about narrative therapy

Blue Mountains Therapy & Training uses a range of skills and practices based on Narrative Practices, developed in Australia and New Zealand by Michael White and David Epston.

WHAT IS NARRATIVE THERAPY?

• an approach to counselling and community work that centres people as the experts in their own lives and  views problems as separate from people.

• assumes that people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments and abilities that will assist them to reduce the influence of problems in their lives.

• The word ‘narrative’ refers to the emphasis that is placed on understanding the stories of people’s lives and ways of re-authoring these stories in collaboration between the therapist / community worker and the people’s whose lives are being discussed.

• It is interested in history, the broader context that is affecting people’s lives and the ethics or politics of therapy.

Some people choose to refer to ‘narrative practices’ rather than ‘narrative therapy’ as they believe that the phrase ‘narrative therapy’ is somewhat limiting of an endeavour which is constantly changing and being engaged with in many different contexts.

For an easy-to-read introduction about narrative therapy, see 'What is narrative therapy?' by Alice Morgan, Dulwich Centre Publications 2000) or click here to read the introductory chapter.