Narrative Therapy Prompts: A Guide to Healing Through Story
Narrative therapy is built on a simple but profound belief: you are not your problems. Challenges such as anxiety, grief, or addiction are not fixed identities—they are stories that have been told about you or by you, often influenced by culture, family, and past experiences. These stories can be limiting, shaping how you see yourself and how others see you. But just like any story, they can also be re-examined, retold, and reshaped in ways that empower rather than define you.
This perspective allows people to step outside the weight of labels, diagnoses, or struggles and begin to view themselves through a wider lens. Instead of being “a depressed person” or “an addict,” narrative therapy makes room for someone to be a parent, a creator, a survivor, or a dreamer who happens to be facing depression or addiction. By separating the person from the problem, narrative therapy restores agency and dignity.
A key tool in this process is the use of narrative therapy prompts—structured, intentional questions that open up new ways of thinking and speaking about one’s life. Prompts encourage people to examine the stories they live by, uncover hidden assumptions, and notice moments of resilience that may have been overlooked. They provide a pathway to “re-authoring” one’s life—choosing values, strengths, and preferred identities to guide the story forward. In this way, prompts serve as both reflection tools and stepping stones, helping individuals take ownership of their narrative and craft a story that feels authentic and hopeful.
We’ve created a free Narrative Therapy Prompts PDF, available at the end of this article, that you can download and use for journaling, therapy sessions, or personal reflection.
Understanding the Roots of Narrative Therapy
Developed in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston, narrative therapy arose during a period when psychotherapy was heavily centered on pathology and the question of what was wrong with people. Much of the clinical language at the time reduced individuals to their symptoms or diagnoses, which often left people feeling defined by their problems. White and Epston introduced a different perspective. They emphasized that a person is always more than the challenges they face, and that problems should be understood as separate from the individual.
Rather than saying, “I’m anxious,” narrative therapy encourages a reframe such as, “Anxiety has been influencing my life.” This shift may seem subtle, but it has powerful implications. It allows people to create distance from the problem instead of merging their identity with it. That distance creates room for curiosity, compassion, and choice. A person can begin to recognize that they are capable and resourceful, with strengths and values that exist apart from the issue.
When someone no longer sees themselves as broken, they are more open to identifying the ways they have already resisted or overcome difficulties. This approach highlights resilience and helps people build a sense of agency. By seeing problems as separate, individuals can develop a healthier relationship with their struggles, one where they are not defined by them but instead equipped to respond in ways that align with who they want to be.
The Power of Story in Shaping Identity
Stories are not just a form of entertainment. They are the frameworks we use to make sense of our lives and the world around us. From early childhood onward, we absorb stories from our families, cultures, and communities, and those stories shape the way we see ourselves. The narratives we carry are not simply memories or events; they are interpretations that influence how we move through life.
The stories we tell ourselves shape three major areas:
Identity: They influence how we define who we are and what roles we play in the world.
Beliefs: They set the boundaries of what we assume is possible or impossible.
Behavior: They guide the choices we make each day, often without us realizing it.
For example, someone who carries the story, “I always fail at relationships,” will interpret every new experience through that lens. A minor disagreement may feel like confirmation of failure. An argument may be viewed as the beginning of another inevitable ending. The story reinforces itself until it feels like the only truth.
Narrative therapy helps people pause and step outside of these limiting stories. It creates the opportunity to question whether the story is complete or accurate. Are there moments when relationships went well? Have there been times of connection, growth, or healing that do not fit the dominant narrative of failure? By asking these questions, individuals can begin to explore alternative and more hopeful narratives that highlight resilience, capability, and the possibility of change.
Why Prompts Are Central to Narrative Therapy
Prompts serve as more than simple questions. They act as entry points into deeper self-reflection, creating opportunities for individuals to explore, question, and reframe the stories that shape their lives. Rather than giving people ready-made answers, prompts invite curiosity and openness, guiding them toward new ways of seeing themselves.
Prompts can:
Encourage exploration of how problems show up in daily life and in relationships.
Highlight exceptions to problem-saturated stories by uncovering times when the problem had less influence.
Facilitate re-authoring by inviting clients to imagine preferred outcomes and more empowering storylines.
Strengthen agency by positioning the client as the storyteller, rather than a character trapped in a predetermined plot.
Unlike rigid scripts or worksheets that dictate responses, narrative therapy prompts are flexible tools that can be adapted to fit the unique language and experience of each person. A therapist may adjust the wording to reflect a client’s worldview, while an individual journaling on their own can shape the prompts to meet their personal needs.
When used thoughtfully, prompts help bring to light strengths that might otherwise go unnoticed. They open space for new possibilities, allowing people to see that the stories they once felt bound to are not the only stories available. In this way, prompts become stepping stones toward freedom, growth, and resilience.
