the trauma but instead transforming it into a narrative of growth and empowerment.

Rebranding Your Identity After Trauma

Rebranding after career trauma involves more than just crafting a new resume or LinkedIn profile. It’s about integrating the lessons learned from your experiences into how you present yourself professionally. As you begin to rewrite your career story, keep the following in mind.

Highlight Resilience: When you share your professional journey, don’t be afraid to mention the obstacles you’ve overcome. Today’s employers value adaptability and resilience, and your ability to weather difficult circumstances can set you apart.
Showcase Skills Earned in the Shadows: Skills like crisis management, leadership under pressure, or creative problem-solving often come from navigating challenging situations. These can be powerful assets as you rebrand your career identity.
Create a Personal Brand That Reflects Your Values: Use your new narrative as the foundation of your personal brand. Whether it’s through your resume, interviews, or personal website, let your values, strengths, and future goals shine through.

Submit Your Story to the Elysian Dream Hero/Heroine's Journey for Warriors™ Project for Publishing at elysiandream.net.

My Mission as a Veteran and Survivor

As someone who has lived through both military service and personal career trauma, I know the toll it takes on your sense of identity. I also know the power of rewriting your story. My mission is to help fellow veterans and survivors reclaim their professional identities by turning their trauma into strength, wisdom, and new beginnings.

If you’ve been through career trauma, know this: you are not broken. You are evolving, and your story is still being written. Through narrative coaching and writing, you can rebrand yourself, not as someone defined by trauma, but as someone who has triumphed over it.

You have the power to reclaim your professional identity and step into the future with confidence.

It’s time to stop letting the past write your story and start writing your own.

Georgia Lee Arts, founder of Elysian Dream, is a career strategist and certified coach with 30 years of military and civilian experience in leadership, training, and coaching. She has a background in psychology and a degree in English.

This article is revised to include that Elysian Dream has a special interest in protecting veterans against the trend of predatory wellness providers that serve veteran clients but don't support the employment and welfare of veteran owned businesses. Imagine a wellness provider that hosts an event to help women veterans stop being invisible, then competes with the veteran owned business and steps into that woman's power and prevents her from rising.

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