Narrative Therapy in Alberta
Rewrite the stories that shape how you see yourself and create a life that feels more like your own.
Everyone has stories about who they are.
“I always mess things up.”
“I’m too anxious.”
“I can’t seem to get it right.”
Over time, these stories can start to sound like facts. They become so familiar that they begin to shape how you see yourself, how you make choices, and what you believe is possible. Narrative Therapy helps you step back from those old patterns and see that you are more than the stories you’ve been told or have told yourself.
At The Mental Health Clinic, Narrative Therapy offers a structured, conversational way to explore how your stories came to be, how they affect you, and how you can rewrite them in ways that better fit your values and hopes. Instead of viewing yourself as “the problem,” this approach separates you from the problem so you can see it more clearly and respond to it differently.
It’s not about rewriting history, it’s about rediscovering your authorship in the present. When you start shaping your story with clarity and direction, life feels less like something happening to you and more like something you can influence and define.
(Online sessions available across Alberta, including Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Fort McMurray.)
Is Your Story Working Against You?
What Is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative Therapy is a collaborative, short-term approach that views your life as a collection of stories rather than a list of symptoms or labels. Each story has its own characters, settings, and themes. Some of these stories strengthen you. Others may keep you stuck. Through conversation, your therapist helps you explore how these narratives developed, what purpose they serve, and whether they still reflect who you want to be.
The process is practical and empowering. Together, you and your therapist explore what you’ve been saying about your life and how to make space for stories that highlight your persistence, creativity, and capacity for change. By shifting focus from what’s wrong to what’s possible, you begin to see yourself (and your challenges) through a wider, kinder lens.
Why People Appreciate Narrative Therapy
Many clients are surprised by how light and even creative Narrative Therapy can feel. It doesn’t involve endlessly rehashing painful memories. Instead, it helps you understand how you’ve been telling those memories and what else might be true. The process invites curiosity and flexibility.
People often describe it as freeing. They begin to notice that their stories aren’t fixed, and that they can start making small changes that lead to real shifts in how they think and feel. Clients often say things like:
“I finally understand myself differently.”
“It’s like the problem lost its power.”
“I can see a version of my life that makes sense again.”
If you’ve ever felt defined by your past or caught in the same loop of self-blame and doubt, Narrative Therapy helps you create a new way of relating to your experiences. It’s not about pretending difficulties never happened, it’s about realising they don’t get to write your entire story. When you reconnect with your values and strengths, life starts to feel more aligned, steady, and meaningful.
Who Benefits from Narrative Therapy
Narrative Therapy is a strong fit for people who want to understand themselves without being reduced to a diagnosis or label. It works well if you find yourself overwhelmed by self-criticism, struggling with identity, or feeling stuck in a pattern that keeps repeating.
It’s especially helpful for those processing grief, trauma, relationship conflict, or major life transitions. People often seek this approach when they want to shift how they see themselves, whether that’s moving beyond guilt, reclaiming self-worth, or finding direction after a difficult chapter.
Because it’s non-blaming and deeply collaborative, Narrative Therapy is suitable for adults, teens, couples, and families alike.
What Happens in Narrative Therapy Sessions
Sessions feel conversational and purposeful. You and your therapist work together to explore how your story has been shaped and how to reshape it. The process begins by separating the problem from your identity. Instead of saying, “I’m anxious,” you might look at how anxiety shows up in your life and what it’s trying to influence.
You then map how that problem interacts with your daily world, your routines, relationships, and thoughts. Together, you start identifying exceptions, those “sparkling moments” when things went differently or when you acted from strength. These are important clues to what’s possible.
Once those moments are recognised, you begin re-authoring your story around what truly matters to you: your values, goals, and preferred outcomes. Over time, these new stories are strengthened through awareness, small changes, and supportive relationships.
Each session builds on the last, offering a sense of direction and continuity. Many clients notice a shift in perspective within a few sessions. Deeper narrative change (especially around identity or long-standing challenges) may develop over several months.
Why Narrative Therapy Works (and How it Fits in Modern Practice)
When you change the way you relate to your story, you change what feels possible. Instead of being trapped inside a problem, you start observing it from the outside. That distance creates flexibility. You can notice patterns without judgment and choose how to respond.
