What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy is a collaborative, strengths-based approach that explores the stories we carry about ourselves, our relationships, and our lives. Sometimes, difficult experiences can shape the way we see ourselves leaving us feeling stuck, defined by our past, or limited by beliefs about who we are and what is possible.
In narrative therapy, we work together to examine these stories with curiosity and compassion. Rather than viewing yourself as the problem, we explore the ways problems have influenced your life and identify the strengths, values, relationships, and experiences that may have been overlooked or overshadowed.
Through this process, you can begin to separate yourself from the problem, develop a more compassionate understanding of your experiences, and create a story that more fully reflects who you are and who you want to become.
Narrative therapy does not require you to ignore difficult experiences or simply “think positively.” Instead, it creates space to honor what you have been through while discovering new possibilities for how you understand yourself and move forward.
What to expect in narrative therapy
Narrative therapy is a collaborative process of exploring the stories you have developed about yourself, your relationships, and your experiences. We all make sense of our lives through stories, and sometimes difficult experiences can lead us to develop beliefs about ourselves that feel limiting or difficult to change.
In therapy, we begin by getting curious about the story you are carrying and how it has shaped the way you see yourself and your life. We may explore questions such as: When did you begin seeing yourself this way? Where did this belief come from? How has it affected your relationships or choices?
We also look for the parts of your story that may have been overlooked. Even during difficult seasons, there are often moments of strength, courage, connection, persistence, or hope that don't fit with the way you have come to see yourself. You are not asked to ignore painful experiences or replace them with a more positive story. Together, we make space for these experiences and explore what they reveal about what matters to you.
Narrative therapy is not about the therapist telling you who you are or what your experiences mean. You are the expert on your own life. My role is to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and help you discover perspectives and possibilities that may have been difficult to see on your own, and identify other narratives that have altered how you see yourself. It is important to acknowledge the story that hurt and wounded parts may hold, and the stories other people have spoken that you have believed.
Over time, this process can help you feel less defined by your struggles and more connected to the person you want to be and the life you want to create.
