Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Rojak
N A R R AT I V E T H E R A P Y A N D C O M M U N I T Y
WORK IN SINGAPORE
Re - experiencing the
Elizabeth Quek
Elizabeth Quek is a social worker who works in the Bukit Merah Community. She loves
collaborating with others to think about practices that create space for empowerment and
social action. Elizabeth believes in the need to constantly question social norms and ideas
that could be oppressive to people who experience poverty. She believes strongly in bringing
sociopolitical contexts to the work, where narrative ideas can influence ways of working with
familiesto work with families in socially just ways. Elizabeth is a graduate of the inaugural
Master in Narrative Therapy and Community Work Programme from the University of Melbourne,
where she was part of the Singaporean team presented with the Salome Raheim Award from
Dulwich Centre, Adelaide, for her efforts to uncover power and privilege in her practice.
Fazlinda Faroo
Fazlinda Faroo is currently the Centre Manager of PPIS Vista Sakinah. She is a social worker
with more than 20 years experience of working with families and youths in the community.
Fazlindas passion lies in programme development, training and research in the social service
sector, where her expertise includes intervention in the areas of grief and loss, remarriage and
stepfamilies, with added specialisations in working with Malay Muslim communities.
Fazlinda has a Masters in Social Work from Monash University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Social
Research (Sociology) from the National University of Singapore (NUS), and an Honours Degree in
Social Work and Psychology from NUS. She is also certified in Narrative Therapy.
Guan Jiaying
Jiaying is a social worker from THK Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre. She works mainly with
families affected by financial concerns, using narrative ideas to help them externalize their
difficulties and also identify empowering ways of working with her clients. Jiaying is a graduate
from the inaugural Master in Narrative Therapy and Community Work Programme from the
University of Melbourne. Jiaying was part of the Singaporean team from the Masters programme
to have been presented with the Salome Raheim Award from Dulwich Centre, Adelaide, for
uncovering practices of power and privilege in her practice.
K Shantasaravanan
K Shantasaravanan Shan is a social worker from AMKFSC Community Services. He is a proponent
of working collaboratively with people affected by difficulties, and believes that Narrative
ideas are able to support this philosophy. Shan has been involved in various Narrative projects
both in Singapore and abroad.
Lanny Santoso
Lanny is a Senior Counsellor with Fei Yue FSC (Yew Tee). She has a Master Degree in Social
Science (Counselling) from Edith Cowan University, and also a Master in Narrative Therapy
and Community Work from The University of Melbourne. She is a registered social service
practitioner and has been doing counselling and casework since 2008. Lanny has been practicing
narrative ideas since 2007 when she attended a Narrative Therapy conference that was held
in Hong Kong.
Prema Mohan
Prema Mohan is a registered social worker who has been in the social service field for more than 10
years. She graduated with a Masters in Social Science (Social Work) from the National University
of Singapore. Prema works mainly with families facing multiple stressors in the community.
Sharon Sng
Mrs Sharon Sng is a Principal Therapist with the Counselling and Care Centre. Since receiving
postgraduate qualifications in counselling and supervision, she has been engaged in counselling,
training and supervision in CCC for 14 years. Prior to her work in CCC, she had worked in
the community setting at the family service centres for 7 years. In 2017, she graduated with
a Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work with the University of Melbourne. Her
professional interests include using narrative ideas and practices to strengthen peoples
preferred stories in the counselling and supervision contexts.
Contents
8 29 to 42
Acknowledgements Chapter 3
Narrative Therapy
in Mental Health Care
Building Connections
and Stories with Children,
9
Youths and Families
Preface Joy Ong Shu Xin
David Denborough
43 to 59
10 to 14
Chapter 4
Chapter 1 The Life Certificate:
Re-experiencing the Rojak: A Tool for Grief Work
An Introduction to in Singapore
Narrative Ideas
Mohamed Fareez
K Shantasaravanan
15 to 28 60 to 67
Chapter 2 Chapter 5
Applying Narrative Connecting with
Philosophy and Approaches Non-Custodial Absent Fathers
to Counselling the Abused Through the Lens of Loss
Esther Tzer Wong Fazlinda Faroo
68 to 83 123 to 159
Chapter 6 Chapter 1 0
A Narrative Approach in The League of Parents
Responding to Short of Cash and Small People against
Guan Jiaying Pocket Kering Acknowledging
Skills and Knowledges
for those who experience
84 to 95 Financial Difficulties
Elizabeth Quek
Chapter 7
Childrens Group Work on
Stress Management
Prema Mohan
160 to 173
96 to 110 Chapter 1 1
Chapter 8 Inviting the Preferred Stories
in the Supervision Context
Narrative ideas in Group Work
with Women Experiencing Sharon Sng
Domestic Violence
Lanny Santoso
Chapter 9 Chapter 1 2
The Mothers M-Powered Evaluation and Research of
Programme Community Based Narrative Practices
Group Work with Mothers living in K Shantasaravanan &
the Interim Rental Housing Estates Mohamed Fareez
Mohamed Fareez, Anny Rodjito,
& Isaac Teo Lai Huat
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Social Service Institute for all the support
that has been rendered in the creation of this publication.
Illustration
Book cover Singaporean Rojak by Tuan Nini
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Preface
by David Denborough
A s I sat down to read this book, I imagined myself in Changi Village, where I have had the
pleasure of staying a number of times. I pictured myself sitting down to dine with the
authors, ready to feast not only on the delicacies of the local cuisine, but also to delight in
the creativity and diversity of narrative practices that are now being developed in Singapore.
I have no doubt that this book will be read well beyond Singapores shores. The vivid
examples of thoughtful practice will offer ideas to those working with families in many different
communities.
Even more significantly, I believe the example shown here by practitioners in Singapore to
create their own forms of narrative practice will inspire and challenge those in other contexts
to do similarly - to invent and improvise in order to develop culturally resonant practice - and
in the process to reduce the likelihood of psychological colonisation.
This book is a feast to savour.
And once dinner is over, perhaps there will be time for a walk along Changi beach, or a ferry
ride to Pulau Ubin enjoy!
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Chapter 1
Re-experiencing
the ROJAK: An Introduction
to Narrative Ideas by K Shantasaravanan
thus facilitates having conversations with greater depth and provides a space for
alternative stories to be entertained.
4. Dominant discourses
Problems are constructed in cultural contexts. These contexts include power
relations embedded in race, class, sexual orientation, gender and other social
locations. The ways in which we understand our lives are influenced by the
broader stories of the culture in which we live. The dominant discourses in our
society powerfully influence what gets storied and how it gets storied. In
narrative approaches, we seek to identify the discourses that support problematic
stories. Practitioners can help people move from a place of being marginalized
to a place of respect and acknowledgment by inquiring about the relational
and interactional means which the person came to know herself/himself in the
problematic story.
Outsider witness practices This is a process where people are able to share
their stories to outsider witnesses (who may or may not be known to them). The
outsider witness group then listens and responds to the stories towards thickening
the preferred stories towards a richer sense of identity (White, 2007). Outsider
witnesses do not give advice, but instead comment on what expressions stood out
and resonated with them, as well as the impact of the persons story on their lives.
to use against the effects of the problem (Fox, 2003). Documents can also be used to
amplify and share alternative storylines to a wider group such as the community, and
celebrate key achievements and transition points in a persons life.
The techniques discussed above are at best thin descriptions and do not
describe the totality of narrative approaches in therapy and community work.
Narrative practices have strong ethical roots, where marginalised voices and cultures
are acknowledged. Practitioners of narrative philosophy seek collaboration and
endeavour to bring people together in community. The chapters in this publication
highlight this spirit of drawing out the voices of the marginalised, and seeking to
thicken these stories of survival, whilst at the same time, reducing the influence of
expert labels that have been placed on helping professionals.
References
Freedman, J., & Combs, G. (1996). Narrative therapy: The social construction of preferred
realities. New York: Norton.
Freeman, E. (2011). Narrative approaches in social work practice: A life span, culturally
centered, strengths perspective. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
White, M. & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: W.W. Norton.
White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
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Chapter 2
Applying Narrative
Philosophy and Approaches
to Counselling the Abused by Esther Tzer Wong
Abstract
To learn only the skills in narrative questioning, without appreciating the
thinking that informs them, would leave a practitioner with a very thin
understanding of this way of working. Alternatively, to learn only the thinking
without a focus on skill development would leave a practitioner very vulnerable in
their work with others. ~ White & Denborough, 2005
Dr. David Denboroughs words (as Co-Founder of Dulwich Centre Foundation with
Cheryl White) have inspired me, both as practitioner and educator, in attempting
to create a context for trainees to learn skills of discernment in counselling, whilst
challenging structuralist modes and models of thinking.
This paper invites us to continually reflect on the practices of power that we are
deliberately enacting in our various roles as counsellors, social work practitioners
and teacher-trainers through considering the following ways of self-questioning and
examination, ie:
1. Using a post-structuralist understanding of privilege and power in the context
of counselling and counsellor training;
2. Locating in our own history, gender and culture, the values and commitments
that counsellors and social work practitioners bring into our work;
3. Using or engaging with narrative metaphors in developing our identities as
therapists
4. Questioning the effects of everything that one thinks and does and
5. Taking a de-centred but influential role with both clients and trainee
life experiences. A persons identity is what provides the person with a sense of
continuity, a sense of coherence and a sense of self. Drawing together the different
life experiences helps to shape and give meaning to life as a whole, and this is called
the Theory of Narrative Identity.
In this article, I wish to address how the discourses that have become prominent
in professional and popular psychology not only promote the construction of disabled
identities, but also shape our ways of relating to victims of trauma, that diminish
and marginalise the very persons who have endured and suffered significant trauma.
I will use the definition of discourse offered by Winslade and Monk (2007:72)
which is: a shorthand term to describe how characteristic ways of speaking develop
in particular social contexts. It is in the context of these social and relational
practices, that their identity is constructed as spoiled.
uttered through scientific formal conferencing and then recorded into case files
or via informal lay conversations - is to question how these represent true and
accurate ways of speaking about a certain person, woman or child.
Do such descriptions become real through the impact they have in peoples lives?
Does being described in any of these ways make a difference in how people come to
think of themselves as recovering and therefore facilitating their chances of living
a much more satisfying life?
One group of incest survivors I was privileged to meet shared a common litany:
they did not want to be perceived and thought of as survivors of, instead, they
wanted to tell their stories in such a way that was honouring of the pain and affliction
they had suffered and endured.
Dont put us in the Incest Survivors group, they said, we want to be treated
as normal persons. They were eager to demonstrate to the rest of the world that
they were quite capable of living well-adjusted lives, and they wanted to showcase
their unique coping abilities, not just as survivors, but as thrivers as well.
Here, I drew my inspiration from the words of Michael White (2006: 150) who,
together with David Epston, co-founded the philosophy and practice of Narrative
Therapy. He said:
abuse and beatings by her father. When I asked her about her prospects of marriage,
she said she could only marry a person who was handicapped or flawed in some
particular way. When I asked her why she could not see herself as attractive or
marriageable to a normal man, she retorted:
Quite often, as in the case cited above, the re-telling of a typical story revolves
around their tarnished or spoiled identity, hence, if we dwell too long on the
theme of trauma, Michael White challenges us to re-think whether we are further
embedding them in a story that is already problem-saturated.
In its stead, he suggests that we should open up possibilities available to such
persons for the honouring of the special skills and personal qualities that made
it possible for them to navigate through the dark hours of their lives and into the
present. (White, 1995: 85)
In a family, blame and shame has the effect of silencing and even paralysing
the victim. Oftentimes, the victim appears immobilised or frozen and despite
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They would, however, appreciate attention being given to their special knowledges
of how to deal the kind of violence that had been visited upon them and the unique
skills they have developed in minimising the harm done to them.
Therefore, once women and children are freed of the label of victim, or are no
longer being defined as the problem, and if we, as counsellors, do not further
collude in blaming the victim, a person can begin to have a relationship with the
problem as they see it.
Especially for young children or teenagers, externalisation becomes like playing
a game of pretend. The language of externalisation is not so much a technique as
the acquiring of skills for viewing the same problem in another way. We could, for
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example, ask: What if we played with this in a different way? or Would you like
to show me by drawing a picture in the sand, or writing a story or here! You could
play with what we are talking about using puppets!
This practice now lends itself to a much lighter environment in which to conduct
therapy, as both children and adult survivors of abuse can use their creative energies
in revising their relationship with the problem as they perceive it.
When we start to speak the language of childrens hopes and dreams, such as:
what they prefer to have happening in their relationships; or where they want to live
(perhaps with their custodial or non-custodial parent); or perhaps with their siblings
if they have been placed under care at a childrens home or orphanage; we are
able to access and to connect with children at the level where they live. We will
also be witnesses to how childrens own sense of themselves as agents of change in
their own lives can only increase as they experiment with possibilities in relating to
an externalised problem.
Counsellor: What were some instances when you didnt listen to him?
Sarah: Sometimes, when I had to clear up and wash the dishes for him, or
when he was watching TV in the living room, he would go off to sleep ... then hed
shout and call out to me come and switch off the TV - he could do that (himself)
but he didnt.
Counsellor: So the 9 year old girl was very wise...she knew she couldnt stop
her brother from beating her up, yet she knew that if she didnt open the door to
let him in, she would be beaten up even more badly
Sarah: (long pause, tearing)...Id like to tell her that she did well...
In a later session, I used the following questions influenced by Markey & Dolman
(2010) to thicken the second story development of being a survivor of and not a
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victim of abuse:
Counsellor: When you recalled that incident of abuse towards you and your
(second) brother, were there things you said to yourself to get through that time?
Sarah: To protect myself, I shut down I wont say much to him, and in that
sense, I protected myself
Counsellor: What about your second brother who was also beaten? How did you
comfort him or how did he comfort you?
Sarah: My second brother and I became very close, because of the atrocities
that my first brother was throwing at us, and this further infuriated him! In that
sense, we were comforting each other
Counsellor: When you think back of the times you were abused, could you
recall particular things that you did? During this difficult time?
Sarah: During the beating, I would be in the corner crying away, to comfort
myself I also realised I spent a lot of time in the library to borrow books, Id
come back home and (be) in the corner, reading away read it through the night
Counsellor: What books did you read? Did you have any favourites?
Sarah: I read a variety! (smiling and brightening) History books I loved
fantasy, fairy tales, family-oriented books ... I would lie to my father, go out with
my friends, we used to have a dancing club, without the teacher present
Counsellor: What other things did you do during that time to lessen the effect
of the abuse?
Sarah: I used to go to my best friends house every Saturday did you know
I didnt have my mother? (Sarahs mom had deserted the family) Her mom would
come home at 4.00pm, cook dinner at 5.30pm it was she who gave me the
motivation to move on as much as I had abuse in one family, I had a lot of love
and support in the other family
Counsellor: Can you think of some things you are presently doing that could
have been due to her influence in your life
Sarah: At a young age of 14-15 years we did marketing for the elderly, clean
their apartments she lived in a rental apartment, cooked a large pot of porridge
and distributed it to her neighbours I once said to her, ma if it was not for
this exposure into other peoples lives it was you who taught me the importance
of seeing people, to look after the needs of people
Sarah: Infact she wasnt as surprised, because I had done quite a lot of work
among the Indians in the church (aunties a Catholic) she was very supportive
of what I was doing she was aware of my prisons work, and supported and
encouraged me in my profession.
Counsellor: If you were to see yourself now through her eyes, in what ways do
you think you may have contributed to her life?
Sarah: I used to listen to her a lot these last few years, listening to her
cryingIve been very open in my affection for her, she felt very valued in what I
said to her, she was joyful and also tearing, it was a very special time
The above story represents one disengagement or unhinging from the spoiled
identity, where a young child had begun to develop strategies to cope with the
constant threat and terror of violence.
As children and other vulnerable members of society grow in awareness and
discernment, invariably the fog begins to lift. In my training to be a Narrative
therapist, I hope to contribute to this lifting of the fog through sensitive listening
and responding to accounts of trauma and abuse, through the accessing of clients
double-storied memories, and through second story development.
act as witnesses to the conversations between the counsellor and those coming
for therapy. This is a practice involving interviews in which the victimised child or
womans alternative stories or unique outcomes and are elicited, highlighted
and documented.
These are known as definitional ceremonies after the work of Barbara Myerhoff
(1986) and can be powerful in helping people reshape, reclaim or redefine their
identities.
Although this could happen at any stage in therapy, such ceremonies create an
alternative model for the process of termination in counselling, when our work
with the client or her family has completed.
Instead of experiencing termination as another experience of loss and doing
goodbye work with the counsellor, narrative therapy borrows a metaphor of
undergoing rites of passage, from the anthropological work of Van Gennep (1960).
