Narrative Therapy

Separating your identity from your problems, and reauthoring the story of your life.

Narrative Therapy was developed by Michael White and David Epston in Australia in the 1980s. It is founded on the idea that we are the authors of our own lives, and that the stories we tell about ourselves powerfully shape our experience of ourselves and our possibilities. Problems are understood as external to the person, not as evidence of personal deficiency.

How It Works

In narrative therapy, the problem is externalised; it is given a name and treated as a separate entity from you. This creates space to examine the influence of the problem on your life, and equally, your own influence over the problem. Unique outcomes, the moments when the problem had less power, are explored and used to thicken an alternative, preferred story about who you are and who you want to become.

Phases of Treatment

Mapping the influence of the problem
Externalising the problem
Finding unique outcomes and exceptions
Re-authoring and thickening the preferred story
Documenting and celebrating change

Who This Helps

Low self-worth and shame. Painful beliefs that you are flawed, not good enough, or unworthy.
Identity and cultural questions. Exploring who you are across cultures, roles, and belonging.
Trauma and difficult past experiences. Hard events from your past that still shape your present story.
Relationship difficulties. Recurring conflict or communication patterns that strain your connections.
Grief and loss. The emotional weight of losing someone or something that mattered.
Life transitions. Navigating major change such as relocation, role shifts, or new life stages.

What to Expect

Narrative therapy is a deeply collaborative and creative process. Your therapist will be genuinely curious about your experience and work to understand the full context of your life, not just the presenting problem. You may be invited to write letters, create documents, or reflect on moments that contradict the dominant problem story.