Callan McDonnell
Un-Homed: 8 Ways to Find Ourselves Again After ...

There are moments in life when we lose more than a place—we lose a sense of who we are. Whether through a move, a rupture in relationship, a crisis of identity, or the slow erosion of belonging, we find ourselves un-homed. It’s not just about being without shelter. It’s about feeling dispossessed—of our roles, routines, anchors, and even our sense of meaning.

Un-Homed: 8 Ways to Find Ourselves Again After Displacement
Callan McDonnell
Love Builds You Up

In narrative practice, the concept of migration of identity refers to the process of moving away from a limiting story about oneself toward a richer, more preferred identity. It’s about transitioning from a sense of "this is who I’ve always been" or “this is who I have to be always” to "this is who I’m becoming."

Love Builds You Up
Callan McDonnell
The 5 Characteristics of Coming-of-Age Stories

In literary criticism, a bildungsroman is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth and change of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood. The term comes from the German words Bildung (‘formation’ or ‘education’) and Roman (novel). We call these types of narratives a coming-of-age story and they resonate deeply with us because they explore universal themes of growth, identity, and self-discovery. They capture the emotional struggles, triumphs, and transitions that everyone experiences at some point in life.

The 5 Characteristics of Coming-of-Age Stories
Callan McDonnell
The Show Must Go On!

Essentially, ‘The Show Must Go On!’ is a reminder to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles. In our lives we will encounter problems, set-backs, difficulties, moments of failure and large amounts of self-doubt. This is normal and experienced by each of us at times throughout our lives. Regardless, we can push forward despite meeting adversity. We can fulfill our responsibilities in spite of facing complex difficulties. We can strive to handle setbacks with grace and a sense of humour. We can deliver an outcome without forcing disruption. We can handle it.

The Show Must Go On!
Callan McDonnell
5 Ways to Have a Life of Possibilities

Seeing possibilities and taking hold of opportunities aligns closely with a growth mindset, which is the belief that our abilities, intelligence, and personal growth are not fixed but can develop through effort, learning, and resilience. This perspective is also deeply connected to narrative practice, which helps us re-author our life stories in ways that empower us rather than limit us. Let’s look at 5 ways a narrative approach can support us in pivoting away from seeing our life situation as fixed or hopeless and to choose rather to pay attention to possibilities.

5 Ways to Have a Life of Possibilities

The 3 Dominant Problem Stories

The 3 Dominant Problem Stories

For all of us, problems can visit our lives at any time. There are times when we might feel as though our problems over-stay their welcome and, like unruly house guests, they can invite more of their problem friends to crash into our lives. Some problems move in alongside us and can travel with us for decades. This is one of the problems with problem stories! Some problems pop up and move on in relatively short bursts of time. Regardless, none of us is immune to problems.  When I work with individuals and teams, I notice that problems stories can fall into a few dominant themes.