Make Sense of Your Story

Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything

by: Adam Young

• Format

  Paperback

  ISBN

  9781540903754

  Dimensions

  5.5 x 8.5

  Pub. Date

  Mar 2025

  SRP

  $22.99

  Carton Quantity

  40

  Number of pages

  256

  Buy

About

Looking back at painful stories from the past seems counterproductive, especially when it appears unrelated to our present lives. But what if exploring our past stories can help us make sense of where we are now and begin to imagine who we would like to become? Rather than ignoring, suppressing, or running from our past hurts, looking at our stories of heartache and how they have shaped us helps make sense of who we are now and points the way to freedom and meaningful change.

In Make Sense of Your Story, trauma therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Adam Young helps you explore your personal story so you can understand how your experiences have shaped your brain--which, in turn, allows you to understand why your present day-to-day life looks and feels the way it does. He shows you how to confront and process the story of your family of origin, your sexual story, the story your body is telling you, your cultural story, your story with God, and more with kindness rather than judgment so that you can experience healing, self-acceptance, and release.

The secret to making sense of your present life is understanding your past experiences. And if you want to change the narrative, you have to engage your story.

---

Endorsements

"Adam Young has been a gift to us from our Father for over a decade. God brought him into our lives when we first started to explore the impact of our families of origin on our marriage and calling. The insights and encouragement we received from him, which profoundly shaped our approach to the Enneagram and our family life, are now available in this book. Dive deeply into Make Sense of Your Story and return to it often. It will provide invaluable insights for every season of your journey."

Beth and Jeff McCord, founders of Your Enneagram Coach

"Adam Young has become one of my favorite people to learn from. He has a wonderful way of helping us look into the most sacred parts of our lives--our stories. Make Sense of Your Story has the power to lead us into the whole and healed life we all long for. To do this work requires much of us, but we have a trusted and incredibly skilled guide in Adam. I can't recommend this book enough."

Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship and author of The Narrow Path

"With great care and baring of his soul, Adam digs deep into how stories shape spirit and cells. This is valuable information, unraveling myths and reweaving what is frayed, as intimate as across the table. For those whose stories feel fragmented, without anchor or lighthouse, Adam gently walks with you to do the difficult and needed work."

J. S. Park, hospital chaplain and author of As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve

"Those of us who have grown up in communities and practices of faith are no strangers to stories. Unfortunately, most of those stories are about other people--leaving our inner worlds an unexplored mystery that shapes our present moment without our awareness. In this book, Young invites us to know our stories so that we can not only know ourselves but be in an embodied, aware, present relationship with ourselves and others. Young invites us to see that understanding our past supports us to engage more meaningfully with God, with hope, and with connection in our present and future."

Dr. Hillary McBride, registered psychologist, speaker, podcaster, and author of The Wisdom Of Your Body

"Nothing separates humans from other creatures quite so much as the fact that, at our core, we are storytellers. No wonder, then, that the anguish of our present age reflects the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves--the stories in which we believe we are living. What are we to do? In God's great mercy, in Adam Young we have a herald who comes to us with humility, vulnerability, and deep wisdom. And with Make Sense of Your Story, he offers us a gift that is a beautiful story itself, one that invites us to tell our own stories more truly--despite how difficult it may be to do so--by listening to and becoming part of the story God has been telling each of us from the beginning. If a story of greater beauty and goodness is one in which you long to live, by all means, read this book."

Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Soul of Desire and The Deepest Place

"In Make Sense of Your Story, Adam Young extends a life-altering invitation to take our story seriously. The challenge for many of us is that we have so few places to fully explore the complexities of our experiences--the stories in which desire, trauma, failure, and emptiness all vie for the right to shape our future. This is why Adam's debut book is so vital. He has a beautiful ability to weave together neuroscience, biblical wisdom, and storytelling, providing insights that leave us feeling not only more knowledgeable but deeply understood. This is a rare book that offers clarity for those who feel lost and profound kindness for those who are hurting."

Jay Stringer, psychotherapist and author of Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing

"Adam's mind is a true gift, and he has an uncanny ability to bring complex concepts of psychology and theology to an accessible level where the reader can not only understand them but put them into practice to transform the way they engage their story. This book is a brilliant guide to understanding your past trauma, its impact in your life, and how to begin healing."

Cathy Loerzel, coauthor of Redeeming Heartache and cofounder of The Allender Center

"Adam Young's Make Sense of Your Story is a profound exploration of the transformative power of understanding one's personal narrative. It is not a book to rush through, as the journey of healing is intimate work that requires insight and kindness. Young masterfully guides us through the essential journey of making sense of our stories, particularly those rooted in our family of origin, to restore peace and relational wholeness in our lives, and he provides a compassionate framework for holistic healing of body and spirit. His skillful use of biblical narratives, cultural stories, and personal experience weaves an understanding of our essential need to be seen, heard, cherished, and reconnected. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to heal and transform their life story with grace and empathy."

J. Derek McNeil, president of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

---