Understanding
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a form of counselling that focuses on the stories you tell about yourself, your life, and your relationships. It sees problems as separate from you, and helps you explore alternative stories that reflect your strengths, values, and hopes. Many people in Manchester choose narrative therapy when they feel defined by difficulties or labels and want a different, more empowering way of understanding their experiences.
What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by Michael White and David Epston. It is rooted in the idea that our sense of identity is shaped by the stories we tell and the stories others tell about us. These stories are influenced by culture, family, community, and wider social messages, which can sometimes leave people feeling stuck in narrow, problem-saturated accounts of who they are. Narrative therapy views emotional distress as closely tied to these dominant stories. For example, someone might come to see themselves only as anxious, a failure, or damaged, while overlooking their courage, care for others, or moments of resistance. The therapist works with you to notice how certain stories have taken hold, what they leave out, and how they are supported by particular contexts or expectations. In counselling in Manchester, narrative therapy aims to help you separate yourself from the problem, so that instead of being the problem, you can see the problem as something acting on your life. Together, you and your therapist look for overlooked details, exceptions, and values that support a richer, more balanced story about who you are. This can open up new possibilities for choice, connection, and action, even when circumstances remain challenging.
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Issues Narrative Therapy can be effective for
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How does Narrative Therapy work?
In narrative therapy, you and your therapist explore the stories that have formed around your difficulties and identity. You are invited to describe how the problem operates in your life, when it shows up, and what it tries to convince you of. The therapist listens for exceptions, overlooked strengths, and times when you have already pushed back against the problem, even in small ways.
A key part of the work is co-creating alternative stories that feel more accurate and supportive of your values. This might involve giving the problem a name, tracing its influences, and highlighting people, places, and experiences that stand alongside it. In therapy in Manchester, narrative conversations can help you feel less blamed and more able to act in line with what matters to you, in relationships, work, and everyday life.
Key therapeutic techniques:
Externalising conversations that separate the person from the problem
Mapping the influence of the problem and your influence back on it
Thickening alternative stories that reflect strengths, values, and preferred identities
Involving audiences or documents (for example letters) to witness and support new stories
READ MORE
Try a free self-test
It's not a diagnosis, but it can help you decide if speaking to a therapist could be beneficial.
What to expect in Narrative Therapy sessions
Initial Assessment
You and your therapist talk about what has brought you to therapy and how the problem is described in your life. Together, you consider whether a narrative approach feels suitable.
Building Understanding
You explore the history and effects of the problem story, and where it has most influence. Your therapist listens for exceptions, resources, and values that may have been overshadowed.
Active Work
Sessions focus on externalising the problem and developing alternative stories. You identify moments of resistance, support, and preferred ways of living, and build on these in a deliberate way.
Progress & Growth
You review how your stories about yourself and your life are changing. Together, you consider how to keep these preferred stories alive in Manchester, including through relationships, routines, and future choices.
How structured is narrative therapy?
Does narrative therapy ignore real problems in favour of positive thinking?
Can narrative therapy help with long-standing difficulties?
How can I access narrative therapy?
Each therapist is trained in Narrative Therapy and offers this approach through Manchester Counselling. Browse their profiles to learn more about their experience, areas of focus and availability.
Understanding
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a form of counselling that focuses on the stories you tell about yourself, your life, and your relationships. It sees problems as separate from you, and helps you explore alternative stories that reflect your strengths, values, and hopes. Many people in Manchester choose narrative therapy when they feel defined by difficulties or labels and want a different, more empowering way of understanding their experiences.
What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by Michael White and David Epston. It is rooted in the idea that our sense of identity is shaped by the stories we tell and the stories others tell about us. These stories are influenced by culture, family, community, and wider social messages, which can sometimes leave people feeling stuck in narrow, problem-saturated accounts of who they are. Narrative therapy views emotional distress as closely tied to these dominant stories. For example, someone might come to see themselves only as anxious, a failure, or damaged, while overlooking their courage, care for others, or moments of resistance. The therapist works with you to notice how certain stories have taken hold, what they leave out, and how they are supported by particular contexts or expectations. In counselling in Manchester, narrative therapy aims to help you separate yourself from the problem, so that instead of being the problem, you can see the problem as something acting on your life. Together, you and your therapist look for overlooked details, exceptions, and values that support a richer, more balanced story about who you are. This can open up new possibilities for choice, connection, and action, even when circumstances remain challenging.
READ MORE
Issues Narrative Therapy can be effective for
Click any area to explore further
How does Narrative Therapy work?
In narrative therapy, you and your therapist explore the stories that have formed around your difficulties and identity. You are invited to describe how the problem operates in your life, when it shows up, and what it tries to convince you of. The therapist listens for exceptions, overlooked strengths, and times when you have already pushed back against the problem, even in small ways.
