“The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem.”

~ Michael White

Perseverating thoughts are the persistent, repetitive thoughts that can dominate our mental landscape—perhaps feeling like a broken record, running on an endless loop, often leaving us feeling stuck and overwhelmed. These thoughts may revolve around a particular worry, fear, regret, or trauma, and their constant presence can interfere with daily functioning and well-being.

But where do perseverating thoughts come from, and how can we manage them—especially within a Narrative Therapy framework?

Narrative Therapy was developed by Michael White and David Epston, two influential figures in the field of psychotherapy. Michael White, an Australian social worker and therapist, is widely recognized for his pioneering work in shifting the focus of therapy from problem-solving to understanding and reshaping personal narratives. Alongside him, David Epston, a New Zealand-based therapist, collaborated in co-creating the narrative therapy approach. Together, they introduced key concepts such as externalizing problems, re-authoring personal stories, and the importance of language in shaping our experiences. Their work emphasizes the power of storytelling in therapy, helping individuals reframe their struggles and identify strengths, fostering a sense of agency and empowerment in their lives.

Understanding Perseveration: The Origins of Repetitive Thoughts.

Perseverating thoughts can arise from a variety of sources. They often emerge during times of stress, anxiety, or emotional turmoil, as the brain attempts to process or control experiences that feel unmanageable. Here are a few potential origins of perseverating thoughts:

Unresolved Trauma or Past Experiences: If a person has experienced trauma, difficult relationships, or significant life challenges, the mind may continue to focus on these memories as a way to make sense of them. These thoughts may resurface repeatedly as the brain attempts to find closure or understanding.
Anxiety and Worry: Our minds naturally seek patterns and answers, especially when we feel uncertain about the future. Repetitive worrying about what might happen can lead to a cycle of perseverating thoughts, as the brain latches onto possible outcomes and continues to dwell on them.
Cognitive Patterns: Some individuals are more prone to rumination due to learned cognitive patterns. These patterns can be exacerbated by perfectionism, low self-esteem, or chronic stress. The brain becomes conditioned to fixate on specific ideas or events, often ignoring other possibilities or solutions.
Neurobiological Factors: Certain neurobiological conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), can create a predisposition for perseverative thinking. In these cases, the brain may become hyper-focused on specific thoughts or fears, leading to an ongoing cycle of mental distress.

Managing Perseverating Thoughts through Narrative Therapy.

“Experiences don’t have meaning until someone creates meaning for themself.”

~ Michael White

Narrative therapy offers a unique perspective on managing perseverating thoughts by focusing on the stories we tell ourselves. It encourages individuals to separate themselves from their problems and to reframe their experiences, creating a new, empowering narrative.

Narrative therapy is a collaborative and empowering therapeutic approach that helps individuals reframe their personal stories, enabling them to create new, more positive narratives. In my practice, I use narrative therapy to help clients externalize their problems, allowing them to view challenges like perseverating thoughts, anxiety, and depressive symptoms as separate from themselves. This shift in perspective helps clients regain control over their mental health and begin to see their difficulties as manageable rather than defining aspects of their identity. Through exploring alternative narratives, recognizing strengths, and rewriting personal stories, clients can reduce the impact of repetitive thoughts and emotions, fostering a sense of agency and emotional well-being.

Narrative therapy for reducing anxiety takes time to build a strong therapeutic alliance, as it involves a collaborative, trust-based relationship between the therapist and the client. In this process, the therapist works with the client to explore their childhood and the key people, events, and experiences that shaped their current beliefs, emotional responses, and sense of self.

By delving into these formative experiences, the therapist helps the client uncover the narrative threads—persistent themes or stories—that have kept them stuck in cycles of anxiety. This exploration enables the individual to identify how certain patterns of thinking and reacting were formed and how they continue to influence their life. Over time, by externalizing these stories and creating space for alternative narratives, the therapist and client work together to rewrite these old, limiting beliefs, allowing the individual to reduce anxiety and develop a more empowered, flexible perspective on their life and challenges.

