Therapy approach
Narrative Therapy
An approach that helps you step back from the story you have been living inside — the one that says the problem is who you are — and find room to tell a different one.
The story you tell about yourself is not the only one available.
You are not the problem. The problem is the problem.
Narrative therapy starts from the idea that the stories you tell about yourself shape what feels possible. When a problem becomes part of your identity — 'I am anxious,' 'I always fail' — it crowds out everything that does not fit the plot. Your therapist helps you see the problem as something separate from you, and notice the moments when it did not run the show.
You have been introduced as 'the anxious one' for as long as you can remember.
It started with your family. Then teachers picked it up. Now you say it about yourself before anyone else can — 'sorry, I am just anxious' — as if it explains everything and nothing at the same time.
The label has been there so long it feels like a fact. But there are moments it does not apply — a trip you took on your own, a conversation where you said something hard without rehearsing it first. Those moments exist too. They just never made it into the story.
The moments that do not fit the old story are the ones that matter most.
Your therapist might ask you to talk about the anxiety as something separate — something that visits, not something you are. Then together, you look for the times it was not there. Those are not exceptions. They are evidence that the story is incomplete.
Common concerns Narrative Therapy is used for
Narrative Therapy is used for a range of mental health concerns. Whether it fits depends on the person and the clinician's assessment.
- Depression — when a story of hopelessness or failure has become fixed and self-reinforcing
- Anxiety — when worry has become part of your identity rather than something you experience
- Identity concerns — feeling stuck in a version of yourself that does not fit anymore
- Grief — holding space for loss while finding ways to carry the relationship forward
- Trauma recovery — reclaiming your story from events that have defined it
- Relationship difficulties — when the stories partners tell about each other have become rigid and blaming
Separating you from the problem.
Sessions often begin by naming the problem as something outside of you — not 'I am depressed' but 'depression has been showing up.' This is called externalizing, and it creates enough distance to look at the problem without being swallowed by it.
From there, your therapist helps you find unique outcomes — real moments when the problem did not win. Those moments become the foundation of a different story, one you author deliberately. Some people also bring in witnesses: trusted people who reflect back the version of you that the old story erased.
Narrative Therapy can be part of the plan without becoming the whole plan.
Most therapists are trained in more than one approach. Good care is not about forcing every concern through the same model — it's about drawing on the right tools at the right time, guided by what you're working through and how therapy is progressing.
Narrative Therapy without the jargon.
It means talking about the problem as something separate from you, not as something you are. Instead of 'I am anxious,' you might say 'anxiety shows up when I have to speak in front of people.' It sounds small, but the shift creates room to respond differently.
No. Narrative therapy is a structured clinical approach. The stories it works with are the ones that shape how you see yourself and what you believe is possible. Changing those stories can change real patterns in your life.
There is no fixed timeline. Some people find what they need in a few months; others work longer. Your therapist will check in regularly on whether the work is moving in a direction that matters to you.
That is a fine place to start. Your therapist will not ask you to arrive with a narrative already mapped out. The work is collaborative — you discover the story together, often by noticing what you say about yourself without thinking.
Yes. Narrative therapy works well in virtual sessions. Most Bayridge therapists offer both in-person and online options.
No. Many people come to narrative therapy because something about the way they see themselves feels stuck, not because they have a clinical diagnosis. Our Intake Specialists can help you find the right therapist.
Care you can lean on
Sessions with our registered therapists are covered by most extended health and workplace benefit plans. Not sure what yours includes? We're happy to help you check before you book.
Sessions start at $90 and vary by therapist. Not sure where to begin? Our Intake Specialists can talk through fees, coverage, and which therapist fits what you are facing — call (905) 319-1488 during business hours.
Ready when you are — we're here to listen
Not sure which approach fits? You don't have to be — our Intake Specialists match you to a therapist trained for what you're facing.