Narrative and psychotherapy

Narrative thinking is a fundamental form of human knowing that has particular relevance for the domain of psychotherapy. After reviewing the historical and epistemic foundations of narrative knowing in the social and behavioral sciences, we (a) outline several parallels between narrative knowing and constructivist epistemology, (b) describe some of the salient features of emerging narrative approaches, and (c) suggest a central role for hermeneutics in future narrative-based conceptualizations of the field. We suggested that by underscoring the storied nature of the human condition, narrative provides an integrative and contextually sensitive framework for psychotherapeutic theory and practice.