Truth in myth: Ancient Stories' windows on treating modern trauma.

AIM: Examine frameworks of myth in the theory and treatment of sequalae of intimate and interpersonal traumas, often seen and experienced by practicing nurses.

DESIGN

A discursive narrative review using a trauma-informed lens.

METHODS

Review of existing frameworks using myth to understand or treat trauma. Due to limited literature from 1945 to 2023, a strategy akin to snowball sampling was used: exploration of source references, an unstructured interview, and a synthesis of existing approaches to interpersonal and intimate trauma.

RESULTS

Effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder exist, but reach is limited. Nursing is under-represented in the existing literature on myth and trauma, which does not sufficiently include intimate and interpersonal traumas.

CONCLUSION

Encounters with myths encourage healing from interpersonal violence by making clear connections to universal themes while engaging intellect and emotions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Encounters with myths could help to mitigate trauma sequalae. Nurses are positioned to develop and test evidence-based, highly flexible, patient-centred interventions using myth.

IMPACT: Identified gap: research using myth to address intimate and interpersonal violence. Under-studied intervention: a few works suggest myth encounters benefit combat trauma survivors. All nurses encounter individuals with trauma histories. Myths may build empathy and efficacy.

REPORTING METHOD: No EQUATOR guidelines were discovered for the paper format.

PATIENT/PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.