Therapists for Addictions

This page lists therapists who include narrative therapy among their approaches and who work with addictions. Use the listings below to explore profiles, approaches, languages and experience as you consider which practitioner to contact.

Browse the directory to learn more about how narrative practice frames addictions and to find therapists whose descriptions match what you are looking for.

Understanding addictions through a narrative lens

Narrative therapy begins from the idea that people make sense of their lives through stories. When addiction becomes part of a person's life, it often arrives wrapped in stories about blame, weakness, identity and fate - stories handed down by family, workplaces, culture or early experiences. These familiar accounts can be thin and unkind, reducing a person to a single problem and masking other values, skills and commitments. Narrative approaches, developed in Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston, set out to open those stories up so that alternative meanings and possibilities can be explored. In the context of addictions, the work is not about arguing with symptoms or prescribing a set of techniques. Instead, it focuses on examining the stories you live by - where they came from, how they have shaped decisions, and whether they reflect the person you want to be.

That means narrative work pays attention to language, relational context and the social meanings that make certain stories feel inevitable. You and a narrative practitioner will look not only at what is happening but at the way it is described and understood. Over time the aim is to build a preferred story - an account of your values and commitments that holds up in everyday life - while preserving your agency and dignity. This approach is often combined with other methods, and most therapists who list narrative therapy include it alongside other clinical approaches. Because a listing only records that a therapist uses narrative ideas among their tools, it is useful to ask practitioners directly how they use this approach in their work with addictions.

How narrative therapy works with addictions

In narrative practice the problem is externalised - that is, it is spoken about as something separate from you. Externalising language allows you to describe the problem’s actions, history and effects without turning it into your identity. For addictions, the familiar story might sound like I am weak, I am controlled by the craving, or This always happens to people like me. A narrative conversation names those stories, traces where they came from, and follows how they have been reinforced by relationships and wider cultural messages. Once the problem is described as an entity with its own behaviours and influences, you can examine its reach and limits, and notice moments when it did not have the final word.

The practitioner will look for unique outcomes - moments or decisions that do not fit the dominant story - and explore them in detail. These are the grainy, often overlooked episodes that point to other values, skills and intentions. Re-authoring conversations build from these outcomes into richer descriptions of your life, ones that better reflect what matters to you. Narrative therapists may also use re-membering or definitional ceremony practices to bring important people, memories or commitments into the conversation in ways that support a newly emerging story. Some practitioners involve outsider witness practices, where carefully prepared listeners reflect back what they have heard to reinforce the new accounts of identity and agency. The emphasis throughout is on collaborative meaning-making rather than on interpreting you or applying a fixed treatment plan.

What to expect in narrative sessions for addictions

Early sessions often focus on naming and externalising. You can expect questions that aim to separate the problem from your identity - questions about what the problem does, when it started to matter, who notices its presence and what effects it has on different areas of your life. These conversations are typically conversational and exploratory rather than diagnostic. The pace is set by your willingness to unpack stories and to examine cultural and relational influences. Later sessions tend to shift toward re-authoring - looking for unique outcomes and weaving them into a more expansive account of your values, commitments and skills.

In practice, most therapists who list narrative therapy combine it with other approaches, so a session may include elements focused on practical strategies or skills when those are relevant to your goals. Because the source data only records that a therapist lists narrative therapy among their approaches, it is useful to ask how much of their work uses narrative methods and what a typical session looks like. Some practitioners stay primarily conversational, while others integrate reflective exercises, family conversations or referral to community supports as part of a broader plan. Narrative work tends to be collaborative and respectful of your expertise about your life, so early conversations are also an opportunity to see how comfortable you feel with a therapist's style and language.

Is a narrative approach the right fit for addictions?

There is no reliable way to tell in advance whether a particular approach will suit you. People who tend to be drawn to narrative work often say they do not want to be reduced to a diagnosis, and that they value an approach that attends to identity, relationships and social context. If you find yourself pushed into thin, unkind stories about your behaviour, narrative therapy may appeal because it focuses on widening the narrative to include forgotten skills, intentions and commitments. Unlike approaches that concentrate primarily on thought content or skill practice, narrative therapy privileges the stories that give actions meaning and seeks to expand those stories.

Compared with cognitive behaviourally oriented methods that work on thought patterns, or skills-focused approaches that teach coping strategies, narrative therapy is more interested in the language and meanings that shape everyday life. Compared with work that concentrates on past events for insight, narrative practice is flexible about time - it traces histories of influence but stays focused on what you want your life to be now. Many therapists combine narrative ideas with other modalities, integrating practical strategies when they are helpful. The important point is to discuss with a prospective therapist how they understand addictions, how narrative ideas inform their practice, and what you would expect from a first conversation. Most people use an initial session to assess fit and to decide whether the practitioner’s style and emphases align with their goals.

How to choose a therapist who works narratively with addictions

When you look through profiles, consider asking direct questions in an initial call or message. Ask how much of their clinical work uses narrative approaches, what a typical session includes, and how they describe the process of externalising and re-authoring. Inquire about the range of approaches they list and how those might be combined in practice. It is reasonable to ask where they studied or practised and to request information about licensure or registration in your region so you can verify professional credentials.

Evaluate fit in a first conversation by noticing how the therapist listens, whether their language avoids reducing you to a single problem, and whether they invite your perspective on what matters. Narrative work is conversational, so video sessions generally work well because they allow for sustained dialogue and visual connection. If family or cultural narratives are important in your situation, ask about the practitioner's experience with re-membering conversations and with involving significant others in a way that respects your agency. Ultimately, choosing a therapist is a personal decision; use the listings to compare focus areas, languages, clinical approaches and experience, and bring questions about narrative methods to the first meeting so you can make an informed choice about the direction of the work.