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Understanding Your Inner Voices: Dialogical Self Theory

Understanding Your Inner Voices: Dialogical Self Theory

Have you ever felt like there are multiple voices guiding your decisions, each pulling you in different directions? This phenomenon is central to Dialogical Self Theory (DST), developed by Hubert Hermans and his colleagues in the early 1990s. DST offers a fascinating lens through which we can view our self as made up of many different “I-positions,” much like characters in a story or play, each with its own voice and perspective.

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What is Dialogical Self Theory?

Dialogical Self Theory (Hermans et al., 1992; Hermans, 2001) presents the idea that our identity is not a singular, fixed entity but a dynamic narrative space where different aspects of ourselves interact.

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Enhance Your Self Awareness Through Reflective Writing

Enhance Your Self Awareness Through Reflective Writing

Understanding ourselves—our thoughts, feelings, and the narratives we create about our experiences—is fundamental to personal growth and mental health. Self-trust involves recognizing the truth in our thoughts and feelings and using that insight to steer our lives.

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Transforming the Self

Our self-concept is continually shaped by the social and cultural contexts we inhabit. According to social constructionism, our notion of self is influenced by the specific time, place, and context of our lives. This perspective suggests that our identity isn’t fixed; instead, we can challenge and redefine our self-perceptions. Reflective writing is a powerful method for this exploration, allowing us to question our narratives and adopt new ways of thinking and being.

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