This therapy is built on the belief that reality is constructed, organized, and maintained by the stories we create, and the Narrative Therapist focuses on helping clients fully realize and detail their own rich stories and the possibilities associated within them.

Techniques:

1. Externalization technique - the client is asked to add a preposition to the behavior or characteristic he/or she desires to change. For example, instead of "I am anxious", the client is encouraged to say, "I am currently living with anxiety", which is followed by the therapist asking, "When did you discover anxiety first entering your life?"

2. "Deconstruct the Problem" - using this technique, the therapist will assist the client in making the problem specific and manageable.

3. Deconstruction - this technique helps others understand what the problem means to the client. For example, the therapist might say, "Tell us what you see when the problem is present and what we will see when it goes away."

4. Unique outcomes (altering the dominate negative story) - the therapist assists the client to focus on a life story that is divergent from the problem-saturated story narrative.

5. Narration of a new story - once the problem is deconstructed and unique outcomes are realized, it is important that new solutions are identified and integrated as the individual or family moves forward. The client or client system needs a new positive story line in place that replaces the initial one presented when the client or client system entered treatment.

6. Letters, definitional ceremonies, and reflection - encouragement is needed by people in the larger community system to validate the new positive story line. Family members, the therapist, a support group, and trusted others can listen and speak openly (or write) to the client(s) about their perspective of how they view the new narrative coming and being alive in the client's life.