Narrative and Existential Therapy

Some people come to therapy with a symptom to fix. Others come with a bigger question: who am I now, what matters to me, how did I end up telling my life this way? Narrative and existential therapy are made for those questions.

What these approaches are

Narrative therapy looks at the stories you tell about yourself and your life, and how some of them may be limiting you. Together you separate who you are from the problem, find the parts of your story that have been overlooked, and write a version that fits better.

Existential therapy looks at the big questions everyone faces sooner or later: meaning, choice, freedom, loneliness, mortality. It is not about finding the right answer. It is about facing these questions honestly and living more deliberately.

Who might find them helpful

• People in a transition: a breakup, a loss, a career change, a diagnosis, leaving home
• Teens and young adults working out identity and direction
• People who feel stuck in an old story about themselves
• Anyone who wants therapy that goes deeper than coping skills

Our clinicians

• Maria Szabo, MHC-LP works in a depth-oriented way, drawing on psychodynamic, existential and narrative therapy, IFS and emotion-focused therapy, with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families.
• Mandy Rice, LMSW uses narrative, psychodynamic and IFS-informed approaches with teens and adults, often bringing in nature and reflective practices.

Related approaches

These approaches often sit alongside psychodynamic therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Your clinician will talk with you about what fits.

Frequently asked questions

Is this only talk therapy?

Mostly, yes. Sessions are conversations, sometimes with writing or reflective exercises between them. Your clinician may also draw on skills-based approaches when they help.

How long does it take?

It varies. Some people come for a few months during a transition; others prefer longer, open-ended work. You decide together with your clinician.