Book excerpt: "Narratives" by Nancy Colier

OK THIS IS THE ONE I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT, EVERYBODY THINKS OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ACTUALLY TRAPPING US BUT PSYCHOTHERAPIST NANCY COLIER HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT CALLED NARRATIVES AND SHE SAYS WE ARE LITERALLY JUST PRISONERS OF THE STORIES IN OUR OWN HEADS, LIKE HOW HARRY HOUDINI SPENT HOURS TRYING TO PICK A JAIL CELL LOCK ONLY TO COLLAPSE AND REALIZE THE DOOR WAS NEVER EVEN LOCKED IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE SHE SAYS WE DO THIS CONSTANTLY, LIKE HER FRIEND FRANCESCA GETTING A NINE-MONTH INVITATION TO A BAHAMAS WEDDING AND SPIRALING THAT THE BRIDE WAS JUST THROWING HER A PITY BONE, OR SOME GUY IN A DINER CONVINCED A SWEATING WAITER IGNORED HIM OVER BURGERS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT RESPECTED, AND WE ARE ALL DOING THIS TO OURSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY. ANYWAY THAT IS THE NEWS, TELL ME YOURS.

YOU KNOW THAT THING EVERYONE PREDICTED? HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS YET? NO YOU HAVE NOT! SO PSYCHOTHERAPIST NANCY COLIER HAS THIS BOOK COMING OUT NOVEMBER THIRD FROM NEW HARBINGER PUBLICATIONS CALLED NARRATIVES AND SHE SAYS THE STORIES IN OUR HEADS ARE LITERALLY TRAPPING US, LIKE THIS DUDE IN A DINER WHO GOT MAD AT A SWEATING WAITER AND THOUGHT HE DID NOT GET HIS BURGERS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT RESPECTED, OR HER COLLEAGUE SPIRALING ABOUT HOW NOBODY CAN BE RELIED ON JUST BECAUSE NANCY WAS LATE AFTER TAKING HER DAUGHTER TO THE DOCTOR, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE SHE SAYS WE ARE BASICALLY HOUDINI COLLAPSING AGAINST A JAIL CELL DOOR THAT WAS NEVER EVEN LOCKED, AND I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM! ANYWAY THE DJ IS COOKING, LET US GO.

In an excerpt from her upcoming book "Narratives," psychotherapist Nancy Colier explains how personal narratives and self-imposed stories can hold people back from happiness.

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