Narrative therapy is based on the idea that we make sense of our lives through the stories we tell about ourselves — and that some of these stories can become limiting, blaming, or problem-saturated. This approach helps you step back from those stories, examine them, and author richer, more empowering accounts of who you are.
A central principle is that the person is never the problem; the problem is the problem. By separating you from the difficulties you’re facing, narrative approaches open up space for change.
How Narrative Therapy Works
Narrative therapy is collaborative and respectful, treating you as the expert on your own life. Working with your therapist, you might focus on:
- Externalising problems like seeing them as separate from your identity
- Noticing the influence a problem has had, and the influence you have over it
- Identifying “unique outcomes” or moments that don’t fit the problem story
- Drawing out your values, skills, and hopes
- Re-authoring a fuller, more preferred account of your life
The therapist is curious and non-expert, helping you uncover strengths and meanings that the problem story may have obscured.
What Narrative Approaches Can Help With
This approach can be helpful for:
- Low self-worth and self-critical patterns
- Identity difficulties and life transitions
- The lasting impact of difficult or oppressive experiences
- Feeling defined or trapped by a diagnosis or label
- Grief, loss, and making meaning of hard experiences
We’ll explore together which aspects of this approach feel most useful for you.
