Narrative Therapy Counselling in Halifax for Change: Therapy Questions We Love (Part 2)

At Insight Mental Health Counselling, one of the ways we help clients create meaningful change is by asking thoughtful, intentional questions. These questions aren’t random—they’re rooted in narrative therapy, a collaborative and empowering approach to counselling.

In this ‘Narrative Therapy Counselling in Halifax for Change’ blog, we’re sharing some of our favourite questions that guide our counselling conversations, helping our Halifax and Nova Scotia clients connect with their values and skills to navigate life’s challenges.

What Is Externalizing in Narrative Therapy

“Externalizing is an idea that we have the people’s traits aren’t intrinsic to who they are, that they’re things that we develop over time through our experiences.” – Jane Donovan, RCT, Halifax Therapist

In our Halifax counselling sessions, one of the core ideas we use is externalizing. This means separating the person from the problem. Instead of saying “I am anxious,” we explore how anxiety is showing up in your life, what it’s trying to get you to do, and how you’re responding to it.

By externalizing, clients begin to see problems as outside of themselves—things they can have a relationship with and influence.

Some of Our Favourite Externalizing Questions:

• Who else sees this strength in you?

• When does confidence show up in your life?

• What does anxiety try to get you to do?

• How do you resist or push back against anxiety?

These questions are used frequently in our Halifax counselling practice to help clients describe their experiences in thicker, more empowering ways that can lead to change.

“So, in a conversation, if somebody brought up something about their confidence, then I might explore that, just slow [the conversation] down and ask them a lot of questions about confidence. Questions that would help [the client] begin to see confidence as something kind of outside yourself, something that we can talk about together.” – Jane Donovan, RCT, Halifax Therapist

The Power of “Saying No” and “Saying Yes”

Another key question we love to ask in counselling is:

“By saying no to that, what are you saying yes to?”

This question helps clients in Halifax gain clarity around the values and priorities behind their boundaries and decisions and move forward to changes in their life that they desire.

“When we focus on what you’re saying yes to, what’s important, what do you treasure in your life— it can really help mitigate that feeling of guilt that might creep up [when setting a boundary].” – Jules Smith, RCT, Halifax Therapist

For Example:

A client may say, “I’m not going to that event because I need rest.”

We then explore:

• What are you saying yes to?
• Is it self-care?
• Time with loved ones?
• Physical or emotional recovery?

In our Halifax therapy sessions, this question often leads to rich conversations about what truly matters to the client—and helps reduce guilt that can come with setting boundaries.

“By saying no to something, you are saying yes to things that you care about, things that you treasure in life, beliefs, values that you’re moving towards. We get really getting rich understandings of what’s important to you and where you’re headed, what direction you’re going in. It can [also] help clients get a little bit of clarity about they want to become.” – Jules Smith, RCT, Halifax Therapist

More Than Just Techniques

These aren’t just techniques—they reflect a counselling philosophy. At Insight, we believe that:

• Problems are not who you are; they are things you can respond to.
• People are the authors of their own lives.
• Conversations can open up new stories and new possibilities.

As narrative therapists in Halifax, we’re trained to listen deeply—not just for what’s said, but for what’s not said. This is known as double listening, and it helps us uncover the values, hopes, and beliefs that are often hidden behind the challenges.

Try Narrative Therapy Questions for Change

If you’re exploring counselling in Halifax, here are a few reflective questions you can try:

• What am I saying yes to by setting this boundary?
• What does [confidence, anxiety, worry] try to get me to do?
• When have I responded in a way that felt true to who I am?

These questions can be the beginning of making changes in your life—moving you toward what matters most.

Ready to take the next step? Connect with us today for compassionate and professional mental health therapy in Halifax.

Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:

Meet Our Team: Connect with our Registered Counselling Therapists and find the right fit for you.

Learn more about narrative therapy: Explore how narrative therapy helps and more.

About Us: Discover Insight Mental Health Counselling and how we can help.