Narrative Therapy for Eating Disorders in Denver: How Rewriting Dominant Narratives Helps in Recovery

May 29

Narrative therapy offers a powerful frame for eating disorder recovery. Eating disorder recovery is not just about food or body image; Rather, it’s about reclaiming your story and healing the deeper wounds at the root of your eating disorder. Narrative therapy is a model that views people as separate from their problems, and invites individuals to explore how the narratives they live by have been influenced, sometimes overtaken, by what are called dominant discourses.

Before diving in further, if you’re curious to learn more about narrative therapy, I invite you to read my recent blog here!

Dominant Discourses in Narrative Therapy

Dominant discourses are familial, cultural, and/or societal messages that tell us who we “should” be and how we “should” live our lives. In the context of eating disorders, these messages often speak loudly and may look like:

“Thinness equals worth.”

“Control is strength.”

“Beauty requires sacrifice.”

“Perfection is the only way.”

These discourses are so embedded in our society, through media, family norms, and wellness or diet culture, that they can begin to feel like truth. For many struggling with an eating disorder, these messages become internalized and shape a rigid narrative about who they are and what their body “should” look like.

But what if there’s another Story?

In Narrative therapy, individuals are encouraged to explore unique outcomes: moments, however small, that stand in contrast to the dominant problem story. This may look like:

“Is there evidence to challenge this narrative?”

“What experiences may suggest a different truth?”

"Who gets to decide if this is true for you?”

More specifically, these are times when the eating disorder didn’t have the final say, such as a moment of connection with a friend, a meal shared in joy, a glimpse of compassion toward the body. Unique outcomes offer space for another possibility, another way of living. They point to alternative stories that already exist within a person’s lived experience, but might have been overshadowed or forgotten.

Creating a Preferred Narrative

As individuals begin to recognize unique outcomes, they then create preferred narratives: stories rooted in values like care, agency, creativity, resilience, and self-compassion. These narratives are not fabricated, but rather unearthed and brought to the surface. They reflect the person’s wisdom, hopes, and intentions, and focus on how they value showing up in the world. For example, someone who has struggled with perfectionism and control might discover a preferred narrative of being a deeply thoughtful and attuned person, someone who values integrity and care for others. When the focus is on preferred narratives, it creates space to let go of old, dominant discourses that may no longer be serving an individual.

How Narrative Therapy Pairs with IFS

I’ve found that narrative therapy pairs well with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, in understanding how dominant narratives may be tied to parts that are trying to protect individuals in some way. Narrative therapy helps uncover the stories surrounding those parts, while IFS helps build a relationship with them. Together, they support a compassionate rebuilding of Self, one where all parts are welcome and healing is rooted in understanding and connection, rather than shame and isolation.

Get Started with Narrative Therapy in Denver Today

Recovery, through this lens, is not about “fixing” a person but about helping them return to their own truths. It’s about making space for complexity and offering language that honors who they are beyond their eating disorder. When individuals begin to live into their preferred narratives, the eating disorder loses its grip, not because it has been defeated, but because it no longer holds the same power in their story.

If you’re feeling stuck in a story that doesn’t feel like yours, or have insight into deep-rooted narratives your eating disorder holds but don’t know where to begin in recovery, you don’t have to do it alone. Whether through narrative therapy, IFS-Informed therapy, or a blend of both, you deserve a space that honors your voice and story in recovery and healing. Reach out today to get started on your recovery journey!

Gigi Woodall