How Narrative Therapy Differs from Other Approaches
Many therapeutic approaches ask people to explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, but narrative therapy stands out in its unique focus on language and meaning. It emphasizes the stories people tell and the interpretations they attach to experiences, rather than treating symptoms as fixed truths.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT examines thought patterns and works to replace distorted thinking with healthier alternatives. Narrative therapy, on the other hand, steps back and asks a broader question: What story do these thoughts belong to? By looking at the larger narrative, clients can see how single thoughts fit into wider storylines and how those storylines can be reshaped.
Psychoanalysis: Traditional psychoanalytic work explores unconscious drives and past experiences to uncover hidden influences. Narrative therapy shifts the emphasis toward present lived experience and the power of naming. By giving language to problems and positioning them outside the self, clients gain new perspective and control over how they relate to those struggles.
Humanistic Approaches: Humanistic models highlight personal growth and self-actualization. Narrative therapy aligns with this but goes further by providing concrete tools for re-authoring life events. Instead of simply encouraging growth, it guides clients in constructing new storylines that affirm their strengths, values, and preferred identities.
Because of this distinct lens, narrative therapy is particularly effective for people who feel defined—or even trapped—by their problems. It helps them step outside of problem-saturated identities and reclaim authorship of their lives. The approach does not dismiss the reality of pain or difficulty, but it ensures those experiences are not the only story being told.
Narrative Therapy Prompts in Practice
Understanding the philosophy of narrative therapy is important, but the real power comes when the ideas are put into action. Prompts give structure to the process, turning abstract concepts like “re-authoring” or “externalizing the problem” into concrete steps a person can actually engage with.
Narrative therapy prompts can be used in different ways:
In reflection: As a way to pause and notice how a problem has shaped one’s life story.
In journaling: To capture thoughts and emotions on paper, making it easier to track shifts in perspective over time.
In therapeutic sessions: Where the guidance of a counselor can help deepen the process, clarify responses, and identify themes.
In groups or families: To bring hidden stories into the open and create shared understanding.
The prompts themselves are not rigid instructions. They are starting points—open-ended questions designed to spark curiosity, uncover overlooked strengths, and highlight possibilities for new storylines.
With that in mind, here are
1. Externalizing the Problem
Externalizing is the cornerstone of narrative therapy. Instead of fusing identity with a struggle, it separates the person from the problem. This shift gives individuals room to view the problem from the outside rather than being trapped inside it.
Prompts to try:
How would you describe the problem if it were a character in your life story? Would it be a critic, a shadow, a thief, or something else?
What name would you give to the challenge you’re facing if it were no longer called by a clinical label?
If this problem had a voice, what tone would it use when speaking to you?
What does the problem want you to believe about yourself?
When does the problem speak the loudest, and when is it quieter?
By personifying the issue, people often discover that it doesn’t define them—it only visits them. That realization begins to loosen its grip.
2. Exploring the Influence of the Problem
Once the problem is externalized, the next step is to investigate its reach. These prompts help uncover the ways the problem has shaped choices, emotions, and relationships.
Prompts to try:
How has this problem influenced the way you see yourself or others?
In what areas of your life does it try to take the most control—work, family, friendships, health?
Who else has felt the impact of this problem’s presence in your life?
What daily routines or habits has the problem tried to interfere with?
How does the problem affect your ability to pursue your goals or values?
By mapping the influence, clients begin to see the problem’s patterns, which is the first step toward breaking them.
3. Identifying Unique Outcomes
Narrative therapy emphasizes finding exceptions—moments when the problem wasn’t in charge. These “unique outcomes” highlight strengths and values that already exist but may have gone unnoticed.
Prompts to try:
Recall a time when the problem didn’t control your decisions. What was different about that moment?
What inner qualities or strengths allowed you to resist its influence?
Who would recognize and appreciate those strengths if you shared the story with them?
What did you learn about yourself in that situation?
How did it feel to act in a way that was not dictated by the problem?
These reflections remind people that the problem does not always win, which builds confidence in their ability to resist it again.
4. Re-Authoring the Story
Re-authoring is about writing new chapters that align with a person’s preferred identity and values. These prompts invite hope, imagination, and vision for the future.
Prompts to try:
If your life story had a new chapter, what would you want its theme to be?
Which values—such as honesty, courage, compassion, or resilience—do you want to guide your choices moving forward?
How would resilience appear in the next chapter of your life? What actions would make it visible?
If the problem’s voice grew quieter, what opportunities would open up for you?
Imagine yourself five years from now. What story would you want to be telling about how you handled this struggle?
Re-authoring doesn’t erase the past. Instead, it reframes the story so that challenges become part of a larger narrative of growth, meaning, and strength.
