Finding Home in Narrative Therapy

By: Madison Brunk, LMHC

I’ve always told people that I wear my values on my sleeve. I commit myself to principles like hope, community, justice and self-determination.

I recognize the importance of centering lived experience and, for a long time, was eager for an approach to therapy that aligned with the way that I saw the World and people in it.

And I know it can be the same for folks starting therapy.

I’ve come across many clients who are seeking what I sought – a space and therapy relationship that honors these ideas and holds them close. If this sounds like you, I want to share the home I found in narrative therapy and how it centers, rather than dismisses, what many of us hold dear.

Narrative therapy is a counseling approach that’s interested in how our identities are shaped socially and through the stories we tell about our lives.

There are four principles that will likely inform the way your therapist understands and interacts with you and the problems you present with:

4 Principles in Narrative Therapy

People are separate from problems:

People face problems, resist problems, and are in relationship with problems. 

People are not problems. This perspective is non-blaming while also offering you agency to change how you react and respond to problems.

People are experts on their lives and the problems they face:

People construct meaning in stories and these stories can become dominated by problems:

People have desires, beliefs, skills, and values not recognized by problem stories:

Your voice is celebrated

In this therapeutic space, your agency is not only acknowledged but celebrated.

As I’ve used narrative therapy with clients, I've witnessed not only a shift in how people perceive and navigate challenges but also profound change in people’s lives. With its emphasis on separating individuals from problems, acknowledging their expertise, and exploring the untold stories of resilience and strength, it provides a unique space for healing and growth.

It's not just about addressing what's wrong; it's about uncovering the richness of our identities beyond the problem-saturated narratives.

If this approach speaks to you, I encourage you to reach out to learn more. If you are in Florida, I am happy to speak with you about the problems you face and how we might work together to investigate and grow around them.  

Your values don’t have to be sacrificed to receive care.

You can contact us here at Hope & Serenity Health Services, located in Altamonte Springs in Central Florida!