The person is not the problem; the problem is the problem.” 

This quote is the motto of narrative therapy and powerfully summarizes a main idea of this approach.  Developed by Michael White of Australia and David Epston of New Zealand in the 1980s, narrative therapy views problems as separate from people as opposed to residing within people.  Also, we view our clients as the experts of their lives rather than assuming, because we are therapists, that we are the experts of clients’ lives.  Narrative therapists and clients work collaboratively, so clients have significant control in the direction our conversations take.  It’s also a transparent way of working, and you can even take copies of the notes I take during session to reread or share!

During the first visit, I will be asking many questions about the history of the problem(s) and how they have interfered with your life, why you might want the problems to go away and what you would prefer to experience in their place--the beginnings of your ‘preferred story.’  A preferred story contains the elements of what you ‘prefer’ to experience, such as more confidence, more balance, improved relationships, etc.  

Over time, I will ask you about various times in your past when the problems have been non-existent or less pronounced, and our conversations will reveal and emphasize your personal resources--skills, abilities, hopes, commitments, plans--that can be used to move your life in a new direction!