Developing Meaningful Narratives

I wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri-willam people of the Kulin nation who are the Traditional Owners of the Land on which I live. I want to pay my respect to the Elders of the Kulin Nation, both past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. I acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

Welcome to Defining Stories Narrative Practice. 

At Defining Stories we believe that our sense of identity and how we live our lives is determined by the stories we hear, tell, and believe about ourselves. 

This practice supports individuals, families, and communities seeking to claim back their lives from problem stories. These problem stories may have silenced the hopes and dreams you hold for your life and your future. We are here to work with you, in a collaborative manner, so that you can begin to tell the stories that make you stronger.

In a narrative session, you are asked questions that assist in describing the problem that is negatively impacting your life. You are not the problem, the problem is the problem. This process is called 'externalising' which assists in recognising that problems are part of history and culture. Therefore, they are socially constructed and created over time. 

Once you feel you have described the problem story to the full, we then begin conversations that seek out alternative stories. Not just any alternative stories, but stories that are identified by you as stories that connect you to the hopes and dreams you have for your life. You will then be asked questions that will help you in richly describing those alternative stories. This process is called 're-authoring'. With a little bit of time and practice, the problem story no longer presents as so prevalent or dominant. You begin to tell the stories that reflect your goals and values. You are the expert of your story.

Narrative Therapy is an invitation to tell and retell your stories in ways that offer hope and healing.

If you would like to discuss whether narrative counselling is right for you, contact Nicole Conner on nicole@definingstories.com.au or use the contact form below.

You can make an appointment for an in-person or online narrative session in the BOOKINGS section of the web site.