Picking out a therapist can be a daunting task. The more you look for one, the more you realize that there are a lot of elements to therapy. Narrative therapy is a form of therapy that may not sound familiar to many people, however elements of it are becoming more popular as time goes on. By understanding this form of therapy it can help you make a more informed decision about which therapist to choose. Many therapists list the modalities they incorporate into their profiles on websites such as Psychology Today or on their bios if they have websites set up for themselves or through a private practice.
What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative Therapy is a modality within therapy that focuses on clients telling their stories and experiences. By telling their story, clients are able to put distance between themselves and problems in their lives. This helps them to view them more objectively. This form of therapy also allows the client and the therapist to identify common themes and elements throughout the stories. By doing this, clients are able to focus in on specific issues they may be having more clearly. They work together with the therapist to deconstruct these concepts and work towards a healthier view of their experiences and of themselves.
Telling stories is something that comes very naturally to many people. By telling these stories, and using the same verbiage for each telling of the story, it can help clients see how their experiences may be impacting their perception of reality. This is an essential part of even beginning to understand how to “fix” certain problems.,
Narrative therapy came from the concept that people, even when they make mistakes, are not bad people. Many of us just internalize the guilt and shame that comes from these mistakes and blame ourselves. This isn’t a helpful or healthy way of dealing with these problems in the long run and this is why narrative therapy can be helpful in these instances.
What is Narrative Therapy Used For?
There is not as much research for narrative therapy in comparison to some of the older forms of therapy, like CBT. However, there is research to show that it is effective in helping to treat certain conditions or life situations. For example, narrative therapy has been used successfully in the treatment of anxiety, eating disorders, and ADHD. It’s also been shown to be helpful in cases of grief, trauma, and depression.
Not only this, but this form of therapy has also been shown to be helpful across cultures. By being able to be adapted to many different cultures, this opens up accessibility of care to many more kinds of people. Allowing people to be able to experience therapy in a way that is compatible with their culture allows them to get towards healing or solving their problems much more quickly.
How do I Find a Therapist?
Within our practice, we have Niah who incorporates elements of narrative therapy into her work with clients. It’s also possible to find a therapist who uses this form of therapy by doing an internet search or by using Psychology Today’s database. As this form of therapy becomes more popular, it is increasingly likely that we’ll see more and more therapists implementing this type of work into what they do with their clients.m