In accordance with this ritual, White and Epston (1992:280) would encourage a client:
The sharing is done in a way that the family still remains at the centre of the
re-telling, which is referred to by White as de-centred sharing(White, 1997). In
addition to being used as part of a reflecting team in traditional family therapy
(White, 1995), outsiderwitness groups have also been used in many settings,
including community gatherings.
A child who has been subject to teasing or harassment may meet a team comprising
children who have had a similar experience. Lesbian couples may be interested in
outsider-witness groups who comprise of members of the gay community. Likewise,
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(A) We locate in our own History, Gender and Culture, the Values and Commitments
that Counsellors and Social Workers bring to our work.
As richly described in the verbatim interview with Sarah, Narrative ideas would
imply that the values and commitments that are demonstrated in therapists
work have been shaped by our own interactions and cultural history, not only in
the realm of the professional - training and philosophy - but also in the personal
peers, family, friendship, ethnic sub-cultural realms.
At TCA College, this has opened up for me a whole range of possibilities for
exploration in teaching to link therapists practices to our own histories and
sub-communities (Chinese, Malay/ Muslim, Indian, Eurasian) rather than locating
it solely in the realm of professional knowledge. Perhaps our choice to work
with persons in a particular way was honed in interactions with our clients, or
influenced by our family or culture -of -origin.
We could also (prior to the course) invite students to document their hopes and
expectations for their learning, any obstacles that they forsee that could impede
their learning, or any ideas they might have about overcoming such obstacles. To
some extent, their hopes and aspirations as budding counsellors would shape the
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For example, in designing the module on The Self of the Counsellor, I would
pose the same questions with trainees as I would with clients to help them
get in touch with their past history and relationships, namely, Re-Membering
Conversations (Markay & Dolman, 2010) and the exercise on Developing stories
about peoples responses to difficulty(Markay & Dolman, 2010).
The exercise on Developing stories locates and connects the student in history
where they overcame adversity and developed a skill or knowledge that helped
them get through these times of stress / difficulty.
Through the constant practice of journaling and the writing of reflection papers
documenting their journey, they are encouraged to tell and re-tell their stories.
This journey culminates finally in the public definitional ceremony their
graduation or convocation, whereby students take their newly shaped roles and
identities as trained counsellors, ready to go into the field, and to start a whole
new journey of becoming a professional.
References
Freeman, J., Epston, D. and Lobovits, D. (1997) Playful Approaches to Serious Problems:
Narrative Therapy with Children and their Families. New York: Norton and Company.
Lopston, C. and Stacey, K. (1995) Children should be seen and not heard. Questioning the
Unquestioned. Journal of Systemic Therapies 14 (4): 16-32
Markey C. and Dolman C. (2010) Introducing Narrative Therapy Training Exercise Handout #10:
Developing stories about peoples responses to Difficulty.
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Markey C. and Dolman C. (2010) Introducing Narrative Therapy Training Exercise Handout:
Remembering Conversations.
Myerhoff, B. (1986) Life not death in Venice: Its second life in V. Turner and E. Bruner (eds.)
The Anthropology of Experience. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, pp. 261-286.
Van Gennep, A. (1960) Rites of Passage trans. M.B. Vizedom and G. Cafee. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press.
White, C. and Denborough, D. (2005) Developing Training Courses that are Congruent with
Narrative Ideas. In C. White and D. Denborough (eds.) A Community of Ideas Behind the
Scenes. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications, pp. 114-115
White, M. and Epston, D. (1991/1992): Deconstruction and Therapy Dulwich Centre
Newsletter 3: 21-40. Reprinted in D. Epston and M. White, Experience, Contradiction, Narrative
and Imagination: Selected Papers of David Epston & Michael White, 1989 1991 Adelaide,
Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications
White, M. (1997) Definitional Ceremony in M. White, Narratives of Therapists Lives. Adelaide,
Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications, Chapter 4.
White, M. (1995) Reflecting Team as Definitional Ceremony in M. White, Re-authoring Lives:
Interviews and Essays Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications, Chapter 7.
White, M. (2006) Children, Trauma and Subordinate Storyline Development. In D. Denborough
(ed) Trauma: Narrative Responses to Traumatic Experience. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre
Publications.
White, M. (1995) Re-authoring Lives: Interviews and Essays. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre
publications.
White, M. (2006) Children, Trauma and Subordinate Storyline Development. In D. Denborough
(ed.) Trauma: Narrative Responses to Narrative Experience. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich
Centre Publications.
Winslade, J.M. and Monk, G.D. (2007) Narrative Counselling in Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Yuen, A. (2007) Discovering Childrens responses to Trauma: a Response Based Narrative
Practice. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work 4: 3-18.
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Chapter 3
Narrative Therapy in Mental Health
Care Building Connections and Stories
with Children, Youths and Families by Joy Ong Shu Xin
Indeed, we may further exacerbate the mental health stigma (Lipscomb, 2012)
and keep oppressive stories alive (Brown, 2007) if we are insensitive or judgmental
in our approaches. How do we then position ourselves as therapists in order to be
helpful and connected to our clients, while restoring power and control to them?
The real purpose of a floating plank is to help me get back on shore.
I am returning back to shore with my grief and I am going to love again.
In subsequent sessions, (Floating Plank) has shifted yet again and is now
representative of the feelings of peace within, as well as her acceptance of the
losses she had. (Floating Plank) is a bridge between her mind and body, and
has given her a safe space to get to where she is at now.
At this moment, my grief has not fully disappeared.
I have merely learnt how to live in peace with my sadness,
and not to hold on tightly, not wanting to let go.
that the client is weak and problematic. It is likely that the person may feel isolated
and tune out from the process.
Explosions into Batteries, so that he could use his Energy Store whenever he
wanted to in a helpful way. In his very own words, he declared: My huge explosions
went away. Sometimes, I have mini ones but they are ok.
children are often distressed and affected by the significance of these pills.
Some patients and families have shared how they are impacted by the symbolic
representations of They are giving up on me, I am bad, I am a born defect, I
am a failure, Controlling my mind, No face, My child is out of my control, I
am a useless parent. When given a safe space to explore and examine their feelings,
individuals feel affirmed and acknowledged for what they are going through. We can
then begin the journey of re-authoring new and helpful meanings to medications and
treatments.
If left unexplored, the child or person may be storied in terms of deficits
(Carrey, 2007) and inadequacies. Consequently, this will have serious far-reaching
implications on the childs sense of self and identity, as well as on the familys
interaction patterns and stability.
Words, like the chisel of the carver, can create what never existed
before rather than simply describe what already exists. As a man speaks,
not only is the thing which he is declaring coming into existence,
but also the man himself.
~ Martin Heidegger (as cited in Walker, 2006)
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When drawing family maps, we can consider exploring the following areas to
thicken the plot with the persons and their families. The following questions are
modified from Banmen (2008) to fit local cultural context. This back-and-forth style
(Carrey, 2007) interaction engages the individuals or family to make connections and
create conversations. The process also allows members to see things in a bigger
picture, as well as to co-create helpful and meaningful narratives together.
Dear Amelia,
I feel very privileged to meet up with you and be invited to listen to your story of
love and concern for the people around you, as well as your story of courage to face
the feelings that you have about the past trauma.
You tell me that you are the youngest of three children. From what you had told me,
your fathers health has worsened significantly and is in urgent need for dialysis. You
are very worried about his health as he is still working very long hours to support
the family. You described him as a strong pillar of support and someone very
precious to you ever since your mother had passed on when you were twelve.
You shared that you had been cutting and hitting your head whenever you feel
overwhelmed with these feelings of sadness, yet your survival instincts kicked
in whenever the voices in your head kept telling you to kill yourself. Although it
must have been very difficult, you thought of your father and sisters, and you chose
not to kill yourself. I wonder if a part of you also held back because you still care
about yourself, and wants to try persevering on.
I look forward to meeting you in two weeks time to hear more about you and your
thoughts. I hope to walk the journey with you to search of a different future that
you want for yourself.
Joy
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The use of therapeutic letters and re-authoring therapy in mental health care is
a powerful medium for change and transformation, especially for patients who are
often plastered with disease and deficits metaphors.
I invite you to consider about the immense therapeutic potential and possibilities
of what your letter can do for the children, youths and families that you work with.
As we write the letters and document their narratives, we bear witness to their life
journeys and their resiliency to retell their stories. I find that many children, youths
and families enjoy receiving these personalized letters. Together, we embark on the
heart of recovery in mental health care.
Puppetry stimulates storytelling (Irwin and Shapiro, 1975) and allows the story to
become more real for the child. Puppets provide a safe platform for child to share
the story about how the experience, how they found out, their thoughts, feelings and
how they are coping. Puppets may be pre-purchased or hand-made to further ground
the experience for the child.
Hand Puppet
Finger Puppets
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The process can be very empowering and affirming when children are allowed
to retell their stories using their personalized hand-made puppets. I have found
hand and finger puppets to be extremely non-threatening, very child-friendly and
encouraging.
Children may choose to make various puppets to represent different situations,
persons or experiences. Puppets allow children to externalize internal conflicts and
thoughts, and invite greater self-expression of their stories within. It is important to
allow children to direct the process while we hold a safe space for them to explore.
We all have very much more of the stuff than we know what to do with,
and if we fail to put it into some graspable form, the fault must lie in
a lack of means, not of substance.
(Geertz, 1986)
matter to them, important places, favorite places, where they came from, their
desired destinations, memories, dreams, hopes, future, and symbolic representations
of what is significant to them.
Photo-Narrative Therapy places significant emphasis on the process of connecting
within, and mapping the internal journey with captured photographs. The platform
allows the individual to reflect on where he or she fit in the bigger picture or schema
of things.
The photographs and/or attached writings serve as a visual documentation and
legacy of their experience with mental illness, their resilience, and their journey
with life.
Ive coined the term Photo-Narrative Therapy and developed the idea when I
was working with a child with the diagnosis of Selective Mutism. The child was
not ready to speak and communicate with anyone following complex family issues.
Children or youths with Selective Mutism or other anxiety disorders may often feel
nervous and overwhelmed when confronted with social or peoples expectations for
them to talk.
With a sprinkle of creativity, I invited the child to embark on a Photo-Narrative
Journey with me where we combine the use of personal snapshots and narrative
processes. There was no pressure for the child to speak until he is ready to. Till
then, we could still embark on exploring life journey together in a safe and non-
threatening way. This was unlike the conventional practice where clients vocalize or
narrate their stories.
In this alternative mode, the client can choose to retell their stories by combining
their photographs and writing of stories, poetry, liners or quotes. The essence of
Narrative Therapy could be just as empowering through non-verbal techniques and
the therapist use of self in session.
I was acutely aware of the importance of being fully connected with the child,
especially when the child has had prior negative experience with people around. I
remained curious and provided ample space for the child to make choices. It was a
very powerful growth process when we focus on being present and connected with
the client.
With each photograph taken and developed, the child retold and recreated his
story by writing. Little by little, he started saying a word or two whenever he felt
safe. Even though there were no spoken words in the beginning, we had embarked
on a healing journey together in our own unique, creative way till when he reached
a riverbank position to talk.
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Being Connected
When I connect with you, at this moment in time,
you are the full focus of my attention.
All my being is focused on you.
I am looking at you, not thinking of somebody else.
I am listening to your words, and not making things up.
(Virginia Satir, 1980)
Conclusion
I am very thankful to the children, youths and families who have kindly invited
me into their worlds. They have allowed me to journey with them while we navigate
through muddy swamps to a riverbank position of safety together. From there, we
embarked on a quest, travelling to many places in search of meaning and healing.
I hope that this chapter has provided you with new ideas of working with children,
youths and families with mental health needs, as well as to respond to the richness
of the stories they share with you. We are travellers on our very own life journeys;
only we can decide how and where we want to go. When I begun on my adventure in
narrative work, I started to look at my own life experiences in a different light with
much kindness and nurturance. I am truly grateful.
References
American Psychiatric Association (2015). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM). Retrieved 01 April 2015, from: http://www.psychiatry.org/practice/dsm
Banmen, J. (Ed). (2008). Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy. Palo Alto, CA: Science and
Behaviour Books, Inc.
Brown, C. (2007). Situating knowledge and power in the therapeutic alliance. In C. Brown, & T.
Augusta-Scott (Eds.), Narrative therapy: Making meaning, making lives. (pp. 3-23). Thousand
Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Bruner, E. (1986). Ethnography as narrative. In V. Turner & E. Bruner (Eds.), The anthropology
of experience (pp. 139155). Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
Carrey, N. (2007). Practicing psychiatry through a narrative lens: Working with children, youth,
and families. In C. Brown, & T. Augusta-Scott (Eds.), Narrative therapy: Making meaning,
making lives. (pp. 77-103). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Denborough, D. (2014). Retelling the stories of our lives: Everyday narrative therapy to draw
inspiration and transform experience. New York, NY: Norton
Foucault, M. (1980). Truth and power. In Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other
writings. London: Harvester Press.
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Gergen, K. (1990a). Therapeutic professions and the diffusion of deficit. Journal of Mind and
Behavior, 11(4), 107122.
Irwin, E, & Shapiro, M. (1975). Puppetry as a diagnostic and therapeutic technique. In I. Jakab
(Eds.), Psychiatry and Art. New York: S. Karger.
Lipscomb, M. (2012). Talking about Mental Health: A Narrative Approach. Retrieved 25 March
2015, from: http://www.refugeehealthta.org/files/2012/08/Bag-of-Rocks-Metaphor.pdf
Ricoeur, P. (1986). La Metafora Viva. Yaka Book, Milano.
Tomm, K. (1990). A critique of the DSM. Dulwich Center Newsletter, 3, 58.
Walker, M. T. (2006). The Social Construction of Mental Illness and its Implications for the
Recovery Model. Retrieved 25 March 2015, from: http://www.psychosocial.com/IJPR_10/
Social_Construction_of_MI_and_Implications_for_Recovery_Walker.html
White, M. (1995). Psychotic experiences and discourse. In Re-authoring lives: Interviews and
essays (pp. 112153). Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: Norton.
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Chapter 4
The Life Certificate:
A Tool for Grief Work in
Singapore by Mohamed Fareez
Life Certificate in the hope of identifying and making known stories of the person
who was lost in the preferred ways of how people might want to remember them.
The certificate not only identifies details of the loved-one, but also facilitates
reflection on how these persons have influenced our lives and values. Conversely, it
also explores how we have influenced them.
This paper traces outlines my development of the Life Certificate and the
website (www.life-certificate.com) as a platform for the performance of new stories
within definitional ceremonies (Myerhoff, 1982). I discuss the Life Certificate as a
possible tool in grief therapy, and illustrate its use through the case study of Ramlah
(not her real name). The paper ends with a discussion on the possible uses of the Life
Certificate in other settings.
with fixed components, although a template has been provided on the website. The
components are based on guidelines that may assist in second story development.
There should be flexibility for persons to personalise their Life Certificates in ways to
honor the legacy of a deceased loved-one (see Figures 2 and 3).
Other guidelines to consider would include exploring the following questions (if they
are relevant):
a. What are some memories that you have about this person that have contributed
to you being the person that you are right now?
b. What are some memories that you have that would be worth retelling to honor
this person?
c. What are some things you might want to say to this person?
d. What might this person say about you now?
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Figure 2
Figure 3
In addition, the following questions are ways exploring the intersectionality of cultural
and personal understandings of grief and the histories of these understandings.
The first question was adapted from Glenda Fredmans exercise of exploring and
elaborating stories (1997):
a. What do your beliefs tell you about what happens when
people die?
after people die?
b. What does your culture or religion tell you about how you should manage this grief
[or other experience-near term for this grief]? Which parts of this understanding
are useful? Which parts are not?
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c. What are your family members understandings of how grief [or other experience-
near term] should be managed or supported? What parts of this understanding are
useful? Which parts are not?
d. What is your own understanding of how you should manage this grief [or other
experience-near term]?
e. How do these different understandings tell you about what you value? What is the
history of this value?
f. If we took into account these values that you have, what would have been done
differently that would honour these values and this person that you lost?
g. What are some cultural or gender-ascribed expectations of how you should
respond:
During and after a funeral of someone close to you?
When mourning someone close to you?
h. Were these expectations helpful?
i. What are your understandings of how you might maintain a relationship with
someone who has passed on?
Externalise the experience of grief, and map its effects on the life of the
person dealing with grief
Externalising conversations (White, 2007; White & Epston, 1990) play an
important role in separating the problem from the persons identity, while at the
same time enabling the mapping of the effects of the problems on the lives of
people affected by grief. Samad, a male member of the Malay community, described
his grief as fikiran pedih (painful thoughts) which bothered him. As opposed to
using foreign nomenclature such as complicated grief, the use of experience-near
names (Geertz, 1983) facilitates a connected understanding of the effects of the
externalised problem on everyday life. Experienced-near terms allow discussions to
move away from the realm of diagnostic and medical perspectives, and instead be
situated in the sociological world of our clients.
a. What name do you have about all of these things that have been bothering you?
b. In what areas of your life has ____ been bothering you?
c. What are your hopes about the role of ____ in your life?
d. Are there times where ____ did not bother you as much?
