What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative Therapy is a respectful therapeutic approach built on a powerful idea: you are not the problem. Developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1980s, it is one of the most humane and effective forms of psychotherapy practiced today. In this guide, I explain how it works, who it's for, and what you can expect from a narrative therapy process.
"The problem is the problem, not the person"
This phrase captures the entire narrative approach. Rather than looking for what's "wrong" with you, narrative therapy recognizes that problems are external influences affecting your life — not internal defects. You are not anxious: anxiety has shown up in your life. You are not depressive: depression has taken a place that doesn't belong to it. This separation allows you to step back from the problem, examine it with curiosity, and decide what relationship you want to have with it.
How Does Narrative Therapy Work?
Narrative therapy works with the idea that our identities are constructed through the stories we tell about ourselves. Here are the five key concepts:
1. Externalizing the problem
In narrative therapy, we separate the person from the problem. Instead of saying "I am anxious," we say "anxiety has been showing up in my life." This simple shift in language opens enormous space: if the problem isn't you, then you can relate to it differently, question it, and decide what place you want it to have in your story.
2. Deconstructing dominant stories
We all carry stories about who we are, many of which we didn't choose. Maybe you were told you were "too sensitive" or "the strong one in the family." In therapy, we explore where those narratives come from, whose interests they serve, and how they've limited the way you see yourself.
3. Finding alternative stories
Alongside the dominant story, there are always moments that contradict it: situations where you showed courage, where you did set boundaries, where you were enough. We call these "unique outcomes." In therapy, we find them, name them, and weave them into a new narrative that better reflects who you are and who you want to become.
4. Re-authoring your story
Re-authoring means you are the one who writes your own story. This isn't about creating a fictional life — it's about recognizing that you've always had more resources, strengths, and complexity than the dominant story allows you to see. Together, we build a richer narrative — one that's more fair, more complete, and more yours.
5. Outside witnesses
In narrative therapy, we sometimes explore which significant people have witnessed your changes and which voices help sustain a more just story about you. Recognizing those connections can strengthen the alternative narrative you build in your individual process.
Who is Narrative Therapy For?
Narrative therapy is for anyone who wants to understand and transform their relationship with the problems they face. I work with:
Adults
Who feel that the narrative they've been living by no longer fits — who want to explore who they are beyond the labels they've been given.
Teens
Who are building their identity and need a space where their voices, doubts, and strengths are heard without judgment.
Children
Through narrative play therapy, children can express and rewrite their stories in a playful, safe, and respectful way.
People in transitions
Career changes, relocations, breakups, grief — moments where you need to re-narrate who you are in this new chapter.
What Does a Narrative Therapy Session Look Like?
A narrative therapy session is not an interrogation or a diagnosis. It's a respectful conversation where you are the expert on your own life. Here's what it typically looks like:
Active listening and genuine curiosity
We start by listening to your story without judgment. I ask questions that seek to understand your experience from your perspective — not from a textbook.
Naming the problem
Together, we give the problem a name and separate it from you. This isn't minimizing it — it's creating the distance needed to see it clearly.
Exploring the stories
We look at the narratives you've built about yourself and search for moments where the problem didn't have control — your strengths, your resistance, your choices.
Weaving an alternative story
From those unique outcomes, we gradually build a richer narrative that better reflects your complexity, your values, and the future you want for yourself.
Narrative Therapy vs Other Approaches
There is no "best" approach — each one has its value. What matters is finding the one that resonates with you. Here's an honest comparison:
Narrative Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Psychoanalysis
Humanistic Therapy
| Approach | Focus | Method | Therapeutic relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrative Therapy | The problem is the problem, not the person | Externalization, deconstruction, re-authoring stories | Collaborative: you are the expert on your own life |
| Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | Modifying dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors | Cognitive restructuring, behavioral techniques, homework | Directive: the therapist identifies and corrects patterns |
| Psychoanalysis | The unconscious and early experiences | Free association, interpretation, transference | The therapist as interpreter of the unconscious |
| Humanistic Therapy | Growth potential and self-actualization | Empathic listening, authenticity, therapeutic relationship | Non-directive: the therapist reflects and accompanies |
Ana Paula Pérez Castellá
I'm a psychotherapist with a degree from Universidad Iberoamericana and two master's degrees: one in Systemic Social Solutions and one in Narrative Practices in individual psychotherapy. I work from a narrative approach because I deeply believe that you are the expert on your own life — my role is to walk alongside you as you discover that.
I see clients in Condesa, Mexico City. Sessions with children are in-person only; teens and adults can meet in person or online. I offer sessions in both English and Spanish — so if you're an expat, digital nomad, or English speaker living in Mexico City, you're welcome here.
Interested in Narrative Therapy?
If something you read here resonated with you, reach out. We can talk about how this approach can support you in your process.
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