Narrative 

Narrative therapy is founded on the belief that our identities are shaped by the personal accounts of our lives, found in the stories we tell. In narrative therapy, the conversations between client and therapist are respectful, non-judgmental and interactive. A narrative therapist will help the client to act as an investigator, asking probing questions to help the client explore and assess their relationship to a problem and identify opportunities for positive change.

Local experts in Narrative 

Evoke Therapy LLC (they, them)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA, MFT, RYT, RM

Narrative therapy is like crafting a story about your life where you're the author. Instead of focusing on problems as something fixed or part of who you are, we explore how these issues fit into the larger narrative of your life. By reshaping these stories, we can change how you see yourself and your possibilities.

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Dawn Forrester (She/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

M.S., N.C.C.

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Scott LaForce (He, Them, Hers)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MFT-A

Rewrite the stories that make up your life; identify dominant discourses and author your preferred narrative.

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Senna Dillsi (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MS, NCC

Narrative therapy is a theory that works to help you understand the story you tell about your life, and to see your concerns outside of yourself, and that you are not your problems. I primarily use this approach as a way to ground yourself in personal definitions of values as well as a way to notice patterns of behavior and recurring themes.

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Lisa Gascho (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

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La Saechao (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, LICSW

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Midori Ferris Wayne (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA

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Yael Kievsky (she/her/ella)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

I practice primarily as a narrative therapist, influenced by relational and attachment approaches as well as Internal Family Systems, feminist psychotherapy, and existential and transpersonal approaches, and an intergenerational/systemic lens. I draw strongly from interpersonal neurobiology and neuroscience, such as polyvagal theory, and somatics.

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Robin Carlisle (She/her)

Professional Counselor

To make meaning is human. Like monkeys are the funny ones and birds are the flyers, we are the storyteller. The stories you tell about yourself and others, about the world around you, create the narrative of your life. So what then if some aspect of your life is not working? You tell a different story. I will help you. And whats better? You will come to believe it!

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Kristin Schuchman (she/her)

Professional Counselor

MSW, CSWA

Narrative theory involves taking a close look at the stories we tell ourselves and seeing what we can do to tell a more constructive story. For instance, a woman who has experienced bullying or abuse in a work setting can over time reflect on the experience as an episode in resilience as she considers the solid work she was able to complete despite a toxic culture. Lars and the Real Girl is my favorite example of a movie that portrays narrative theory at its best.

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Mitch Bacon, MA, LMFT

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I value and honor the story each person has to tell. When individuals, families, and communities collaborate to begin writing the story they want to exist in, changes occur. Through narrative therapy, I assist clients in exploring how problems get stuck in the language we use to communicate to ourselves and others, while helping you to start telling a story that serves as a catalyst for change.

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Kelle DeBruin (she/her/hers)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT, Supervisor

Society offers us a narrative of how life 'should be' or 'is supposed to be' according to the details of who we are and the life experiences that we have had along the way. Narrative Therapy approaches those spoken and unspoken stories of who we are supposed to be and allows for further understanding of the narrative and how we desire to construct our narrative moving forward.

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Natasha Laumei (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC LMHC Clinical Supervisor

Narrative therapy examines the ways we are influenced by the stories we tell about our selves and our lives. When we explore these narratives and our ability to retell our stories in new ways we realize a powerful opportunity for healing. I have found narrative therapy to be an incredibly effective therapeutic tool -- fun, creative, and transformative.

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Stephanie Avery (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

M.Ed.

Narrative Therapy examines the myriad stories we carry with us that influence our present day lives. Some of our stories are known, some of them are hidden, and some are waiting for an opportunity to be brought to life. Through Narrative Therapy, I help clients experience their life stories in new ways that are both meaningful and fulfilling.When we are able to bear witness to our stories and discover their complexity through exploration, that is when we have a true opportunity to grow.

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Firefly Institute

Licensed Professional Counselor

Narrative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that seeks to help patients identify their strengths and value and use those strengths the skills associated with them. It externalizes the problem, providing space for the client to examine their past, present, and future with knowledge of their ability to live their values so they can effectively confront problems.

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Anchi Howitz (she/her)

Student Counselor

BS

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Caitlin Beckwith-Ferguson (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT, CCTP

I often hear clients tell me, "I should be doing this." I ask, "Where did you learn that?" Together, we will examine the socio-cultural narratives that have impacted the way that you perceive yourself and your relationships. We will consider what narratives fit and what do not fit. We will explore the story that you are currently living out, leading you to a deeper understanding of yourself. We will work to re-story your narrative so that you feel empowered in your own life.

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Josephine Jardine (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

#R8352

The stories we tell, the language we weave, shapes the reality in which we interact with, and exist in.

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Amanda Holden, LPC, CADC-I (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I firmly believe that although you may need support or guidance to reach your therapeutic goals, you are the expert on your own life and you are not your problems. Since my extensive research into Narrative Therapy during my graduate studies, I have utilized this form of psychotherapy to help clients re-author their own lives.

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Ajay Dheer (He/They)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

M.S. Marriage and Family Therapy

Of all the orientations I have studied, narrative therapy has always resonated. Throughout my education, I have centered narrative techniques in my academic and applied work. In practice, I draw on narrative therapy to separate my clients from their problems in hopes of reducing feelings of guilt and shame.

