Session Facilitator Guide Session Facilitator Guide
Strategic Narrative Therapy for Neurodivergent Self-Awareness
Session Objectives
Identify 3-5 pivotal life events and their impact on current identity.
Articulate the connection between internal sensory/emotional states and external behaviors.
Formulate specific self-advocacy statements for academic and social settings.
Student Profile
Designed for 11th-grade students with high-functioning autism. The approach utilizes "Technical Narratives"—viewing life stories as structural blueprints to reduce emotional overwhelm and capitalize on logical processing strengths.
Session Roadmap
1
The Foundation (10 Mins)
Warm-up: Defining the "Life Architect" metaphor.
Explain that we are "building" a story of who they are. Use the blueprint metaphor: Every building has a history (past), a structure (current personality), and plans for expansion (future).
2
Drafting the Blueprint (20 Mins)
Material: "My Life Blueprint" Graphic Organizer
Guide the student through the Graphic Organizer. Focus on the "Sensory Room" and "Control Center." Encourage specific examples (e.g., "The lunchroom noise makes my 'engine' run too fast").
3
Structural Testing (15 Mins)
Material: "Identity Echoes Journal"
Select 1-2 prompts for deep dive. Focus on the "Coping Tools" section. Ask: "If a guest entered this building, what would they need to know to be a good visitor?" (Self-advocacy transition).
ASD-Specific Facilitation Tips
Literal Framing
Avoid "How does that make you feel?" Try "What physical sensations do you notice in your body when that happens?"
Process Time
Allow 10-15 seconds of silence after a prompt. Resisting the urge to fill the gap allows for narrative synthesis.
Externalize
Refer to behaviors as "structural features" rather than "problems." This reduces the "shame cycle" common in neurodivergent teens.
Interests as Anchors
If the student has a special interest, frame the life story through that lens (e.g., Coding life like a program, History like a timeline).
My Life Blueprint Organizer My Life Blueprint
NARRATIVE ARCHITECTURE // VERSION 11.0
NAME: ___________________________
DATE: ___________________________
01: Foundations
What are the early events or traits that built your base? (Key memories, family, early interests)
02: The Sensory Room
How do you experience the world differently? (Sounds, lights, patterns, deep focus areas)
03: The Control Center (Emotions & Logic)
CORE PROCESSING UNIT
INPUTS (Trigger Events)
What happens in the environment?
PROCESSING (Internal Feeling)
How does your body/mind react?
OUTPUTS (Behaviors)
What do others see you do?
04: System Maintenance
What tools help you reset or stay "online"? (Coping strategies, breaks, hobbies)
05: Expansion Plans
What do you want to build next? (Future goals and self-advocacy needs)
PROPERTY OF THE ARCHITECT // CONFIDENTIAL SELF-ANALYSIS
Identity Echoes Prompts Identity Echoes
Journal Prompts for Narrative Exploration
Use these prompts to dive deeper into specific parts of your life blueprint. You don't have to answer them all—choose the ones that feel "loudest" to you right now.
Series A
The Invisible Script
1. The Observation Deck
Describe a time when you noticed a pattern or detail that everyone else seemed to miss. How did it feel to see something "invisible" to others?
2. Social Translation
If you had to write an "Owner’s Manual" for your brain to help others understand how to communicate with you, what would the first three rules be?
Series B
Emotional Mechanics
3. The Engine Room
Think of a time your "engine" felt like it was overheating (anger, anxiety, or sensory overload). What was the very first physical sign your body gave you? How can we spot that sign earlier next time?
4. The Quiet Zone
Describe your "ideal environment." What sounds, smells, and sights are there? How does being in this space change the way you think or feel?
Series C
Future Structural Integrity
5. The Advocacy Shield
Write down one sentence you can say to a teacher or boss when you need a "recalibration break." Practice writing it in a way that feels powerful, not apologetic.
6. Legacy Design
When you look back at your life story 10 years from now, what is one "building" or project you hope you have completed? What is the first brick you need to lay today?
Initial Reflections 
