Narrative therapy is a family counseling approach that continues to evolve and gain popularity in the field of therapy (Chang & Nylund, 2013). Given the continued strides of narrative therapy this is a family counseling approach worthy of research. This paper will detail the beginnings of narrative therapy and those responsible for its development. Although White and Epston are the leading figures of narrative therapy many individuals with varying backgrounds and beliefs influenced their thinking (Biggs & Hinton-Bayre, 2008). Using several resources such as Goldenberg & Goldenberg (2013) the key techniques and concepts of narrative therapy will be examined along with noted similarities and differences when compared to other leading therapies. The first part will conclude by giving a brief overview of things learned by doing this research. Prior to completing the research I was unaware of the lack of empirical research regarding narrative therapy. This is an important aspect to consider since many supporters of narrative research such as Frost & Ouellette (2011) would like to see more accomplished using narrative research. The second part of this research paper will be in first person and describe how narrative therapy coincides with the author’s personal faith. The principles and techniques of narrative therapy will be discussed in light of a Christian worldview. In closing the author will discuss how her personal views interact with narrative therapy. Identified approach Michael White and David Epston are the leading figures of narrative therapy which gained popularity in the 1990’s (Biggs & Hinton-Bayre, 2008). In developing narrative therapy White and Epston were influenced by many of their peers. These peers included lea... ... middle of paper ... ...e. Journal Of Systemic Therapies, 32(2), 72-88. Goldenberg, H. & Goldenberg, I. (2013). Family therapy: An overview (8th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Frost, D. M., & Ouellette, S. C. (2011). A search for meaning: Recognizing the potential of narrative research in social policy-making efforts. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 8(3), 151-161. Ramey, H. L., Young, K., & Tarulli, D. (2010). Scaffolding and concept formation in narrative therapy: A qualitative research report. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 29(4), 74-91. Ramey, H. L., Tarulli, D., Frijters, J. C., & Fisher, L. (2009). A Sequential Analysis of Externalizing in Narrative Therapy with Children. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 31(4), 262-279 Strong, T., & Gale, J. (2013). Postmodern clinical research: In and out of the margins. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 32(2), 46–57.
Storytelling’s impact on people who use it has been life saving in certain cases. By asserting the existence of different perspectives, writers get to suppress their own opinions in order to sympathize with others. (insert thing about meta-fiction) With this idea in mind, author Kate Taylor wrote the novel Serial Monogamy, a meta-fiction of a writer recalling the story of her husband’s affair and her deal with terminal breast cancer, all through her telling of Dickens’ secret life and tales of the Arabian Nights. In Serial Monogamy, storytelling makes people more understanding as they explore new perspectives.
In B. L. Duncan, S. D. Miller, B.E. Wampold, & M.A. Hubble (Eds.), The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works in therapy (2nd ed., pp. 143-166). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Weisel-Barth, J 2014 ‘Review of “The Stories We Tell”’, International Journal of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, Vol.9(2), p.162-166, DOI: 10.1080/15551024.2014.884526
I was drawn into the Brice family's story and by the end of the book I cared about them and felt as if I knew them. I appreciated the author's no holds barred, realistic portrayal of the therapist and client relationship. Not only is the reader drawn into the subject's inner world, the reader is also pulled into the world of the therapist and given a ring side seat into the cognitive operation of the therapist mind. Napier and Whitaker lay out the theories that inform their practice. For example, they identify, feedback spirals, triangulation, transference, and enmeshed identities, for the reader and then demonstrate through the narrative, methods for assisting families in leaping over these
Lawson, Gerard. "The hero's journey as a developmental metaphor in counseling." Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development Fall 2005: 134+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
Nichols, M. P. (2010). Family therapy concepts and methods (9 ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
In the simplest form, there is a basic structural pattern to narratives, as expressed through Tzvetan Todorov’s explanation of narrative movement between two equilibriums. A narrative begins in a stable position until something causes disequilibrium, however, by the end of the story, the equilibrium is re-established, though it is different than the beginning (O’Shaughnessy 1999: 268). Joseph Cam...
The core concept of narrative therapy is rooted in postmodern theory. This includes having a positive and hopeful view of clients and their power to create change. Also, taking a “not-knowing” stance is essential in order to enhance collaboration between clients and therapist. Narrative Therapy encourages therapists to remain curious and acknowledge
1. Growing up we all heard stories. Different types of stories, some so realistic, we cling onto them farther into our lives. Stories let us see and even feel the world in different prespectives, and this is becuase of the writter or story teller. We learn, survive and entertain our selves using past experiences, which are in present shared as stories. This is why Roger Rosenblatt said, "We are a narrative species."
I came across many articles where the narrative approach was used on children with many types of problems ranging from something like having problems sleeping at night to eating disorders. “A recent study suggests extreme worry in children in associated with negative beliefs about problem-solving, specifically poor problem-solving confidence and low perceived problem-solving control”(Gallant, 2013). Children who possess poor problem-solving skills will benefit greatly from Narrative therapy because they are given the opportunity to work through their problems and eventually will realize that they created their
Cook-Cotton, C. (2004). Using Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development to Understand the Construction of Healing Narratives. Journal of College Counseling, 7(2), p.177-186. Retrieved from PsycINFOdatabase.
Gehart, D. (2014). Mastering competencies in family therapy: A practical guide to theories and clinical case documentation. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Cleave, P., Bird, E., Czutrin, R., & Smith, L.(2012) A Longitudinal Study of Narrative Development in Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. pp. 332-342.
When a therapist uses therapy regimes or routines thought to be effective with problems identified and that are typically used with clients in that setting, the therapist is using the third clinical professional reasoning, procedural reasoning (Willard & Schell, 2014). Lack of exposure and knowledge again forces me to give myself a low score of six in this area because I am not ready to use therapy regimes or routines to alleviate client problems yet. The fourth clinical professional reasoning is termed narrative reasoning. Narrative reasoning is a process used to make sense of people’s particular circumstances; prospectively imagine the effect of illness, disability, or occupational performance problems on their daily lives; and create
McAdams, D.P. (2001). The psychology of life stories. Review of general psychology, 5 (2), 100.