Therapists for Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks

This page lists therapists who include narrative therapy among their approaches and who work with panic disorder and panic attacks. Browse the profiles below to explore clinicians' approaches, focus areas, credentials and languages to find options that might fit what you are looking for.

Understanding panic disorder and panic attacks through a narrative lens

Panic disorder and panic attacks are often described in terms of symptoms and episodes, yet the stories you carry about those experiences shape how they live day to day. Narrative therapy, developed in Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston, begins from the idea that people make sense of their lives through stories. For panic you might have an ongoing story that says, "I am unreliable," "My body betrays me," or "I will always lose control." Those narratives can come from family messages, cultural expectations, or a series of events that have been woven into a single familiar account. Narrative therapists aim to listen to and map those stories so that they can be opened up, examined, and reworked. They do not primarily focus on changing thought content or teaching coping skills as the first step. Instead, they focus on how the meaning of panic has been constructed in your life and what alternative, richer accounts might be possible.

How narrative therapy works with panic disorder and panic attacks

When narrative therapists work with panic-related difficulties they draw on a set of practices intended to separate the problem from the person and to discover moments that do not fit the dominant story. Externalising is a cornerstone practice - the therapist helps you name the experience in a way that positions it as something that affects your life rather than as the definition of who you are. For example, rather than saying "I am anxious," a narrative frame might support a wording such as "the panic has been making itself known at certain times." That shift creates space to describe the panic's patterns, triggers and effects without collapsing your identity into the problem.

Alongside externalising, therapists listen for thin and rich descriptions. Thin descriptions are short, depleting accounts: "I panic because I'm weak." Rich descriptions expand context, nuance and values, bringing forward times when you acted in ways that mattered to you even in the presence of panic. Gathering unique outcomes is another key practice - therapists invite you to tell stories of moments that do not fit the familiar narrative, no matter how small. Those moments are treated as evidence that alternative stories exist. Over time re-authoring conversations and re-membering practices help you assemble a preferred story - an account that foregrounds your values, commitments and capacities in ordinary life. Other narrative practices you may encounter include outsider witness conversations and definitional ceremony, which bring selected listeners into parts of the work to reflect back what they hear and to help new meanings emerge. Because many clinicians combine narrative work with other approaches, you will often find narrative practices woven alongside other techniques rather than presented as the only method.

What to expect in narrative sessions for panic disorder and panic attacks

If you choose to work with a therapist who uses a narrative approach, early conversations tend to focus on naming and mapping. You can expect questions that invite you to describe the panic as an external presence - where it appears, how it behaves, and what effects it has on different areas of your life. The pace is usually conversational and exploratory rather than diagnostic. A therapist might ask you to tell specific stories about times you noticed the panic and times when it was less in charge, paying close attention to what those exceptions reveal. You may be asked to provide detailed, concrete descriptions rather than abstract labels, because those concrete moments are where alternative meanings are found.

As the work continues, sessions shift toward re-authoring. The focus moves from understanding the problem to amplifying your preferred ways of acting and being. This can involve naming values that matter to you, identifying allies and supports in your life story, and creating new narratives about how you relate to the panic. Some therapists use externalising conversations as a regular practice in sessions, while others introduce re-membering or outsider witness practices at particular points. It is common for clinicians who list narrative therapy among their approaches to integrate techniques from other modalities, so the balance between narrative and other methods varies. You should ask how much of their work is narrative and what a typical session looks like for them to get a clear sense of style and pace.

Is a narrative approach the right fit for panic disorder and panic attacks?

People are often drawn to narrative work because it treats you as an author of your life rather than as a diagnosis. If you find the idea of being defined by panic unhelpful, or if you feel that stories from family, culture or past experiences have boxed you into a narrow identity, narrative methods can offer a different way of understanding your situation. In comparison, approaches that focus primarily on thought content or skill training - for example cognitive-behavioural or dialectical skills work - often emphasise symptom tracking and strategies for managing episodes. Psychodynamic work tends to foreground insight into historical patterns and unconscious processes. Narrative therapy is distinct because it foregrounds how meaning is constructed and seeks to open up new meanings through conversation and story-making.

That said, there is no way to tell in advance whether any single approach will suit you. Many people combine narrative work with other modalities, integrating symptom-focused tools alongside story-focused conversations. Some clients want direct skill-based techniques for managing intense moments, while others prioritise changing the way they and their communities talk about panic. A first conversation with a therapist is usually the best way to discover fit - you can ask how they balance narrative practices with other methods and how they approach pacing, homework and collaboration. Remember also to verify licensure or registration where you live so you have the factual background you need about a clinician's professional standing.

How to choose a therapist who works narratively with panic disorder and panic attacks

Choosing a therapist is about fit as much as credentials. When you read profiles of clinicians who list narrative therapy among their approaches, take note of the specific language they use and the populations they describe. In a first conversation you might ask directly how much of their work is narrative and what a typical session looks like, including whether they use practices such as externalising, unique outcome exploration, re-authoring conversations, re-membering or outsider witness processes. Ask where they hold registration or licensure and what professional background they bring, keeping in mind that listing an approach does not by itself indicate a particular training history. It is reasonable to request examples of how they help people re-author their stories and to describe what homework or between-session work, if any, they suggest.

Narrative work translates readily to video and phone sessions because it depends on conversation and storytelling rather than specialized equipment. If you expect to meet online, you can ask how the therapist conducts outsider witness conversations or definitional ceremony at a distance. A short initial session or phone call can help you assess whether the therapist's questions and relational style resonate with you. Ultimately, people who find narrative work helpful often describe feeling seen as a whole person and supported in assembling a story about their life that reflects their values and commitments. There is no guarantee any approach will produce a particular result, but asking clear questions and attending to how a therapist talks about panic and identity will help you make an informed choice about who to meet next.

Next steps

As you explore the listings on this page, use profile details to compare focus areas, clinical approaches, professional registrations and languages spoken. When you reach out to a clinician, ask how much of their practice uses narrative methods and what a session typically involves. A first conversation is the most reliable way to learn whether their style and the narrative approach feel like a good fit for your hopes and needs.