Narrativetherapy

Introduction
Narrativetherapyisanonpathologizingaswellascollaborativeapproach,
whichisappliedincounsellingandothercommunityworkcenteringindividualsasthe
expertstotheirlives(Smith&Nylund,1997).Theapproachviewsproblemstobe
separatefromindividualswhoexperiencethem.Italsousesanassumptionthatthe
individualshavedifferentabilitiesvalues,attitudes,competenciesandcommitments,
whichareusefulinhelpingthem,toovercometheirproblems.Throughsuchhelp,the
individualsareabletoinfluencetheirlivespositivelyduetotheimprovedrelationship
theydevelopwiththeirproblems.Ibelieveincorporatingnarrativetherapyintomy
classroomtherapeuticpracticecanenhancetheeffectivenessofpatienttreatmentthrough
theencouragementofselfrelianceintheclients.However,duetothelackofexperience
inusingnarrativetherapy,Iamunsureofanysignificantbenefitofnarrativetherapyas
opposedto'personcentred'therapy.
Whatisnarrativetherapy?
Thegoalofnarrativetherapyinvolvesthetherapistseparatingthepersonfrom
theproblem,criticallyexaminingtheassumptionsthatinformhowthepersonevaluates
himselfandhislife(Corey,1991).Throughthisprocess,clientsdiscoveralternativeways
toview,act,andinteractindailylife.Narrativetherapistsaresimilartotheirsolution
focusedpeersbecausetheyassumethatallpeopleareresourcefulandhavestrengths.
Theydonotseepeopleashavingproblemsbutratherseeproblemsasbeingimposed
uponpeoplebyunhelpfulorharmfulsocietalculturalpractices.Narrativetherapyis
basedontheideathatthemeaningofaperson'sstoryandtheirlifeeventsare
constructedfromdominantdiscoursesof:broadsocietalstories,socioculturalpractices,
assumptions,andexpectationsabouthowweshouldlive(Castronova,2007).
Narrativetherapynotonlyconsiderstheproblemsthatpeopleexperienceintheir
dailylivesbutalsopaysmoreattentiontobroadercontextsinseveraldimensionssuchas
race,sexualorientationandgenderissues.Narrativetherapyusesstoriesthatare
composedofeventscontainingathemethatoccuroveratimewithinacertainplot.
Storiesthatrelatetotheapproachemergewhensomeeventsareselectedoveratimeand
areidentifiedastrueorimportant.Duetotheprivilegethatpeopleattachtotheseevents,
storiesthatarisefromthemturnouttobemoreimportantthanothersare.Duringa
narrativetherapy,practitionersusuallyfollowacertainprocedure,whichtheyusein
helpingapersonsolvetheproblems,whichtheycouldbeexperiencing(Vetere&
Dowling,2005).First,theymeettheclientsandgettoknowhimorherasseparateform
theirproblems.Itcouldbethroughlearningmoreabouttheirvalues,hobbies,interestsas
wellasotheraspectsoftheirdailylives.Thenextstepthatnarrativetherapiststakeisto
listentotheclientfortheeffectsofdominantdiscoursesaswellasidentifyingtimes
withoutconsideringtheproblems(Taylor,2011).Thirdly,thepractitioners,afterlistening
totheclient,separatethemfromtheirproblemsthroughexternalizingthemfromthe
problems.Separatingthemfromtheirproblemscreatesspacefortheirnewidentities,