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members, and have their identity claims validated and acknowledged. Definitional
ceremonies enable participants to be seen on their own terms, and hence be
rendered visible (Myerhoff, 1986). Definitional ceremonies focus on bringing to
light preferred views of the self, which include stories of competence in responding
to an externalised problem (Lobovits, Maisel, & Freeman, 1995). At the same time,
there is an empowering effect in the process of creating documents that enable
contribution and social action on the part of the client. Within this perspective, the
clients we work with would be more inclined to share these stories of their preferred
selves. This act of telling and retelling can serve to thicken these preferred stories,
and lead to the re-invigoration of the self towards responding to the effects of grief.
The process of facilitating a definitional ceremony with the Life Certificate may
typically include outsider-witnesses who may already have some level of pre-existing
connection with the client. Outsider-witness practices can take the following forms:
a. Individuals or families being interviewed by the practitioner about the contents
of the Life Certificate in the presence of an audience of outsider-witnesses
b. The practitioner interviews outsider-witnesses who observe and respond to the
contents of the Life Certificate in the presence of the individual or family. In
this context, outsider-witness responses may also be recorded if individuals and
families are not available as an audience.
c. Online outsider-witness responses to Life Certificates posted on the online blog
www.life-certificate.com.
With these considerations in mind, I will now discuss how the Life Certificate can be
used in grief work through the following case study with Ramlah.
felt as if her rights as a woman were taken away from her, and as if she was being
further punished after the immediate losses she experienced. She felt disrespected
by doctors who suspected her of being at high risk of committing suicide when Islam
specifically forbids the taking of ones life. This was exacerbated by conversations
she overheard from the doctors that she might be at risk of harming her children as
well, which further invalidated her role as a mother.
After ironing out her expectations for help and what was comfortable for her to
talk about, Ramlah began opening up about the guilt she experienced from the loss of
her father. Because of problems that were occurring between her and her husband,
she felt that she was not able to play an active role in caring for her father when he
was suffering from the terminal stages of colon cancer. As we entered conversations
around cultural understandings of grief and responses to loss, Ramlah talked about
her belief that her fathers soul was in a better place, although she felt plagued by
perasaan salah (wrongdoing or guilt) that bothered her each night before she slept.
We explored her beliefs as to her ideas of what happened to her father and his soul
when he died. We explored her relationship to cultural and religious ascriptions
pertaining to grief. Ramlah talked about how perasaan salah had intensified during
the prayer recital sessions when her father was awaiting burial, because she was
not able to understand Arabic. She felt that she disappointed her father by not
being able to read Quranic verses for him. Being able to read some verses for him
represented an important Islamic ritual for Ramlah.
Externalise the experience of grief, and map its effects on the life of the person
facing grief issues
Through the externalised experience-near name of perasaan salah, we were
also able to start mapping out its effects on Ramlah, and evaluate Ramlahs stand
against it. We explored unique outcomes of Ramlahs responses to perasaan salah
and started documenting these responses. She talked about using specific religious
verses that included the quote with every suffering there is relief in her efforts to
take a stand against perasaan salah.
Ramlah also quoted a Malay proverb, Harimau mati meninggalkan belang, gajah mati
meninggalkan gading, manusia mati meninggalkan nama. This translates literally to:
Tigers die leaving their stripes, elephants die leaving their trunks, and humans die
leaving their name. To Ramlah, ensuring that her fathers name is honoured involves
making known his good deeds, and how he had been influential in taking care of her.
She mentioned being the favourite of her father among her three siblings.
Ramlah filled out her Life Certificate with quotes from her father, which included
Whatever happens, no matter how difficult it is, we have to breathe and stay calm,
as well as Turn to God every time your heart is in pain. As she wrote these quotes
down, she expressed a sense of relief as though her father was there responding
to her as she experienced his loss amidst the multiple issues affecting her current
situation. She experienced a calmness that she felt she had lost in the struggles she
experienced with her husband. It was this calmness that she hoped to reinstate in her
life as part of continuing her fathers legacy and ensuring that his values continued to
live on in the family. She talked about the importance of religion as stressed by her
father, and how she felt that it was important that religion was a gift that she would
want to pass on to her children to ensure that they did not make similar mistakes as
she did in the past.
Yuen, 2007) was used to hear of ways where she had been able to respond to this
experience. As we filled out the Life Certificate, we were able to identify the
following responses for the section titled How I take care of myself when I miss this
person too much:
a. I let myself cry my heart out, instead of forcing myself to keep all the feelings in.
It is ok to cry sometimes.
b. I take out a picture of him and me that I have started to keep in my handbag.
c. I recite Surah Al Inshirah from the Quran, and remember the verse: with every
suffering, there is relief.
d. I recite the Al Fateha (a verse from the Quran) for him every day.
e. I remind myself that I had done my best to support him during his final days.
f. I will watch Pendekar Bujang Lapok, his favourite classic comedy if I feel too sad.
g. I will tell my children about the good deeds of their grandfather.
As we went into the details of these responses, we were also able to pick up the
skills and values that Ramlah was able to utilise, and further explorations were made
into the histories of these skills and values, in an effort to thicken the alternative
stories.
moved that her stories had made some impact in the lives of these strangers. She
felt a sense of solidarity where her experiences of grief were similar to others who
experienced loss. She discussed feeling empowered to share her stories with other
people who may be affected by grief. At the same time, she was moved by Alis
attempts to reconnect with his mother. She felt that she had distanced herself from
her mother in the aftermath of her fathers death, and was inspired to take steps to
reconnect with her.
Future implications
Ramlahs example reflects how the Life Certificate can be used in the practice
of grief work in direct therapy settings with individuals. To a large extent, the Life
Certificate can be incorporated into family therapy as a collective project to re-
member and honour the memory of a deceased family member. In multicultural
Singapore, with its various religious and cultural ceremonies and festivals, there
may be options for the Life Certificate to be used in various rituals across cultures.
I have also found utility in the use of the Life Certificate in situations of ambiguous
grief (Boss, 2000) in cases where a child is experiencing the loss of a parent due
to incarceration. It is common practice in Singapore for the caregiver to hide the
knowledge from the child that his or her parent is currently serving time in prison.
In therapy, the Life Certificate has also been used in work with the dying, where
discussions are facilitated on how one might want his or her life to be honoured after
death.
There is also potential for using the Life Certificate in the context of bereavement
groups, and group work with clients affected by terminal illnesses. It is to be noted
that the Life Certificate would need to be modified and adapted according to the
needs of the people we work with, and be culturally resonant to their experiences
of grief. There needs to be formative research towards addressing the relevancy of
the Life Certificate for the various cultural groups in Singapore, namely the Malay,
Chinese, and Indian cultures. Hassan & Mehtas study (2010) on the grief experience
of Malay Muslim youths in Singapore suggests that spiritual-focused coping can be an
important strategy in maintaining relationships with the deceased parent. It may be
worth developing questions to explore the spiritual realms of coping when working
in the Malay Muslim community. Following that, future research endeavors may also
explore the impact of the Life Certificate and its accompanying maps of enquiries on
the experiences of grief.
This paper has discussed the utility of the Life Certificate as a tool in grief work.
There is a need to be ethically responsible in ensuring that the tool is culturally
respectful and fits with the experiences of the people who consult us. It is hoped
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that this paper further thickens the alternative stories in the nature of grief work in
Singapore.
References
Boss, P. (2000). Ambiguous loss: Learning to live with unresolved grief. London, England:
Harvard University Press.
Dallos, R. (2006). Attachment narrative therapy: Integrating narrative, systemic and
attachment therapies. Berkshire, England :Open University Press.
Denborough, D. (2008). Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and
communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Dulwich Centre Foundation International, International Womens Development Agency, &
Womens League of Burma. (2013). Narrative responses to human rights abuses: Sustaining
women workers and honouring the survival skills of women from Burma/Myanmar. Melbourne,
Australia: International Womens Development Agency.
Epston, D. (1999). Co-research: The making of an alternate knowledge. Chapter 16 in Narrative
Therapy and Community Work; A conference collection. Dulwich Centre Publications. P 143-146
Fredman, G. (1997). Death talk: Conversations with children and families. London, England:
Karnac.
Freedman, J., & Combs, G. (1996). Narrative therapy: The social construction of preferred
realities. New York, NY: W.W. Norton.
Geertz, C. (1983). Local knowledge: Further essays in interpretive anthropology. New York,
NY: Basic Books.
Hassan, M. & Mehta, K. (2010). Grief experience of bereaved Malay/Muslim youths in Singapore:
The spiritual dimension. The International Journal of Childrens Spirituality, 15, (1), 4557.
Hedtke, L. (2003). The origami of remembering. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy
and Community Work, (4), 5863.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1970). On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan.
Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New
York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Lobovits, D.H., Maisel, R.L, & Freeman, J.C. (1995). Public practices: An ethic of circulation. In
S. Friedman (Ed.), The reflecting team in action: Collaborative practice in family therapy (pp.
223256). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Monk, G., Winslade, J., Crocket, K., & Epston, D. (Eds.) (1997). Narrative therapy in practice:
The archaeology of hope. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Myerhoff, B. (1982). Life history among the elderly: Performance, visibility, and re- membering.
In J. Ruby (Ed.), A crack in the mirror: Reflexive perspectives in anthropology (pp. 99117).
Philadelphia, PA: University of Philadelphia Press.
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Myerhoff, B. (1986). Life not death in Venice: Its second life. In V. Turner & E. Bruner (Eds.),
The anthropology of experience (pp. 261286). Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Neimeyer, R. (1998). Lessons of loss: A guide to coping. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Neimeyer, R. (1999). Narrative strategies in grief therapy. Journal of Constructivist Psychology,
12, (1), 6585.
Trudinger, M. (2009). Remembering Joan: Re-membering practices as eulogies and memorials.
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White, M. & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: W.W. Norton.
White, M. (1997). Narratives of therapists lives. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre
Publications.
White, M. (1998). Saying Hullo Again: The incorporation of the loss relationship in the resolution
of grief in White, C. & Denborough, D. Eds. Introducing Narrative Therapy: A Collection of
Practice Based Writings. Pg 17 32. Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M. (2004). Narrative practice and exotic lives: Resurrecting diversity in everyday life.
Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M. (2006). Working with people who are suffering the consequences of multiple trauma:
A narrative perspective. In D. Denborough (Ed.), Trauma: Narrative responses to traumatic
experience (pp. 2585). Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications. (Reprinted from The
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White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
White, M. & Epston, D. (1992). A Conversation about AIDS and Dying. In White & Epston.
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Wingard, B. (2001). Finding our own ways to grieve, to remember and to heal. In B. Wingard
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Yuen, A. (2007). Discovering childrens responses to trauma: A response-based narrative
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Chapter 5
Connecting with Non-Custodial
Absent Fathers Through
the Lens of Loss by Fazlinda Faroo
Context
When I was asked to present a paper on ways in which we work with fathers at
the Dads for Life Conference in 2012, I was initially thinking of presenting one or two
cases with fathers that I had worked with.
But whilst drafting this paper, I realised that I had to perhaps start at the beginning
and be very blunt about the matter. You see, the truth of the matter is that, in the
10 years of work with single parent families and those experiencing grief and loss, I
could perhaps count with 5 fingers, the number of men, the number of fathers that
come to the centre for counselling every year. Most of the men that do come forward
were willing clients seeking help on custody, legal matters or practical needs.
And so I learned that working with separated and divorced fathers involves
strategies that are more delicate than meets the eye. Theres a need for us to
understand fathers and the struggles they encounter in that role. Theres a need to
understand the dynamics of the marriages before the separation, for it informs us of
the way forward in building fathers relationships with their children.
These were questions that engaged non-custodial fathers around their aspirations
in their identity as fathers. Such conversations of aspirations were non-threatening as
they pertained to dreams and hopes. These conversations also opened possibilities of
alternative stories that counter the negative dominant stories of failure and divorce.
From these questions that centred around the landscape of aspirations, I found
that I could then tentatively move and re-author the conversation into the landscape
of action:
What is one thing that you think you could do, no matter how small,
so as to get to that relationship that youd like to have with the kids?
From here I could begin exploring ways of reconnecting the fathe-child relationship
again.
It was a simple question that was aimed to understand the impact of the loss on
him. Danial broke down. And this hunky man, sat sobbing before me as his fiance
looked on in shock.
More than the loss of his wife, Danial shared that he terribly missed his daughter
and the loss of her was something he grieved over. He related moments when he
could recall playing with her and the joy it brought him. His poignant words were
you dont know what its like to be a father, to this beautiful girl, my daughter I
cant explain it.
Interestingly, it was also in that conversation in which he shared that the name
of his fiance was similar to his daughters middle name and that was what drew him
to her when he met her. It was certainly news to me and a shock to the fiance. But
thats another story to tell..
From that conversation of loss, we could open the space for deeper conversations
about what it would take for him to reconnect with his daughter, the challenges he
would have to weather through and the commitment he was willing to make for this.
In another case, the conversations of loss I had centred around the experience
of loss for a child. Mr Saleh was a tough man. I could see from his weather-beaten
face and fierce demeanour that he was not a man to mess around with. He was
also an angry man. He was angry that he had to attend a pre-marital session at our
centre prior to his marriage. Mr Saleh had a daughter of 3 years from his previous
marriage. His relationship with his ex-wife is acrimonious, the mere mention of her
would send him frowning and raising his voice. Mr Saleh refused vehemently to see
his child because he refused to have to see his ex-wife, he refused to even want to be
in communication with her. He blocks off all emotional attachment to his daughter
from his anger towards his ex-wife. He refuses to give child support because of this
anger too. He was a tough cookie to crack.
In exploring his past, I learnt too that Mr Saleh himself was a child of divorce,
raised by a mom whom he respects deeply. His father was someone he has no contact
with. This information was integral and it was the pathway to conversations of loss
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that could engage him to reflect on his identity as a father. Thus my conversations
with him, steered away from his behaviour as neglectful father. Rather, it focused
around his experience of loss as a child himself.
I asked him,
I wonder what it was like to have lost your father as a child when you were
young?
What did it mean to you then, as a young child, to not be able to keep in
touch with your father?
What did it mean to you to know that your father chose not to call you even
though he knew where you and your mom were staying?
As an adult now, whats it like to have experienced all that loss as a child?
Again these conversations steered away from his behaviour towards his child but
were focused solely on his personal experience of loss as a child.
From here, I could move the conversation to reflect the experience of loss as
experienced by his daughter by posing the question:
I wonder what its like for your child not to know or be able to see her father?
It was here that the fierce and angry Mr Saleh began to mellow a little and he
began sharing that he realised it was unfair to the child but that he was personally
struggling to separate the child from the mother. This opened the conversation
towards working with him to learn to separate the two that anger towards his
ex-spouse is not something that should necessarily affect his relationship with his
child. By the end of the session, Mr Saleh had shifted his position from adamantly
not wanting to have anything to do with the child, to a position where he could see
himself having a reconnected relationship with his daughter.
Elevating these conversations from the landscape of behaviours and actions
to a landscape of aspirations and identity (White, 2007) allows for the fathers
to renegotiate the stories of their lives vis--vis their lost child, thickening their
consciousness of their identities as fathers.
Past Histories and New Learnings, Celebrating Small Acts of Concern and a
Language of Inclusion
And so, in working with separated or divorced non-custodial fathers, their
past histories are equally useful points that can be used as leverage to introduce
conversations of loss to engage fathers into thinking about the impact of their
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absence on their children. We could use their past histories, we could use their past
experiences of loss to invoke their identity as fathers and to inculcate a sense of
ownership and connectedness to the father-child relationship.
In stroking the fathers that we work with, I find that it is critically important to
celebrate small acts of concern. The goal of developing a father-child relationship is
a long journey, thus in the cases I work with where more often than not, the fathers
have been substantially absent from their childs life, I deliberately steer clear of
big acts of commitment. Instead, I try to push for small acts of concern. A phone
call a week, an sms to the child, encouraging the father to be the childs friend on
facebook. Etc these small acts of keeping in touch are the stepping stones towards
developing the father-child relationship. The rule of thumb in working with non-
custodial and absent fathers is sustain the relationship by keeping in touch FIRST
and then work towards strengthening a bond.
Here I must remind that in working with divorced fathers towards developing
a renewed father-child relationship, I have often experienced a counter reaction
by the childs mother that needs to be managed. Thus the taking of small steps
reduces the sense of threat on all parties and is more amiable to them than sudden
big changes.
All the Worlds a Stage, and all Men and Women merely Players. They have
their Exits and Entrances and One Man in his Time Plays Many Parts
Inadvertently, as counsellors, we may unconsciously fall into the trap of
normalising judgement(White, 2004) condemning the absent father for his obvious
lack of involvement in his childs life. Yet, the reality is that the identities of non-
custodial absent fathers are far from being single-storied. Indeed, they are richly
multi-storied and the use of re-authoring conversations can help co-author renewed
identities that have been suppressed by emotions of anger and isolation or notions
of failure.
