Narrative Therapist in Venice
Rewrite the Story. Reclaim Your Voice. Become the Author of Your Life.
In our Narrative Therapy sessions, we will work on:
• Identifying dominant stories and the impact they have on your life
• Externalizing problems (“I experience anxiety” vs. “I am anxious”)
• Exploring stories rooted in family, culture, or past trauma
• Reclaiming your strengths, values, and personal truth
• Honoring the complexity of your lived experience without shame
• Rewriting internal narratives that limit growth and self-worth
• Creating empowering stories that reflect your voice and values
• Living more intentionally from the story you choose to tell
We all live by stories—about who we are, what we deserve, and what’s possible for us. But sometimes those stories were written by pain, trauma, culture, or other people’s expectations. They might tell you that you’re broken, not enough, or stuck forever. Narrative Therapy invites you to challenge those limiting beliefs and begin telling a different story—your story.
As a narrative therapist and former medical doctor, I help clients separate themselves from the problem and explore how their experiences have shaped their inner dialogue. Together, we find the threads of strength, resilience, and identity that may have been lost in the noise—and use them to create new meaning and direction.
You are more than what’s happened to you—and your story isn’t over yet. Let’s help you turn the page, find your voice, and write a life that feels like yours.
I provide therapy in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Culver City, Mar Vista, Playa Del Rey, West Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Palms, and Santa Monica.
Narrative therapy helps individuals separate themselves from their problems by focusing on the stories they tell about their lives. At Steven Kilmann, LMFT, narrative therapy is used to support individuals in Venice Beach who feel stuck in old patterns, self-limiting beliefs, or unresolved emotional pain. Rather than viewing you as the problem, narrative therapy views the problem as the problem, and helps you rewrite the story.
Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed by inner narratives that are shaped by trauma, family dynamics, past failures, or social pressures. These stories often carry shame, guilt, or feelings of helplessness. Steven Kilmann, LMFT, helps clients explore these stories with curiosity, uncover hidden strengths, and identify moments when they resisted negative patterns. By doing this, clients can gain new perspective, reclaim agency, and author more empowering life paths.
In this article, we’ll explain how narrative therapy works, who it helps, and what to expect in a session. You’ll also learn how Steven Kilmann, LMFT, applies this therapy to address relationship issues, anxiety, grief, identity challenges, and more, especially for clients looking for a trusted narrative therapist in Venice Beach.
How Narrative Therapy Works
Narrative therapy is grounded in the belief that our identities are shaped by the stories we live and tell.
Key principles of narrative therapy include:
The person is not the problem.
The problem exists outside of the individual. This shifts blame and creates space for growth.Stories shape meaning.
The way you interpret past events influences how you see yourself. Changing that interpretation can change your self-image.You are the author.
Narrative therapy empowers you to challenge dominant narratives and write new ones based on values, intentions, and overlooked strengths.
Who Benefits from Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy is effective for people of all ages and backgrounds. It's especially helpful for individuals dealing with:
Anxiety and stress
Relationship conflicts
Grief and loss
Trauma or abuse history
Identity confusion or low self-worth
Chronic illness or life transitions
Many clients who work with Steven Kilmann, LMFT, have tried other forms of talk therapy but felt it didn’t get to the root of their narrative. Narrative therapy offers a fresh and meaningful path forward.
What to Expect in a Narrative Therapy Session
If you're meeting with a narrative therapist in Venice Beach, such as Steven Kilmann, LMFT, here’s what the process might look like:
Step 1: Externalizing the problem
The therapist helps you identify the problem as something separate from yourself.Step 2: Exploring the dominant narrative
Together, you examine how the story formed, whose voice shaped it, and what it says about you.Step 3: Identifying unique outcomes
You reflect on times when you acted differently—when you resisted the problem or lived your values.Step 4: Reauthoring
You co-create a new story that centers your preferred identity, values, and intentions.
Why Choose Steven Kilmann, LMFT, for Narrative Therapy in Venice Beach?
Steven Kilmann, LMFT, has extensive experience working with clients using the narrative therapy model. His approach is warm, non-judgmental, and deeply attuned to helping clients reshape their inner dialogue. Whether you're struggling with relationship stress, addiction, or self-criticism, he helps you examine how those stories took hold and how you can change them.
Clients appreciate Steven’s ability to hold space for vulnerability while gently guiding them to new perspectives. Many have said they feel “finally heard” or that it’s the first time they’ve been invited to see themselves as more than their pain.
You can read more about Steven’s approach to addiction therapy and grief counseling by visiting his pages on substance abuse therapy and grief therapy.
Is Narrative Therapy Right for You?
If you feel stuck in your own story—believing you're “too broken,” “always the problem,” or “never enough”—narrative therapy can help. It gives you a safe and structured way to question those beliefs, trace their origins, and rewrite the ending.
You might be ready for narrative therapy if:
You feel like your past defines you
You want to change how you see yourself
You want to stop repeating painful patterns
You're ready to reclaim your voice and identity
Working with a skilled narrative therapist in Venice Beach, such as Steven Kilmann, LMFT, offers a grounded and transformative experience. It’s not about pretending pain didn’t happen—it’s about learning how to live beyond it.
What Makes Narrative Therapy Different?
Unlike many forms of therapy that focus only on behavior or symptoms, narrative therapy goes deeper into meaning.
Here’s how it compares:
Approach
Cognitive Behavioral
Psychodynamic
Narrative Therapy
Focus
Thoughts and behaviors
Unconscious motivations
Identity and meaning
Narrative Therapy Emphasis
Examining the stories behind thoughts/actions
Conscious stories and social context
Separating the problem from the person
Narrative therapy is also especially effective for clients who are neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, or navigating cultural or family conflict. These individuals often carry external stories that do not match their true selves.
Final Thoughts
Everyone carries stories—some empowering, some painful. The good news is that stories are fluid. They can be questioned, changed, and rewritten.
If you're looking for a trusted narrative therapist Venice residents rely on, Steven Kilmann, LMFT, offers experienced care rooted in respect and empowerment. Whether you're processing loss, conflict, anxiety, or life change, narrative therapy helps you reconnect with who you are, on your terms.
To learn more or book a session, visit the contact page or explore Steven’s concierge therapy services for a personalized approach that fits your lifestyle.
