Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy is a non-pathologizing, empowering and collaborative form of therapy which recognizes that people possess natural competencies, skills, and expertise that can help guide change in their lives. It is a form of therapy that seeks to help people identify their values, and the skills and knowledge they have to effectively cope with life challenges. In a narrative approach, the therapist aims to adopt collaborative therapeutic posture rather than imposing ideas on people by giving them advice. Both therapist and client possess valuable information necessary for therapeutic conversations. Externalizing problems allows people to consider their relationships with problems. Narrative therapists rely on the premise that, though a problem may be prevalent and even severe, it has not yet completely destroyed the person. So, there always remains some space to generate a person’s resilient values for a hopeful life. The method was developed during the 1970s and 1980s by Michael White and David Epston.