As a conclusion, I would like to invite us to reflect on the stories that divorced
fathers bring. Indeed, separated and divorced fathers carry with them various stories
of their life experiences. The most powerful story they have to share is their story of
grief and their story of loss. Unfortunately, in a culture that till today still demands
for man not to cry or be over emotional, these stories of loss are often not talked
about. Yes, they mention the facts of their divorce to their friends and family, but
the meaning of that loss to their manhood, to their identity as a father, as a husband,
is something so deep that few would invite them to share.
As counselors, I see us as having a unique role in creating a safe environment to
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engage these fathers in such conversations of loss. In fact, from such conversations,
I have seen men mellow, big burly men cry, tattooed gangsters mourn.
So I invite you to look for these stories that belie each divorced father you meet.
Therein lies a story of loss to understand.
References
White, M (2000). Reflections on Narrative Practices : Interviews and essays. Adelaide : Dulwich
Centre Publications
White, M (2004). Chap 5 : Addressing Personal failure. In Narrative Practice and Exotic Lives:
Resurrecting Diversity in Everyday Life. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M (2007). Maps of Narrative Practice. NY : WW Norton & Company
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Chapter 6
A Narrative
Approach in Responding to
Short of Cash by Guan Jiaying
(Names and identifying information have been
changed to protect clients identities)
R ichards two children had stopped receiving financial assistance from The Straits
Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF) for two years. The family approached
our organisation again in 2014 for financial assistance. Richard had been experiencing
difficulties in providing pocket money to his children, now aged 14 and 15, despite
intense efforts on his part as the sole income earner and single father. Richard was
in his mid-fifties when I first met him. He had a regular job as a food stall assistant
but the meagre income was insufficient to sustain the living expenses for the family
of four, which included his mother.
I had the opportunity to meet Richard and his two children, Melissa, 15, and
Michael, 14. Together with their father, we explored ways to either up the
household income or relieve the tight financial situation. The dominant discourse
that faced Richard was the need for him to attend skills upgrading courses that would
increase his chances of finding a job with better pay, before he would be considered
to be a suitable beneficiary of assistance. Richard strongly rejected this expectation
placed on him, and I was mindful to join him through an ethic of collaboration
(White, 1997).
Richard felt oppressed in this dominant discourse, especially when faced with
the task of attending these courses that are commonly conducted in English, which
was not a language he was proficient in. Richard had also shared about his current
work, where in spite of his low pay, he experiences job security, and a positive
working environment where his colleagues boss that accept him. In our society, there
are dominant discourses regarding the right way to achieve success. In reality,
Richard, who used to be an ex-offender experiences difficulties in finding a stable
job. There are societal and moral expectations on this single father of two to be
responsible for earning sufficient income to care for his children and elderly mother.
The inclusion of children and young persons in our work with families in poverty
is fundamental to the Family Service Centre (FSC) where I work in. Young people
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play an active role in negotiating the effects of financial hardships in their families.
I wondered about their skills and knowledges. What are their knowledges about how
they coped to ensure basic needs were met? What skills and strategies do these
young people have? I am interested in how we can support and respond to children
and young people, living with financial hardships. At the same time, I hoped to
collaboratively contribute to their sense of agency and honour the skills that guide
them through the difficult times.
Having had personal experience in facing financial hardship, I am passionate about
this work. Melissa, Michael and I continued to meet over a period of two months.
This paper contains the stories, skills and knowledges that were described during
our meetings. We had endeavored to explore the meanings which the young persons
employ to make sense of their experience and guide their actions (McLeod, 2013,
p.111).
Melissa described the problem as Short of Cash, which Michael agreed. We then
went on to explore the effects Short of Cash on the various aspects of their lives.
The following questions were asked to create space between them and Short of Cash
(Russell & Carey, 2004):
How old were you when you first realised that your family was affected by
Short of Cash?
What are some reasions why Short of Cash is happening?
Does Short of Cash become more worrying during any particular time of the
year?
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Short of Cash has been around for a long time but the siblings first experienced
its effects when they started secondary school. They noticed that canteen food was
more expensive than before and there were more things required by their school
teachers.
Michael shared about a time when he needed to buy a pair of squash shoes for his
Co-Curriculum Activities (CCA) but experienced difficulties because of Short of Cash.
Sometimes, he would have to use his money meant for food to pay for stationery..
Melissa added that there were days when she went through school without lunch
because she only had enough cash for recess time. On days when they were out for
school excursions, they did not have extra cash with them too.
Besides exploring the effects of Short of Cash in school, the siblings could sense
that their grandmother is very worried about the effects of Short of Cash from
the sleepless nights that she had. Melissa shared that Short of Cash is due to an
unbalance that is caused by the high household expenses in relation to the low
salary that their father was earning.
If you could say something to Short of Cash, what would you say? I asked. The
siblings were invited to evaluate the effects of Short of Cash but they went huh?
It was a moment of awkwardness for me. I grabbed a soft toy to represent Short of
Cash and asked the question again.
If you can say something to Short of Cash, what would you like to say?
Maybe you can blame it, scold it what would you say?
Do you think its okay to have this Short of Cash? Or not okay?
Or little bit of both?
Melissa wanted to say to Short of Cash, Go away and make our lives better.
Michael laughed and said, Make money drop from the sky. We had a good laugh at
his response. We went on to talk about their dreams and hopes. I asked, What might
Short of Cash do to challenge your dreams and hopes? Melissa has hopes to study at
a local polytechnic but was worried about Short of Cash making it difficult for her
to pay for her school fees and buy food from school canteen. Michael has dreams of
becoming a chef and an artist but he thinks that Short of Cash might stop him from
taking art lessons.
I learnt that by objectifying Short of Cash, it allowed the siblings to reflect
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and speak about it from a safe distance. Melissa went on to share that she would
be able to do charitable work like donating money and food rations to the needy
in the community if Short of Cash was absent from their lives. Taking into account
the complexities of experience, the siblings were able to take a position in relation
to Short of Cash and began to reclaim their lives from its effects (Russell & Carey,
2004).
Jiaying: Most of the time when people come and see us social workers or school
counsellors, many of them think that they can take advice from us
because they have often got to a point where they believe there is
something problematic about them. Is that somewhat similar to your
understanding?
Melissa: (nodded)
Jiaying: In fact, its the other way round. We learn a lot of knowledge from
people who come to see us. It has been my ongoing effort to collect
knowledges from people that I talk with, like you. So when I get to meet
other young persons who are also experiencing problems such as short of
cash, perhaps I can share your knowledge and skills with them. So would
you be okay to support this effort in collecting knowledges about
problem-solving?
Melissa: (nodded)
Generally in Singapore, the dominant discourse is that children are brought to
see helping professionals because they are known to have problems in the social,
behavioural and emotional development. Hence, my hopw was to resist this prevalent
discourse by introducing the gift of consultancy (Epston & White, 1990).
The orientation questions I posed serve to emphasise that Melissas knowledge
is significant. It was my task to assist these young people in identifying some of
the unique outcomes of their lived experience (White, 2007). In preparation for
this storyline development, it is appropriate to engage the young people in the
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Jiaying: Lets see you shared about the time when you had money for recess
but not enough for lunch in school. There are times when Michael had no
stationery and you solved it by using your recess money to buy. Would you
agree or disagree that you tried to solve the problem by going hungry?
Melissa: (nodded)
Jiaying: Do you have other examples that you can share with me?
Melissa: Like we go for big day out, we also dont have extra cash. So we see
people eat.
Jiaying: What kind of big day out was that?
Melissa: It was a school outing. We go to the Discovery Centre. And then, the
things there are very expensive. We didnt eat.
Jiaying: Did your classmates buy something to eat?
Melissa: Mmmm (nodded)
Jiaying: Were you the only one that did not buy something to eat?
Melissa: Yes
Jiaying: How was it for you then?
Melissa: MmmmI feel left out.
Jiaying: Will it be okay for you that we continue to talk about this left out in
this conversation?
Melissa: Yes (nodded)
Jiaying: When you talk about the feeling of left out, is it a one-time situation or
you actually experience it several times?
Melissa: Yeah (Laughed)
Jiaying: Can you highlight other times when you experience the feeling of
left out?
Melissa: Its not just financial difficulties. Its my friendship. I have 2 friends and
sometimes, they just decide to go without me.
Jiaying: I wonder how does the feeling of left out makes you feel about yourself?
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Like some would say that the feeling of left out makes them feel lousy
about themselves some would say that it makes them feel not good
enough that they are not good friends How does left makes you feel?
Melissa: Like Im invisible to them
Jiaying: When in the face of left out, have you ever tried to overcome left out or
do you just leave it there?
Melissa: I try to fit in
Re-authoring conversation
Strengths cards were then introduced to find out what helped them to manage
Short of Cash. I invited them to pick out the cards that best described their acts of
resistance. Is this word very close to what you think about yourself? Or do you have
another word? Or is this word okay to you? Would you prefer to use this word or you
have another word of your own? These questions gave them the right of naming
(Ingamells & Epston, 2012).
Melissa chose the Quiet card and Michael chose the Independent card. With this, I
began to try out questions which I hoped would lead to the uncovering of the stories
behind Quiet and Independent.
When did you first realised about Quiet (or Independent)?
Do you remember how old were you then? In secondary school or primary
school? Or it has been present for as long as you can remember?
Can you tell a story about how you used Quiet (or Independent)?
Who would be least surprised to know that you have been using Quiet (or
Independent)?
Melissa shared that she knew of Quiet for as long as she can remember whereas
Michael knew of Independent when he was in secondary school. Melissa further
shared how Quiet kept her from being judged by others because of Short of Cash.
Now that she realised that it is difficult to earn money, Quiet was her response in
supporting and understanding her father.
Some would say that being independent means that they know how to spend
their money wisely.
Before Michael could respond to the scaffold, Melissa quickly pointed out that he
is very good at saving money. After some explorations, we learnt that Savings was
a more experience-near word than Independent.
Jiaying: How did you know that he is very good at saving money?
Michael: (laughed) By looking at the money in his piggy bank!
Jiaying: How do you decide how much money goes into piggy bank?
Michael: Take the money that recess time will need and I put the rest into
piggy bank
Jiaying: Do you put money into piggy bank every day?
Michael: (laughed) No Sometimes
Jiaying: So during those sometimes, you will decide how much you will spend
during recess time and put the rest into piggy bank?
Michael: Yes
Jiaying: Is that something to show that you are independent?
Michael: I think so
Jiaying: What makes you want to do that? When did you start?
Michael: I want to learn savingsince I was in primary six
Jiaying: Why primary six?
Michael: Because I know that expenses in secondary school is very high.
Sometimes, I give my money to my father when he does not have
enough. My father borrows from me and I lend my money to him.
Jiaying: Is that also a time when you realised that the family has this Short of
Cash?
Michael: Yes
Jiaying: When father borrows money from you, do you feel anything from here?
Michael: I feel hurt. Because my money is gone
Jiaying: Who else knows about you and this savings?
Michael: My grandma
As we unfold the stories, the siblings agreed that Quiet and Savings were their
respective skills in coping with Short of Cash. After these conversations, I was able to
produce a written account of their lived experiences of the effects of Short of Cash.
As much as I would like to avoid taking a lead role in the attribution of meaning,
I found this influential approach helpful in providing them with an opportunity to
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comment on the documents. Somehow this has managed to invite the young persons
to authenticate my claim and make alterations to it. It has also flattened the
hierarchies of knowledge between adults and young persons and, moreover, between
experts and young persons (Marsten, Epston & Johnson, 2011).
Letters
Therapeutic letters present the means in recording the siblings significant life
stories:
Hello Michael,
Thanks for sharing your stories with me. It was good to meet you and
know more about you. As I said to you when we last met, I would like to
write letter to you. This time I am writing to see if I can summarise our
conversations and to ask a couple of things Ive been wondering about the
strengths that help you through Short of Cash.
During our first meeting, when I asked you what you wanted for your
future and you shared about your dreams of becoming a chef or an
artist. Just like Melissa, you were very sure about wanting Short of
Cash to go away. You think that Short of Cash may affect your dreams,
for e.g. not having extra cash to pay for drawing lesson if you want to
improve your ability to draw.
You have described how Short of Cash has affected you in school.
When you needed to buy a pair of squash shoes, you met Short of Cash.
Your teacher also knows about Short of Cash and you told her that you
have money. You knew that your father will settle short of cash and get
you money to buy squash shoes. Somehow, he did and you got your squash
shoes!
When your stationery runs out, you need to use your recess money
to buy some so you have no money to buy food during recess time. I
remember being amazed by how you manage the feeling of hungry. You
would distract yourself by playing soccer and not think about hungry.
You described that you like hungry because it helps you to eat a lot
when you get home. Did you become better at distracting yourself as
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Warmly,
Jiaying
12/8/2014
Dear Melissa,
Thanks for sharing your stories with me. It was good to meet you and
know more about you. As I said to you when we last met, I would like to
write letter to you. This time I can writing to see if I can summarise our
conversations and to ask a couple of things Ive been wondering about
regarding the strengths that help you through Short of Cash, which often
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For example,
1. When are the times that you know it is helpful to be quiet?
2. Who are you with? For e.g. father, mother, school friends, teachers,
relatives
3. Where will you be?
4. Do you watch out for peoples facial reactions?
5. Do you pay attention to what others are saying or doing?
Warmly,
Jiaying
12/8/2014
Dear Michael,
I felt touched to hear that you are trying to depend on your savings
to buy things that you want such as soccer boots. In my mind, I can
imagine you trying very hard to save up your already insufficient pocket
money yet; the savings can be helpful for your father. I guess that you
might be feeling heart pain as you see your savings decreasing. I think
that Independent seems important to you as you very much wanted to
buy things that you like on your own. And you are also very caring and
understanding towards your father because Short of Cash also creates
troubled for him. So, you want to help him out! You are not selfish, am I
right to say that?
I used to share similar experience! I think Short of Cash have taught
me to be Independent too! I started to work part-time when I was 17
years old. Since then, Ive been relying on my income to support myself.
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Of course, there are times when my parents needed money from me! I too
felt hurt that I have to give some of my hard-earned money to them! But
I felt okay after a while.
I began to see Independent being present in my life and at work.
Being independent, I am focus on my work. And, I learn to look out for
my colleagues too! I think Independent is beautiful.
Warmly,
Jiaying
23/08/2014
Dear Melissa,
As I listened to our last conversation, I was interested when you
said,left out. In my mind, I can imagine you sitting with your group of
friends. While your friends are chatting away, I can think of you being
quietly sitting with them. Your skill of keeping Quiet stands out to me! I
guess that you wanted to protect yourself, which is something that you
can do for yourself. Maybe you are protecting yourself from feeling hurt?
Or perhaps by keeping Quiet is your way of telling people that you are
okay?
I experienced Left Out before! It was during my days in polytechnic.
Left Out was present during most of my time in polytechnic. Then, I had
to work part-time to earn some pocket money. I remembered the many
days when I had to rush off after class. In the end, my classmates did
not want me to be part of their project group. Thats really horrible!
Instead of speaking up, keeping quiet helped to mask the feelings of Left
Out. I could not be bothered to explain to my classmates. Anyway, they
wouldnt understand my situation!
As you were talking about Left Out, I was reminded of those difficult
times in school. I am impressed by my skills! Not many young persons can
do that! I must say that I admire myself for being through those difficult
times. Because I chose to say or not to say things in whatever ways that I
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Warmly,
Jiaying
23/08/2014
Hello!
I am 14 years old this year and I have meet Short of Cash when I was 13
years old. I dont like Short of Cash because I cant buy the thing I wanted
but I will save money so I can buy the thing I want. Sometime when my
stationery run out, I will use my recess money to buy the stationery.
Sometime it make me hungry so I will distract myself by playing sport.
If you have Short of Cash, dont be sad. When you grow up, you can be
INDEPENDENT!
By: Michael
Hello there!
situation as you and I know how you feel. Being Quiet is my strength.
But it led to Left Out too. Because sometimes my friends asked me what
happened but I choose not to say and they thought I dont trust them.
Slowly, we drifted. We are no longer how we used to be, but hey, people
change, right? So stay strong! This Short of Cash problem will go away
soon, alright! Have a positive mindset, stay positive, cheerful & happy!
Cheers, Melissa
To be independent
Independence means a lot to us. Many of us have little pocket money.
We have had no choice. We have learnt to make decisions on how we spend our
pocket money. Once, I had to buy a pair of squash shoes and of course,
I do not have that kind of money! Somehow, my father solved the problem for me.
I know that he cares for me. We know that he tries his best to provide for us.
