7 ways to understand therapy from Narrative Practices

It is normal that going to the psychologist can generate fear and anxiety in us, since they are emotions that appear to protect us from an unknown situation and because, in addition, Culturally, we have learned that psychotherapy is a space that can cause us discomfort by opening ourselves up and exposing our emotions, thoughts, and more private and deep.

Likewise, there may be fear that the psychologist will judge or criticize the way we are and do things because socially there is the belief that he is the expert and is "the one who will tell me what is happening", if it is "normal or not" and how best to treat it manner. Therefore, there is an implicit power relationship from the beginning and a norm that pathologizes.

• Related article: "The 10 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

The proposal of Narrative Practices in therapy

However, from Narrative Practices, which is a way of do psychotherapy from a critical and social position, it is sought that the psychologist has a horizontal relationship with the consultant, being aware of the power relations and the claims of normality so as not to reproduce them. This approach seeks to accompany from a decentered, fair and non-pathologizing place.

That being said, below, I will tell you in greater depth 7 ways to understand the psychotherapy space from Narrative Practices:

1. Psychotherapy is an act of self-love

Going to psychotherapy is giving yourself time, a space that makes it possible to raise awareness to have more and better tools to deal with various situations. From Narrative Practices we help people embrace the complexity that makes us human beings, nurturing the life stories we like about ourselves and giving new meaning to the way we tell ourselves. Therefore, it is a space to embrace everything that happens within you. A space free of judgments and without pretensions of "normal people" and yes, a space to be who you are being.

• You may be interested in: "Activating self-love: tips to enhance it"

2. Psychotherapy is recognizing yourself

Acknowledging pain, emotions that cause you discomfort and difficult situations in life and others is important for growth and well-being. From Narrative Practices, psychotherapy is a space that allows you to feel and listen to them, since they usually come to tell you about something that is important to you. There is no claim to reach only socially recognized and applauded places such as joy, euphoria, etc. While these are important it is also important that the richness of what lives in you have a space to be recognized. Moving away from a dichotomous vision of good or bad.

3. Psychotherapy, a space for reflection

Psychotherapy is a space that invites us to question ourselves and reflect on the way in which we relate to ourselves and to others. This is the basis for achieving practical actions that help move us to places of greater well-being proposed by ourselves. From this perspective, it is important to become aware of the discourses that speak to us, since many of the desires, frustrations, etc. They are derived by social discourses that tell us about how we should be and what we should do. Therefore, it is important to deconstruct those macro narratives that hold us back and look at the narratives that make sense to us and that are consistent with what is important to us.

• Related article: "Self-knowledge: definition and 8 tips to improve it"

4. Psychotherapy is a process

It is essential to understand that psychotherapy is not a linear path. Re-thinking, Re-feeling and Re-doing takes time. You may sometimes go back to old ways, but perseverance and compassion are essential to go through your heart again. Usually, the ideas we have of immediate cure obey imposed demands that we end up internalizing and that are not empathetic with our own times. Therefore, psychotherapy like life is a space where the notion of process will be accompanying us.

5. Psychotherapy, a space of care

Psychotherapy should be a safe and respectful place that allows you to feel comfortable opening up and expressing yourself. Always from an empathetic accompany by the psychologist. Many times we over-demand ourselves and we think that we must solve everything alone and that this is how victories will be bigger, this due to an individualistic and competitive system that reinforces these beliefs. However, we do not have to achieve everything alone; Our ties, support networks and therapeutic accompaniment are vital to make us feel protected, heard and cared for.

We must remember that we are relational beings and we are always building ourselves around others., this is fundamental from the Narrative Practices.

6. Psychotherapy, a space of dignity

From the Narrative Practices it is considered that all people are experts in our life and that We have tools, knowledge, resources, dreams, goals, values ​​and hopes to build a life worthy. Therefore, psychotherapy from this perspective is a space that contributes to move us to all these aspects. that cross us to take action from there and generate movements towards identities that are preferred by us.

7. Psychotherapy must be contextual

Last but not least from this perspective, many of the problems and discomforts that we consider are considered to be within we are actually the result of living in a society with structural inequities, power relations and demands of a system economic. In short, our context affects the way we relate to ourselves and to others. Therefore, psychotherapy from Narrative Practices goes beyond purely individualistic explanations to focus on the dynamics that exist in our relationships, the way in which we build ourselves with others, the impacts that this has and the abilities that we have.

Looking for therapeutic support?

Are you interested in a fair, non-pathologizing, social, critical psychotherapy space that contributes to dignified ways of life?

I accompany you from a place of care, empathy and respect. I'm Nathaly Prieto, psychologist with emphasis on narrative practices and ancestral knowledge. I work with problems of low self-esteem, lack of meaning in life, anxiety, feeling of failure, grief migratory, emotional management, situations of family conflicts, individuals and couples, attachment and depression, among other. I do online therapy.