Narrative Therapy is a way of exploring the stories we develop about ourselves and our experiences.

Our lives are made up of many different experiences, but we don't always give all of them the same amount of attention. Sometimes one part of the story becomes particularly important — an experience, a relationship, something someone said, or a way we've come to understand ourselves.

Narrative Therapy gives us space to pause and look at those stories together.

We might look at where some of these ideas came from, what they mean to you, and what other parts of the story might deserve some attention.

It's not about changing the past. It's about making room for more of the story.

A lot of Narrative Therapy happens through conversation.

We might talk about something that's happening now, an experience from the past, or a relationship that has been important to you. Along the way, we can become curious about what those experiences have come to mean to you and how they may have shaped the way you see yourself.

We might also notice moments that don't quite fit the story you've been used to telling.

Those moments can be worth paying attention to. Sometimes noticing a different part of the story can open up a whole new way of looking at things.

There isn't one particular way a Narrative Therapy session has to look.

We might talk about what's happening in your life now, explore something that happened in the past, or spend time thinking about relationships, identity, values, or what matters to you.

Your counsellor may ask questions that help you look at an experience from a different angle:

When did this start to become part of the story?

What meaning has it taken on?

Are there experiences that don't quite fit?

What does this tell us about what matters to you?

You don't need to have the answers.

The conversation is something we figure out together.

No.

You don't need to arrive with your story neatly organized, and you certainly don't have to start at the beginning and explain everything that's ever happened.

We can start wherever it makes sense to start.

Sometimes one experience is enough to begin a conversation, and sometimes that conversation leads somewhere unexpected.

You decide what you want to share, and we can take it one piece at a time.

Narrative Therapy has been used with a range of experiences and concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, identity, self-esteem, difficult life experiences, and life transitions.

It can also be useful when you're trying to make sense of something that has happened or exploring how you understand yourself.

You don't need to have a particular diagnosis or know exactly what category your experience fits into.

We can start with what's happening and see what approach feels most useful from there.

There is research supporting Narrative Therapy, including research with children and adolescents, although the evidence base is still developing and is smaller than the research base for some more extensively studied approaches.

Research with young people has found promising results in areas including emotional wellbeing, self-concept, social and emotional skills, and some mental health concerns, although more research is still needed.

We use Narrative Therapy alongside other therapeutic approaches, depending on the person, what they're experiencing, and what they're hoping to get from counselling.

Yes. Narrative Therapy has been used with children and adolescents and can be adapted to different ages, experiences, and circumstances.

With young people, this might include exploring how they see themselves, their relationships, school, family, friendships, or other parts of their lives.

The approach can also be adapted to include creative or age-appropriate ways of exploring experiences when that feels useful.

No.

Narrative Therapy isn't about ignoring difficult experiences or trying to turn everything into a positive.

Difficult experiences can remain difficult. The work is about making room to look at them from different angles and considering the different meanings, experiences, relationships, and values that are part of your story.