07899 054 668 
Spa House 18 Upper Grosvenor Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 2EP
My account
Tellin’ Stories.
Narrative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the stories, or narratives, that individuals construct about themselves and their experiences.
Narrative therapy places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility and accountability for one's actions which is one similarity Narrative therapy has with Reality Therapy, similarly outlined in a previous post.
Developed by Australian therapists Michael White and David Epston in the 1980s, narrative therapy is based on the idea that our understanding of reality is shaped by the stories we tell ourselves and others.
Narrative therapists work with clients to explore the stories they have constructed about their lives and experiences, with the goal of identifying and challenging negative or unhelpful narratives.
The therapist may ask questions to help the client understand how their experiences have been shaped by societal and cultural norms, and how they have constructed their own identity based on these experiences.
Through the process of narrative therapy, clients are encouraged to re-author their own stories and to construct new, more empowering narratives about themselves and their experiences.
This can involve identifying and challenging negative self-talk, reframing past experiences in a more positive light, and identifying new possibilities for the future.
Narrative therapy is often used to address a wide range of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues.
It is typically conducted in a one-on-one setting, although it can also be used in group therapy or family therapy settings.
Overall, narrative therapy is a collaborative and empowering approach to psychotherapy that focuses on helping clients to re-author their own stories and to construct more positive and empowering narratives about their lives and experiences.
Bibliography
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. W.W. Norton & Company.
Morgan, A., & Saxton, M. (1997). Narrative therapy for women who experience domestic violence: supporting women's resistance. Journal of Family Therapy, 19(1), 59-80.
Payne, H. (2006). Narrative therapy. In Handbook of counseling psychology (pp. 327-345). John Wiley & Sons.
Carr, A. (2004). Positive psychology and positive psychotherapy: the evidence for their efficacy in treating depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 60(4), 369-381.
White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice.W.W. Norton & Company.
Denborough, D. (2014). Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and communities who have experienced trauma. Dulwich Centre Publications.