Creating Coherent Narratives

“THE BRAIN IS A HISTORICAL ORGAN…IT STORES OUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE.” Dr. Bruce Perry, Trauma Specialist

Coherent Narrative Therapy is a process that invites a kind of voicing different from that employed during the ordinary transmittal of events and memories, or even articulation of feelings.  It is a mindful voicing and listening that can then be brought into all other relationships. Through the process of dramaturgical questioning, Coherent Narrative Therapy is a process that allows participants to discover the answers they already hold, in a creative approach and within a nurturing relationship. Something between the practical, goal-oriented advice-giving of life coaching and the open-ended symptom removal work of more traditional psychotherapy, Coherent Narrative work is a guided form of self-discovery that, through asking the right questions, helps clients discover where and why they are stuck, and what has been misunderstood or forgotten in their own life stories. After being helped to articulate and explore their own knowings, participants can work with the Narratologist to recognize and co-construct the changes they truly want to make. 

Enlarging the Frame

The emphasis is on creative "wordplay" in which the client's own utterances have the ultimate author-ity. These utterances arise directly from emotional memory and are then brought into full awareness...where revision is possible. .. even for those who view themselves as inarticulate about their feelings. This outcome is called Narrative Integration, and results in the ability to narrate the themes of your life in an open and flexible manner, and to move from a constricted autobiographical story to a coherent one, free of shame and self-blame. Key phrases from the client's in session narratives are then shared as prompts for written meditation. Written exercises are often a part of the work between sessions; no prior writing skill or experience is necessary. Individual Narrative sessions are usually an hour long; sessions can be conducted in-person, via Skype and email, orally and in writing. Once the practice of Coherent Narrative work is learned it can be continued independently, in your own daily practice. 

"The opposite of depression, is expression.” -Edith Eva Eger

Narrative Coaching suits many purposes, and is particularly useful for people who:

  • Are in career or relationship transition

  • Are grappling with unhealed trauma

  • Have recently lost someone or something significant

  • Are confronting illness or aging

  • Are stuck in the past, or can’t remember their past

  • Feel misunderstood by those in their families or communities

  • Are neuro-divergent/highly sensitive

  • Have been discouraged from voicing their truth

  • Are seeking greater comfort with sharing thoughts, ideas & visions with others

  • Are feeling unhappy but are unsure of of why

  • Underestimate their own strengths and possibilities

  • Feel stuck in a role they have not been able to shake

  • Hold themselves back from pursuing what they want, or are unsure about what they want

  • Feel cut off from the life they want

  • Are about to marry, or divorce

  • Are blocked in their creativity