Storytelling as an Antidote for Loss: How Advocate Health’s Narrative Medicine Team Supported a Colleague in Grief

When Grief Struck

When Tracie LaNier, a social worker in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Advocate Health, lost her brother, Clayton Henderson, 64, in an unexpected death earlier this year, support came from a source she hadn’t anticipated: the members of the hospital system’s Narrative Medicine program team.

The impact on the Flossmoor, Ill. woman’s life was profound; Tracie found herself navigating a whirlwind of emotions, searching for the support she needed to cope. While the colleagues in her department rallied around her to offer heartfelt condolences and practical support, it was another source of connection that stood out to her: the Advocate Health Narrative Medicine program.

“Everything was so devastating and overwhelming at the time, and I was so appreciative of how Marji and David (Marj Getz, PhD and David Thoele, MD, cofounders of the Advocate Narrative Medicine program) and my colleagues all reached out,” says Tracie, a long-time member of the narrative medicine group’s event committee and avid supporter. “But beyond that I was embraced by the strength and presence of the whole group who reached out with cards, and calls, and so much support.”

Tracie, who beyond Advocate works closely with her husband, Andre LaNier, pastor of The Growth Gathering Fellowship, in the church community, says she has embraced the practice of storytelling and close listening in her own practice caring for patients, and “I felt its power of connection manifested in the care the narrative medicine community gave to me and my family.” Tracie and Andre are parents to four “adulting” daughters ages 19 to 26.

The Advocate Health Model: Narrative Medicine as Workplace Support

In even the most fraught healthcare environments, storytelling can be both informative and transformative for both the teller and the listener. For over a decade, the Narrative Medicine team at Advocate Health has personified the power of this practice on the frontlines of patient care.

Through the 10+ year growth of the narrative medicine program, patients at Advocate Health have been given a safe space to share their stories, thus fostering trust, empathy, and a deeper connection with their providers. By prioritizing the voices and experiences of patients, the team cultivates an environment where care is centered on the whole person, not just their medical condition.

Since 2013, when the Advocate Narrative Mindworks program was founded at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, stories have become lifelines for Advocate healthcare workers who are part of the narrative medicine program (or who have been inspired by their peers) and a cornerstone of their care model. Today, the program serves more than 700 people—supporting the well-being of our teammates, patients, and those who care for them—with plans to reach teammates across the enterprise.

Through narrative medicine, individuals are encouraged to express their feelings and experiences through storytelling, which has been shown to have therapeutic benefits not only for patients but also for the providers involved. A growing body of research points to the power of shared stories to enhance inclusive clinical care, clinician well-being, and the education of future healthcare practitioners and leaders.

Tracie’s experience brings that research to life, speaking volumes about the multi-level purposes of narrative medicine to building team cohesion, community building, employee development and a positive work environment. It’s not only beneficial for patient care, but also for enhancing the well-being of healthcare providers and fostering supportive workplace environments during personal challenges.

Creating Comfort, Care and Belonging

Tracie says that in a difficult time, the narrative medicine program became a sanctuary.

“The support I received went beyond traditional grief support; it provided a sense of belonging and not just being cared for, but being understood,” she says. She adds it was a reaffirmation of the value of the work being done at Advocate Health.

“It’s not just about the cards or the kind words,” Tracie reflected. “It’s the deeper connection that the narrative medicine program fosters. It reminds me that I’m part of a larger community that truly cares, not just about my professional role but about me as a person.”

Her experience is a powerful example of how narrative medicine and grief work intersect—not only easing pain, but building lasting human connection.