The Lifeline Exercise: How NET Helps You Map Your Healing Journey

“Your past does not define you, but it can shape you into something stronger.” – Unknown

Trauma often fragments your sense of self, leaving you disconnected from your past and uncertain about your future. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) offers a way to bring those fragments together through the lifeline exercise, a central component of the therapy. This powerful tool helps you map the key moments of your life—both joyful and painful—allowing you to process trauma in the context of your entire story. By recognising patterns of resilience alongside pain, the lifeline exercise paves the way for healing and empowerment.

What Is the Lifeline Exercise?

The lifeline exercise is a visual representation of your life, marking significant events that have shaped you. Using symbols such as stones for traumatic events and flowers for positive experiences, the lifeline creates a balanced view of your journey. This process allows you to see your life as a cohesive narrative, making it easier to process trauma and celebrate moments of strength.

How the Lifeline Exercise Supports Healing

1. Providing Structure and Clarity

Trauma can feel chaotic and overwhelming, but the lifeline exercise offers a structured way to explore your experiences. For example, if someone has endured repeated losses, mapping these events alongside moments of joy can provide perspective and context.

2. Highlighting Resilience

The lifeline doesn’t just focus on pain—it also honours your moments of courage, growth, and connection. Recognising these positive experiences reinforces your capacity to overcome challenges.

3. Facilitating Trauma Processing

Revisiting traumatic memories in a safe, controlled way helps reduce their emotional intensity. By placing these memories within the broader context of your life, the lifeline exercise diminishes their power over your present.

Sam’s Story

Sam, a 36-year-old artist, sought therapy after struggling with anxiety and low self-esteem linked to childhood neglect. During the lifeline exercise, Sam identified key moments of trauma, such as being overlooked by caregivers, but also discovered moments of joy, like finding solace in painting. This visual representation helped Sam see that their identity wasn’t solely defined by pain. Through NET, Sam reprocessed their traumatic memories and embraced the resilience that had carried them through tough times.

In Inside Out, the character Riley navigates memories that shape her identity. The lifeline exercise mirrors this process, helping individuals connect the dots between past experiences and present emotions, while fostering a sense of wholeness and self-awareness.

Practical Steps to Create Your Lifeline

1. Discuss with a Therapist: A trained NET therapist can help you explore your lifeline and safely process the emotions it evokes.

2. Start with a Timeline: Write down significant events in your life, from childhood to the present.

3. Use Symbols: Assign symbols to represent different experiences, such as stones for hardships and flowers for positive moments.

4. Reflect on Patterns: Look for recurring themes, such as resilience during challenging times or relationships that brought support.

5. Celebrate Growth: Acknowledge how far you’ve come and the strengths you’ve developed along the way.

Want to Learn More?

• Discover how NET turns pain into power in “Narrative Exposure Therapy: Turning Pain Into Power.”

• Explore how NET helps heal complex trauma in “Rewriting the Narrative: How NET Helps Heal Complex Trauma.”

The lifeline exercise is more than a therapeutic tool—it’s a way to reclaim your story. By mapping your experiences and placing trauma within the context of your entire life, Narrative Exposure Therapy helps you find clarity, resilience, and hope. If you’re ready to begin your journey of healing, contact Arcadian Clinic today to learn how NET can support you.