What Is Narrative Therapy? Reclaiming Your Story, Identity, and Sense of Agency

Many people come to counseling feeling stuck in a story they never consciously chose.

They may describe themselves as “the anxious one,” “the problem child,” “the failure,” “the caretaker,” or “the broken one.” Over time, these labels begin to feel like facts rather than interpretations—shaping identity, behavior, and expectations for the future. Narrative therapy offers a different approach. Rather than asking “What is wrong with you?” narrative therapy asks,“What stories have you been told about yourself—and which ones deserve to be rewritten?”

This therapeutic approach is grounded in the belief that people are not the problem; the problem is the problem. By separating identity from difficulty, narrative therapy helps individuals reclaim authorship of their lives.

This article explores:

• What narrative therapy is and how it works

• The history and theorists behind it

• Core principles of the approach

• Common concerns narrative therapy can help with

• Ten practical narrative therapy interventions

• How narrative therapy supports healing, meaning, and resilience

What Is Narrative Therapy?

Narrative therapy is a collaborative, strengths-based approach to counseling that views people as experts in their own lives. It focuses on the stories individuals tell about themselves, their relationships, and their experiences—and how those stories shape identity and behavior.

Rather than locating problems inside a person, narrative therapy understands problems as separate entities that influence a person’s life.

This shift may sound subtle, but it is powerful.

Instead of:

• “I am depressed,”Narrative therapy invites:

• “Depression has been influencing my life lately.”

This linguistic shift creates space for choice, agency, and change.

The Core Philosophy of Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy rests on several key beliefs:

• People are not defined by their problems

• Identity is shaped by stories, language, culture, and context

• Dominant problem-saturated stories often obscure strengths

• People have multiple stories, not just one

• Change occurs when alternative stories are discovered and strengthened

Narrative therapy does not pathologize distress. Instead, it seeks to understand how life experiences, relationships, and systems have shaped the stories people carry.

A Brief History of Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy emerged in the late 20th century as a response to more hierarchical and diagnosis-focused models of therapy.

It was developed primarily by Michael White, an Australian social worker and family therapist, and David Epston, a New Zealand therapist.

White and Epston were influenced by:

• Social constructionism

• Postmodern philosophy

• Anthropology

• Feminist theory

• The work of Michel Foucault (particularly ideas about power and discourse)

They questioned traditional therapy models that positioned therapists as experts and clients as patients. Instead, they proposed a collaborative model where meaning is co-constructed and power is shared.

Their work emphasized:

• Language as a creator of reality

• The impact of social, cultural, and political forces on identity

• Respect for client knowledge and lived experience

Narrative therapy has since been widely adopted in individual, family, group, and community settings across the world.

How Narrative Therapy Works

Narrative therapy focuses on how problems operate in a person’s life, rather than why the person has the problem.

The therapist and client work together to:

1. Externalize the problem

2. Explore how the problem affects the person’s life

3. Identify moments when the problem has less influence

4. Discover values, skills, and intentions that contradict the problem story

5. Strengthen alternative stories that align with the person’s preferred identity

The process is collaborative, curious, and respectful. Clients are not told who they are—they are invited to define themselves.

Externalization: Separating the Person From the Problem

One of the most distinctive features of narrative therapy is externalization.

Externalization involves naming the problem as something outside the person, such as:

• “The Anxiety”

• “The Inner Critic”

• “The Trauma Voice”

• “The Shame”

• “The Addiction”

This helps reduce blame and shame, while increasing clarity and choice.

When the problem is externalized, people can ask:

• When does it show up?

• What feeds it?

• What weakens it?

• How do I already resist it?

What Types of Concerns Can Narrative Therapy Help With?