Key Narrative Therapy Activities.

Here are some key ways narrative therapy can help manage perseverating thoughts:

1. Externalizing the Problem.

Narrative therapy emphasizes the importance of externalizing the problem. This means that instead of identifying oneself with the perseverating thoughts ("I am anxious" or "I can't stop worrying"), the individual can view the thoughts as separate from themselves ("I am dealing with anxious thoughts" or "I am facing a worry problem"). By externalizing the issue, individuals can gain distance from the thoughts, reducing their sense of personal responsibility for them and making them more manageable.

For example, if you're experiencing repetitive thoughts about a past regret, you might name the thought "The Regret Monster." This allows you to see it as something external that you can confront, rather than an unchangeable part of who you are.

2. Rewriting the Narrative.

Narrative therapy encourages us to rewrite the story we're telling ourselves about a particular experience. When perseverating thoughts are rooted in past events or worries about the future, it’s important to explore how those thoughts fit into the broader narrative of our lives.

Ask yourself questions like:

What meaning have I assigned to this event or worry?
How can I reframe the story in a way that feels more empowering or hopeful?
What are the alternative interpretations of my experiences?

By actively rewriting the narrative, you can create a more flexible and compassionate understanding of the events that contribute to your thoughts.

3. Exploring the Role of the Perseverating Thoughts in the Story.

In narrative therapy, it's helpful to explore how the perseverating thoughts are playing a role in your life. What purpose are they serving? Are they trying to protect you from something? Are they attempting to help you make sense of your experiences?

By understanding the function of the repetitive thoughts, you can start to develop a more nuanced relationship with them. For example, you might realize that your worries are actually an attempt to keep you safe or avoid a particular pain. Once this is understood, you can decide whether that protective function is still serving you or if it's time to let go of it.

4. Examining Unique Outcomes.

In narrative therapy, the concept of "unique outcomes" refers to moments or instances that stand outside of the dominant, problem-saturated story that a person may be telling about their life. These unique outcomes are times when the individual has acted in ways that contradict the problem’s influence, revealing strengths, resilience, or alternative perspectives. By identifying and exploring these unique outcomes, therapists help clients to reframe their experiences and challenge the narrative that the problem defines their identity. These moments serve as evidence of the person’s agency, offering opportunities to re-author their story in a way that highlights their capacity for growth, change, and empowerment. In this way, unique outcomes provide a foundation for building a new, preferred narrative that aligns with the client’s values and aspirations, rather than being constrained by the limitations of past struggles.

5. Creating a New, Preferred Story.

Through narrative therapy, clients can begin to develop a new, preferred story about themselves and their experiences. This story is one that acknowledges the challenges, but also highlights the strengths, resilience, and growth that have come from those challenges.

For instance, if you find yourself perseverating on a past failure, instead of focusing on the negative aspects of that failure, consider what you’ve learned from it. How have you grown? What strengths have you discovered in yourself that can help you move forward? By focusing on the positive aspects of your experiences, you can begin to rewrite your internal narrative in a way that is more supportive and self-compassionate.

6. Engaging in Meaningful Practices.

Engaging in practices that bring meaning and purpose to your life can also help reduce the grip of perseverating thoughts. Whether it’s creative expression, mindfulness, or pursuing meaningful relationships, these activities provide new stories to tell and new ways to focus your energy. As you begin to engage more fully in your preferred life story, the repetitive thoughts may naturally lose their hold over time.

In Conclusion.

Perseverating thoughts can be challenging to manage, but by using a narrative therapy approach, you can begin to create space between yourself and these thoughts. By externalizing, reframing, and rewriting your personal story, you can transform the way you relate to these thoughts, reducing their power over your life. The key lies in recognizing that you are not defined by your thoughts—rather, you are the author of your own story, with the ability to edit, revise, and create a narrative that serves you better.