What is Narrative Therapy?

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Narrative Therapy utilizes storytelling to engage people in therapy. People’s lives are a collection of stories. When you stop to examine these stories, you can pay closer attention to key characters, themes, symbols, and, ultimately, make meaning of your life experiences.

Narrative Therapy’s goal is to empower people by identifying how your experiences, or your stories, shape who you are as a person.

Counselors use Narrative Therapy for individual, couples, children’s, or group counseling. It can benefit individuals with various mental health concerns, including depressive disorders and anxiety. Counselors also use it to help children develop empathy and social skills.

Your therapist will use various techniques during counseling. They might ask you to begin by telling your story. Your story includes your life experiences and your perspective on how these experiences shaped you. By examining your life story, you and your counselor might work to identify important characters, symbols, and themes present within your narrative.

Narrative Therapy also uses externalization to help people, which is when you view your life as an outsider. This approach can help you develop a different perspective on your life’s story and experiences.

Your therapist might also use alternate narratives, or deconstruction, to help you identify ways you want to change your story. Imagining different outcomes can be a helpful way to think about the future and highlight ways you want to change.

Therapists Who Specialize in Using Narrative Therapy

Dr Mary Muhammad LPC, CSAC

Brown Deer

Wisconsin

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. - Maya Angelou. Mary offers an alternative and complementary approach to therapy. Mary brings spirituality, eastern ideology, western ideology, and overall practicality together to create a holistic approach to wellness.We all are on a journey and Mary looks to walk with clients on their journey of exploration and ...

Naureen Dharani (She Her)

New York

New York

I first and foremost come from a south asian background. Growing up, I had difficulties navigating my parents well-intentioned parenting styles which led me to becoming someone who did not know how to process emotions, communicate my needs, and accept myself for who I am. Through my own therapy I have overcome many struggles I presently observe in the South Asian community. I have to come reali...