Narrative Therapy works because it helps people separate who they are from what they’re experiencing. This shift reduces self-blame and opens room for curiosity, creativity, and agency. As you re-author your story, you begin to see how small, intentional changes can reshape how life feels day to day.
In practice, many therapists weave narrative principles into broader treatment frameworks. It fits naturally alongside structured approaches like CBT or EMDR, or values-based models such as ACT and IFS. By integrating narrative work with skill-building and mindfulness-based tools, therapy becomes both practical and deeply personal, helping clients make sense of the past while creating meaningful direction for the future.
Why Choose The Mental Health Clinic for Narrative Therapy in Alberta
Therapists you can trust: Licensed professional with advanced training and 20+ years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families.
Evidence-based and results-oriented: Every session follows proven methods tailored to your goals, so you notice progress you can feel and measure.
Alberta-wide access: Meet from a private space via telephone or by using our encrypted video platform. Online sessions provide the same level of care and emotional connection as in-person therapy while allowing you to meet from the comfort of your own home. Whether you are in a large city or a small rural area, professional relationship support is within reach!
Flexible scheduling options with morning, afternoon, evening and weekend appointments available.
No waitlists so you can start when you're ready, not months from now.
Free consultations: Meet your therapist first, ask questions, and make sure it feels like the right fit before committing.
Learn more about how we work on About Our Clinic, or learn more about out Therapists.
Narrative Therapy Fees and Insurance Coverage in Alberta
As is standard with private counselling, fees are due at the time of your appointment.
Many extended health plans (e.g., Alberta Blue Cross, Canada Life, Sun Life, Manulife, Green Shield) reimburse counselling with qualified providers; coverage varies by plan.
Health spending accounts can also be applied toward therapy costs.
We provide detailed receipts that include all necessary registration information for reimbursement.
If you’re unsure about benefits, it is best to contact your insurer and ask whether sessions with an Alberta-licensed therapist are included.
For more details, visit our Fees page.
Start Narrative Therapy in Alberta Today
Your story is still being written. If you’re ready to step out of the old narrative and begin shaping one that reflects who you truly are, Narrative Therapy can help you start that process today.
Book your free 20-minute consultation to meet our Narrative Therapist Daniel, ask questions, and set a clear direction for your next chapter.
Between Sessions: Noticing the Small Shifts
The work doesn’t end when the session does. Between appointments, clients are encouraged to observe subtle signs of change like a moment of patience that felt new, a conversation that unfolded more calmly, or a day that carried a little more ease.
These small shifts are valuable data. They show that progress is already happening, even before the problem feels completely resolved. You and your therapist use these observations to refine the focus of upcoming sessions and to strengthen your new narrative. Change, in this sense, grows from awareness rather than pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Narrative therapy
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There’s no fixed number, since every person’s story is different. Some clients notice shifts in perspective within 4-6 sessions. Others benefit from 10–12 or more to work through deeper narratives. We’ll always keep your goals in focus, and part of the work is evaluating progress together and adjusting pace as needed.
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Yes. While Narrative Therapy doesn’t force retelling of traumatic events, it helps you explore how those experiences have become woven into your story. You can gently reframe meaning, reclaim autonomy over interpretations, and emphasize resilience. Many clients find this approach quite supportive alongside trauma-informed methods.
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Often yes, but nothing overwhelming. You might be invited to notice moments when things feel different, write short reflections, or reflect on times when your “problem narrative” loosened its grip. These small reflections become part of how the new story grows.
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Absolutely. Narrative Therapy is often used alongside medical, psychiatric, or other therapeutic support. We see your mental health in a holistic way, so if you’re on medication or working with other professionals, Narrative Therapy can complement those for meaning, identity, and narrative work.
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Yes. Narrative Therapy easily adapts to relational settings. You and your therapist can explore shared stories, how dominant narratives affect relationships, and how new, healthier shared narratives can emerge. It often helps couples or families shift blame cycles and reclaim shared meaning.
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Unlike traditional “talk therapy” which might explore why things happened (past dynamics), Narrative Therapy focuses on how you tell your story now and how that shapes your lived experience. It emphasizes agency, meaning, and redefining identity rather than exploring unconscious conflict or childhood origins.
Our Team of Licensed Alberta Therapists are Here to Support You
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AMY
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DANIEL
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KAREN
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SAMANTHA