Narrative therapy proposes that identity is co-created in relationship with other people as well as one's history and culture. Thus, being seen by others in a certain way can contribute as much as seeing oneself in a certain way. We come to see ourselves by looking in the mirrors that other people hold up for us. In this way, a person's identity is said to be socially constructed. Narrative therapy focuses on the degree to which that socially constructed identity fits for that person.
Narrative therapy consists of understanding the stories or themes that have shaped a person's life.
Narrative therapy proposes that only those experiences which are part of a larger story will have significant impact on a person's lived experience. Therefore, narrative therapy focuses on building the plot which connects a person's life together. A person's life is criss-crossed by invisible story lines. These unseen story lines can have enormous power in shaping a person's life. Narrative therapy involves the process of drawing out and amplifying these story lines.