Narrative therapy, is a psychotherapeutic approach that empowers clients to explore and reshape their life stories through open dialogues with their therapists, delving into their narratives and actively challenging the ones that contribute to their struggles.
By separating problems from personal identity, narrative therapy emphasizes the belief that individuals are the ultimate authorities in their own lives.
Through this collaborative process, clients gain a deep understanding of their values and skills, enabling them to effectively confront present and future issues and pave the way for transformative change.
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, therapist, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.
When was narrative therapy developed?
Narrative therapy was developed in the 1980s by therapists Michael White and David Epston. It is still a relatively novel approach to therapy that seeks to have an empowering effect and offer therapy that is non-blaming and non-pathological in nature.
What is a narrative?
A narrative is a story. As humans, we have many stories about ourselves, others, our abilities, our self-esteem, and our work, among many others.
The development of these stories is determined by how we have linked certain events together in a sequence and by the meaning attributed to them.
As more and more events are selected and gathered into the dominant plot, the story gains richness and thickness.
The idea is that an individual’s life narrative forms identity, and several narratives are at work at once. The interpretation of a narrative can influence thinking, feelings, and behavior.
Many narratives are useful and healthy, whereas others can result in mental distress. Mental health symptoms can come about when there is an unhealthy or negative narrative, or if there is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of a narrative.
What is the aim of narrative therapy?
Narrative therapy seeks to change a problematic narrative into a more productive or healthier one. This is often done by assigning the person the role of narrator in their own story.
Narrative therapy aims to:
- Empower individuals to see themselves as separate from their problems.
By challenging negative labels and self-definitions, the therapy supports people in reclaiming agency over their stories and responses. - Create a respectful and supportive space for self-exploration.
It honors the client’s courage to reflect on personal challenges and encourages compassionate dialogue rather than critique. - Encourage non-blaming, non-judgmental conversations.
Clients are guided to shift away from self-blame or blaming others, and instead focus on how unhelpful narratives can be understood and reshaped. - Position the client as the expert of their own life.
Rather than offering directives, therapists work collaboratively, trusting that clients have the knowledge and insight to guide their own growth. - Acknowledge the influence of social, cultural, and political contexts.
The therapy invites clients to explore how external systems shape their personal narratives, helping them reframe problems within a broader perspective.
Psychologist Michael Hoyt explains the narrative therapy premise: problematic stories can trap people in patterns of distress, and reshaping them opens up new possibilities:
“As people live their lives, they may be doing fine, but when they get stuck, it’s often because they’re telling themselves a story that isn’t fulfilling—it’s frustrating. People come to therapy, in essence, for a new story.”
What is the role of the therapist?
The role of the narrative therapist is to search for an alternative way of understanding a client’s narrative or an alternative way to describe it.
The belief is that telling a story is a form of action toward change. The therapist will help clients to objectify their problems, frame these problems within a larger sociocultural context, and teach the person how to make room for other stories.
During therapy, the therapist acts as a non-directive collaborator. They treat the client as the expert on their own problems and do not impose judgments.
Instead, the therapist is purely curious and investigative. They are not particularly interested in the cause of a problem but are open to a client’s perception of the cause.
Narrative Therapy Techniques
Putting together the narrative
This involves the therapist listening to the client explain their stories, allowing the person to express their thoughts and explore events in their lives and the meaning placed on them.
“Problem-saturated” narratives may crop up, which the therapist will identify as causing the most distress to their client.
When the therapist communicates with the client during this stage, they will use the same language and terms that the client uses, since the client is treated as the expert in their narrative.
Externalizing the problem
Externalizing in narrative therapy means that the therapist will encourage the client to create distance between themselves and the problem, allowing them to become an observer.
This aims to help the clients see their problems as external instead of unchangeable parts of themselves.
The therapist may ask the client to give a name to the problem so it is seen as a separate entity, then encourage them to use the given name of the problem when talking about it.
The general idea is that it is easier to change a behavior that they do than to change a core personality characteristic.
They will realize that they themselves are not the problem; instead, the problem is the problem.
Deconstruction
The narrative therapist will work with the individual to break down or deconstruct their stories into smaller, more manageable parts to clarify the problem.
Deconstructing makes the problems more specific and aims to reduce overgeneralizing, overwhelm, or confusion. Through deconstructing, the whole picture becomes easier to understand.
The therapist and client may also seek to deconstruct identity and raise awareness of larger societal issues, e.g., sociocultural and political effects that may be acting on the client.
They may find that the context of gender, class, race, culture, and sexual identity also play a part in the interpretations and meanings given to events.
Unique outcomes
When someone’s problematic stories are well established, people can become stuck in them, unable to view alternative versions of the story. A narrative therapist aims to help people challenge their stories and encourage them to consider alternatives.
Unique outcomes refer to the exceptions to the dominant story. It may also be known as ‘re-authoring’ or ‘re-storying,’ as clients go through their experiences to find alterations to their story or make a whole new one.
There are hundreds of different stories since everyone interprets experiences differently and finds their own meaning from them.
These unique outcomes contrast a problem, reflect a person’s true nature, and allow someone to rewrite their story.
Building upon stories from another perspective can help to overcome problems and build the confidence the person needs to heal from them.
How effective is narrative therapy?
Research on narrative therapy is still emerging, but several small studies suggest that it may support emotional and relational well-being in a variety of settings.