whichhelpsinemergingoftheirlifestories.Thefourthphaseinvolvesenactionofthe
preferrednarrativesontheclient.Thisphaseinvolvesidentifyingnewwaysthatrelateto
theirproblemsthatreducestheclientsnegativeeffectsonthelivesofothers.Lastly,the
practitionersolidifiesthepreferredstoriesandidentitiesthroughhavingthemwitnessed
byothersintheirlives.
Narrativetherapydesirestoaccomplishtwomajorgoalsduringthecounselling
session.Thefirstgoalistochangethewaytheclientsviewhimorherselfandassisthim
orherinreauthorizingtheirstoryinapositivelight;findthealternativebutpreferred
storythatisnotproblemsaturated(Rogers&Dymond,1994).Thesecondgoaliscome
alongsidetheclienttohelpgivethemoptionssuchasmoreordifferentstoriesthatdonot
includeproblems.Ifthesedesiredoutcomesbecomerealitythentheclientcanseethat
therearenumerouspossibilitiescombinedwithanexpandedsenseofself.The
philosophicalunderpinningsofnarrativetherapyarepostmodernism.Whenanarrative
therapistviewsrealitythroughapostmodernprismthentheybelievepersonal
experienceisambiguous.Thelanguageusedtodescribeitshapesreality.Aclients
truthmaynotmatchhistorictruthoranotherpersonstruth,butitistruetotheclient.
Therapiststendtofocusoneffectsoftheproblem,notthecause.Storiesorganizeour
experienceandshapeourbehaviour.Theproblemistheproblem;thepersonisnotthe
problem.Peoplearethestoriestheytell.PostModernismalsobelievesthatthe
storieswetellourselvesareoftenbasedonmessagesreceivedfromsocietyorour
families.Lastly,peoplehavetheirownuniquefilters,whichhelpsthemprocessthe
messagestheyreceivefromsociety.
Afterunderstandingthenatureandphilosophyofnarrativetherapy,apersonis
abletoseeconceptsthatcanbeusedtosolveproblemsheorshecouldbeexperiencing.
Thereareeightconceptsthatbuildupthestructureofatherapeuticmodel.Thefirst
conceptisthedominantnarrativeconcept,whichrevealsthebeliefs,values,andpractices
basedondominantsocialculture.Subjugatednarrativedescribesapersonsownstory
thatissuppressedbythedominantstory.Alternativestorystatesthereisanarrativethat
existsbutgoesunnoticedbytheclient.Deconstructionisalsoanotherconceptwherethe
therapistguidestheclientintakingaparttheproblemsaturatedstoryinorderto
externalizeandreauthorit(findmissingpiecesorunpacking).Problemsaturated
storiesaretheeventsthatbogclientsdown,allowingtheproblemtopersist(closedand
rigid).Thelandscapeofactionisatermthatdescribeshowpeopledothings.The
landscapeofconsciousnessseekstoaskthequestion:whatisthemeaningoftheproblem
totheclient?Lastly,auniqueoutcomedescribesthepiecesofdeconstructedstorythat
wouldnothavebeenpredictedbythedominantstoryorthesparklingmoments.
Narrativetherapyishighlylinkedtomystudies.Incounselling,whichismy
course,theapproachisimportantinhelpingtheclientsthatacounsellorattendsto.
However,Ionlypractisecounsellingskillsinclassanddisabilitycentres.Through,inthe
disabilitycenters,Iamonlyexpectedtoperformthelisteningskillthanexercisingany
othercounsellingskillsthatIhavelearntinclass.Duringmytimeasavolunteeratthe

disabilitycenters,Icouldseemyself,beingabletoexercisetheskillsbecauseIgetto
hearmanystoriesconcerningtheproblemsthatpeopleinthecentreshavewhichwould
beabletohelpthem.Iamnotusingnarrativetherapyatthemomentexceptinclass
becauseIhavenotyetattainedalicensetodocounsellingandalsoIamnotvery
confidentinmyself.However,whenIstartusingit,Iwillhavetousethedifferent
aspectsinvolvedinit.IfIdonotuseitproperly,Imaynotbeabletocarryoutmy
counsellingsessionseffectively.Withthemanyprosandconsofnarrativetherapy,Iwill
havetounderstandthefieldwellformetobearpositiveresultsinthelivesoftheclients
aswellasinotherpeopleslives,whousetheemergentstoriesoutoftheproblemsof
thosethatIwillattendto.ThroughtheknowledgethatIhaveandwillcontinuetoacquire
inclass,Iwillbeabletounderstandthatclientswhoconsultmearenottheproblem.
Therefore,understandingtheconceptsinvolvedwillhelpmeequiptheclienttofocuson
asolutionthroughanalternativestory.
Thirdly,Iwillbeabletodemonstrategenuineinterestintheclientsstorysince
theapproachisclientcentered.However,ifIdonotusetheapproachwisely,Iwillnot
beabletohelpmyclientsandcouldpossiblyworsentheirconditions.Sincetherapyis
qualitativeinnature,Imayonlybeabletomeasuretheclientssubjectiveresponsesto
thetreatmentwithoutusingcontrolledstudiesandobjectivecriteria.Sincethetherapyis
relativelynew,Iwillneedtotakeformallongtermstudiestodocounsellinginthefuture
usingtheapproach.Thefewweaknessesthatareassociatedwiththemodelmaylimitme
inmycounsellingworkandthereforeImaynotbefullyeffectivewhileusingthe
approachtosolvetheproblemsofmyclients.Theproblemofpostmodernthoughtand
philosophyisthatitisselfcontradictoryinnature.Forexample;MichaelFoucault,a
philosopherdeniestherealityofabsolutetruthsbydeclaringanarbitrarytruthclaim.It
wouldbelikeMr.FoucaultsayingThereisabsolutelynoabsolutetruthsirony
emphasizedforeffect(Dallos,2006).EventhoughsuchaworldviewinNarrative
Therapyallowsatherapist,comealongsidetheclientduringthejourneyofhaling
withouttrulyunderstandingdepthofpeoplespainandemotion.Otherphilosophers
perceiveemotionsasannoyancestobeavoidedinsteadofthingstobeexplored.
Tragically,narrativetherapyignoresthefactthattherapistsbringintheirownbiasesand
interpretationsoftheclientandtheproblemregardlesshowneutraltheymayseekto
appearinacounselingsession.WhenImeetpeoplewhowillconsultme,Iwillhaveto
usealltheseconceptstothinkofthepossibilitiesforanydirectionsoftheconversationsI
willhavewiththemastheroadmapsfortheirjourney.Withthediversecrossroadsin
counsellingthatIlearnfromclassandforeachstepthatIwilltake,Iwillbeabletoopen
moredirectionsinthelivesofmyclients.
Differentaspectsofnarrativetherapy
Externalizingconversations
Whileusingthenarrativetherapyapproach,theproblemisthestorysantagonist.
Somebehaviourthatmaybewitnessedintheclientcouldpossiblybeduetosome
unhealthycharacteristicssuchasbeingaggressiveorimpatient.Theapproachassumes

