Constructivism - Narrative Flashcards
What are the assumptions of Narrative therapy?
- No absolute reality: Reality is constantly being constructed (including during therapy)
- People have different truths
- “Self” is not a stable entity but rather is created through interactions
- A person’s sense of self derives from the dominant narrative
- Stories organize our experience & shape our behavior
- People are not their problems; the problem is the problem
– Non-pathologizing
– Probs are external, & exert influence
– Probs viewed in a social context - People have filters that process messages from society, others
- Therapy is designed to collapse the historic, emotional response of family members to the subjugated story
– Techniques are designed to generate neutrality
What is a Subjugated Narrative in Narrative Therapy?
A person’s own story that is suppressed by the dominant story
What is an Alternate Story in Narrative Therapy?
The story that is there, but not noticed
What is the role of the therapist in Narrative Therapy?
- Genuine curious listener
- Questions client assumptions
- Open space to make room for possibilities
- Remain neutral & open to client; transparent
- Expert on questions, conversation
Who developed Narrative therapy?
Michael White
David Epston
Jill Freedman
Gene Combs
(1980’s)
What is the concept of “Constitutionalist Self” in Narrative therapy?
The “Constitutionalist self” is the idea of self, which is continuously deconstructed and reconstructed through
interactions.
What is the goal in Narrative Therapy?
- Help client create a new narrative that emphasizes their preferred way of relating to themselves in the larger culture.
- Change how the Ct views themselves.
- Help them find alternatives to their problem story.
Who developed Narrative therapy?
Michael White (Australia).
- Society’s discourses (large scale narratives)
maintain distribution of power
Influenced by cybernetics’ information processing &
effects of cognitions on behavior
- Influenced by Bruner’s “The Narrative Construction
of Reality” (cognitive psychology)
David Epston (NZ)
- Focused on individual narratives that people
construct
- Developed line of questions to draw out people’s stories
- Recognized need for client support system
– “Leagues” (linking clients with similar problems)
– Letter-writing
What is “Normal” vs “Dysfunctional” in Narrative Therapy?
- No specific notions about normal development
- Doesn’t label problems with diagnoses
- Narrative stories exert powerful influence over lives of clients, to create concepts of problems
- Problems also exist because of negative social, political, and cultural influences that affect narratives
- Problems can come from internalization of dominant cultural norm
- Therapists need to be aware of larger societal pressures and discourses and their influences
What is the role of Narrative stories in Narrative therapy?
- People are not viewed as dysfunctional, but rather under the influence of “problem saturated stories”
- Some are more helpful than others
- Stories affect what ppl notice and how they understand experiences
- Ppl tend to select data that supports stories and ignore data that does not
What is the goal of Narrative therapy?
- To deconstruct problem-saturated stories and dominant cultural discourses
- To co-author new, more helpful stories
What are some key Interventions in Narrative therapy?
- Revealing narrative stories
- Asking Questions to enact change
- Exploring landscapes of action, consciousness
- Enabling openings (opp’s for change)
- Externalize & Personify problems
- “Opening space”
- Deconstructing
- Extending story into future
- Effects of problem on fam/Ct; effects of fam/Ct on problem
- Mapping, Journaling, Drawing
- Find preferred storylines
Find unique/alternate outcomes via dialog or visualization - Life Story
- Meditation
- Letters from Therapist
- Certificates of award
What is a Deconstruction Question in Narrative therapy?
Externalize the problem
- “What does Depression try to tell you to do?”
What is an Open Space Question in Narrative therapy?
Uncovering unique outcomes
- “Has there been a time that Guilt did not take control over your life, even when you might have expected it to?”
What is a Preference Question in Narrative therapy?
Ascertaining if the unique outcome is preferred
- “Do you think this way of reacting was better or worse?”