When I was twelve years old, my grandmother taught me about the importance
of saving money. I learnt that I can save some money to buy the things that I want.
Although it can take a very long time before I save up the money, I managed to
start saving by deciding how much money I want to bring to school each day.
References
Brown, C., & Augusta-Scott, T. (2006). Narrative Therapy: Making Meaning, Making Lives.
Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Epston, D. (2001). Anthropology, archives, co-research and narrative therapy. In Denborough, D.
(Ed.), Family Therapy: Exploring the Fields Past, Present and Possible Futures (pp. 177182).
Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Denborough, D. (2008). Collective Narrative Practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and
communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Epston, D., & White, M. (1990). Consulting your consultants: The documentation of alternative
knowledges. In J. Hales (Ed.), Experience, Contradiction, Narrative & Imagination (pp. 11-26).
Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Ingamells, K., & Epston, D. (2012). Placing strengths into storylines: building bridges between
strengths-based and narrative approaches. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and
Community Work, 3.
Marsten, D., Epston, D., & Johnson, L. (2011). Consulting your consultants, revisited. The
International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 3, 57-71.
McLeod, J. (2013). An introduction to research in counselling and psychotherapy. Thousand
Oaks, Calif.: SAGE.
Russell, S., & Carey, M. (2004). Narrative Therapy: Responding to your questions. Adelaide,
South Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
The School Pocket Money Fund. (2014). Electronic references. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from
http://www.stschoolpocketmoneyfund.org.sg/web/spmf-background.php
White, M. (1997). Narratives of therapists lives. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre
Publications.
White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Yellow Ribbon Fund. (2012). Yellow Ribbon Fund Annual Report. Singapore: Yellow Ribbon Fund.
after being punished by the discipline mistress.
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Chapter 7
A Childrens Group Work
on Stress Management by Prema Mohan
Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with
distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the
temple and take alms of those who work with joy
~ Kahlil Gibran
Introduction
This paper discusses a four session group work programme run for children from
age nine to ten over four consecutive weeks. I attempt to discuss the use of various
ideas of narrative practices for the group work sessions, namely:
1. The use of individual and/or collective externalizing conversations
(including secondary story development)
2. The use of re-authoring conversations (tracing the social, relational, cultural
histories of skills and knowledges)
3. The use of Re-membering conversations
4. Ways of linking peoples lives around shared preferred themes (including
outsider witness/ definitional ceremony structures)
5. The use of letters, documents, certificates
6. The use of archiving solution knowledges and sharing these knowledges
between people
7. The use of collective narrative methodologies An adaptation of the Tree
of Life
The Beginnings
In section I attempt to give a brief background of the agency that I work for and
the beginnings of Childrens Issues Group as part of the programmes under a family
service centre (FSC) in Singapore. Every residential district has an FSC of its own that
aims to serve the community in that particular vicinity. This group work programme
was conducted in an FSC that serves the residents of Sengkang and Punggol, which
are relatively new estates established in Singapore. This estate has been observed to
house a high number of younger families, foreign and permanent resident families,
expat families and the middle and high income earners. In the last financial year,
the centre served a significant number of individuals and families who had come
forth with financial woes. Since the agency has been tasked to disburse the Straits
Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF) assistance for Primary and Secondary level
students who are in need, we have the opportunity to interact with many families on
their financial difficulties.
Recipient-families of SPMF are required to have regular follow up sessions with
their respective Social Workers to collaboratively work towards coping and managing
their financial circumstances. The topic of Stress Management was selected by these
families as stress is something commonly experienced across all age groups and
across presenting concerns of families that approach the FSCs
Twelve school going children between the age ranges of nine to twelve were
selected to participate in 4 sessions of general Stress Management group work
conducted weekly. These children were selected by Social Workers in consultation
with the families known to the FSC. An average of ten children attended these
sessions regularly. Each run lasted for one and a half hours and was conducted by
two facilitators.
The Stress Management Group Work with Children had the following objectives:
1. Participants are able to share thoughts and ideas in a safe environment.
2. Participants are able to discuss and share about the knowledge they have in
stress management in their lives.
3. Participants are able to discuss and share about the skills that they have in
managing stress in their lives.
4. Participants are able to share ideas about stress management in an
enjoyable way.
5. Participants are able to identify members in their lives who would be able to
acknowledge their knowledge and skills in managing stress.
6. Participants are able to contribute to the lives of other children through
their sharing of their experiences in managing stress.
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Activities that were done with children were aimed at achieving some or all of the
above objectives.
In no priority of order, the above premises guided us along planning and facilitation
of group work sessions for the children. The above is also not an exhaustive list of
premises that we attempted to rigidly throughout the group sessions.
Children were also given a chance of evaluate the effects of Stress and justify the
evaluation through the following discussion:
What name would you give the stressors? How would you like to call these
stressors?
Is (name of stressor) a friend or an enemy?
Why is it a friend or enemy?
Who else might think that (name of stressor) is an enemy?
All children agreed that Stress is often an enemy to children and that it has
effects that influence the lives of children in undesirable ways. Children were able
to be playful (without discounting the seriousness of Elizabeths stressors) in the
ways that they went about their responses. Being physically engaged through the use
of pictures, further allowed children to be creative in their expressions and not be
limited by their preference against oral and written modes of expressions.
The consulting of prior knowledges about Singaporean childrens preferred
manner of self expression helped facilitate a safe environment for children to share
their responses verbally. Re-Authoring Conversations
Opportunities were created for children to develop subordinate story lines where
they recall and share experiences about having managed stress in their lives through
the Apartment of Life activity, conducted in the second session of the group work.
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When conducting the Activities Tour and Cast-Stress-Out! Activity, attempts were
also made for children and significant adults to recognize one anothers contribution
in the present (as opposed to in history) in managing stress in their lives.
Children and significant adults who turned up also encountered difficulties in
comprehending these questions often requiring translation as most of these adults
were not English speaking. The few who turned up spoke in three other indigenous
languages making discussions between children and adults almost impossible. As such
responses of children were revisited about the knowledges and skills they had in
managing stress instead.
the choice to articulate verbally to their significant adults the invitation to attend
the next session and to discuss their Apartment of Life activity with them prior the
session.
Certificates were prepared for children, which had also included facilitators
affirmations of positive traits that were observed in the previous three sessions. An
opportunity was also given for significant adults and their children in the final session
to co-create acknowledgement statements of the knowledges and skills their children
had used in managing stress. Since adults present were not English speaking, they
helped children with decorating their certificates while children came up with the
statements of acknowledgement that the adults agreed with through the signatories
on the certificates. These adults were also invited to present these children with the
certificates, in an attempt to create audiences for the many skills that children
possess.
Foundation what has been taught about challenges in your life, who has
taught you about overcoming challenges in your life, what do you know about
overcoming challenges in your life?
Ground - What are all the activities that you are participating in/ places/
contexts where some of these challenges may come up?
Door - What are the skills, abilities you have to overcome stress/ challenges?
Windows - Who are the important people in your life?
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What gifts have you received from people around you that have helped you
in overcoming stress/ challenges? How come these people chose you to give
such gifts to?
Clouds - What are some dreams, hopes and aspirations you have in your life?
Though some children were able to respond to some of the parts of the Apartment
of Life, most children faced difficulties in understanding the metaphor and what
the parts of the Apartments stood for. Most children struggled with responding to
Ground and Foundation. Linguistically simpler instructions and explanations
would be helpful should this activity be replicated.
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Conclusion
In view of the positive experience and the good feedback received from these
support-group style sessions, the team will continue incorporating Narrative ideas
and concepts in future runs, if expertise permits.We would also continue involving
significant family members in our future sessions with child-participants. The team
intends to explore other topics for the next run of Issues Group and will continue keep
the number of participants small, in view of the age group that we tailor our sessions
for. Other suggestions to explore would include inviting the present participants for
the next round of sessions to share their experiences in managing stress.
References
White, M. (1995). Chapter 8: Therapeutic Documents Revisited. In M. White, Re-Authoring
Lives: Interviews and Essays (pp. 199 213). Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Denborough, D. (2008). Collective Narrative Practice: Responding to Individuals, Groups and
Communities who have Experienced Trauma. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Freedman, J., Epston, D. & Lobovits, D. (1997). Playful Approaches to Serious Problems:
Narrative Therapy with Children and their Families. New York.
Workshop Notes by Lisa & Seknah (2010) and Angel, Y. (2010)
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Chapter 8
Narrative ideas in Group Work
with Women Experiencing
Domestic Violence by Lanny Santoso
Introduction
This paper discusses the use of Narrative ideas in working with complexities
surrounding intimate partner violence / domestic violence. It also describes the use
of The Tree of Life methodology (Denborough, 2008) within a collective narrative
approach with women who have experienced experiencing domestic violence in
Singapore.
Context / Framework
This work was based in a Family Service Centre (FSC) setting in Singapore. The
Family Service Centre is a community-based Voluntary Welfare Organization that
provides a range of core services such as casework management, crisis intervention
and counselling services. This paper describes a therapeutic group work intervention
with women and children who have experienced domestic violence, where the author
was involved in its conceptualization and running.
The group work was influenced by ideas of post-structural feminism (Hung,
2011) Post-Structuralist understandings describe identity as a social and public
achievement something that is negotiated within social institutions and within
communities of people and shaped by historical and cultural forces ( White, 2000,
p.62 ). Post-structural feminists trace the histories of how womens ways of being
have been created within the specific contexts of culture, class, race, sexuality
and other power relationships (Thomas, 2002). The feminist approach to intimate
partner violence believes that power differentials between genders ar rooted in
the broader context of social, legal, and religious structures and discourses. This
include patriarchal social-cultural mechanisms and the belief in mens superiority
over women (Allen, 2012 ). Violence is then used to maintain that superiority.
Drawing on Foucault, White and Epston (1990) state that we are subject to
power through the normalizing truths that shape our lives and relationships (p.19)
(as cited in Brown, 2007). Women who experience abusive relationships are being
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The Practice
The following narrative ideas were utilized in the group work interventions.
Adaptations were made to suit Singapores local context, such as Tree of Life
methodology (Ncazelo Ncube, 2006).
1) Tree of Life methodology is a framework that seeks to amplify and document
ones preferred life story to strengthen the sense of self. When working with
women experiencing domestic violence, it may be common that practitioners
identify and highlight life stories that describe hardship, oppression and
negative identities. These stories often involve the internalization of dominant
social stories and negative identity conclusion stories. The emphasis of a
womans role in keeping the family together (Shankar, Das, Atwal 2013), places
women responsible for the well-being of the family. In violent relationships,
women may internalize ideas of themselves as not being a good wife or
mother, and may hold themselves responsible for the violence that happens in
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In facilitating the group work, the facilitators had to be mindful that the
participants came from various cultural groups, and may also belong to
minority groups within Singapore. There is a need to bear in mind the
influence of cultural factors, and broader context variables such as historical
and sociopolitical faced by members of Singapores minority groups. It is
important to relay the message that problems identified did not originate from
the women themselves. The facilitator adopts this stance in order to
deconstruct the dominant discourse and re-author the womens preferred
stories of their lives.
Participants:
A total of 8 women attended the program. These women were undergoing
the mandatory counseling program of the organization, but had volunteered to
participate in the group work sessions. The groups were diverse in that they belonged
to 3 different cultural groups, and varied also in their educational and employment
statuses, as well as their religious affiliations. 5 of them were in their mid-30s, and
3 were in their mid-40s. Half had already separated and divorced, whilst another
half women were still married and living together with their partners. Most of
these women had experienced long histories of family violence. All are survivors of
violence.
Programme description
The retreat began with introductions followed by the setting of ground rules
which included respect for confidentiality of issues being shared. As a narrative
approach was utilized, facilitators were mindful of how group processes could
position participants as the chief agents in the re-authoring of their lives. As Parton
and Marshall (1998:248) pointed out: solutions are found in the making, the telling
and the talking. Laird (1995:160) discussed how therapy should be in part a matter
of deconstruction, of consciousness-raising, of learning how ones own stories have
been constrained or demeaned or de-privileged in varying contexts of knowledge and
power. Facilitators hence strive towards a non-expert and decentered position, in
order to place participants as central players of the many stories that were shared
during sessions.
Our past runs of group work sessions using the tree of life methodology, we
found that we had experienced difficulty in conveying instructions to participants to
draw their individual Tree of Life. We had speculated whether the abstract ideas
(related to linking various parts of the trees as metaphors to their lives, for example,
the trunk to represent skills, abilities and knowledges) may not connect to their
cultural experiences. This led us to explore other ways of stories development with
the mothers. We found it useful to come up with additional preparatory activities,
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such as the reading of stories or craftwork, before participants drew their individual
tree of life.
The following steps detail how the tree of life methodology was conducted
with the group. We started by setting the scene that would facilitate discussions
surrounding the tree of life.
Step 2: Storytelling to set the tone for the metaphor of the tree
This step sought to set the tone of the metaphor of a tree, through the reading
aloud of Shel Silversteins book: The Giving Tree. The story details the relationship
between a boy and a tree, and how the boy would start wanting to take something
from the tree (for example, its apples, and its tree trunk). As the boy grew older and
asked for more, the tree would continue to give and give until it was left as a tree
stump. The story ends with the boy, now an old man, only wanting a quiet place to
sit and rest, which the stump provides. The story ends with the simple sentence:
And the tree was happy.
This story allowed the group to reflect on how the story resonated with their
own life experiences and their unconditional love for their children. The attitude
of the boy towards the tree had connected with their experiences of being taken
for granted by their partners in the abusive relationships. The storytelling activity
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allowed members to relate with one another, through the sharing of thoughts and
images that caught their attention from the story and finding commonalities in their
life experiences.
Participants were then invited to create two pieces of craftwork each using
pipe cleaners, to symbolise their current situations and their preferred futures
respectively. Craftwork was utilized to engage members through the added dimension
of touch, rather than just relying on visual or auditory engagements, to identify their
preferred life stories
Michael Whites metaphor of scaffolding (Carey, Walther & Russell, 2009) inspired
the use of therapeutic questions as stepping stones for group members to identify and
learn previously unknown aspects about themselves within the unexplored territories
of their preferred stories. Scaffolding questions, which were derived from the work
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of Lev Vygotsky (1986, as cited in Carey, Walther & Russell, 2009) provide support for
members to step out from the known and familiar into the realm of the not yet
known, but possible to know.
4) What do the other mothers think about your role as a mother? This process
amplified and made known the connection between participants of similar
experiences and also thickened the preferred storyline of these mothers
trying to play important roles to protect and care for their children amidst the
dominant discourse of a violent relationship.
5) What kind of name would fit the experience, value, skill or ability that youve
just shared (where the children were important to you and mean so much
to you)? Respondents are then able to use experience near names of caring
mother to describe their preferred storyline.
This line of inquiry helped to recruit group members lived experiences, their
meaning making, and progressively opens possibilities to provide entry points into
alternative story lines.
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As the group members shared their created items, each member told their stories
and co-created meaning as they interacted with each other. They explored tactics
where their spouse or ex-spouse had used violence to influence their sense of identity.
Sally (Figure 1) shared about how the round ring she created was represented the
image of the story of how she was trapped in the cycle of violence, similar to the
story of the Giving Tree. She shared about her experience of resisting violence for
more than ten years, until she decided to make a stand against it. The second item
symbolized Sallys experience of seeking help to break this cycle of violence: a hair
band with a heart on top.
Sally shared about how she felt responsible for the well being of her family,
and how her experiences had equipped her with resistance skills against violence.
Other stories shared by Mary (Figure 2), Ann (Figure 3) and Carol (Figure 4) discussed
beliefs surrounding the importance of preserving their marriages to keep the family
intact, and the need to protect their children and themselves from being judged
and categorized as broken or single parent families.
As facilitators listen to the traumatic experiences shared by group members,
they also pay attention to stories of what gives value to the womens lives despite
all that they have been through. Facilitators keep a lookout to how these women
had responded to these traumatic experiences, where no one is a passive recipient
of trauma (White, 2004). Facilitators also rescued words that described the group
members skills in resisting oppression and violence, making sure to note the themes
that came out in the womens stand against hardship.
These women had employed different ways to resistances to resist abuse and
violence in their lives. Within the group work process, facilitators sought to thicken
these alternative storylines:
Facilitator: When you mentioned you resisted your husbands abusive behavior,
what did you do?
Sally: I gave in to his demand, not to retaliate.
Facilitator: Say more about how you did not retaliate?
Sally: To make sure that he does not bash me up like last time, and also to
protect my daughter.
Facilitator: What does it say about you when you did not retaliate so that you can
protect your daughter?
Sally: That I am trying to make sure that I protect my life and also my daughters
life.
Facilitator: What does it take for you to be able to resist and to protect yourself
and your daughters life?
Sally: I need courage and determination to hang on, not to give up, and to keep
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myself alive. Because my children are still young, they still need me to take care
of them.
