The Story and the Storyteller | The Right Therapist

In this episode of The Right Therapist, Laura speaks with Tessa Priest, a narrative therapist who explores the powerful relationship between the story we tell and the person telling it. Tessa blends narrative therapy with expressive arts, somatic awareness, and mindfulness to help people reconnect with their preferred identities and reshape the stories that shape their lives. Together, they explore how stories are formed, how they can limit or expand us, and how therapy can create space to re-author our lives with intention, creativity, and compassion. The episode includes a live therapeutic moment, offering a rare and intimate look at how narrative and somatic practices intersect in real time. Episode Timestamps 00:00 — Slowing down and connecting to the body How therapy works in small, manageable moments rather than overwhelm. 01:26 — Introduction to Tessa Priest Narrative therapist integrating storytelling, expressive arts, and somatic work. 02:10 — Tessa’s background and journey into narrative therapy From performing arts to therapy and meaning-making. 05:49 — When stories don’t support us How dominant and inherited narratives shape identity. 06:07 — Deconstructing harmful narratives Understanding societal, cultural, and personal influences on our story. 10:33 — The role of creativity and play Why expression (drawing, writing, movement) is central to healing. 12:10 — Rewriting identity through lived experience How small shifts create new possibilities. 15:48 — How stories evolve over time The difference between past and present interpretations of the same event. 18:10 — Live therapy exploration begins Somatic awareness, emotion, and memory emerge in real time. 21:28 — Compassion for the younger self Rewriting internal narratives through care and understanding. 23:25 — The role of community and support How relationships shape healing. 27:31 — Writing back to your younger self A powerful narrative therapy technique. 31:07 — Trusting the body and therapy process Why safety and presence matter. 33:22 — Multiple versions of the self Understanding identity as layered and non-linear. 37:31 — Fear of revisiting the past How therapy avoids overwhelm through “titration.” 40:46 — The importance of therapist-client fit Why depth depends on relational safety. 43:41 — Therapy beyond the room Collaborative and community-based healing approaches. 48:00 — Therapy in unconventional spaces Nature, movement, and environment as part of healing. 50:52 — Story + body integration Why slowing down deepens meaning. 53:27 — Future self perspective How imagining your future self changes present decisions. 55:58 — Boundaries and “no” The importance of limits in identity and healing. 57:47 — Life is not linear Stories as loops, spirals, and evolving narratives. 59:09 — Embodied therapy vs cognitive insight Why the body reveals more than the mind alone. 1:00:04 — Power, culture, and identity How societal structures influence personal narratives. 1:05:01 — Consistency, identity, and purpose Following what feels deeply aligned.