A key part of the work is co-creating alternative stories that feel more accurate and supportive of your values. This might involve giving the problem a name, tracing its influences, and highlighting people, places, and experiences that stand alongside it. In therapy in Manchester, narrative conversations can help you feel less blamed and more able to act in line with what matters to you, in relationships, work, and everyday life.
Key therapeutic techniques:
Externalising conversations that separate the person from the problem
Mapping the influence of the problem and your influence back on it
Thickening alternative stories that reflect strengths, values, and preferred identities
Involving audiences or documents (for example letters) to witness and support new stories
READ MORE
Try a free self-test
It's not a diagnosis, but it can help you decide if speaking to a therapist could be beneficial.
What to expect in Narrative Therapy sessions
Initial Assessment
You and your therapist talk about what has brought you to therapy and how the problem is described in your life. Together, you consider whether a narrative approach feels suitable.
Building Understanding
You explore the history and effects of the problem story, and where it has most influence. Your therapist listens for exceptions, resources, and values that may have been overshadowed.
Active Work
Sessions focus on externalising the problem and developing alternative stories. You identify moments of resistance, support, and preferred ways of living, and build on these in a deliberate way.
Progress & Growth
You review how your stories about yourself and your life are changing. Together, you consider how to keep these preferred stories alive in Manchester, including through relationships, routines, and future choices.
How structured is narrative therapy?
Does narrative therapy ignore real problems in favour of positive thinking?
Can narrative therapy help with long-standing difficulties?
How can I access narrative therapy?
Each therapist is trained in Narrative Therapy and offers this approach through Manchester Counselling. Browse their profiles to learn more about their experience, areas of focus and availability.
Understanding
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a form of counselling that focuses on the stories you tell about yourself, your life, and your relationships. It sees problems as separate from you, and helps you explore alternative stories that reflect your strengths, values, and hopes. Many people in Manchester choose narrative therapy when they feel defined by difficulties or labels and want a different, more empowering way of understanding their experiences.
What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by Michael White and David Epston. It is rooted in the idea that our sense of identity is shaped by the stories we tell and the stories others tell about us. These stories are influenced by culture, family, community, and wider social messages, which can sometimes leave people feeling stuck in narrow, problem-saturated accounts of who they are. Narrative therapy views emotional distress as closely tied to these dominant stories. For example, someone might come to see themselves only as anxious, a failure, or damaged, while overlooking their courage, care for others, or moments of resistance. The therapist works with you to notice how certain stories have taken hold, what they leave out, and how they are supported by particular contexts or expectations. In counselling in Manchester, narrative therapy aims to help you separate yourself from the problem, so that instead of being the problem, you can see the problem as something acting on your life. Together, you and your therapist look for overlooked details, exceptions, and values that support a richer, more balanced story about who you are. This can open up new possibilities for choice, connection, and action, even when circumstances remain challenging.
READ MORE
Issues Narrative Therapy can be effective for
Click any area to explore further
How does Narrative Therapy work?
In narrative therapy, you and your therapist explore the stories that have formed around your difficulties and identity. You are invited to describe how the problem operates in your life, when it shows up, and what it tries to convince you of. The therapist listens for exceptions, overlooked strengths, and times when you have already pushed back against the problem, even in small ways.
A key part of the work is co-creating alternative stories that feel more accurate and supportive of your values. This might involve giving the problem a name, tracing its influences, and highlighting people, places, and experiences that stand alongside it. In therapy in Manchester, narrative conversations can help you feel less blamed and more able to act in line with what matters to you, in relationships, work, and everyday life.
Key therapeutic techniques:
Externalising conversations that separate the person from the problem
Mapping the influence of the problem and your influence back on it
Thickening alternative stories that reflect strengths, values, and preferred identities
Involving audiences or documents (for example letters) to witness and support new stories
READ MORE
Try a free self-test
It's not a diagnosis, but it can help you decide if speaking to a therapist could be beneficial.
What to expect in Narrative Therapy sessions
Initial Assessment
You and your therapist talk about what has brought you to therapy and how the problem is described in your life. Together, you consider whether a narrative approach feels suitable.
Building Understanding
You explore the history and effects of the problem story, and where it has most influence. Your therapist listens for exceptions, resources, and values that may have been overshadowed.
Active Work
Sessions focus on externalising the problem and developing alternative stories. You identify moments of resistance, support, and preferred ways of living, and build on these in a deliberate way.
Progress & Growth
You review how your stories about yourself and your life are changing. Together, you consider how to keep these preferred stories alive in Manchester, including through relationships, routines, and future choices.
How structured is narrative therapy?
Does narrative therapy ignore real problems in favour of positive thinking?
Can narrative therapy help with long-standing difficulties?
How can I access narrative therapy?
Each therapist is trained in Narrative Therapy and offers this approach through Manchester Counselling. Browse their profiles to learn more about their experience, areas of focus and availability.