Narrative Therapy Flashcards
General Knowledge of Narrative
-No absolute reality instead of social construct
-Clients are experts of their own lives
-People oppress themselves by the narrative that they make about themselves and then they begin to believe it (Ex. I am a Failure) and then only see things that support that (failing) not things to contradict it (things I have succeeded in)
-Self is fluid that things are constantly changing and belief of self is changing as well
-assessment= knowing the person apart from the problem, identifying unique outcomes (when problem is not happening) mapping effects (how has the problem effected the client and how has the client effected the problem)
-Therapist will work with whoever shows up and will last as long as necessary and has a desirable narrative
-goal is to alter the problem saturated narrative till it looks more like the how the client wants it to look using their language
Primary Contributors
Micheal White
David Epston
Clients as Consultants
After clients have discharged, the therapist would welcome them back to serve as consults on current cases. This would reinforce their growth and maintain the collaborative stance of the therapist.
Preferred Narrative
After the problem-saturated story has been deconstructed, clients reflect upon what sort of preferred narrative they may wish to construct moving forward.
Relative Influencing Questioning
Assists the client in externalizing the problem through mapping the influence of the problem and mapping the influence of the person
Narrative Metaphor
This describes the primary tool people use to make sense of their lived experiences, that is, story and narrative as a metaphor
Problem saturated stories
When clients identify with a narrative that emphasizes a metaphoric problem throughout time, thereby influencing their perception of the past as well as their experience of the present and the future. These are traditionally externally influenced and repress the subjugated story more congruent with the authentic reality of the individual.
Mapping the Influence of the Problem
Entails exploring the role that the problem has had on the individual’s life.
Preference Questions
The manner in which the therapist checks in with the client to ensure that the discourse of therapy is congruent with the client’s actual desires and hopes.
Subjugated Story
The more positive, authentic, and congruent attributes of an individual that are vulnerable to suppression through a problem-saturated of dominant cultural discourse. The subjugated story typically entails time in which the problem did not have power over the individual or times that the individual was able to take control of the problem.
Landscape of Meaning Questions
Once there is a clear understanding of the preferred narrative, these question serve to explore the meanings within the preferred narrative. Ex. How does the client’s preffered narrative of spending more quality time with family reflect upon them as a person.
Mapping the Influence of the person
This process entails exploring the role that the person has had on the life of the problem.
Therapeutic Certificates
After clients discharge, Narrative therapists will present them with a Therapeutic Certificate for them to keep, honoring the effort and growth of their engagement in therapy.
Landscape of Action Questions
Questions that explore specific situations and efforts that are congruent with the preferred narrative.
Externalizing the Problem
A process that separates the problem from the person, often personifying the problem into its own external entity. The manner in which the problem becomes externalized is based upon the client’s use of language and expressed lived reality.
Therapeutic Letters
After clients would discharge, a Narrative Therapist may write them a therapeutic letter that reflects upon the nature of their work and the growth the achieved, helping to maintain the growth into the future.
Unique Outcomes (Sparkling Events)
There are types of questions aimed at exploring times when the problem did not have control over the individuals of family’s life.
Deconstruction Questions
These questions help individuals to unravel their stories and see them from different perspectives, creating an opportunity for them to decide whether or not they choose to continue identifying with it.
Externalizing Questions
questions oriented toward helping the client to externalize the problem, thereby separating from them in an effort to feel less powerless, These questions usually entail shifting the use of language from identifying the problem as an adjective (Ex. feeling depressed) to a noun (Ex. recognizing the presence of depression)
Constitutionalist self
The concept that the self is fluid, constantly constructed and deconstructed through interaction with other and the environment.
Collaborative Case-notes
The therapist may write case notes collaboratively with the client toward the end of each session to ensure that he or she was correctly capturing the essence of the client’s experience of the session.
