Michael White (Adelaide, Australia, 1948 – San Diego, 2008) was an Australian social worker and family therapist, co-founder with New Zealander David Epston of narrative therapy, one of the most influential currents of postmodern systemic therapy.
Central thesis: people experience situations narratively —we construct stories about ourselves, others, the world—. The 'dominant story' each person tells about themselves structures their experience and limits what they can do. Narrative therapy identifies this dominant story, externalizes it (separates it from identity), and allows it to be rewritten with material that the dominant story had omitted.
Key concepts:
Externalization of the problem: 'depression' ceases to be 'I am depressed' and becomes 'depression visits my life'. This allows for distance from the problem and agency in relating to it.
Re-authoring conversations: identifying moments where the person already did something different from what the dominant story predicts. These 'unique outcomes' are material for a new narrative.
Therapeutic map: White developed precise conversational maps to guide the work (maps of externalization, re-membering, unique outcomes).
Importance for the transgenerational approach: many persistent family dynamics are sustained by narrative stories of the clan ('in this family, women are not good for business', 'the men of my lineage always fail'). Narrative therapy allows for working precisely with these dominant stories, complementing Hellinger's systemic work.
Bibliography
- Narrative media for therapeutic purposes — Michael White and David Epston. Paidós, 1990 (orig. English 1990).
These books are in the reference library that nourishes Constelando el Origen.
Related Terms
Narrative therapy (White and Epston)
Michael White and David Epston's therapeutic model: identifies the 'dominant story' a person tells themselves about themselves and allows it to be rewritten with material that story had omitted.
See recordLife Script (Eric Berne)
An unconscious life program that the child receives from their parents before the age of 6 and that defines how their adult life will unfold—if they do not consciously identify and rewrite it.
See recordTransgenerational patterns
Repetitions across several generations of life events, professions, ages of crisis, illnesses, or relationships. A key clinical indicator of active systemic dynamics.
See recordA session that names what hurts
If you recognize this dynamic in your own story, a Family Constellation can reveal where it comes from and what movement can bring order to it. Daniela accompanies each case with respect.
Sessions in Spanish only