Narrative therapy is a form of counseling that views people as the experts in their own lives. It helps people externalize their problems by separating their identity from the issues they are dealing with.
Narrative therapists work collaboratively with clients to help them reshape and retell the stories of their lives. This therapeutic approach can be very helpful when working through complex issues like grief and loss.
Using narrative therapy for grief counseling involves carefully listening as someone tells the story of their loved one's death and the resulting grief they feel.
The therapist then guides the grieving individual to find new perspectives, meanings, and even hope as they re-author their personal narrative. By externalizing grief as something outside oneself, people can slowly rebuild and reconnect even after devastating loss.
Understanding Core Concepts of Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy was first developed starting in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston in Australia and New Zealand.
The main goal is to help people externalize the problem they are facing and separate their identity from the issue.
