4/5/2015

LearnWhatNarrativeTherapyIsandHowThisTechniqueCanHelpYou
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NarrativetherapywasdevelopedbyMichaelWhiteandDavidEpston.Narrativetherapyisamethodoftherapythatseparatestheperson
fromtheproblemandencouragespeopletorelyontheirownskillsetstominimizetheproblemsthatexistintheireverydaylives.
Throughoutlife,personalexperiencesaretransformedintopersonalstoriesthataregivenmeaningandhelpshapeapersonsidentity,
andnarrativetherapyutilizesthepowerofpeoplespersonalstoriestodiscoverthelifepurposeofthenarrator.

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PrinciplesofNarrativeTherapy

Featured Contributors:
Narrative Therapy

GoalsandBenefits
NarrativeTherapyTechniques
NarrativeTherapyResources

PeggyDerivan,
MS,LMHC

PrinciplesofNarrativeTherapy
Narrativetherapywascreatedasanonpathologizing,empowering,andcollaborativeformoftherapythatrecognizesthatpeople
possessnaturalcompetencies,skills,andexpertisethatcanhelpguidechangeintheirlives.Peopleareviewedasseparatefromtheir

problems,andinthisway,atherapistcanhelpexternalizesensitiveissues.Thisobjectificationdissipatesresistanceanddefensesand
allowsaclienttoaddressthisissueinamoreproductivemanner.

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WritingYourHolidayStory

TheScaffoldingMapinNarrative

Ratherthantransformingtheperson,narrativetherapyaimstotransformtheeffectsoftheproblem.
Theobjectiveistogetsomedistancefromtheissue,andinthisway,itispossibletoseehowa
particularconcernisservingaperson,ratherthanharminghimorher.Forexample,posttraumatic
stressmighthelpprotectapersonfromthedifficultemotionsassociatedwithaparticularevent,
althoughitalsocontributesahostofnewtroublingsymptoms,suchasanxiety.Thisprocessof

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Therapy:CaseStudywithPeter
TheUseofReauthoringand

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externalizationcanhelpapersondevelopgreaterselfcompassion,which,inturn,canhelphimor

hertofeelmorecapableofchange.Infact,somepsychologistshaveidentifiedaprocesstermed
"posttraumaticgrowth"toaccountforthepositivepersonalchangethatcanoccurtopeoplewhohaveexperiencedatraumaticevent.
Narrativetherapistsalsohelpclientsviewtheirproblemswithinthecontextofsocial,political,andculturalstorylinesthatinfluencethe
wayweviewourselvesandourpersonalstories.

Narrativetherapycanbeusedforindividuals,couples,orfamilies.Inacoupleorfamilysetting,thetechniqueofexternalizingproblems
setsthestageforcreatingpositiveinteractionsandtransformingnegativecommunicationorresponsesintomoreaccepting,
nonjudgmental,andmeaningfulexchanges.Seeingaproblemobjectivelyhelpscouplesandfamiliestoreconnectwiththeheartoftheir
relationshipandaddressthewaysinwhichtheproblemhaschallengedthatcorestrength.

NarrativeTherapyTechniques
Practitionersofnarrativetherapybelievethatsimplytellingonesstoryofaproblemisaformofactiontowardchange.Narrative
therapistshelptoobjectifyproblems,framethemwithinalargersocioculturalcontext,andmakeroomforotherstories.Together,
therapistandclientidentifyandbuilduponalternativeorpreferredstorylinesthatexistbeyondtheproblemstorytheseprovide
contrasttotheproblem,reflectapersonstruenature,andofferopportunitiestorewriteonesstory.Inthisway,peoplemovefrom
whatisknown(theproblemstory)towhatisasofyetunknown.

Thetherapistalsohelpspeopletoseewhatisabsentbutimplicitinthepresentationofaproblem.Byexploringtheimpactofthe
problem,itispossibletoidentifywhatistrulyimportantandvaluabletoapersoninabroadercontext,beyondtheproblem.Thiscan
helpapersonidentifyacommonthreadtoconnecthisorheractionsandchoicesthroughoutlife.Inotherwords,alltheother
experiencesandvaluesfromlifeareabsentbutimplicitaspeoplenavigatenewterrain.Thisprocesscanhelpapersonbetter
understandhisorherexperienceoflifeandgainpersonalagencyforaddressingproblemscenariosinthefuture.

Resources
TheDulwichCentre:EstablishedbyMichaelWhiteandDavidEpston,TheDulwichCentreprovidesinformation,workshops,and
trainings
References:
1. Beels,C.C.(2009).Somehistoricalconditionsofnarrativework.FamilyProcess,48(3),36378.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/218869106?accountid=1229
2. Carey,M.,B.A.,Walther,S.,M.A.,&Russell,S.(2009).Theabsentbutimplicit:Amaptosupporttherapeuticenquiry.Family
Process,48(3),31931.Retrievedfromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/218874274?accountid=1229
3. Morgan,Alice.(n.d.).WhatIsNarrativeTherapy?Retrievedfromhttp://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/whatisnarrative
therapy.html

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4/5/2015

LearnWhatNarrativeTherapyIsandHowThisTechniqueCanHelpYou

Lastupdated:01262015

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