The Therapeutic Value of Sharing Stories

During one of our preliminary conversations with regard to kicking off the Sevens groups, while talking about the “why” of Sevens, one of our fellow QB Connections used the word “therapeutic” to describe the value he found in some of our early conversations, during which we got to share some of our stories.

Sharing stories is in fact so therapeutic that Columbia University has an entire program devoted to the art of “narrative medicine” which is built on the premise that “every patient has a story” and that sharing that story, or many stories, has strong therapeutic value. Sharing stories also has strong value in allowing healthcare practitioners to understand the patient and provide effective treatments.

Well, every QB has a story. Or many stories.

Some were starters. Some were backups who had to always stay ready. Some won the job and later lost it. Some were one play away. Or only got in for one play. Some spent more time preparing than playing. But every quarterback carried something — pressure, hope, disappointment, responsibility, doubt, growth, and lessons that shaped who they became. And every QB can likely understand every story from every other QB.

That is why sharing stories matters for QBs.

Quarterbacks are often taught to be composed, steady, and team-first. Those are good qualities. But over time, they can also create a habit of keeping things inside. Many quarterbacks learn how to perform under pressure but don’t ever learn how to process it.

Telling the truth about what you have lived through — the wins, the setbacks, the waiting, the role changes, the injuries, the losses, the quiet disappointments, and the moments nobody else noticed — can be deeply therapeutic.

Why this matters for every QB

The quarterback room can hold a lot of different experiences at the same time.

One guy may be carrying the pressure of starting every week. Another may be carrying the frustration of preparing all season and never getting the chance. Another may be trying to handle the disappointment of losing the starting role. Another may be wondering whether football is still part of his future. Another may be dealing with something outside of football, while trying to stay prepared and ready for football.

All of those experiences matter.

And all of those stories are worth telling.

Sometimes the backup quarterback carries just as much emotional weight as the starter — just in a different form. The starter may feel exposed. The backup may feel unseen. The former starter may feel shaken. The young quarterback may feel uncertain. Each one has a story that needs language, perspective, and connection.

When a quarterback shares his story honestly, he often understands himself better. He starts connecting moments that once felt random, painful, or unresolved. He also gives other people permission to be honest about their own experiences. And perhaps most importantly, he begins to realize he is not alone.

More than talking about football

Sometimes the most important stories are not about the touchdown pass, the championship game, or the comeback win.

Sometimes the most important stories are about standing on the sideline while someone else took the snaps. About losing the job you thought was yours. About staying ready when nobody noticed. About supporting the team while quietly dealing with disappointment. About wondering who you are when your role changes. About learning that your identity has to be bigger than your depth-chart position.

Those stories matter because they tell the truth.

And telling the truth is often where growth and healing begin.

In The Red Zone

This theme of storytelling connects strongly to several of the Essential Strengths and Skills:

Building Relationships — stories create trust and deepen connection within the QB room and beyond.
Listening Intently — healing often begins when someone feels fully heard.
Asking for Help — sharing your story is often the first step toward support.
Empathy — hearing another quarterback’s story changes how we understand his journey.
Humility — it takes humility to speak honestly about disappointment, role changes, and doubt.
Conviction — telling the truth about your experience takes courage and inner stability.
Finding Mentors — wise people help us interpret our stories with perspective.
Communicating Clearly — naming what you have lived through helps you understand it and share it.

For life as a QB and beyond

Every quarterback has a football story, but underneath that is a deeper life story.

And one of the healthiest things a man can do is learn how to tell that story honestly. Not as performance. Not as image management. Not only the polished parts. But truthfully.

Because sharing your story helps you reclaim it and find meaning in it.

You begin to see that the hard moments were not meaningless. You begin to notice patterns, growth, strength, and lessons that were harder to see in the moment. And often, by telling your story, you help someone else make sense of their own.

Just like narrative medicine helps both the patient and the doctor, shared stories help both the storyteller and the listener.

Thanks!