Family Counseling Approach - Narrative Therapy Essay Example
Family Counseling Approach – Narrative Therapy Kristi Sabbides Moos Liberty University Marriage and Family Counseling I May 13, 2011 Dr. Suhad Sadik, Instructor
Abstract
Narrative therapy focuses on helping clients gain access to preferred story lines about their lives and identities and takes the place of previous negative and self-defeating narratives about themselves. An overview of the Social Construction Model, Narrative Therapy, is presented, as well as poststrucuralism, deconstructionism, self-narratives, cultural narratives, therapeutic conversations, ceremonies, letters and leagues in addition to several facets of narrative therapy. Personal integration of faith in this family counseling approach is also discussed.
Introduction
Narrative therapy falls within the Social Construction Model. In this type of therapy, the therapist is not central to the process, but rather influential to the client. The therapist helps the client internalize and create new stories within themselves and draw new assumptions about themselves by opening themselves up to future stories. This enables the client to not focus on the negative narratives that have defined their lives, but rather on future positive stories that can re-define their lives. To narrative therapists, the problem is the problem and the client is not the problem. Externalizing the problem is usually how therapy begins, therefore defining the problem and getting it out in the open. Narrative therapies typically are in the form of questioning to break down the problem and create alternative narratives to connect the new story line to future options.
Narrative Therapy
According to Daniel (2009), a central element in many forms of therapy is narrative articulation of a client’s experiences. Goldenberg & Goldenberg (2008) state that Narrative Therapy centers on the “narrative metaphor – the idea that our sense of reality is organized
Abstract
Narrative therapy focuses on helping clients gain access to preferred story lines about their lives and identities and takes the place of previous negative and self-defeating narratives about themselves. An overview of the Social Construction Model, Narrative Therapy, is presented, as well as poststrucuralism, deconstructionism, self-narratives, cultural narratives, therapeutic conversations, ceremonies, letters and leagues in addition to several facets of narrative therapy. Personal integration of faith in this family counseling approach is also discussed.
Introduction
Narrative therapy falls within the Social Construction Model. In this type of therapy, the therapist is not central to the process, but rather influential to the client. The therapist helps the client internalize and create new stories within themselves and draw new assumptions about themselves by opening themselves up to future stories. This enables the client to not focus on the negative narratives that have defined their lives, but rather on future positive stories that can re-define their lives. To narrative therapists, the problem is the problem and the client is not the problem. Externalizing the problem is usually how therapy begins, therefore defining the problem and getting it out in the open. Narrative therapies typically are in the form of questioning to break down the problem and create alternative narratives to connect the new story line to future options.
Narrative Therapy
According to Daniel (2009), a central element in many forms of therapy is narrative articulation of a client’s experiences. Goldenberg & Goldenberg (2008) state that Narrative Therapy centers on the “narrative metaphor – the idea that our sense of reality is organized