We all have stories about our lives. If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re thinking, it’s time to change mine. Narrative Therapy is a profoundly useful tool in doing that. It helps us clarify the story we want to tell ourselves, and this guides us as we use specific exercises to achieve our goal.
Years ago, I was a professional storyteller! I would tailor my stories to fit the lives of the person being celebrated, then tell the story to children at birthday parties, gatherings of adults in bars and on stage, and even foster kids at treatment centers. Gradually, I moved from being the only person on the stage to including members of the audience. How the stories came alive! In working with my own Life Coaches, I found that reading out loud the story of the life I wanted, written in the present tense, helped me to make my new life more real.
In my coaching work, I have found this to be an amazing tool. Coupled with my somatic approach, clients have found that they could literally feel the power of their new lives overcoming the stories that no longer serve them. And have gone on to transform not only their stories, but their lives.