Bringing It All Together
Narrative therapy prompts are not designed to uncover a single “right” answer. Instead, they invite exploration, curiosity, and the possibility of seeing life from a new angle. Each prompt is like an open door, encouraging people to step outside of the narrow storyline that problems often create and into a wider perspective. This process helps loosen the grip of rigid, self-defeating beliefs and allows space for hope, creativity, and self-compassion.
By working with these prompts, individuals begin to question the authority of limiting stories. Many of these narratives come from past experiences, cultural expectations, or family messages that have been repeated so often they feel like unchangeable truths. Narrative therapy encourages people to examine those stories critically and ask, Does this really define me? Is this the only version of the story that can be told?
Through externalizing problems, mapping their influence, noticing unique outcomes, and re-authoring new directions, people move from being passive characters to active authors of their own lives. The act of storytelling becomes a form of empowerment. Rather than being reduced to a diagnosis, a failure, or a mistake, individuals begin to recognize themselves as resilient, resourceful, and capable of growth.
Ultimately, narrative therapy prompts do more than spark reflection—they restore agency. They remind people that even in the face of hardship, they are not stuck inside a single plotline. Every life holds multiple stories, and with intentional practice, individuals can choose to center the ones that reflect strength, meaning, and possibility.
Where to Use Narrative Therapy Prompts
These prompts are versatile tools that can be used in a variety of settings, each offering its own benefits:
Therapy sessions guided by a counselor: In the hands of a trained professional, prompts can be tailored to fit a client’s unique story. A counselor can help unpack responses, notice patterns, and guide the individual toward new insights. This ensures the process is not just reflective but also constructive and healing.
Personal journaling for self-reflection: Writing responses to prompts in a journal allows individuals to slow down and process thoughts at their own pace. Over time, the journal becomes a record of growth, showing how perspectives shift as old stories lose power and new ones take root.
Group therapy or support circles: In a group, prompts can spark conversations that reveal common struggles and shared strengths. Hearing others’ stories can normalize experiences, reduce shame, and inspire alternative ways of viewing one’s own challenges.
Family therapy for generational narratives: Families often pass down unspoken stories that shape identity and relationships. Using prompts in a family setting can bring those hidden narratives into the open, challenge assumptions, and create opportunities for rebuilding trust and connection.
When individuals return to these prompts regularly, they strengthen the muscle of narrative flexibility. Each use reinforces the idea that problems are not permanent definitions but shifting influences that can be rewritten. With consistent practice, people develop a greater sense of authorship over their lives, moving from being at the mercy of their challenges to being active storytellers of their growth and resilience.
Closing Thought
Every person carries stories—some uplifting, others limiting. For those living with addiction, anxiety, depression, or trauma, the dominant narrative often becomes problem-saturated: “I’ll never change,” “I’m broken,” or “This is who I am.” Narrative therapy prompts create a space to pause, question, and challenge these narratives. They help uncover the overlooked moments of strength, courage, and resilience that point to a larger, more hopeful story.
By externalizing the problem, mapping its influence, and re-authoring new possibilities, individuals begin to see that while addiction, grief, or mental health struggles may appear in their lives, they do not define who they are. Each reflection becomes a step toward reclaiming agency and identity. Instead of being trapped in a single story, people discover they are the storytellers, capable of writing new chapters grounded in values, growth, and purpose.
At Solace Health Group, we believe healing starts when people are empowered to see themselves beyond their struggles. Our team integrates approaches like narrative therapy into recovery coaching, family support, and clinical care, helping individuals and families rewrite the stories that once held them back. If you or a loved one are seeking support, Solace is here to provide guidance, structure, and compassionate care as you build the next chapter of your life.
Narrative Therapy Prompts PDF
We’ve created a free Narrative Therapy Prompts PDF, available at the end of this article, that you can download and use right away. This resource brings all the prompts together in one place, making it easy to print, save on your device, or share with others.
The PDF can be used in different ways depending on your needs:
On your own: As a personal journaling tool, the prompts provide structure for reflection, helping you notice patterns, uncover strengths, and reframe limiting stories. Writing down your responses makes the process more tangible and allows you to revisit your growth over time.
With a therapist: In a counseling session, the prompts become a guided pathway for deeper exploration. A therapist can help interpret responses, highlight themes you may not notice on your own, and support you in building new, empowering narratives.
Whether used individually or in collaboration with a professional, the Narrative Therapy Prompts PDF offers a flexible resource for reclaiming authorship of your story and moving toward resilience, growth, and healing.
Download Narrative Therapy Prompts PDF 📄
References
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. W. W. Norton.
Payne, M. (2006). Narrative Therapy: An Introduction for Counsellors. SAGE Publications.
Madigan, S. (2011). Narrative Therapy. American Psychological Association.
Freedman, J., & Combs, G. (1996). Narrative Therapy: The Social Construction of Preferred Realities. W. W. Norton.
