Therapists for Depression

This page lists therapists who include narrative therapy among their approaches and who work with depression. Browse the clinician profiles below to read how each practitioner describes their narrative practice and focus areas.

Depression as a story - how narrative therapy frames the issue

When you are living with depression you are likely carrying a set of stories about yourself, your capacities, and your place in the world. Narrative therapy begins from the idea that people make sense of their lives through stories, and that some of those stories - passed down by family, schools, workplaces and wider culture - are thin, limiting or unkind. Originating in Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s with Michael White and David Epston, narrative approaches aim to separate a person from the problem so that the problem can be examined and re-described.

In practical terms this means attention shifts away from labels and symptoms alone and toward how the story of depression shows up in your relationships, daily routines and sense of possibility. A familiar narrative in depression might sound like I am broken, I am a burden, or Nothing I do matters. Narrative work invites you to explore where that story came from, how it has been reinforced, and where exceptions - moments that do not fit the familiar account - already exist. This creates space to imagine and practise a different, preferred story that better reflects your values and commitments in ordinary life.

How narrative therapy works with depression

Narrative therapists use particular practices to make the work tangible. One early practice is externalising - talking about the problem as something separate from you so that it can be named, described and examined. Externalising gives you language to describe how depression acts, when it is strongest, and what it tries to stop you from doing. Alongside externalising, practitioners pay attention to thin and rich description. Thin descriptions reduce a person to a short phrase or label. Rich descriptions expand the scene, the relationships, the times the story holds and the times it does not.

Another key practice is finding unique outcomes - moments when you resisted the pull of the familiar story, however small or brief. Gathering these instances helps you and the therapist map resources, skills and values that already exist. Re-authoring conversations then weave together those exceptions and values into a preferred story that you can carry into everyday life. Some narrative work also uses re-membering conversations, outsider witnesses or definitional ceremony as ways to include significant others or larger social accounts in the process of reshaping meaning. Taken together, these practices help you interrogate how cultural, familial and institutional narratives have shaped the experience of depression and create room for alternative accounts that honour your commitments.

What to expect in narrative sessions for depression

If you choose a therapist who works narratively, the early conversations are often practical and exploratory. A first session tends to involve naming the problem in a way that separates it from you, asking about the history of the story, and listening for times when it has not been dominant. You can expect open, curious questions aimed at description rather than quick fixes. Questions often ask you to describe how the problem behaves, when it is less powerful, and what matters most to you in the parts of life the problem touches.

As the work continues, the focus may shift toward re-authoring - building richer descriptions and experimenting with new practices, relationships and ways of talking that align with the preferred story. The pace is collaborative and can be slow or brisk depending on what you need. It is important to know that most therapists who list narrative therapy combine it with other approaches, so the proportion of narrative methods used in a session varies by clinician. That is why many people use an initial conversation to ask how much of the work is narrative and what a typical session looks like for that therapist.

Is a narrative approach the right fit for you?

There is no reliable way to tell in advance whether any single approach will suit you. People who are often drawn to narrative work include those who do not want to be reduced to a diagnosis, who feel that a story handed to them by family or culture no longer fits, or who value a collaborative stance that highlights their agency and values. Narrative therapy differs from approaches focused primarily on thought content, such as cognitive-behavioural work, which often targets patterns of thinking. It also differs from methods that emphasise skill-training or behavioural change, and from psychodynamic approaches that centre insight into early relationships. That said, therapists commonly integrate narrative practices with elements from other modalities when it makes sense for your situation.

If you value exploring meaning, context and relationships, narrative work can offer a different frame for understanding depression. You should expect to weigh how important those priorities are to you in a first conversation. Many people find it helpful to ask specific questions about how the therapist understands the problem, how they balance narrative techniques with other approaches, and how progress is usually described in their practice. These questions can clarify whether the therapist's style and the narrative stance align with what you want from therapy.

How to choose a therapist who works narratively with depression

Questions to ask

When you review clinician profiles or make initial contact, it is useful to ask directly how much of their work is narrative and what a typical session looks like. Ask where they trained and how they learned their approach, keeping in mind that listing an approach on a profile does not prove a particular credential. You can also ask about the therapist's experience with the themes you care about, the populations they work with, and whether they offer online sessions if that matters to you. It is appropriate to verify licensure or registration where you live to ensure the practitioner meets regional professional standards.

Assessing fit in a first conversation

A first conversation gives you a practical sense of the therapist's questions, pace and stance. Notice whether they invite your perspective on the stories being told, whether they listen for exceptions and values, and how they explain the steps they would take together with you. If you prefer a conversational, collaborative approach that foregrounds your meanings and choices, narrative sessions are often compatible with that preference. If you are curious about online work, narrative therapy translates well to video because it relies on conversation, careful questioning and shared meaning-making rather than physical procedures.

Choosing a therapist is both practical and personal. Use the profiles on this page to compare clinicians' focus areas, approaches, credentials and languages, and ask direct questions about how they describe narrative work and what you can expect from early sessions. Most people find that the first few conversations are the clearest way to discover whether the therapist's style and the narrative stance will support the changes they hope to make.

Final considerations

Narrative therapy offers a particular way of looking at depression - one that foregrounds stories, relationships and values rather than reducing a person to a label. It is neither a guaranteed solution nor a single technique. Instead, it is a collection of practices you can explore with a therapist who lists narrative therapy among their approaches. When you reach out to clinicians, asking clear questions about how they use narrative methods, how they integrate other approaches, and how they describe progress will help you make an informed choice. Verifying professional registration where you live and having an initial conversation are sensible next steps when you are ready to explore whether a narrative approach might fit your needs.