thatsuchcharacteristicsarenotpartoftheclientsbutratherareconsideredasopposing
forces,whichneedtobeovercome(Persons,2008).Forinstance,achildwhoismuch
aggressivetootherchildrenatschool,accordingtonarrativetherapy,aggressivenessis
notperceivedtobepartofsuchachildbutratheritisanexternalforcethatneedstobe
fullydefeated.Thecounsellorinthiscase,willhavetoremovetheunhealthytraitand
replaceitwithanotherdesirableone.Thetechniqueofexternalizingtheconversations
willhelpmeinmycounsellingpracticebecauseithelpsclientsinreconstructingtheir
storiesinamannerthatreducestheproblemincidencetoeliminateanynegativeresults
aswellasreinforceachievementanddevelopmentintherespectiveclients.Inthiscase,
theprotagonistrewritesthewholestory(Guilfoyle,2009).Thisaspecthelpspeople
separatethemselvesfromtheirproblemsandanyproblematicnarrativesthatcouldbe
dominatingaroundtheirlives.Throughexternalizing,Iwillbeabletobeeffectiveinmy
counsellingprofessionbecauseanameisgiventotheproblemandthereforetheclient
andIwillbeabletoworktowardsdefeatingtheproblem.
Sincetheclientrewriteshisorherstory,Iwilllistentowhateverheorshehasto
sayandusethewordsappropriately.WhateverlabelIwillobtainfromthestorygiven,I
willthenapplyittotheproblem.Whenpeoplefacechallenges,theytendtobasethem
withintheirphysicalbodiesbuttheaspectofexternalizingconversationshelpsaperson
tocentertheproblemsoutinspace(Parry&Doan,1994).Havingunderstoodthe
concept,Iwillbeabletomakemyclientsthinkofthemanyoptionsthatareavailableto
themtosolveanyproblemsthatcouldbefacing.Theywillthereforechangetheirwayof
thinkingabouttheirproblemsandhowtheywouldliketheirentitiestochange.Basedon
thecognitivetheoryofphilosophy,humanbeingshavetheiremotionsaswellas
behavior,whicharemainlydeterminedbytheprocessofthinking.Thehumanmindis
thereforecomparedtoacomputer,whichprocessesinformationdependingonthe
emotionsandbehaviorthatpeopledevelop.Therefore,inthiscasethewayofthinkingof
theclientwhofacesaproblemwillchangeafterheorshechangeshisperceptionofthe
respectiveproblem.Theclientwillthereforedeveloppositiveemotionsaswellasupright
behavior,whichwillhelpingettingthesolutiontotheprevailingproblem.
Externalisationquestions,forneophytes,canseemoddtoask,andevenodderto
answer.Inapracticesituationinclass,aclientcamewithanxietymanagementissue,
havingcometounderstandhimselfasaworriedperson,heparticipatedinthis
questionanswersequencebelow:
Sandhya: I would like to understand, how often does this worry visit
you?
Andrew: when I remember something, it gets triggered
Ihavepackagedakeyexternalisingphrasethisworryvisitedyou.Thisshows
thatwhatisbeingsaidisnotonlywhatmattersbutalsohowthingsgetsaidaswellin
theseunusualjuncturesoftalk.Textbooksusuallyleavethehowpartstotheimagination
ofreaders,claimingittobeirrelevant.Thisnegligencehasbeensaidtobeanimportant

