Question 1

What is Story Work (or Narrative Focused Trauma Care)?

Accepted Answer

Story Work is the intentional practice of engaging your life’s experiences—especially the formative and often unspoken ones rooted in early experiences, relational dynamics, wounds and longings. Using the Narrative Focused Trauma Care (NFTC) framework of the Allender Center, we’ll attend to how your story has formed you, how it may be holding you back, and how you might begin to re-author your future. As you share your story with others in a safe space, you’ll explore the themes, patterns, and meaning woven through your story, not to fix or erase the past, but to understand its impact and cultivate a truer, freer way of living forward.

Question 2

How is this different from therapy and life coaching?

Accepted Answer

Therapy typically involves a licensed mental health professional trained in diagnosis and broader clinical modalities. Story Work is a guided relational process led by a trained facilitator who helps you explore your story and its implications. It is healing‐oriented, but not a substitute for clinical therapy.

Life coaching often emphasizes forward-looking goal-setting and future-oriented action, while our approach includes a deeper examination of the past — how your formative experiences and inner narratives have shaped your present. We then work to integrate that insight with forward momentum.

Question 3

Who is this for? Do I need to have gone through trauma or be in crisis?

Accepted Answer

No. Everyone has a story. Even if you feel you’ve had a “good enough” childhood, there are often subtle or “small-T” traumas, relational disruptions, or internalized narratives that deserve attention. For example: “Even subtle, ‘small T trauma’ … can have lasting effects for years to come.
 Whether you’re in transition, seeking clarity of purpose/calling, trying to parent differently than you were parented, or simply curious about why you relate to others the way you do, Story Work can serve you.

Question 4

Do I need to be a person of faith to engage?

Accepted Answer

At Kepos, we welcome clients from all backgrounds. While our roots (especially via NFTC) acknowledge spiritual dimensions of story and healing, you are free to engage at the level you’re comfortable with. While I (the coach) approach this work through a faith-informed lens influenced by the Christian tradition— you will never be expected to hold a particular worldview. This is a space of welcome, honor, and integrity

Question 5

How long does the process take?

Accepted Answer

Every person’s journey is unique. Some begin to experience meaningful insight in a handful of sessions; deeper narrative integration typically happens over several months. As a guideline (based on similar models): a minimum of six‐sessions may begin to open unexamined storylines, and 9-12 sessions may offer broader exploration.

Question 6

How do I get started / what’s the first step?

Accepted Answer

We’ll begin with a complimentary discovery call (about 20-30 minutes) to explore your questions, readiness, and together determine if we’re a good fit. From there we’ll schedule your first session, agree on a cadence (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.), set a starting intention, and clarify logistics (session length, payment, cancellation policy).

Question 7

What if I don’t feel like I have a “story”?

Accepted Answer

Everyone has a story. Even if there’s no single “big trauma” or dramatic event, the everyday, relational, cultural, and developmental moments of your life story have shaped you. As therapist and Story Work expert, Adam Young often says: “You have a story and your story matters.” This work is an invitation to discover the narrative threads you may not yet have named.

Question 8

How much does story coaching with Kepos cost?

Accepted Answer

Kepos story groups are offered at $50 per session, so the total investment typically ranges from $400-$500, depending on the number of meetings in a given group. The cost for individual story coaching is $95 per session.

We are committed to making Story Work accessible.  Need-based discounts are available for those who qualify, and you’re welcome to inquire if cost is a concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

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