Narrative mediation focuses on the stories that parties in conflict use to understand their perspective. The mediator's role is to open up these tightly woven stories by questioning aspects that contribute to conflict, and helping parties reconstruct the conflict in less accusatory terms. This is done through externalizing the conflict, mapping its history, and guiding parties to develop a new, cooperative story for the future. The theoretical basis of this approach is that reality and identity are socially constructed through language and narratives.