Narrative Therapy: Re-writing Your Story 

What is Narrative Therapy?

Narrative therapy is about embracing being a storyteller of one’s own life. What we say and think about the events of our daily lives can shape positive or negative thought patterns. Narrative therapy was  created in the 1980s by New Zealanders Micheal White and David Epston. The techniques utilized in narrative therapy are intended to reimagine how an individual views their life problems.  

Techniques

Putting together your narrative: In narrative therapy, the therapist and client will collaborate to create a new story for the client. The idea is for the client to be in charge of their story, meaningfully telling the events and experiences. By engaging in this retelling of the story, the individual can take on an objective view, thus pinpointing areas for improvement and problematic actions.  

Externalization:

A key component of narrative therapy is being able to observe the story without being the main character of it. Moreover, creating the distance between oneself and the issue is known as externalization. Engaging in externalization allows the therapist and client to examine key areas without being entrenched in the problem behaviours. For example, by naming your anger, Sauron you can explore how Sauron harms loved ones around you.  

Deconstruction:  

Deconstruction allows the therapist and individual to peel back the layers of the problematic behaviour. Additionally, in instances where the problem has been active for a long time, the client may have a generalized and muddied view of the issues. In this technique, the breakdown, coupled with externalization, is used to create smaller, more manageable areas for improvement in relation to the overall problem.  

Narrative Therapy is Helpful For:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Greif and Loss
• Eating Disorders
• PTSD

Here are Some Additional Resources for More Information: 

If you are looking to connect further or receive support, please reach out. Get in touch with us at 250-718-9291 or email us at info@okclinical.com. 

If you are interested in specialized services, our team is here to help you explore your mental health through our counselling services. You can also refer to our General Counselling Services, our Types of Therapy or visit our booking page here. 

The following resources are excellent places to start exploring Narrative Therapy, going at your own pace: 

• This worksheet helps break down problems and identify other contributing factors:  
  https://firefly255.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/narrative-therapy-tree-of-life-project.pdf 
• This video provides an overview of narrative therapy and how to apply it: 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhAyuKj8JLA 
• This book assists individuals in retelling their stories and eliciting change:  Retelling the Stories of Our Lives: Everyday Narrative Therapy to Draw Inspiration and Transform Experience by David Denborough 

Written by: Natasha Dalal, Practicum Student

natasha@okclinical.com

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