This process of inquiry allowed Sally to uncover her skills of courage and
determination. Facilitators took note of Sallys newly discovered skills and endeavored
towards tracing the history of these skills. Facilitators then explored how these skills
and knowledge came to be, placing them in storylines with her other values, hopes
and commitments.
The group work process further thickened participants preferred stories through
the tree of life activity. This activity allowed group members to be witnesses to each
others stories of hardship, where outsiders witness practices (White, 2007) were
used. Group members took turns to tell their stories and responses were obtained
from the others, contributing to the reinvigoration of members sense of self and
identity. This sense of self would have previously been diminished in the face of
traumatic and violent experiences (White, 2004).
Group members were invited to draw their tree of life using the following
guidelines:
The Roots: The roots of the tree are for participants to reflect and write about
their family histories, for example their origins, family name, ancestry, extended
family, name of significant people who have taught them the most in life, their
favorite song or dance and movie character.
The Ground: Represents where the group members lives are at the present
moment; and the daily activities they are engaged with.
The Trunk: Represent values, skills and abilities. This may also include skills in
physical acts, skills of caring, loving, honesty etc. Group members were asked: Who
did they learn the skills from? Where did they come from? How long have they started
using these skills?
The Branches: Represent participants hopes, dreams and wishes for the
directions of their life. Group members were asked: How long have you had these
hopes? Where did they come from? How have you held on to these hopes and dreams?
Did anyone introduce you to these hopes and dream, or help you hold on to them?
The Leaves of the Tree: Represent significant people in their lives. These can be
people who are alive or may be people that have passed on.
The Fruits: Represent gifts that the person has been given by others, these gifts
are not necessarily material gifts, but could be acts of love, courage, kindness or
any other gifts.
Flowers/ Seeds: The flowers or seeds of the tree represent gifts that the person
wishes to pass onto others, they can also represent the contribution the person is
making to others. Again, these gifts are not necessarily material gifts.
The following are excerpts of what the women said of their experience with the
tree of life activity:
This is the most important part of the programme, and the hardest part of the
session, as it had me to think through many events and significant person who has
been with me at part of the journey of my lives. I remember how my parents had
been the support for me during my growing up years, my current family situation had
erased those good memories as I was so preoccupied by my parents ideas to have
me reconcile with my spouse. There are many memories of my younger days, how
I struggle with issues, and how I managed to overcome life challenges. I am quite
a capable person. (Carol, who had previously described herself as a weak person)
This exercise had me to be grateful for what I have now, even though I still
have many live challenges to face, I have many significant people are not family
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members, they have come along side with me. The Samsui women who made bricks
day and nights for a living are my role models to persevere and never give up. The
drawing of the tree has helped me put my life on a map that include people who I
am very grateful of their kindness, and never give up on me. (Mary, who had been
described by group members to be a resilient mother)
The exercise of the drawing of the tree was difficult for me. I had blank memory
when after I drew and color the tree. I experienced mental block for a while. As
I slowly being helped by the facilitators, I managed to retrieve my memory back,
and this is a struggle for me at the beginning. Subsequently, the memory of my late
mother came back. She had been a pillar to me, and she had been my role model,
even though I lost her during my teen years. (Sally, who had suffered from eight
years of depression, and had experienced a long history of physical abuse from her
ex-spouse)
children helped us take back our lives from isolation and fear. We realized that
talking to others helps when difficult hardships happen.
It takes courage to step out and seek help from services, and to press on to keep
moving in the direction we wanted our lives to go. Some of us kept on doing things
bit by bit, and asked God for help. Friends and counsellors/social workers saw the
strength in us and believed we would get through this. This helped us when hard
times left us feeling overwhelmed. In times of great anxiety, we learnt to practice
deep breathing to soothe ourselves and to help ourselves calm down.
As we gathered together with our Trees of Life, we learnt and uncovered some
of the knowledge and skills that grew from the roots that keep our tree standing tall
against violence. Some of these roots are extended family members, church friends,
and parents.
They planted the seeds of endurance, patience, care, kindness, honesty,
trustworthiness, hard work, and independence, and they grew resilient to weather
the storms of life.
Some of us demonstrated strength drawn from being honest and true to themselves,
and were determined to move away from violence and negative situations. This will
help maintain integrity, and a vision of the future that will keep us inspired in life
with our children.
Within the programme, the structure of the outsider witness process are as follow:
1) The telling (i): Child was invited to read his/her letter that was written for
his/ her mother
2) The telling (ii): Mother to read her letter written for her child or children.
3) Re-telling of the telling (i): Facilitator interviewed participants caseworker
4) Retelling of the telling (ii): Caseworker interviewed facilitator
5) Re-telling of the re-telling: Facilitator interviewed participant to respond
what she heard from witnessing the conversation between facilitator and
caseworker.
The following were the four questions used in the process of outsider witness.
1) What expressions touched or moved her after you heard the letter reading
between mother and child or children?
2) What pictures or images do these expressions bring to mind?
3) What is it about your own life or experience that explains why these
expressions caught your attention?
4) How is your life different after being touched or moved by the story you
heard?
The following response was expressed by the author (who was also facilitator)
during a process of the Retelling of telling (ii)
1) What struck me and caught my attention, was when they (mother and son)
both shared about the emotional struggle and against all odds, and how
mother is able pay attention to her sons need in detail. She ensured minimal
disruption for her son daily routine life by moving out of their residence. I
see a mother who is very committed to her role. For her son, I was struck by
his maturity in adapting when he had to temporarily move out of his house,
and stay with extended family members.
2) I am also hearing the importance of keeping the family safe from being hurt.
This reminds me of how they hold life precious for themselves and each other.
I see the responsibilities and commitment being demonstrated by mother and
son. In this short exchange of letter reading I am also hearing how precious
the mother /son relationship is.
3) What has been shared has also reminded me of my personal experience about
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The re-telling of the re-telling caseworker gets the response from mother after
hearing the conversation between caseworker and facilitator
The following is an excerpt from the response made to the re-telling of the telling:
I was not aware that I am actually capable of managing so many things
during such a big crisis, and this has reminded my old self, able to multi-task,
and hold strong on the value of commitment and responsibility.
This is important for me and also for my son.
Definitional ceremonies can provide for rich story development (White, 2007).
This development was demonstrated when I facilitated the session with Sally and
daughter, and her caseworker. Sally had shared that she had never talked about her
knowledge and skills learnt from her late mother to her daughter. Sally had shared
that these knowledge and skills had sustained her and had given her the courage to
stand against the hardships she experience. Through this process, Sally is able to
continue her late mothers legacy in her own life, and that of her daughters.
In a brief interview three months after the program, Sally had also shared about
how she and her daughter are able to now have more small conversations with each
other, signaling an improvement in their relationship. Her daughter had also shared
that her mother had become more confident, equipped with the skills she had
rediscovered during the programme. Sally shared how the craftwork and the tree
of life sessions had been helpful for her as she learnt to know more about herself.
Conclusion
This chapter illustrated the use of narrative ideas in the context of group work
with women who have experienced domestic violence in Singapore. The tree of life
methodology is a useful framework to identify alternative stories and preferred
futures for group members who have been exposed to the trauma of interpersonal
violence. Outsider witness practices facilitated the amplification of the newly
rediscovered skills during the group work process, and Sallys example reflects
the potential of such practices to make a lasting impact on the people that we
work with. As facilitators of group work, there is a need to employ skills of double
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listening, where one listens not only to the struggles and experiences of trauma, but
also to stories of how people respond (and even overcome) challenging and difficult
situations in their lives.
References
Allen, M. (2012) Narrative Therapy for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence.
Supporting Womens Transitions from Abuse to Safety. UK: Jessica Kingsley Publisher.
Brown, C., Augusta-Scott, T. (2007) Narrative Therapy Making Meaning, Making Lives
California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Carey, M., Walther, S., Russell, S. (2009). The Absent but Implicit: A Map to Support Therapeutic
Enquiry. Family Process, 48(3), FPI, Inc.
Denborough, D.(2008) Collective Narrative Practice Responding to individuals, Groups, and
communities who have experienced trauma. Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Gavey, N. (1989). Feminist post-structuralism and discourse analysis: Contribution to Feminist
psychology. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 13, 459-475.
Hung, S. L. (2011). Collective narrative practice with rape victims in the Chinese society of
Hong Kong. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1), 14-31.
Laing, L. (2001). Working with women: Exploring Individual and Group Work Approaches.
Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, Issue 4.
Loveday, H. (2009) From oppression, resistance grows. The Intl Journal of Narrative Therapy
and Community Work 2009 No. 1 www.dulwichcentre.com.au
Ncube-Mlilo, N. Denborough, D.(2006). The Tree of Life. Australia: International journal of
Narrative Therapy and Community Work.
Shankar, J. (2013) Challenging Cultural Discourses and Beliefs that Perpetuate Domestic
Violence in South Asian Communities : A Discourse Analysis. Bridgewater: Massachusetts.
Journal of International Womens Studies 14 (1), 248-262. Retrieved from http://vc.bridgew.
edu/jiws/vol14/iss1/15
Silverstein, S. (1964). The Giving Tree . Retrieved from: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giving_
Tree Thomas, L. (Co-Ed) (2004) Chapter 5 :Post-structuralism and therapy whats it all about?
Russell, S. & Carey, M. Narrative Therapy : Responding to your Questions ( p.91-99). Adelaide,
Australia : Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M. (2000). Reflecting team work as definitional ceremony revisited. In M. White (Ed.)
Reflections on narrative practice; Essays and interviews. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre. White,
M. & Morgan, A. (2006) Narrative Therapy with Children and their families. Adelaide: Dulwich
Centre Publications.
White, M. (2004). Working with people who are suffering the consequences of multiple trauma
: A Narrative perspective. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work
(Hong Kong), No. 1. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications Pte Ltd. White, M. (2007). Maps of
narrative practice. USA: W.W. Norton & Company
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Chapter 9
The Mothers M-Powered
Programme Community Based
Group Work with Mothers living
in the Interim Rental Housing by Mohamed Fareez,
Estates Anny Rodjito & Isaac Teo
Introduction
The Mothers M-powered programme is a 6-session support group developed and
conducted for mothers living in the Interim Rental Housing (IRH) estates in the Ang
Mo Kio community. AMKFSC Community Services Ltd had been actively conducting
outreach and triage services for residents living in a transition shelter. Residents
living in these shelters had either previously been homeless (some were even living
in tents by the beaches), or they were forced to leave their previous flats due to high
debts that had been incurred. Typically in the transition shelters, 2 families were
expected to live in one unit, where they would be allocated one room each, and they
had to share bathing and kitchen facilities.
We had identified a group of mothers who felt that they needed an avenue to
air their concerns and find ways to address struggles faced. These mothers were
predominantly from the minority Malay community in Singapore. A total of 4 mothers
eventually completed the whole programme.
Our initial aims were to conduct a parent psycho-education group using ideas from
a programme influenced by cognitive behavioural therapy. However, conversations
we had with these women revealed that parenting issues were not specifically
identified as the main issue to work with. There may have been a lack of fit if we had
imparted knowledges from a separate culture (middle class and white Australian,
which the initial programme was based on), without first understanding the needs
and concerns of these women.
At the same time, we realized that these mothers had been able to manage the
needs of their many children, whilst surviving through multiple transitions. We were
interested in making known the various skills, values and abilities that had been
utilized in facing these hardships.
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A group work setting would also serve to amplify and celebrate these strengths
through the practice of definitional ceremonies (Myerhoff, 1986). At the same time,
the documentation of such strengths would further amplify therapeutic effects of
the group, and assist in increasing the personal agency of the community. We had
also hoped that the process of co-research (Epston, 1999) with these mothers could
also serve as a tool for advocacy that could potentially influence policy change.
The practice principles of being curious, respectful and de-centered (White
and Morgan, 2006) were imperative in enabling the uncovering of personal agency,
yet allowing for flexibility to follow important conversations made by participants.
Sessions were conducted using narrative ideas of Community Therapy (Baretto
& Grandesso, 2010), where we would first identify issues and challenges of each
participant and then decide the aspects to work on. A structure was proposed,
although continuous discussions were held as to whether the experience was a fit
for participants.
Outline of sessions
Session 1: Identifying challenges and prioritizing of issues to work on
Session 2: Collective timeline of challenging life events and skills used to
overcome challenges
Session 3: Re-Membering practices
Session 4: Mapping of stories through the Tree of Life
Session 5: Collective documenting and Review of effects of programme
Session 6: Definitional Ceremony (through a Community Day event)
with to ensure that interventions are done in a collaborative manner that fits with
needs identified. It involves creating a respectful structure where healing and change
does not come from a top down position, but through the promotion of autonomy
and collaboration.
and how they were used in addressing challenging events. The dates of these
skills and values were also annotated in the timeline.
5. At the end of the session we facilitated a re-telling of the events through the
following outsider witness inquiries (White, 2007)
a. What expressions or images came out strongly for you as you heard the
different stories shared by the others?
b. What did these discussions tell you about what other participants valued?
Do any images or feelings come to you?
c. Which parts of your own life connected to the stories that were being told?
d. How has hearing all these stories made a difference in how you might want
to continue your own life?
The creation of the tree of life allows for the consolidation of the stories that
have been told in the past sessions, and enable further discussion to thicken the skills
and abilities that have been developed that could address their transition stressors.
The children had their own stage where they choreographed their own dances and
songs for their own fellow residents.
The Mothers M-powered group (along with another protective behaviours boys
group) was then able to use this platform for a retelling of their alternative stories
to other members of the estate who experienced similar circumstances. The mothers
would distribute the documents that they had compiled to other mothers living in
the same community. This process would be supportive of the achievements made by
the Mothers M-Powered group (along with another boys group that was conducted
concurrently). The introduction of maps of journeys made by others can potentially
open space for conversations and also inform others of the struggles that they may
face in transition housing, as well as skills and strategies to aid in their transition
(White, 1997).
We proceeded to obtain outsider witness accounts through public comments after
receiving the booklets. The mothers themselves would be distributing the booklets
so that they can clarify any questions that are put to them by the other mothers in
the community.
Through this process of multiple retellings (White, 2007), alternative themes
of preferred storylines and identities are thickened whilst at the same time new
ideas can permeate across the community. It is through this platform of inclusiveness
and transparency (Bracho, 2013) that we hope that we would be able to facilitate
community change together with residents.
justice, and work towards collaborating with the mothers in strategizing advocacy
and change in the environment.
In adapting to the needs of the group that we were working on, we found it useful
to go through a line of inquiry on the process of the group work. This inquiry was
influenced Freedman and Combs preference questions and the asking about effects
(1996). The questions on privilege (Raheim et al, 2001) had also inspired us to ask
questions to address power imbalances between facilitators and participants. We
developed a pre and post session inquiry to make the work relevant and resonant for
participants. We document these questions to be used in future runs of the group
work programme.
Pre-session inquiry
Preference questions
What are your hopes about how this group will be useful for you?
Are there certain things that you hope that we as a group could talk
more about?
Are there things that you dont think we should talk about?
How should we respond as a group is anyone of us is upset about something?
Questions on privilege
What concerns might you have in sharing your problems in front of us,
especially since we might not have shared the same experiences that you
had? To make known issues of gender, class, and culture.
As a man/person from a different class or culture, what are your suggestions
about how we can be respectful of the stories that you tell us?
What were some difficult experiences you have had in sharing your concerns
with someone from a different gender/class/culture? What steps can we take
to avoid such difficulties?
Questions on privilege
How was your experience in talking about these many issues to someone from
a different gender/class/culture? Did any of these experiences come across as
what you had expected? Were any of these experiences surprising?
Were there times where you felt that we could not understand you due to our
different gender/class/culture? What steps could we take to address this in
our future sessions?
Preference questions
What are some things you hope we could talk more about in the next session?
What are your thoughts about the plans we have for our next session?
We found this line of inquiry useful in creating space for flexibility in terms of
adapting to the unique contexts of the people we were working with. These questions
were able to address power imbalances and foster the principle of collaboration right
from the beginning of the group.
Although we aim to bring out preferred storylines detailing persona agency
amidst crisis and trauma, it is also important to respect requests from our clients for
advice. This is especially important in our local Singaporean context, where clients
do approach social workers for help and expect pragmatic and direct advice to be
given to address their problems. It may be unethical for us as practitioners if we
do not share information on the latest evidence (for e.g. parenting techniques) to
parents who attend our group expecting to learn and gain information on parenting.
Fredmans (2013) position of sharing theories as just a possible story to understand
the problem is a respectful way to expand understandings of a problem or challenging
situation. It brings forth an idea, and yet promotes collaboration by inviting
participants to respond. Participants are welcome to connect with the idea or discard
it if it does not fit. Mothers could then be invited to contribute their own stories. The
process of obtaining a repertoire of stories defined by each family member, would
also aid in gaining deeper insight into the network of presuppositions that give
meaning to events are experienced in their respective world views (White, 2001).