Below are examples of areas where narrative therapy has shown potential benefits. These findings are preliminary and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
“It’s only been a few sessions, but I’m finding it really helpful in terms of having a complete story in my head as opposed to a bunch of random parts… Being able to piece together a cohesive narrative has really already started helping me … identify the specific things that I’m struggling with within the narrative itself.”
Intimacy and Relationships
A study by Khodabakhsh et al. (2015) explored how narrative therapy might influence emotional, communicative, and general intimacy in couples. The results suggested that couples who participated in narrative therapy reported increased closeness and improved communication.
Similarly, research by Ghavibazou et al. (2020) found that married women experienced greater marital satisfaction after engaging in narrative therapy.
Depression and Anxiety
Shakeri et al. (2020) studied adults experiencing depression and anxiety. Participants who received narrative therapy reported improvements in their quality of life and a reduction in symptoms, based on self-assessments.
Emotional Skills in Children
Beaudoin et al. (2016) examined how narrative therapy might support children aged 8–10 in developing social and emotional skills.
The study found improvements in self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and responsible decision-making.
Behavior and Attention in Children with ADHD
A small study by Looyeh et al. (2012) looked at the effects of group narrative therapy on school behavior in girls with ADHD.
Teacher ratings suggested a noticeable reduction in ADHD symptoms one week after therapy, with the effects sustained a month later.
Trauma
One client shared that narrative therapy “helps us focus on the way we responded to trauma… remembering [our values] can help us move towards a more positive and balanced sense of ourselves.”
This illustrates how therapy isn’t just about understanding trauma—it’s about fostering resilience.
Limitations
While these findings are encouraging, it’s important to note that most studies on narrative therapy involve small sample sizes or are limited in scope.
Narrative therapy may not be the right approach for everyone, and more large-scale research is needed to better understand its effectiveness across different populations.
Seattle-based anxiety specialists note that narrative therapy “has limitations…lack of a solid research base” and that intense sessions may provoke emotional distress for some.
How to get started
Finding the right narrative therapist can involve looking online through therapist directories. Alternatively, you may consider asking your doctor to refer you to a professional in your area with the right training and experience.
It is important to choose the right therapist for you. Consider whether you feel comfortable discussing personal information with them. Don’t be afraid to seek a different therapist if the one you have does not quite suit your needs.
When choosing a therapist, consider thinking about what your deal breakers are, important qualities, and any other characteristics you value.
What questions can you ask yourself when considering therapy?
When you are ready to select a therapist, think about the following:
1. What type of therapy do you want? – Do you want individual, couples, family therapy, or another type?
2. What are your main goals for therapy?
3. Whether you can commit the time each week – what days and times are most convenient for you?
What can be expected during the first therapy session?
During the first narrative therapy session, the therapist may ask you to begin sharing your story, and they may ask questions about why you are seeking treatment.
The therapist may also want to know about how your problems are affecting your life and what your goals for the future are.
Furthermore, they are likely to discuss aspects of treatment, such as how often you will meet and how your treatment may change from one session to the next.
What are some considerations for narrative therapy?
This therapy can be very in-depth, exploring a wide range of factors that can influence the development of your stories.
It also involves talking about problems as well as strengths which may be difficult for some people.
The therapist will help you to explore your dominant story in-depth and discover how it may be contributing to emotional distress, as well as uncover strengths that can help you to approach your problems differently.
You should expect to re-evaluate your judgments about yourself since narrative therapy encourages you to challenge and reassess these thoughts and replace them with more realistic or positive ones.
It also challenges you to separate yourself from your problems which can be difficult, but this process helps you learn to give yourself credit for making the right decisions for you.
Do you need mental health help?
USA
Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-8255
UK
Contact the Samaritans for support and assistance from a trained counselor: https://www.samaritans.org/; email jo@samaritans.org .
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (this number is FREE to call):
116-123
Rethink Mental Illness: rethink.org
0300 5000 927
Further Information
Morgan, A. (2000). What is narrative therapy? (p. 116). Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
References
Beaudoin, M. N., Moersch, M., & Evare, B. S. (2016). The effectiveness of narrative therapy with children’s social and emotional skill development: an empirical study of 813 problem-solving stories. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 35(3), 42-59.
Cashin, A., Browne, G., Bradbury, J., & Mulder, A. (2013). The effectiveness of narrative therapy with young people with autism. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 26(1), 32-41.
Ghavibazou, E., Hosseinian, S., & Abdollahi, A. (2020). Effectiveness of narrative therapy on communication patterns for women experiencing low marital satisfaction. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 41(2), 195-207.
Khodabakhsh, M. R., Kiani, F., Noori Tirtashi, E., & Khastwo Hashjin, H. (2015). The effectiveness of narrative therapy on increasing couples intimacy and its dimensions: Implication for treatment. Family Counseling and Psychotherapy, 4(4), 607-632.
Looyeh, M. Y., Kamali, K., & Shafieian, R. (2012). An exploratory study of the effectiveness of group narrative therapy on the school behavior of girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 26(5), 404-410.
Shakeri, J., Ahmadi, S. M., Maleki, F., Hesami, M. R., Moghadam, A. P., Ahmadzade, A., Shirzadi, M. & Elahi, A. (2020). Effectiveness of group narrative therapy on depression, quality of life, and anxiety in people with amphetamine addiction: a randomized clinical trial. Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 45(2), 91.
