Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy is a collaborative and respectful approach to counselling and community work that emphasizes the power of stories in shaping personal identity. It sees people as the authors of their own lives and acknowledges that difficulties are distinct from an individual's identity, as opposed to framing people as defined by their problems (White & Epston, 1990). This therapeutic approach assists people in rewriting and exploring alternative narratives, ones that place more emphasis on hopes, values, and strengths than on shortcomings and difficulties.

Developed in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston, narrative therapy is grounded in post-structuralist and social constructionist ideas. It assumes that our sense of self emerges through the stories we tell, and that reshaping those stories can open new possibilities for action and identity.

Basic Ideas of Narrative Therapy

• When people talk about narrative therapy, they might be referring to different but connected dimensions:

• Understanding identities: recognizing that individuals are complex beings with many facets that are not characterized by a single story or issue.

• Understanding problems: Externalizing problems that is treating them as separate from the person rather than internal flaws.

• Conversations about experiences: Asking respectful, curious questions that allow people to explore the meaning of their experiences.

Therapeutic relationships: Focusing on collaboration, ethics, and empowerment over expert-led interpretation.

A guiding principle is that clients are experts of their own lives. Instead of forcing answers, the therapist travels with the patient, helping to create room for new narratives to surface.

How Narrative Therapy Works

Let’s break down the process:

• Curiosity First: The therapist sees each session as a journey without a set destination. Together, the person and therapist explore different paths, always leaving room to double back, take a new direction, or pause for reflection. All along, the therapist asks genuine, open-ended questions, they really want to know, not just confirm an idea.

• Externalizing the Problem: Instead of “I am anxious,” it becomes “Anxiety is showing up in my life.” This simple switch can be powerful. This simple switch has great potential. It's simpler to identify possibilities and strengths and to stop criticizing oneself when the problem and the individual are separated.

• Everyone has multiple stories going on at once, including ones about accomplishments, friendships, passions, and future aspirations, in addition to challenges. People can rediscover and expand upon the stories that showcase their courage, humor, compassion, and perseverance with the use of narrative therapy.

Cooperation: The method is always partnership-based; the discussion focuses on the individual's priorities and meanings rather than the therapist's.

Research-Backed Benefits

Narrative therapy is increasingly recognized across contexts:

• Mental Health:Research indicates that by externalizing issues and promoting favored identities, it can effectively lessen discomfort associated with depression, anxiety, and trauma.

• Community Work: Used in truth and reconciliation processes, refugee support, and Indigenous healing programs to create collective stories of resilience and justice .

• Youth & Schools: Narrative practices have proven useful in school counselling to build student confidence, manage bullying, and strengthen identity.

• Families & Relationships: By externalizing conflict and jointly developing alternative narratives, family members can transition from assigning blame to solving problems as a group.

Real-World Examples

• Individual Therapy: By remembering her prior perseverance, a lady who was battling with "failure" due to recurrent setbacks reframed her story in therapy, characterizing herself as "determined" in spite of obstacles. Her sense of agency was bolstered by this anecdote.

• Community Healing: In post-conflict Rwanda, narrative practices have been used in community groups to create “shared stories” of survival and resilience, helping people move forward.

• School Setting: A child who had been bullied worked with a school counselor to externalize the bullying as the issue after initially internalizing it as "being weak." The child re-authored their identity away from victimhood and started to recognize their strengths, such as their bravery in standing up and their resourcefulness in asking for assistance.

Why Choose Narrative Therapy?

Narrative therapy offers several advantages:

• Respect & Empowerment: Clients are viewed as capable and resourceful rather than defined by their issues.

• Flexibility: Can be practiced individually, with families, in schools, and within communities.

• Cultural Sensitivity: Its focus on identification and storytelling makes it flexible to many cultural traditions.

• Evidence-Informed: Backed by studies and extensively used in community and clinical settings.

References

Morgan, A. (2000). What is narrative therapy?.

Denborough, D. (2011). Collective Narrative Practice: Responding to Individuals, Groups, and Communities Who Have Experienced Trauma (1st ed). Dulwich Centre Publications.

Fundamentals of Narrative Therapy: Understanding the Basics. (n.d.). https://psychology.town/assessment-counselling-guidance/fundamentals-of-narrative-therapy-basics/

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc. (n.d.). Narrative Therapy: Definition, Techniques & Interventions. https://www.simplypsychology.org/author/olivia-guy-evans