Conclusion
This paper has presented a possible outline for a group work programme to support
the needs of mothers living in transition shelters. As a team we acknowledge the
diversity of contexts and life situations surrounding the needs of women in Singapore.
Hence, we suggest that any ideas to replicate this project have be adapted according
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to the different needs of the groups we work with, in line with the narrative position
of being de-centred (White & Morgan, 2006).
References
Barreto, A. & Grandesso, M. (2010). Community therapy: A participatory response to psychic
misery. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 4, 33-41.
Denborough, D (2008). Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups and
communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications
Epston,D. (1999). Co-research: The making of an alternate knowledge. Chapter 16 in Narrative
Therapy and Community Work; A conference collection. Dulwich Centre Publications. P 143-146
Epston, D. & White, M. 1990: Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. New York: W.W.Norton
Fredman, G. (2013). Coordinating stories in therapeutic conversations. Paper presented at the
Friday Afternoons at Dulwich, Adelaide, South Australia.
Freedman, J., & Combs, G. (1996). Narrative therapy: The social construction of preferred
realities. New York: Norton.
Ingamelles and Epston (2002). Placing strengths into storylines: Building Bridges between
Strengths and Narrative Approaches. In The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and
Community Work. 2012 No 3. Pg50 - 61
Myerhoff, B. (1986). Life Not Death in Venice: Its Second Life. In V. W. Turner, & E. M. Bruner
(Eds.), The Anthropology of experience. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Raheim, S. White, C. Denborough, D., Waldegrave, C. Tamasese, K., Tuhaka, F. Franklin, A.,
Fox, H & Care, M. (2001). An invitation to address privilege and dominance. Retrieved May 15,
2014 from http://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/privilege.html
Welch, S. (2012). An Ethic of Risk. Retrieved May 15, 2014, from http://http://www.uua.org/
re/tapestry/adults/ethics/workshop9/workshopplan/handouts/192044.shtm
White, M. (2001). The narrative metaphor in family therapy: an interview with Michael White
in D. Denborough (Ed.), Family therapy: Exploring the past, present and possible futures (pp.
131-138). Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M., & Morgan, A. (2006). Narrative Therapy with Children and their Families. Dulwich
Centre Publications
Chapter 10
The League of Parents and
Small People against Pocket Kering
Acknowledging skills and knowledges
for those who experience financial
difficulties by Elizabeth Quek
Introduction
This paper describes a narrative collective practice model applied in a community
that experiences financial difficulties and other complex issues. Conversations with
the families set out to allow rich description of their experiences of Pocket Kering,
or no money, the skills, values and knowledges employed and history behind them.
The second part shows the Small people group engaging with the personified Pocket
Kering monster and retelling of Superpowers - the skills, values and knowledges
used to shrink the monster. The third part of the project shows Operation M, which
the children are employed to plan and run a small economic project using their
skills, values and knowledges. The last part, entails a definitional ceremony where
the Leagues stories are retold and preferred identities acknowledged to an audience
of community members, and parents through the childrens skit of Pocket Kering
Monster and Superpower, the reading of a collective document and outsider witness
practice. Finally, the paper discusses my reflections and considerations of power and
privilege.
Background
Persons with low income in Singapore are often socially excluded, have poor
access to affordable healthcare services, proper nutrition, education, employment
and financial support. Another obstacle to improving their situation is dominant
beliefs about low income families. The families that consult with us live in the Jalan
Minyak and Jalan Bukit Merah area; most live in one of the 28 blocks of public rental
housing flats. This section explains more about the context of the experiences of the
families these and the work we do.
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The only criteria of success and worth are judged by white cultural standards,
and Maoris have received powerful messages for decades that they do not
measure up. (p.58)
In a Singapore which employs rigid social engineering and embraces meritocratic
ideas, there are colonising ideas and imposed societal norms that mothers must work
to earn money, place children in full time childcare, place elderly family members in
institutions, family mediation to agree upon elderly parents allowance. Most of the
time, if these families do not conform to the above, despite their reasons; financial
subsidies for education, financial assistance and even housing would be withheld
from these families. Cultural differences can also play an influential role in our
perceptions of parents. It is unreasonable to assume that we completely understand
the diverse sociocultural and economic influences that shape parental attitudes and
behaviour. This is especially true when a family from a different class or cultural
group comes to us for help. Families have an existing ecology of thoughts, emotions
and behaviours, based on their unique history and traditions. Assuming that we
automatically know what constitutes good or bad parenting in a family from a
different culture that our own shows disrespect for these ecologies and can do more
1 I would like to acknowledge that Malay is a generic racial grouping of diverse communities that started in the colonial times,
and because of this all-encompassing and abstract term, and including the Banjarese, Bugis, Javanese and others as part of
the Malay race thus had the negative effect of allowing the myth of the lazy native to be applied to all those racial groupings
as well. (Noor, 2009)
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academic performance. These approaches do not take into account the effect of
poverty on the childs performance at school.
I invited people to join the League of Parents and Small People against Pocket
Kering, as experts of this issue, and to contribute to its archives. Pocket Kering is a
Malay colloquial description of having no money. In direct translation, it means that
the pocket is dry. Externalisation of poverty like how Aids was externalised and
personified in Malawi (Slliep, Y. & CARE Counsellors, 1996) could be very powerful and
open up a variety of conversations for the community, regardless of its controversial
nature. I hoped to transform the prevailing view of poverty as a consequence
of internalised defects of each individual to an issue that has a large impact on
the community. This would create a safe space for discussions that could lead to
development of concrete solutions. I hope that building this community of support
and solidarity would be a powerful weapon to reduce the effects of institutionalized
racism, self-blame, and shame--And allow people to be free of this burden and
isolation.
c. Material deprivation
Our families have low income and small wages despite long hours and poor work
conditions. The country steers away from being a welfare state, and emphasizes a
many helping hands approach which translates into a family needing to approach
various places for different needs. These assistances usually last from one to three
months, requiring much effort, processing time and documentation to apply and
renew. Usually, these forms of assistance are deliberately inadequate and families
find themselves stuck in a downwards spiral. Healthcare can be inaccessible and
because of their lack of income, families often have poor diets. Simple needs like
money for transport or books that most take for granted often cost much anxiety.
According to Wilkinson & Pickett (2009), Singapores rate of imprisonment and
income equality is much higher than other developed countries.
As described by the earlier points, many of their problems were actually symptoms
of poverty, unjust economic planning, of racism, sexism, and heterosexism, like
events of bad housing, homelessness, racist, sexist or heterosexist experiences,
and not a result of internal family dysfunction. (Waldergrave, Tamasese, Tuhaka
and Campbell, 2003) We as social workers need to be aware, just as the Just Therapy
team has strived: to not be simply,
The Process
a. Invitations to join the League
A station was set up to advertise the project and describe the processes to
parents with children in primary school (aged seven to twelve) during our monthly
disbursement of the School Pocket Money. Parents were asked if they were
experiencing financial difficulties, and inquired about the conversations they had
with their children about Pocket Kering. Most of them expressed interest in the
programme, saying that they found it difficult to speak to their children about this.
The League recruitment advertisement was shown to them and their children if they
accompanied their parents. I reiterated that there were two parts, one was the
home visit interview with the whole family, and the second was the day camp (as
described below in part d to f), where the children would come in the morning
and the parents would join them in the evening. We also arranged dates in which
i could meet up with their families in their homes. The recruitment advertisement
uses elements of a comic book, and a touch of humor. The video was voiced by my
colleagues Reza and Farhana who added much entertainment and personality into it.
This was the first of the many ways we created a child-inclusive space.
Efforts at the Family Service Centre is focused on the adults ability to find
solutions to manage their families and finances mostly through casework. Children are
engaged in psycho-education and educational activities, but rarely address poverty.
They were seen as passive participants in the family with regards to the financial
problem, and are rarely consulted. Most people privilege adult ways of being and
coping with difficulties, disregarding childrens ways. I asked if we have distanced
ourselves from childish ways of being when they could be helpful? In addition, as
White explains, consulting children about financial difficulty could provide certain
solution knowledges.
Breaking from the narratives of human nature and from the associated
developmental theories can open possibilities for children to be consulted about
how their own solution knowledges might be applied to the events of their lives
that are of a concern to their parents/caretakers. Children have a know-how
that is relevant to the negotiation of many of the complexities that they face in
the different contexts of their own lives. Some of this know-how is, of necessity,
relatively sophisticated, because children do not often have access to the sort
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of power that would be required to simply make happen what they want to have
happen they rarely have the power available to them to achieve the ends that
they desire through independent and singular action. Unfortunately this know-how
that children often have at their fingertips can easily be disregarded by parents
and others who are concerned about the actions of these children.
(White, 2000, p.19-20)
We can recognise, exoticise and give value to childrens skills and knowledges or
insider knowledges, which I hoped to do through multiple retellings, the employment
of these insider knowledges and skills when they teach adults in the child-experience
party, and during the definitional ceremony. We are creating re-grading experiences
for them, in contrast to the experience they have with their academic performance.
Their knowledge is validated, somewhat given legitimacy and worth, and elevated
their status as poor students to knowledge wielders.
The children thought about these questions, and said no, if it did not disturb
them in that aspect or yes and continued to describe their experience. One of the
stories that stayed with me is when Hayati, who shared that sometimes the teacher
will inform her that she needs to buy something, and if her father has no money, she
will pray that it will not be needed that day. But sometimes, she will get scolded by
the teacher. When we reached the question about her teachers relationship with
her, she said Pocket Kering had not affected it, as she has qualities of a student that
the teacher appreciates. We then talked about the intentions of Pocket Kering and
the feelings that he feeds on that sustain them or make them happy? Children shared
that the monster likes it when they fight, are sad or hungry.
Using the third stage of the Statement of Position Map 1 (White, 2004), the
children were invited to make a stand against the Pocket Kering Monster. Is it
okay or not okay that the Pocket Kering Monster makes trouble for your family?
and asking them to justify these evaluations, asking them why they took up this
stand, and what it say about what was important to them. All the children took up
a resounding No when I summarized the effects of Pocket Kering. They did not
like their parents being tired or stressed, not being able to buy school books, feeling
hungry and sapped of energy, or losing their friends.
Some families reported that it made their families more united, and gave rise
opportunities to show characteristics of sharing, caring for others, strength and
respect. Neighbors seemed to share more in times of need.
later share it with their parents. Many children also spoke about keeping quiet to be
sensitive to the stress of their parents. We laughed when we learnt about how one
of the children cares for his family and helps them during stressful times by shaking
his backside, and giggled as we traced a familys expertise in massaging each other.
There were profound moments when parents reflected, this is something new for
me, I never knew this before, when a mother learnt that her son has been saving
money at his grandmothers house, and now is on his second Tabung2, and another
mother when her 7 year old son reflected that he was alright with sharing his savings,
asked him why he was willing to do so. He replied that his parents have been taking
care of them since he was young. There are many proud moments as parents reflect
their pride at their childrens display of understanding, and one mother described
her son as her lifesaver. Superpowers was in part also inspired by Johnsons
(2010) ideas of asking about, strong power, chatterbox power, brave power. By
privileging childrens skills using fun language, these childish and underrated skills
are recognised for its value to their families and others.
back to Malay culture or Islamic beliefs. When I ask this question without proper
scaffolding, I often get blank looks and answers like, you know Im not like other
low income malay mothers, distancing herself from the culture and association.
When scaffolding is provided, as shown above, people are able to recognise and
reclaim their cultural background, history and heritage instead of trying to distance
themselves from it. In these ways, I hope to:
To trace these skills, knowledges and beliefs to culture, I asked, Did you learn
this from your culture or religion? Are these values or skills linked to your religion
(Islam)? How about your culture (Malay)? What is your ethnic background? Bugis,
Java, Are there certain religious beliefs that you keep in your heart especially
during hard times? Are there songs or sayings in your culture that keep you strong or
remind you of these values? and lastly Are there people in your culture that show
these values? Saving, sharing and keeping quiet are thus rooted in family
and cultural values. I listened to pop and religious songs like Andai Ku Tahu3, and
heard about people of Malay heritage they admired. I was audience to stories of
divorce, hardship and poverty, and learnt how these skills gained in these hard won
experiences were acquired and subsequently passed on to their children.
d. Small people group engagement with the monster, and retelling of skills,
values and knowledges
This part of the project starts in the morning of a Sunday. There were a total of
four staff (Kelu, Natasha, Leo and i), one ex-intern (Avelene), and a mother (Rosillah)
from the League during the day camp. First, the children watched and interacted
in the interrogation of the personified Pocket Kering Monster and an interview of
Superpower- and embodiment of the Leagues skills, knowledges and values.
(This involved 2 adults in costumes, an interviewer, and a chasing activity.) This was
adapted from Yvonne Sliep and the CARE Counsellorss (1996) work in personifying
AIDS and Care as Mr/Mrs AIDS and Mr/Mrs CARE. The script (Appendix A) was adapted
to the experiences shared in the family interviews. Next, the monsters stepped into
the physical realm as the children created the monsters with craft materials labeled
in jars such as, Vampire Eyes of Jealousy, Hungry teeth, Fur of Sadness or
3 Families hold on to this reminder: to make full use of what they have now and not regret when they move on
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Sneaky Slime of Shame. The children then decorated their helmet which displays
their Superpowers. This part ended with a brief retelling and sharing of the skills,
knowledges and values in the large group. And the children, donning their superpower
helmets, together chased away the personified Pocket Kering Monster.
1) Waiting/Patience Power Those who have the patience to wait to get home
(Clothes Peg Racing Car) before eating, the savings power and can wait for
the Tabung to fill up. And those who also likes to
draw when they are upset or like to do crafts
2) Playing power (Swingball Those who like to play games with their friends
game, Frozen Tee shirt and siblings to keep hunger away, or play with
contest, Blind mans buff) their toys.
3) Laughing power (Acting Cheering family members up and make them laugh,
team) acting, telling jokes, dancing and being funny?
4) Caring/ Helping power Caring for others in the family, massaging, helping
(Dream Catcher Making) with chores at home.
Most of the children took to their roles quickly. They started making the necessary
preparations that involved setting the rules, practicing how to guide people in the
activities, decorating their stations. The acting team divided the acting roles and
worked on their scripts.
When the guests started arriving, two children helped with the registration,
and issuing each ticket for $10. Another two helped to apply temporary tattoos. The
guests were guided through the various stations, and seemed to enjoy the childrens
laughter and enthusiasm. Fern, a participants experience is recorded in Appendix B.
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f. Definitional ceremony
The guests were joined by the Parents of the League against Pocket Kering to
witness the definitional ceremony we term as a Press conference of Hope and
Faith, where people are invited to respond in the ways of the structure of Outsider
Witness Practice (White, 2007). The invite also has the questions that will be asked
during the definitional ceremony.
The definitional ceremony started with the childrens skit of the personified
Pocket Kering Monster and Superpower. The audience was delighted at the childrens
skit (Appendix C) which was adapted by Rosilah. She used malay colloquialisms and
humor. The children were repeating lines that they probably heard regularly from
their parents, and that made it funnier. The audience cheered on and encouraged
the children. The children who were not performing, joined the audience in honoring
this time by paying attention and giving respect to what the Acting Team was saying.
The collective document (Appendix D) that was created from the family interviews
was read to the audience.
the skit), I think I hear some of the parents cheering the kids on which I thought
although there are so many stuggles we are facing, we can still put our children
the first priority, which strikes out to me as an important value they have.
Lanny, a guest, spoke about being drawn to the word tahan, she said:
Reminded me of many under privilege population in my home country. They are
often seems to be invisible, no one pay attention & listen to their struggle trying
to make ends meet. No one notice their internal resources, that become their
skills to resist the challenges that they are facing: courage, and persistence to
stay afloat. They hang on to the hope and dream that all of us have to be able
to live comfortable live, and be a good citizen to contribute to the society. They
value family relationship, unconditional love that help to build internal resources
to press on.That comes from how I reflect about myself, about when did I have
these situations when I had to tahan a lot of things. Having the privilege live
comfortable life, I need to be intentionally provide bigger space and time when
I work with marginalize population , to listen to their hidden stories. Stories that
sustain their live, value, and dreams that they have.
Many of the guests also thanked the children for the party, and the acknowledged
their contributions they made today and to their families. After the definitional
ceremony, parents visited the various stations, and we also distributed ticket profits,
which amounted to six dollars each. When the children collected the money, we
would also hand out some of our observations of the childs contributions to the day.
Participants could be invited to write responses to the children and this could be
incorporated to children stories for identity making. Some responses (in person or
written are recorded in Appendix E).
Power-over interaction has the effect of disempowering people, as described
earlier about guilt and shame. A large percentage of the families who consult with
me have spoiled identities (Epston and White, 1990), contributed by the normative
gaze and degrading practices that question their motivation, values and choices.
