Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on identifying and rewriting the stories people tell about themselves and their lives. Narrative therapy focuses on strengthening your unique identity and constructing a life that best aligns with your values and needs.
Narrative therapy can treat various mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, low self-esteem, and family issues. In this treatment, people learn how to change their stories and become more empowered in their own lives.
For narrative therapy, book with:
Amy Parsons
Dayirai Kapfunde (virtual only)
Kenneth Guye (virtual only)
What Happens in Narrative Therapy Sessions?
The narrative practice is a collaborative process between the therapist and client. A narrative therapist acts as a facilitator supporting clients to explore significant events and identify alternative stories. Narrative therapy also involves talking about the cultural and societal influences affecting a person's life. In many cases, dominant problematic stories set a foundation for oppression, and narrative therapy aims to dismantle such stereotypes.
Externalization: Narrative therapy separates people from their problematic stories, and externalization is one of the most well-known narrative therapy techniques. For example, instead of telling yourself, “I'm depressed,” you might say, “I experience depression.” Instead of depression being your entire identity, it's just one part of it. Some people might even give their depression a name to further the externalization.
Deconstructing a dominant story: Narrative therapy focuses on breaking down dominant stories that impact how you perceive yourself. Deconstruction is important for really understanding the root of a specific situation and clarifying specific pain points. In therapy, unpacking your dominant story in depth can help you better focus on what you want to work on or change.
Unique outcomes technique: Learning your unique outcomes is part of changing your narrative. This is where you might identify times when you have acted or thought differently about a situation. Pulling from those outcomes can give insight as to where you might be feeling stuck, and it can also offer a roadmap for more self-compassion.
Re-authoring life stories: The stories we tell ourselves can shape our feelings and experiences. Sometimes known as re-storying, re-authoring focuses on creating narratives that better align with your values and needs. These types of stories generally emphasize successes, strengths, and meaning.
Therapeutic documentation: Narrative therapists often write down a client's new narrative. This document acts as a concrete reminder of therapeutic progress, and it can be reviewed again for further insight and introspection.
Is Narrative Therapy Right for You?
Narrative therapy seeks to provide a path for rich self-exploration. Learning your life story can be powerful. At the same time, revising unhelpful stories allows you to recognize that you can move through feelings of stuckness.
Narrative therapists are compassionate and collaborative in their approach. You are considered to be the expert in your own life. As you work through deconstructing and rewriting your stories, you will be continuously respected.
With that, narrative therapy is in-depth and seeks to balance talking about both problematic stories and inherent strengths. You will unpack obstacles causing you emotional pain, and you will also learn to tap into your own skills to manage personal challenges in the future.
Narrative Therapy in Fort McMurray
How to Start Narrative Therapy
Beginning narrative therapy with Boreal Therapy Collective is easy and requires no referral. You can book your initial assessment here.
Understanding Length of Therapy and Treatment
Your first appointment will be 90-minutes long. For all future appointments, you can choose to book for 1 hour or 90-minutes. During your first appointment, your therapist will ask you questions to better understand you and your areas of struggle. This is known as an assessment. Depending on how much you share, the assessment phase can last anywhere from one to three appointments. The assessment is critical. It helps you and your therapist understand your goals, and it helps your therapist develop a treatment plan to support you in achieving these goals.
After the assessment is complete, treatment begins! In the treatment phase, you will learn more about narrative therapy. You will begin exploring and reauthoring your story. Most people will have a therapy session every two weeks, and we recommend this for optimal treatment. Effective therapy typically takes somewhere between six to twelve appointments (for some more, others less). Many choose to continue therapy once formal treatment is complete. This is referred to as maintenance. People who do this typically have an appointment once every six to eight weeks. This is not a requirement and is a matter of personal choice.
Narrative Therapy at Boreal Therapy Collective
Where We Are Located
We’re located at 8530 Manning Avenue, Unit 104. You’ll find us in the Service Canada building (on the side of the building that faces the Clearwater River). To check out our space, click here.
Parking is located at the front and back of the building. The front parking lot is closer to us but tends to fill up quickly. There is also an empty dirt lot adjacent to our office that many use for parking. If you park at the back (where Service Canada is located), you can walk around the building to reach our office. To learn more about parking, click here.
Importantly, you do not need to be in town for treatment. We offer in-person and virtual therapy and our therapists are happy to provide whatever option works best for you!
Rates & Benefit Coverage
Initial assessments are billed at a rate of $330.00 for a 90-minute appointment. Follow-up sessions are billed at a rate of $220.00/hour or $330.00/90-minutes (you can choose your preferred appointment length when booking).
Our social workers offer direct billing to 25+ benefit providers. Many benefit providers will cover a portion or the whole amount of your therapy session. With your consent, we will always direct bill your benefit provider first. Please note that our Registered Psychiatric Nurses are typically ineligible for direct billing.
If we are unable to direct bill, you can pay via email money transfer or credit card. You will be given a receipt once payment has been collected. For more information on benefit coverage, click here.