featuretoexternalisingclaimsthosewhohaveexaminedtherapy(Watzlawick,etal.,
1967).
Notionofcollaboration
Innarrativetherapy,anyclientwhoseekshelpfromatherapistgreatlycontributes
tothesuccessorfailureofthejourneydirection.Narrativetherapyisinteractiveinnature
andrequiresahighlevelofcollaborationbetweentheclientandthetherapist(Morgan,
2000).Whiletheclientseekshelpfromthetherapisttosolvehisorherproblems,the
therapistseekstounderstandclearlytheinterestoftheclient.Throughunderstandingthe
interests,thetherapistisabletoknowthepreferencesoftheclientandhowtheysuithis
orherjourney.ThisaspectwillhelpmeinmypracticeinthefuturebecauseIwillknow
howconversationswillalwaysbegoingfortheclientthroughthequestionsthatIwill
subjecttheclientto.Forinstance,itwillbesoeasytoknowthegoingoftheconversation
andtheeffecttheconversationwillhaveonmyclientsthroughreadingtheinterestin
them.IwillmakesurethatIaskthemwhethertocontinuewiththeconversationornot
wheneverInotethattheyarenotcollaborating.
Lowlevelsofcollaborationwouldmeanthataclientcouldnotgivetheright
responsestomeandthusthetherapyprocesscouldnotbeeffectivetobearpositive
outcomes(Capuzzi&Stauffer,2012).Theaspectwillgenerallyhelpmetodiscoverwhat
issuesthatIshouldspendtimediscussingthemwithclients.IfIdiscusssomeissueswith
theclientsandInotethattheydonotcollaborate,Iwillbeabletoimplementother
options,whichcouldmaketheclientcollaborate.Basedonthetheoryofplanned
behavior,theactualbehaviorincidenceofanyindividualidequivalenttothecontrolan
individualpossessesonthebehavioraswellasthestrengthoftheintentiontoperform
therespectivebehavior(Zimmerman&Dickerson,1996).Inthiscase,atherapisthas
morecontrolandpowertoinfluencethebehaviorofaclientbecausemanyofthefactors
influencingthebehavioroftheclientarewithinthescopeofthetherapysession.For
instance,thetherapistcouldinfluencethelevelofcollaborationthataclientcouldshow
throughimplantationoftheoptionsthatseemtobeinlinewithhisorherinterest.

Deconstructionofsociopoliticalcontextsofproblemstories

Philosopherswarnpeoplethattheyshouldbesensitiveabouttheclaimsthat
modernsciencehaveconcerningtruths.Someofthesetruthshavebeenidentifiedas
objectiveandthusdehumanizepeople.Narrativetherapyisbasedonthebeliefthat
problemsthatpeoplefacecouldbemadeupofunhealthydiscoursesthatariseoutof
socialandotherexternalfactorsandnotoutofanindividualsinnateenvironment
(Freedman&Combs,1996).Anindividualsdiscoursethathasbeenfoundedonoutdated
vies,valuesofacertaincultureneedstobedeconstructedtoeliminatetheladenviews
andvalues.Forinstance,themodernsocietybelievesthatforwomentobeattractive,
theyhavetobeslim.Thisideahasbeengreatlybeeninthemediathusmakingmany
peoplewhocomeacrossittobelieveso.Anotherclaimbythemodernsocietyisthatfor
peopletobehappyinlife,theyhavetobeeroticallyinlove.However,theseclaimshave

beenprovedtobebasedonladenviewsofthepeopleofthemoderngeneration.Such
claimshaveledtoachangeinthesocialaswellasculturallandscapethusaneedtobe
deconstructed.

