Narrative Therapy www.person2person.net.au/counselling.html

Origin of Narrative Therapy Emerged in the 1970s and 1980s Derived from post modern theory “White and Epston have been influenced by the postmodern movement within philosophy, anthropology and psychology, and in particular by Michael Foucault” (Carr 2006, 135)

David Epston: Co-director of the Family Therapy Centre in Auckland, New Zealand Michael White: Co-director of the Dulwhich Centre in Adelaide, South Australia Michael White and David Epston are known as the fathers of narrative therapy.

Basic Tenants The focus of narrative therapy is on the relationship between experience and interpretation revealed in the narrative and attention by the therapist should be paid to the way people tell their stories, rather than the accuracy of the account

Narrative therapy and SOWK Respected for its values in: personal responsibility and empowerment (the client is the expert) Therapeutic process is collaborative; the plan is client directed in every means Narrative therapy is highly respected for its values, which are in line with that of social works’. It mobilizes the client to take personal responsibility, thereby reducing the role and amount of work by the therapist. Due to the fact that the therapist is drawing out the client’s story, it empowers the client because narrative therapy believes that the client is the expert. The therapeutic process is collaborative, meaning that the plan is made by and for the client. www.person2person.net.au/counselling.html

Goals of Narrative therapy The goal in narrative therapy is to draw out stories that clients have held of themselves that prevent them from moving on To reshape client’s perceptions of themselves and their surroundings reshaping or changing their life narratives

Intervention Techniques Technique 1: Problem-Saturated Stories Refers to the personal stories that individuals express which are based on their experiences These stories are characterized by problems Clients only think of themselves in terms of these problems The therapist needs to utilize listening skills and specific language to draw out the story

Technique 2: Mapping the Problem’s Domain: The therapist and client(s) would discuss how the problem has affected various aspects of the client(s) lives exploring “reciprocal patterns that become apparent and that are shown to have been supporting the problem” (Williams 2006, 203) Scrutinizing the impact that the problem has had on their lives in all respects will serve to be an eye-opening experience Ask for a full, detailed account of the effect that the problem has had

Technique 3: Unique Outcomes: the client(s) is to identify times in the past when the problem did not exist Helps in assisting the client(s) in creating new personal stories based on those unique occurrences Reminds them that there were times that despite this problem, they were able to overcome it explore alternative possibilities It will be useful to explore alternative possibilities of who each person might and can be and by asking each person what is important to them in their relationships.

Technique 4: Externalizing the Problem: focuses on how the problem impacts a person or family, oppose to how the problem stems from a family. name the problem Roth & Epston (1995) state that “externalising establishes a context where people experience themselves as separate from the problem.” Roth & Epston (1995) find that externalizing “changes a persons' relationship to problems, and shifts the conversation to a focus on the relationship between the person and the problem instead of a focus on a problem-person.” A narrative therapist would often encourage the client to name the problem in order to further externalize the problem. Roth & Epston (1995) believe that separating the person from their problem-saturated descriptions that have encompassed or have become their identities is the means to help the clients move forward.

Technique 5 Spreading the News: the client(s) expresses their new personal narrative with other people Reaffirms the new view Spreading the news of a difference gives clients a chance to recognize the changes that they have made This will allow for the family members to experience being heard (Williams 2006, 205) Tell others Involves the client verbally reiterating changes noticed in the family members from the beginning of the sessions to now, and then, having the family members express their hopes and goals from now to the future and how they intend to affect the future.

Incorporating strengths based Important because: Non compliant Hopeless “different aspects of their lives that do not have anything to do with those problems, such as their skills, talents, and strengths” (Hull & Mather 2006, 177). Areas for possible strengths: extended family, spiritual or religious strengths and a high tolerance for stress Strengths will naturally emerge A strengths based approach is important because some family members may not want to be there. Also, it is useful in challenging their existing perceptions of themselves. It helps encourage their participation and to lift their attitudes. Williams (2006) believes that through drawing out the client's stories and meanings, narrative therapy will give way to strengths that will emerge at every step of the therapeutic process (201).

Puts “problems in a certain perspective” (Hull & Mather, 2006, 68) can provide a “realistic view of the resources a family brings to the table,” oftentimes, strengths that they are not aware of (Hull & Mather 2006, 88)

Narrative therapy is often used with: Anorexia nervosa HIV/Aids ADHD Schizophrenia

Narrative therapy is particularly useful when dealing with trauma and addictions because: It separates the individual from the disease Roth & Epston (1989) states that narrative therapy is useful in addressing trauma and addictions because externalising the problem counteracts the effects of labelling. This will aid in no longer seeing the person as the problem, but rather the problem is the problem (Roth & Epston 1995).

Use of Narrative Therapy Can be used to help map out the effects of addiction Can help them remember times when an individual was free from addiction Can help remove the stigma of child sexual abuse/addictions Can help the individual explore who they want to be Can take the blame away from the individual Can help the indivdiual experience themselves as seperate from addiction/child sexual abuse

Strengths Ability to “move clients from passivity and defeatism towards realizing that they already have some power over the problems that plague them” (Nichols 2009, p. 291) Does not place blame Separates the problem from the individual There are many strengths of narrative therapy that note

….for the clients This type of therapy may not always address the problem because it so much focuses on drawing out the strengths Language and questioning may be too abstract, “over the head” or hard to understand “language of ‘psychological rhetorical overkill’” (Stagoll in Hayward 2003) A common limitation that has been noted is that the language and concepts talked about in narrative therapy may be too difficult for the client to understand.

References Carr, A. (2006). Family therapy: Concepts, process and practice. 2nd Ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Hayward, M. (2003). Critiques of Narrative Therapy: A Personal Response. ANZJFT, 24 (4):183–189. Retrieved on April 16, 2009 from http://www.anzjft.com/pages/articles/478.pdf Hull, G. H. Jr. & Mather, J. (2006). Understanding generalist practice with families. Belmont, CA: Thomson. Nichols, M. P. (2009). The essentials of family therapy (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Roth, S. & Epston, D. (1995). Framework for a White/Epston type interview. Dulwich Centre Publications. Retrieved April 10, 2009 from http://www.narrativeapproaches.com/narrative%20papers%20folder/white_ interview.htm Williams, N. (2006). Narrative Family Interventions. In A. Kilpatrick & T. Holland (Eds.), Working with families: an integrative model by level of need, 4th ed. (pp. 194- 219). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.