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Michaela Christopher (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

M.A. Marriage, Couple, & Family Therapy

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Mara Sobesky (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

Master of Arts in Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy

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Amanda Best (she/her/hers)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

LMFT-A

Whether your looking to re-author the story of your life, align with a new narrative, or deconstruct dominant narratives, working with narrative therapy is a great way for us to co-author your story. My skills as a narrative therapist are focused on facilitating the process of narrative exploration and reconstruction, helping clients gain a fresh perspective on their lives, and empowering them to make meaningful changes in the stories they tell about themselves and their relationship.

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Ray Nelson (He/Him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CCMHC

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Tori Morrison (she/they)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT

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Jeff Guenther (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

Narrative therapy is my favorite therapeutic orientation. It’s the treatment that I study the most and find very compelling. I often observe the most improvement in clients when I use this type of counseling. Introducing new ways of thinking and believing can be a tricky thing but with the training and passion I have for it I often times see success.

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Art Chaklader (He/Him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, NCC

Everyone has a story. Whether you think about your life story, or have not in awhile, it has had huge impact on who you are today. This is why when we feel lost in life, it can be so grounding to reconnect with your life story. This is exactly my aim. We start from the beginning, and tie your narrative to what is happening today. This gives you back your story, and helps you continue it on.

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Judy Marantz-Herzberg (she/her)

Social Worker

LCSW and LSSW (Licensed School Social Worker)

We learn about ourselves from stories our families, cultures, and societies tell. Some narratives are oppressive, limiting our possibilities and potentials. Others empower us, highlighting successes and strengths. I love helping people uncover incidents that shed light on unique qualities and experiences. Together, we co-author truer narratives that guide us to our potentials.

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Taylor Kravitz (She/Her/Hers)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT

We all have stories about ourselves, our relationships, and our sexuality. Sometimes these stories keep you stuck in anxiety, shame, guilt and disconnection. Using Narrative Therapy, I help you get to know these stories you have and begin to identify what you really believe and value. Narrative Therapy also involves looking at how your family, past partners, and societal messaging may impact these stories that hold you back.

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Otoniel "Toni" Calderon (He/They)

Professional Counselor Associate

M.A.

As a trained narrative therapist, I focus on the stories that a person says about themselves and how these stories affect their lives. I help clients explore potential alternative stories about themselves that may be less psychologically damaging/harmful and more psychologically beneficial.

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Rebecca Garetz (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CYT

The art of storytelling informs how we see ourselves and interact with the world. Who is the writer of your story? It can be very empowering to use the spoken and written word, or art/music to own our stories.

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Laura La Rosa (She/Her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

MA, MSW, LCSW

I have completed specialized training and practice in narrative based interventions. I empower my clients to explore their personal narrative, dis-empowering old story lines that no longer serve them ultimately encouraging them to craft a new narrative that embodies who they truly are. You are the navigator of your life and together will will identify a sustainable path to well being.

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jessamyn wesley (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

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Jillyan Medina (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA, Marriage & Family Therapist Associate

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Isabel McCune (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA, MPH, NCC

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Jenna Washburn (she / her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA: Mental Health Counseling - Specialization in Addictions

Narrative therapy enriches my counseling techniques by: bringing in elements of larger societal narratives impacting clients; allowing the clients space to tell and oftentimes rewrite their own story; and providing a creative space for metaphor, imagery, and exploration.

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Michael Cooper

Professional Counselor Associate

M.A.

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G. Ravyn (Ravyn) Stanfield (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

M.A.in Counseling, EMDR trained, Licensed Acupuncturist

It is possible to rewrite old tired stories that we and others keep telling about ourselves. When we shift the narrative, we often get a whole new perspective on problems that have plagued us.

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Torey Andrus (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

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Emma Bridges (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

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Day Adams (he/him)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA

Narrative therapy is a collaborative, non-pathologizing therapeutic approach. One of the central ideas of this approach is that "people are not the problem, the problem is the problem". I was introduced to narrative therapy ideas in my graduate program and have subsequently engaged in extended narrative therapy coursework and development through the Evanston Family Therapy Center.

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Heather Simpson (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA MFT Associate

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Chantal miniet (She/Her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

C8779

I use narrative therapy to help clients reclaim authorship of their lives, liberate themselves from constraining narratives, and cultivate new stories that reflect their values, strengths, and aspirations. Together, we co-create a narrative of healing, growth, and empowerment that honors the client's journey and potential for change.

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Bri Dittlinger (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

MSW, LCSW

Utilize narrative therapy and storytelling in session

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Donna Prinzmetal (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

As a writer and a therapist, I am interested in stories. We live our lives based on our histories and the stories we have lived as well as the ones we tell ourselves. I sometimes use writing therapy to access and understand the narratives that have informed my clients' lives. If you know and understand your story, you have choices and it is easier to shape a new one.

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Nick Vaske, LCSW (he/him)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

My graduate training is primarily in narrative therapy, and my approach is to engage in self-exploration by taking an outside, curious perspective of ourselves and our stories, gain greater insight into the events that have shaped us, enrich our stories by recognizing our resilience, and use that knowledge and perspective to better define what we would like our futures to be.

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Emily Smith (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA

Narrative therapy focuses on the way we tell stories and relate to problems, and I will bring insight and awareness into what happens for you when you tell a story in the therapy room. I notice language and will be curious about certain phrases or words that you use in order to help you make sense of your experiences and how you relate to them.

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Laura Patiño (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, NCC

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