Innarrativetherapy,deconstructionofsociopoliticalcontextsofproblemstories
involvesinvitingclientstoengageinseriesofquestionswiththetherapistconcerning
socialtruths(Brown&AugustaScott,2007).Thetherapistinthiscaseseeksto
understandandidentifypossiblefactorsthatinfluencesocietalnotionsandbeliefsthat
leadtoconstructionoftherespectivediscourse.Thisaspectwillhelpmeinmy
professioninfuturebecauseitwillhelpmeredefineeventsaswellastheirmeaning
concerningthesocietalnotionsandbeliefs.Iwillbeabletosensitizetheclientsofthe
possibleambiguousnessanddeceptionofthenotionsandbeliefsthatcontributetothe
constructionoftheirdiscourses.Iwillmakethemunderstandthattheirsocietalnotions
andviewsshouldnotdamagetheirselfdefinition.Basedonthetheoryofreasoned
action,theattitudesandsocialpressureshapetheperformanceofanindividual.
Therefore,withladensocietalnotionsandviews,anindividualwillexperiencesocial
pressuretoactwithinthelimitsofthenotionsandviews(Madigan,2011).Theindividual
willdevelopattitudesaccordingtotheoutcomethatthesocialpressurewillhaveinhisor
herperformance.Inmostcases,suchpressuredoesnotbearpositiveoutcomesandthus
anindividualwilldevelopnegativeattitude.Therefore,suchdiscourseshavetobe
deconstructedforpositiveresultstoberealized.
AnexampleofdeconstructioninpersonallifethatIperformedinclasswithmyclassmate
Andrewisasbelow:
Sandhya: when did this worrying feeling start making you vulnerable
to it? Would you be able to think back over in your life?
Long silences.
Andrew: well, I guess, it started way before my parents got
separated. My mum use to be a very hot tempered person and she
would get very angry when I dont do the things I am meant to do, like
my homework or keep my dirty clothes in the laundry basket. She
would scold me or even beat me with a wooden spoon. It had been
since then I started getting worried. Its more like anxiety; if things I
am meant to care for arent done I just get worried.
Diversityofquestionsavailableinthiswayofcounselling

Counsellorsseektodevelopaclosefriendlyrelationshipwiththeirclientsto
createanenvironmentthatwillhelpinhealingoftheclientsafterthetherapysession.
Suchanenvironmenthelpsinfindinganappropriatesolutiontotheproblemthatthe
clientsface.Inthemodernfieldofcounselling,counsellorscomefromdifferent
backgroundsandthereforeaneedtohavediversifiedquestionsavailabletocarryoutthe
counsellingsession.Therehasbeenachangeintheculturallandscape,whichgreatly
influencesthecounsellingrelationship(Murdock,2004).Clientscomefromdifferent

background,whichmayleadtomiscommunicationandmisunderstandingifthetherapist
isnotsensitiveaboutthem.Suchafactorcoulddemotivateaclientfromcollaborating
andeffectivelyparticipatinginthetherapy(Abels&Abels,2001).
However,counsellingusingnarrativetherapyinvolvesconversations,which
involvealotofquestioning.Withthemanyquestionsthatareavailableonthesideofthe
therapist,thisaspectwillhelpmeinmypracticeinthefuture.Itwillhelpmeinobtaining
asmuchinformationabouttheclientaspossible.Itisoneofthefields,whichallows
extensivequestioningaboutanindividual(York&Cooper,2001).Itwillhelpin
determiningtheimpressionoftheabilityoftheclientabouttheirperformance.Basedon
theselfefficacytheory,theimpressionthatanindividualhasconcerninghisorher
performanceisbasedonthepsychologicalstateinwhichheorsheisin(Freeman,Epston
&Lobovits,1997).Therefore,ifIlearnthataclientisnotimpressedwiththeirabilityto
perform,Iwillalwaysensurethattheyareingoodpsychologicalstate.Suchanaction
wouldmaketheclientsbeimpressedabouttheirabilitytoperform,whichwould
positivelyinfluenceingettingasolutiontotheproblemstheclientcouldbefacing.

Conclusion
Counsellorswhoengageinnarrativepracticeshelppeopletoresistanyeffects
andinfluencesassociatedwithproblemstoriesandtheirdeficitdescriptions.More
listeningisdonetolookforcluesthatwouldleadtoobtainingskillsandknowledge,
whichcounterstherespectivestoryoftheproblem.Thintracesoftheintentionsofthe
storiesarefistdiscovered,whichleadstohope,commitmentanddesirestoovercomethe
prevailingproblem.Inaddition,withtheextensiveexplorationdone,accountsofthelives
ofpeoplearedescribed.Therefore,intheframeworkofnarrativetherapy,theidentities
andlivesofpeopleareperceivedasmultistoriedandnotsinglestoried.Thefocusofthe
practiceistohelppeoplediscoverthemselvesthroughconversations,whichwouldbe
usefulwhenIstartmypractice.Allowingmetobemoresensitivetotheissuesofmy
clientsandnotdamagetheirselfdefinition.Itwouldalsohelpmetobemoreextensive
inmyquestioningandextractingtheproblemfrommyclient.


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