Broken timelines.

The article focuses on how trauma disrupts the narrative coherence of a person's life story and sense of self-continuity, using the example of Trish Tran, an Australian mental health lecturer who experienced childhood abuse. Research by psychologist Tilmann Habermas and colleagues shows that autobiographical reasoning—linking past experiences to present identity—helps maintain self-continuity amid life changes, but trauma can fracture this process, leading to disjointed life narratives and difficulties envisioning the future. Psychologist Yosef Sokol developed continuous identity cognitive therapy, a future-oriented treatment aimed at helping trauma survivors, including military veterans, reconstruct a meaningful life story centered on core values rather than specific memories, which has shown promise in reducing suicidal ideation. Tran's involvement in refining this therapy highlights the importance of culturally sensitive approaches that acknowledge trauma's impact on time perception and identity.