The narrative - some of my thoughts

Unit 8: Models 1-4 Integration of CBT, SFBT, Systemic & Psychodynamic approaches to counselling

From Weekly Learning Record # 29

Narrative Family Therapy

The defining of therapeutic approaches in the light of stories and the narrative brings different thoughts and emotions. In many cultures people are brought up with stories and many times oral traditions and rituals influence the way people develop their world view.

In Narrative Therapy Michael White and David Epston present the idea of people being the main characters in their stories. Thus the client is given more control over their life and they can use a language that will best describe their inner world.

On the ground of that story, the counsellor steps in and helps the client to thin the plot and thicken the counterplot (which stands for the Preferred Future).

The plot is bound by a problem saturated language, which brings the need of new languages to be learnt and new stories to be told in the light of the Preferred Future and possibilities.

The moment I started hearing and reading about the narrative, some non-conscious thoughts were brought to the surface. I began to recall images of stories, school stories, family, national, folk stories...I was vividly reminded about my recent work as counsellor in school and the value of stories and metaphors in counsellor's work with children.

It is important to understand the difference between the therapeutic work with adults and children and I was able to gain some insight through the workshops and my work as counsellor in school.

When the work is done in a school environment and especially for primary school, the very beginning of the therapeutic relationship starts with a contract which is mainly drawn instead of being written; it is made together instead of being offered to the client

(which would usually be the case of counselling work with adults).

The therapeutic relationship is held not only in the counselling room but also when the counsellor goes to pick up the child from the classroom. They are walking together, they are heading towards the room and this also becomes part of the journey. At the school that I worked, counsellors used play therapy during which the child would choose a different game/activity and together with the counsellor the child would unravel their story.

The narrative approach takes the problem to transform it into externalized metaphor so that further clarity, distance and power over the problem can be gained. Although it may look similar to a therapeutic work with children, when the work is done with an adult client the perspective is different. The client can gain a better understanding and awareness of the internal process while the child may need further help with explaining and discussing some emotions.

In schools counselling there are puppets that tell the adventure that the child has encountered and miniature figures to represent the family story. The sand tray is another space where the child can talk and re-act a story related to their emotions and thus give expression to thoughts that are difficult to be formed. Verbal and non-verbal expressions are encouraged further through finger painting or drawing. All of this are given voice in the best possible way for the child with the counsellor's help. Everything that is created through the process is kept in a box which reminds about the safety and confidentiality of the therapeutic process.

Bibliography

Crane, R, Hafen, M. (2002) Meeting the need of evidence-based practice in family therapy: developing the scientist-practitioner model. The Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (Online) Available at https://russcrane.byu.edu/Pages/general_interest_research.aspx

(Accessed 10.11.2018)

Dulwich Centre Publications The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 2004 No.2 Narrative Therapy and research (Online) Available at https://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/narrative-therapy-and-research.pdf

(Accessed 10.11.2018)

Hayward, M. Is narrative therapy systemic?

Context October 2009 (Online) Available at http://www.theinstituteofnarrativetherapy.com/Is%20narrative%20systemic%20paper- Context105.pdf

(Accessed 10.11.2018)

Morgan, A. What is narrative therapy? (Online) Available at http://www.theinstituteofnarrativetherapy.com/What%20is%20narrative%20therapy.pdf (Accessed 10.11.2018)

Morgan, A. (2001) Beginning to use a narrative approach in therapy The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work 2012 N1 (Online) Available at http://www.narrativetherapylibrary.com/media/downloadable/files/links/0/2/021Morgan _2.pdf

(Accessed 10.11.2018)

O'Conner, T., Meakes, E., Pickering, M., Schuman, M. On the right track: client experience of narrative therapy

Contemporary Family Therapy, 19(4), December 1997 (Online) Available at https://dulwichcentre.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/on-the-right-track.pdf (Accessed 10.11.2018)

Narrative Therapy NHS leaflet (online) Available at http://www.awp.nhs.uk/media/424791/narrative-therapy-leaflet.pdf

(Accessed 10.11.2018)