Narrative Therapy: An Overview

Introduction to Narrative Therapy

• Developed from the work of Michael White and David Epston in Australia and New Zealand.
• Popular in the US, linked closely to collaborative therapy and social constructionism.
• Emphasizes dominant and local discourses.
• Contains numerous structured interventions.

Key Concepts

• Social Constructionism: Both collaborative and narrative therapies share this foundation.
• Narrative Metaphor: Reality is storied; identity and memory are experienced as narratives.

Dominant Discourses

• Essential for societal organization and coordination of behavior.
• Problems arise when lived experiences do not align with these discourses.
• Cultural Example: US "white picket fence" ideal.

Narrative Therapy Approach

• Externalizing Problems: Separates the person from their problems.
• Dominant vs. Local Discourses: Dominant discourses coordinate societal behavior, local discourses offer alternative narratives.
• Therapeutic Process: Involves meeting the person apart from the problem, mapping influences, and exploring preferred realities.

Significant Contributions

• Places social justice at the core of therapy.
• Integrates marginalized voices to reshape dominant discourses.

Treatment Phases

1. Meeting the Person: Knowing the person beyond their problems.
2. Understanding the Problem: Listening for problem narratives and externalizing them.
3. Exploring Preferred Realities: Establishing new possibilities and dominant narratives.
4. Solidifying New Narratives: Enacting and reinforcing these narratives.

Therapeutic Relationship

• Based on optimism, hope, and respect.
• Therapist acts as a co-author or investigative reporter.
• Emphasizes client agency and curiosity.

Case Conceptualization and Assessment

• Identifies problem-saturated stories and unique outcomes.
• Examines influence of cultural/social constructs on problems.

Change in Narrative Therapy

• Goal: Enact preferred reality and increase agency.
• Phases: Stabilization, symptom targeting, and solidifying identity.

Narrative Therapy Interventions

• Externalizing: Conceptually separating person and problem.
• Mapping Influence: Understanding how problems and people influence each other.
• Intentional State Questions: Clarifying intentions to build agency.
• Scaffolding Questions: Transitioning clients from familiar to novel perspectives.
• Permission Questions: Ensuring client consent in discussions.
• Situating Comments: Contextualizing therapist input.
• Definitional Ceremonies and Leagues: Community support systems and identity reinforcement.

Working with Diverse Clients

• Widely applicable across cultures and marginalized groups.
• Effective in addressing immigrant and intergenerational issues.

Research and Evidence

• Supported by qualitative and growing quantitative research.
• Aligns with contemporary neurobiological understandings of trauma and identity.

Conclusion

• Narrative therapy offers a humane, respectful approach, especially suited for addressing cultural diversity and multiplicity of narratives in modern society. It emphasizes agency and enriched understanding of individualized experiences through storying.

This lecture highlights the importance and methods of narrative therapy, encouraging its use to navigate the complexities of human identities and experiences.