Books / Systemic & family
Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends
Michael White and David Epston’s 1990 book describes narrative approaches to therapy and the use of writing in therapeutic work.
Book details
Author of listed edition: Michael White and David Epston
Edition: 1990 Norton edition
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Edition year: 1990
Language and origin: English (Australia / New Zealand)
Form and genre: Clinical & Theoretical Monograph
Level: Intermediate
Historical era: 1980–2009 · Evidence-Based, Trauma & Integrative Era
Covers: Narrative approaches to therapeutic work; Externalising conversations and descriptions of problems; Therapeutic writing and letters
APA 7th reference: White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. W. W. Norton & Company.
What it is & historical context
This book by Michael White and David Epston appeared in New York with Norton in 1990. The Dulwich Centre bibliography also lists their 1989 publication Literate Means to Therapeutic Ends. The complete texts were not compared for this entry.
Core clinical themes & arguments
A library catalogue lists psychotherapy and the therapeutic use of letter-writing as subjects. The Dulwich Centre lists externalising and re-authoring conversations among White’s later workshop topics. These are descriptions of a therapeutic framework, not established explanations of every person’s difficulties.
Clinical practice, reception & legacy
The authors’ therapeutic writing should be read in context. The claim that a letter is equivalent to a fixed number of sessions is not established by the sources consulted here.
Reader level & educational scope
The full book and paired work were not reviewed. This entry does not establish the effectiveness of any particular therapeutic practice.
Paired academic and clinical scholarship
Paired work: Actual Minds, Possible Worlds (Jerome Bruner, 1986)
Reference: Bruner, J. (1986). Actual minds, possible worlds. Harvard University Press.
A book by Jerome Bruner on modes of thought. The full text was not consulted for this entry.
Source-mapped claims and evidence notes
Claim 1: White and Epston published Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends with Norton in 1990. (A library catalogue identifies the 1990 edition; the complete book was not reviewed.) [Source 1: Pacifica Graduate Institute Research Library. Narrative means to therapeutic ends, catalogue record.]
Sources and inspection notes
Pacifica Graduate Institute Research Library. Narrative means to therapeutic ends, catalogue record.
Supports: Library catalogue identifies the authors, first Norton edition and publication year.
Dulwich Centre. Writings by Michael White.
Supports: Bibliography lists both the 1989 Literate Means and 1990 Narrative Means publications; workshop topics include externalising and re-authoring. The complete books were not compared.
University of North Texas Libraries. Narrative means to therapeutic ends, catalogue record.
Supports: Catalogue records the 1990 publication and lists the therapeutic use of letter-writing as a subject.