Narrative Therapy

narrative therapy definition

a collaborative approach with an emphasis on respectfully listening to client’s stories

key concepts of narrative therapy

• emphasizes collaborating to gain understanding

• providing opportunity to write an alternative story using new, fresh language

• “the client is not the problem”, the problem is the problem

the therapeutic process in narrative therapy

• Collaborate with client to name the problem.

• Personify the problem and identify its tactics.

• Explore how the problem disrupts the client’s life.

• Inquire into alternative meanings for events.

• Identify exceptions when the client resisted the problem.

• Find historical evidence of competence and rewrite the life story.

• Imagine a future based on the client’s emerging strengths.

the counselor’s role in narrative therapy

• focusing on understanding the client’s story without judgement/diagnosis

  • listen with an open mind

  • counselor is open to the client’s story

  • encourage clients to share their stories

• create a collaborative relationship, with the client being the senior partner

• focus on the client’s abilities, resources, and past successes - separating the person from the problem

• act as an active facilitator with respect, curiosity, and empathy

• help clients construct a preferred story line

• believe in the clients abilities, talents, and positive intentions

techniques in narrative therapy

• no specific formula for providing this therapy

• questions!

• externalization: “the person is not the problem; the problem is the problem”

• deconstruction: problem-saturated stories are deconstructed/taken apart before new stories are co-authored

• search for unique outcomes

• alternative stories and reauthoring

• documenting evidence: therapeutic letters, audiences for new stories

the role of questions in narrative therapy

• a way to generate experience rather than to gather
  information

• questions are always asked from a position of respect,
  curiosity, and openness

• therapists ask questions from a not-knowing stance

• by asking questions, therapists assist clients in exploring
  dimensions of their life situations

• questions can lead to taking apart problem-saturated
  stories

• prefer open-ended questions (What? How? When?
  Which?).

what kind of cases could benefit from narrative therapy?

• broad therapeutic approach that can help many people externalize problems

• individuals and families facing grief, trauma, and abuse

• children and adolescents struggling with behavioral or identity issues

• communities dealing with social oppression and marginalization

A narrative therapist's work with Ruth would be based on the assumption that:

A) change will occur more effectively if the therapist adopts a nondirective stance.
B) mental health is best defined in terms of dominant cultural values.
C) Ruth needs to become the senior partner in the collaborative relationship with the therapist.
D) using techniques tends to undermine the client's self-direction.
E) change will occur more effectively if the therapist adopts a nondirective stance and mental health is best defined in terms of dominant cultural values.

C) Ruth needs to become the senior partner in the collaborative relationship with the therapist.

Narrative therapists believe that "The person is not the problem, but the problem is the problem." This phrase illustrates which of the following interventions that is likely to be made with Ruth?

A) mapping the effects
B) deconstruction of a problem-saturated story
C) co-authoring alternative stories
D) externalizing conversation
E) building an audience as a witness to an emerging preferred story

D) externalizing conversation

The narrative therapist will likely listen respectfully to Ruth's story, examine with her the problem influences in a systematic way, and will assist Ruth in moving away from the harmful effects of the problem. This intervention is best known as:

A) making use of scaling questions.
B) mapping the effects of the problem story.
C) documenting the evidence.
D) conducting a functional assessment.
E) formulating a tentative diagnosis.

B) mapping the effects of the problem story.

In the view of the postmodern therapist, the most essential element of therapy is:

A) assessment.
B) the collaborative therapeutic relationship.
C) diagnosis.
D) brief course of treatment.

B) the collaborative therapeutic relationship.

Which of the following is not considered a developer of narrative therapy?

A) Michael White
B) Robert Wobbolding
C) David Epston
D) Both Robert Wobbolding and David Epston
E) None of these

B) Robert Wobbolding

Narrative therapists place a high degree of emphasis on the client's:

A) use of language.
B) distorted beliefs.
C) early childhood.
D) family constellation.

A) use of language.

Which of the following is true of narrative therapy and solution focused therapy?

A) The client is an expert on his or her own life
B) The therapeutic relationship should be hierarchical
C) The therapist is the expert on a client's life
D) For change to occur, clients must first acquire insight to their problems

A) The client is an expert on his or her own life

Which one of the following interventions is associated with narrative therapy?

A) the miracle question
B) exploring faulty cognitions
C) power analysis and intervention
D) externalizing conversations

D) externalizing conversations

Stories:

A) Shape our reality
B) Are socially constructed
C) Change the person telling the story
D) All of these
E) None of these

D) All of these

The role of a counselor using narrative theory in a session:

A) Is active
B) Is an expert
C) Is curious
D) Is active and curious
E) None of these

A) Is active