Frequently Asked Questions
Shari Foos founded The Narrative Method in 2014 in response to the Crisis of Connection. She is a marriage and family therapist, a narrative medicine expert, author, speaker and artist. She holds degrees in Narrative Medicine and Clinical Psychology from Columbia University and Antioch University, respectively.
The Narrative Method is inspired by the values of social justice and influenced by people and concepts across many paradigms including:
Narrative Medicine (Rita Charon)
Narrative Therapy (Michael White and David Epson)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing/EMDR (Francine Shapiro)
Gestalt Therapy (Fritz Perls)
Attachment Theory (John Bowlby)
The Good Enough Mother (Donald Winnicott)
Imago Relationship Therapy (Harville Hendrix)
Person Centered Approach (Carl Rogers)
The works of philosopher Emmanuel Levinas and Brazilian revolutionary educator Paulo Freire
The concepts provide tools and perspectives to cope with life’s stressors and the pressure to conform. Each concept is designed to help you go deeper, and better understand yourself and others. In our online salons and across all of our work, the TNM 12 Core Concepts serve as the foundation for participation and growth.
The Narrative Method is not psychotherapy. Rather, it is a multi-disciplinary philosophy and practice. In creating an ambience of trust and mutual acceptance, participants become emboldened to take creative risks in their writing and to share their feelings more openly than they might feel comfortable doing elsewhere. We do not pathologize, diagnose or seek to fix or solve participants’ problems.
We are a nonprofit organization funded by donations, private contributions, foundation grants, and selling our DIY human cards and other goods in our online TNM shop. To visit the shop, click here.
Thanks for asking! To make a donation, click here.
Yes! Prior to the COVID pandemic, The Narrative Method only held in-person events. Stay up to date on special events by subscribing to The Narrative Method email list.
For speaking engagements or to bring Shari to your event, please email your inquiry to info@thenarrativemethod.org.