Narrative therapy is highly adaptable and can be helpful for a wide range of concerns, including:

• Anxiety and panic

• Depression

• Trauma and PTSD

• Grief and loss

• Identity struggles

• Low self-worth or shame

• Relationship conflict

• Family-of-origin issues

• Codependency

• Life transitions

• Chronic illness

• Experiences of oppression or marginalization

It is especially helpful for people who feel:

• Defined by a diagnosis or label

• Stuck in repetitive patterns

• Disconnected from their values

• Silenced or misunderstood

• Burdened by shame

Narrative Therapy and Trauma-Informed Care

Narrative therapy aligns closely with trauma-informed principles. It:

• Emphasizes safety and collaboration

• Avoids re-traumatization

• Honors survival strategies

• Recognizes the impact of power and context

• Restores agency and voice

Rather than asking “Why did this happen to you?” narrative therapy asks,“How did you survive, and what does that say about you?”

10 Narrative Therapy Interventions

Below are ten commonly used narrative therapy practices that embody the approach in action.

1. Externalizing Conversations

The therapist helps the client separate their identity from the problem by naming it and describing how it operates. This reduces shame and allows curiosity rather than self-blame. Clients often experience immediate relief when the problem is no longer framed as who they are. Externalization opens the door to change.

2. Mapping the Influence of the Problem

This intervention explores how the problem affects different areas of life—relationships, work, self-esteem, health, and decision-making. Mapping helps clients see patterns rather than feeling overwhelmed. It also highlights the cost of the problem. Awareness creates motivation for change.

3. Identifying Unique Outcomes

Unique outcomes are moments when the problem had less power or influence. These moments are often overlooked but deeply important. The therapist helps the client examine what was different in those moments. Unique outcomes become the foundation for alternative stories.

4. Thickening Alternative Stories

Once alternative stories emerge, therapy focuses on strengthening them through detail, meaning, and repetition. The therapist asks questions that deepen understanding of values, intentions, and skills. Over time, these stories become more accessible and believable. Identity begins to shift.

5. Re-Authoring Conversations

Clients are invited to consciously revise the story they tell about themselves. This does not deny pain or difficulty—it contextualizes it. Re-authoring emphasizes growth, resistance, and agency. The client becomes an active author rather than a passive character.

6. Values Clarification Through Story

Narrative therapy explores what matters most to the client by examining what the problem threatens. Values often become visible through pain. Clarifying values helps guide future choices and strengthens identity. Values-based stories are often deeply empowering.

7. Naming the Effects of Cultural and Family Narratives

This intervention examines how societal, cultural, or family messages shape identity. Clients may explore inherited beliefs about worth, gender, success, or responsibility. Understanding these influences reduces internalized shame. It also restores choice.

8. Letter Writing and Therapeutic Documents

Therapists may use letters, certificates, or written reflections to reinforce alternative stories. These documents serve as tangible reminders of progress and insight. They can be revisited outside of sessions. Written narrative practices strengthen continuity of change.

9. Outsider Witnessing

In group or family settings, others are invited to witness and reflect on a person’s story. This reinforces meaning and validation. Being seen and heard by others strengthens identity. Outsider witnessing can be deeply healing.

10. Future-Oriented Story Development

Clients are encouraged to imagine how their preferred story might unfold over time. This fosters hope and direction. Future stories are grounded in values rather than fear. The future becomes something shaped, not endured.

What Narrative Therapy Is Not

Narrative therapy:

• Does not ignore pain or trauma

• Does not rely on positive thinking

• Does not deny responsibility

• Does not impose meaning

Instead, it respects complexity and honors lived experience.

How Counseling Using Narrative Therapy Helps

Narrative therapy helps people:

• Reduce shame and self-blame

• Understand themselves with compassion

• Reclaim identity beyond problems

• Strengthen agency and choice

• Heal from trauma and loss

• Build meaning after hardship

Therapy becomes a space where stories are explored, not judged.

A Closing Reflection

We all live by stories—about who we are, what we deserve, and what is possible.

Some stories protect us. Others limit us.

Narrative therapy offers the opportunity to step back, examine the stories that have shaped us, and decide—intentionally—what deserves to be carried forward. You are not your worst chapter. And your story is not finished.

Our counseling practice offers narrative therapy as a respectful, empowering approach for those seeking to understand themselves more deeply and live with greater alignment and meaning.