Meet the Director: David Marsten
David received his BA in psychology from UC Berkeley and his MSW from UCLA. He became intrigued with Narrative Therapy in 1991 while training at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA.
He developed one of the first Narrative training programs in Los Angeles at Jewish Family Service in 1992 and went on in 1999 to establish Miracle Mile Community Practice. He has taught at the graduate level for many years, 15 of which in Pepperdine University’s Narrative Training Clinic.
He is a faculty member of the Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy and teaches internationally. He has co-authored several articles, 3 chapters in edited collections, and the book: Narrative Therapy in Wonderland: Connecting with Children’s Imaginative Know-How.
Interview
The Radical Therapist Podcast #120
Narrative Therapy and Dark Landscapes
Narrative Therapy In Wonderland
Connecting with Children’s Imaginative Know-How
By David Marsten, David Epston, and Laurie Markham
“This is a book packed with expertise, wisdom and interventions, and I highly recommend it.” — Rachel Eastop, British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy
Narrative Therapy in Wonderland
Read the Reviews:
“The vivid transcripts, exquisitely crafted questions, dramatic surprises, and insightful prose of Narrative Therapy in Wonderland demonstrates something children so intuitively know: it is in the imagination that we become the most powerful version of ourselves, a version that transcends our preconceptions, assumptions, and problems.”
— PsychCentral
From British Journal of Guidance and Counseling:
“A book for many audiences…
“This exquisitely crafted text, written by master clinicians, initiates readers into a narrative approach that insists upon mystery and wonder as indispensable tools in the therapeutic process. Through a series of beautifully narrated vignettes from clinical practice, it showcases imagination as an 'ideal traveling companion for young people.' It is not only pitch-perfect in balancing theory, compelling exemplar, and succinct advice for therapists and parents, but also compulsively readable, a compliment generally reserved for popular novels rather than professional texts.”
— Cheryl Mattingly, author of The Paradox of Hope: Journeys through a Clinical Borderland
“More than a must-read for clinical professionals, and more than a supportive guide to parenting, Narrative Therapy in Wonderland is a book for anyone who faces Problems and seeks strategies for overcoming them. The authors' simple yet far-reaching message is that our Problems are not in ourselves. Our Problems are out there, external and tenacious. But Problems can be outwitted, and this book shows how. Wonderland elevates narrative therapy from a professional clinical practice to a way of life.”
— Arthur W. Frank, PhD, author of The Wounded Storyteller and Letting Stories Breathe
…Although the authors state that their exploration of narrative therapy is aimed mainly at therapists, I would say that it is suitable also for teachers, for parents and for anyone else who may wish to find a more imaginative, non-confrontational way to work with children and adolescents; one which celebrates their positive rather than their negative qualities and which engages the whole family. Researchers would also find much of interest in this book, as would tutors of child, adolescent and family therapy trainings. The authors speak passionately about their particular model and have a great deal to say, which is extremely sensible..." — Rayna Shock
Articles
Shared Influence: A Narrative Approach to Teaching Narrative Therapy
By David Marsten and Gregory Howard
The Corner: One Good Story Deserves Another
By David Marsten, David Epston, and Lisa Johnson
Deconstruction in Narrative Couple and Family Therapy
By David Marsten and Laurie Markham
Workshops
Upcoming Workshops
Please check back periodically for new postings and join our mailing list below to stay informed.
2024
November 9 & 10, 2024 | Hong Kong Marriage and Family Therapy Association
Narrative Family Therapy: The dramatization of life
Past Workshops
2023
October 2023 | Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Workshop One: Narrative Family Therapy: The dramatization of life
Workshop Two: Darkening the Landscape: Recognizing problems as insurmountable
September 2023 | Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Foundations in narrative theory and practice (virtual)
February 2023 | Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Foundations in narrative theory and practice (virtual)
2022
May 9, 2022 | Copenhagen, Denmark
Narrative Family Therapy: The dramatization of life
May 2-5, 2022 | Bergen, Norway
Narrative Family Therapy: The dramatization of life
May 2022 | Istanbul, Turkey
Narrative family therapy for Dulwich Centre certificate program (2-day virtual workshop)
April 2022 | Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy
Advanced certificate course (virtual)
March 2022 | Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Foundations in narrative theory and practice (virtual)
February 2022 | Los Angeles, CA
Narrative Supervision. Co-presented with Larry Zucker (virtual)
Recent Presentations
December 2021, Sao Paolo, Brazil: Narrative Family Therapy: The Dramatization of Life (virtual)
June 2021, Robust Team, Oslo, Norway: Direct practice with children and families (virtual)
May 2021, Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy: Foundations in narrative theory and practice (virtual)
November 2019, Zhuhai, China: Narrative family therapy: The dramatization of life (4-day workshop)
November 2019, Hong Kong Baptist University: Narrative family therapy: The dramatization of life (2-day workshop)
September 2019, Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy: Discovery learning
May 2019, Therapeutic Conversations Conference, Vancouver: Narrative family therapy
April 2019, Therapeutic Conversations Conference, Norway: Narrative family therapy
February 2018, Istanbul, Turkey: Narrative family therapy for Dulwich Centre narrative therapy certification program (5-day workshop)