Using a definitional ceremony, to retell a more complete story of the experiences
with Pocket Kering to an audience, the children and their families can connect with
their preferred identity:
people experience being at one with these preferred claims. (White, 2007)
g. Future Developments
Many people after listening to these stories appreciate the opportunities to
understand the hardships, and the familys skills and knowledges. They say that their
perspective of poverty in Singapore and the people who experience it has shifted.
Rosilah shared that she had been flooded with thoughts about how to further develop
this project, and wants to dramatize the skit more, and have more child experience
parties. As I shared with a group of Narrative Practitioners in Singapore, they are
keen to support the work of the League, and invite other parents and children to join
the league. We are planning and considering ways in which people from different
levels of power Singapore could influence policies and practices that could further
support the League of Parents and Small People against Pocket Kering and others who
experience Pocket Kering. One of the ideas we are thinking about is inviting other
parents and children from other parts of Singapore experiencing Pocket Kering to add
to the collective document, and create a brochure that could be distributed to all
Family Service Centres, government offices, schools and other institutions. We are
also thinking of inviting League members to speak at conferences or to community
stakeholders, where they could read the collective document or present the skit of
the interview with Pocket Kering Monster and Superpower.
Reflections
a. Heaviness of the topic
Although we spoke about the skills knowledges, hopes and preferred identities,
and used humor, the skills of dealing with these hardships was difficult for many
to accept fully because it was somehow violating a discourse that children should
not need to bear these burdens and use these skills such as tahan4, and ways of
containing hunger. Talking about Pocket Kering has to be handled sensitively and the
effects of such conversations have to be considered with care. In these 2 weeks, I
witnessed as many parents described this conversation as good as they knew how
4 Tolerance in malay
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the children felt5 about Pocket Kering, but I saw the heaviness on their faces. When
talking about the effects was too much to bear, I would inquire about the skills. I
felt that it was helpful to weave back and forth from effects to skills, based on the
emotions in the room.
After another profound session, I would again reflect about the effects of this
conversation, and if this had created another burden for the families, despite
having explored in depth the stories of endurance, faith and strength. What sort of
preparation would be required for these families? What could have been done so that
parents could consider the effects of these conversations before the conversation?
The parents shared that this conversation did make them feel a little more stressed
and sad, but this was important to them as them as they knew how their child
was feeling, and what they wanted. Some also expressed that at the same time
they appreciated listening to how the children had gratitude towards their efforts.
For example, when I asked one of the families, they said that they appreciated
understanding why their son was reported by the school teachers to look like he
was depressed. One of the reasons was that he had lost all his friends but one,
when their financial situation became serious after his parents lost their jobs after
unfair work practices. They also heard stories of how he relished time with his one
friend, and focused his attention on his work when in class instead of playing with
other children. In the future, I will pay more attention in the preparation of families
for the possible uncovering of these feelings. In addition, experiences of earlier
members of the League could be shared with new members.
5 Stories include that of coping with hunger, sadness from losing friends, not being able to buy bicycles or school books.
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for parents who are accustomed to clear hierarchies and power. As I found out, this
was not much of an issue as the families I interviewed valued independence, and
the parents were fully aware of the processes the children will be engaged in. By
acknowledging the parents contributions to the childrens skills and knowledges, we
were able to avoid a situation where the parents felt blame, guilt or were degraded
for the childrens difficult experiences. Stories of unity, sharing, helping one another
and other ways of collectivist ways of being a family was a very prominent value of
these families, thus as we re-told them in the definitional ceremony, Kuah sama
dihirup, sambal sama dicolek6, we honoured and upheld their value of families
uniting in difficult times.
6 which is translated as The broth is slurped together, the sambal is dipped together
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On another level, the parents and older siblings were witnesses to their siblings
skills and their experiences. I realised this when interviewing two sisters about how
Pocket Kering monster ruins their hopes of having more fun. When they shook their
heads, their older sister responded with are you sure?, and their father proceeded
to share how they are used to the situation and the deprivation involved. He said
that although they are used to it, sometimes they would ask their parents to go out
on the weekends which they cannot afford. He also added later, with dewy eyes that
he is so proud of them that they are very understanding. Their first question, he says,
when they want something is not to ask, Can I have this?, but Dad, do you have
money to afford this?
risk of simply being reduced to individual psychological matters. Wait until your
inner world is sorted out before shifting your attention to the outer and you are,
indeed, waiting for the revolution, I think that Kitzinger and Perkins might agree
that Nur was ready to contribute to social change. I decided to ask Nur if she would
be interested in earning money over the holidays. Nurs excited look signalled that
sparked this project.
Effects of financial difficulty on children are often invisible to others or
acknowledged. Thus, it is important to have an economic component. Operation M,
an economic project run by the Small people of the League against Pocket Kering,
aims to be a form of a concrete collective solution to a real practical problem. As
in the example of Mt Elgons childrens clubs (Denborough, 2010) where they meet
and discuss what projects they can initiate in order to alleviate the financial burdens
on their caretakers and to provide small financial contributions towards the expense
of school materials, clothing and future investments, young people can be engaged
in such ways to contribute to the family and community. I loved how the collective
practices of the definitional ceremony, tree of life, etc created the space for space
and opportunities, perhaps these experiences will create more possibilities for them
in the future.
In addition to being aware of our privileges, we wanted to also use our privilege to
build awareness of the experience of poverty, and create spaces where their voices
could be heard, and the dominant oppressive identities countered by their preferred
identities. By using our unearned privileges, by using our contacts, resources and
influence to share these stories with people so that we may challenge currently
dominant ideas as to how society should be organized, to draw attention to needs
not currently attended to under existing social arrangements, which is one of the
aims of a social movement.
Taliaferro, Casstevens & Decuir Gunby (2013) said that by deny[ing] the
political sources of experience and render them purely personal, and defin[ing] our
problems in psychological instead of political terms, can be destructive, passive and
unethical Since reading that paper, Conscientizao or the raising of consciousness
(Friere, 1994), is something that hold myself accountable to, to explore with the
people I work with, especially those who have started to internalize blame and
shame. However, as with all narrative approaches, this is done in a decentred and
tentative manner. I firstly make some inquiries into their view of their circumstances,
how they make sense of it all, and try to use experience near language. I have also
seen sparkling effects of this practice. However, this approach, a de-colonizing and
anti-oppression stance, has real risks of affecting my career, relationships or the
agency, so I try to balance it very carefully with the risk of not situating peoples
challenges in the wider social and political contexts.
With greater support from my peers and agency, this is a practice that I try to do
on a more public platform, outside individual or family sessions. At the time of the
initial stages of the project, and few had publicly spoken about inequity or oppressive
structures, and dominant discourses of race were still mostly unchallenged and there
are possibilities that the project would be shut down. I chose to speak about poverty
without directly addressing the societal and political causes. This is one of the reasons
in which i did not speak about it when inviting people to join the league. This project
specifically sought out to counter the effects of racial dominance and classism. It
was my intention to be race-conscious and not colorblind due to principles of equity,
as explained by Culp (1994):
These initiatives may not currently be widely recognised and they may not in
themselves be enough to overcome all that is presently facing the community.
These initiatives are, however, highly significant. Making it possible for community
members to identify these initiatives, to richly describe them so that the skills
and knowledges implicit within them become more visible to themselves and
others, and to trace the history of these skills and knowledges so that the ways
these are linked to local culture are understood, can strengthen these initiatives
in ways that make further action possible. (Denborough, 2008)
I would like to acknowledge the contributions of members of the League of the
Parents and Children against Pocket Kering and other people who face challenges
daily as they deal with the effects of poverty; as well and as those who have guided
my path and work alongside me for social justice and ethical practice. We do this
work on the shoulders of others and we shoulder others up.(Reynolds, 2013)
References
Poverty reduction and social movements: A framework with cases. (2009). Retrieved from
Institute for Development Policy and Management / Brooks World Poverty Institute website:
http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/research/socialmovements/publications/reports/
BebbingtonPaperfinal_Unrisd_Poverty.pdf
Creative Interventions. (2014). Stories. Available: http://www.stopviolenceeveryday.org/. Last
accessed 30 May 2014.
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At the reception: Arif explained to me that I can choose from many designs for
a temporary tattoo. After I chose my design, I asked whether I could have a smaller
one and Putri helped to cut it. She then helped to apply it on my hand. She was
very careful and gentle when she helped me. Thank you! This is one of my favourite
stations of the party.
At the dream catcher station: Hian Huei, thank you for explaining the meaning
of dream catchers and sharing the knowledge that it is from native America. I didnt
know that before today. Dian helped me to choose the wire for my dream catcher.
She also encouraged me to choose beads to make my dream catcher prettier when
I am not sure how to decorate it. Dewi gave me advice on the colours of the thread
to use for my dream catcher when I cannot decide.
Swing ball station: When I wanted to play Swing Ball, Habsah helped me to look
after my bag. It made me feel that my things were safe and will not be taken by
someone else. Jun Lung taught me how to play Swing Ball. He patiently answered
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my questions and explained to me, even demonstrated how I should play the game.
Blind mans bluff: Intan in pink helped to tie my blindfold and promised to take
care of me when I cannot see. It made me feel safe when I was playing the game.
Clothes peg car racing: Hayati approached me when I was looking at the Racing
track. She explained that I need to make my own racing car and helped me understand
the game. Ishak was very patient with me when I asked many questions on how to
make the racing car. He advised me to choose bigger buttons and explained that
they helped the car moves faster. He shared an important tip! When the gold sticker
that I chose was not sticky, he told me about it and helped to choose a chipmunk
sticker which I really like. Thank you for helping to make sure my racing car is
returned to me :)
tabung. They share with their siblings and parents when Pocket Kering
is very troublesome and they have no money for food. They are also
very understanding, they try to play, sleep or drink lots of water if they
are hungry.
Many of them have waiting power that they can tahan until they go
home and will eat a lot. They will also play with our kakak, adik, abang.
When they dont care about him, of course the monster pun jadi kecil
lah. After the parents work 12 hours shift, they will be very stressed.
The the children keep quiet so that their parents are not stressed and
will hug, tickle, massage and talk to them or make them laugh. These
are ways that we care for each other. The monster makes us share with
our jiran.
Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita roboh.
A stick is easily broken, but a bundle is strong together.
may want to buy a bicycle, and to have fun. Or we may want to go to the zoo or
river safari like our friends. When we ask for toys, our family may need many months
to save for the toys. We may not have enough money to buy gifts during birthdays.
Sometimes, especially 1 or 2 weeks before our parents get their salary, we may
not have money to buy food. We will feel hungry, and we know my mothers are
hungry too, and this makes them sad. Sometimes we may cry.
One of us also fights with our siblings when one of us wants to borrow money
from the other, but he does not want to share his savings. We sometimes fight over
toys and food. The monster also makes my parents feel tired because they are very
stressed and work very hard. It sometimes also makes them fight each other.
When we feel hungry at school, and have no money, we will drink lots of water
from the water cooler and play soccer, hide and seek or catching with my friends.
Some of us may have less energy to run as fast but will still continue to play. Laughing
with our friends also help. For those of us who go to student care, lunch is provided
there so we can wait till them. Many of us are very good at waiting. We will wait to
come home to eat, where we can eat a lot.
Sharing
As brothers and sisters, we often share with each other. Sometimes we will give
our siblings money when they need it. Some of us also surprises each other with little
gifts.
Another mother shared that it is difficult for people to tell our problems to
others, and some of us dont show it to others that we are upset. Instead, she listens
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to our friends problems and help them to solve their problems. She feels that there
is no point in showing others that you are moody and it affects people. She makes
sure that she enjoys herself when she is out and at home, she starts thinking about
her problems and how to solve them.
Many of us have good relationships with our neighbors and share things with them
and play together. Difficult times that Pocket Kering brings makes us share with each
other.
Independence
Many of us have siblings, and we will play with each other, have our own
competitions and play independently when our parents are doing other things or not
at home. We have resourcefulness that helps us in hard times.
tell lame joke and annoy our sisters, this keeps the mood light at home. Some of us
enjoy to watch videos on YouTube to take care of ourselves. One of us is very good at
shaking his backside to make his family laugh when they are sad or stressed. We also
enjoy playing tricks on each other.
Many of us learnt to laugh and take it easy from our parents. Many of us try to
take it easy when you keep on thinking, your head can explode. One of our parents
shared that she was admitted into the hospital for hypertension.
We learnt to do what we can during birthdays, and we make cards for and save
to buy small gifts for our family.
Hope
One of our mothers wants to continue to study and find opportunities to upgrade
herself. She hopes to do so that she can get a job that is office hours so that she can
stay with her children. But it is difficult to study when we need to work for daily
expenses. Another of us cant work because her work visa is always rejected, so she
volunteers at a local grassroots agency where she learns many new things. She hopes
to get a job at the nearby hotel as soon as she gets her work visa.
their own unique ways and build their resilience to fight against it.
It brings me back to my own clinical work and questions how much I
have been listening to the voices and stories of the clients whom I have
met who also have struggles with Pocket Kering.
I am touched and encouraged by the experience of hearing their
stories, it has allowed me to increase my faith in the resilience of the
families. Thank you families @ TPFSC for being so open, genuine and
embracing :)
Chapter 1 1
Inviting the Preferred
Stories in the Supervision
Context by Sharon Sng
Introduction
Supervisees often bring their dilemmas about the clinical work to supervision and
the conversations are often about the possible clinical interventions to consider. I
think it is important to attend to the how-to in the supervisory conversations as
well as to connect their therapeutic actions with their preferred self-identity, which
consists of their commitments/ hopes/ dreams and values.
In this paper, I offer some of my supervisory conversations that brings forward the
supervisees skills and knowledges as well as links supervisees therapeutic actions to
their preferred self-identity using the various maps of narrative practice (White,
2007). I also offer some examples of the use of narrative ideas, with supervisees who
might not familiar with narrative practice, by being collaborative and respectful
in the supervisory process. I will illustrate the importance of slowing down and
unpacking the supervisees intentions so that the preferred self and ways of working
with their clients is made visible.
This paper also considers the importance of supervision conversations that
not only centers the supervisees but also their work contexts. In Singapore, most
supervisees often work in agencies where the work with the client involves attending
to many practical issues, yet it is possible to apply narrative ideas to connect
practical actions taken in the agency to the supervisees self-agency and stories of
themselves as a professional.
If your clients were listening to our supervision conversation, what would they
want us to address that is most important to them?
What would the client want us to identify in their story as they respond to
difficult situations in their lives?
What do you think the clients responses express in terms of values,
commitments, and purposes in life that is important to them?
What might the clients actions offer in terms of the possibilities in clients
preferred identity and hopes for future actions?
Being decentered but influential does not mean we reduce our interactions with
our supervisees or downplay supervisors experience and knowledge (Fredman,
2014). Rather it does mean that our contributions should not be for our own gain.
As supervisors, we should not lead a conversation on what is important or of greatest
interest to me. Even when I use narrative ideas in supervision, we need to regularly
check-in with the supervisee, Is this an important/ useful direction to take in our
conversation? or we could also look out for non-verbal cues like glazed looks then
check with the supervisee, How does this fit for you? or What does what we are
talking about mean to you?
It is important to balance the supervisory conversations between the focus on
the clients issues and the supervisees issues (Behan, 2003). It helps to stay close to
the supervisees experience of the therapeutic conversation yet at the same time, to
stay close to the clients experience of his/ her issues and the therapeutic process.
Some useful questions to help balance the focus on the supervisees practice and the
clients issues are:
How is the conversation fitting or not fitting with you? How does it resonate
with you?
What is standing out to you/ client? In what ways are these discoveries an
unexpected surprise or strengthening of the known-and-familiar in the client
and yourself?
What would you imagine the client say about the shifts in your position to
his/her Problem?
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What have you realized you appreciate about the clients efforts to stand up
to the Problem?
What do you appreciate about the contributions from your work in the
clients life?
How do these realization and appreciation lead to in terms of possibilities in
the clients life and your work with the client?
Externalising conversation:
The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem
(White, 2007, pg.9)
Oftentimes, the supervisees bring a problem-saturated story of their clients
and they might have reached a thin conclusion of their clients as difficult, their
work with the client as going nowhere or even their self-identity as a professional
as being not-good-enough. These dominant ideas could restrict the supervisees
work and limit the alternative positions to adopt in ones work (Lee & Littlejohns,
2007). A way to address these problematic dominant stories is to view the problem
as the problem and this helps to avoid locating the problem in the person: be it the
supervisee or the client (White, 1988; 1989; 2006).
Externalising conversations is a way to separate the problems from people. As the
problem is not located internally, we can objectify the problem and explore more
of the persons efforts to stand up to the problem. Sometimes, I have externalising
conversations with my supervisees so that their dilemmas, whether it is their view of
self or their client, can be situated outside of the person and their identity (Morgan,
2000; Lee & Littlejohns, 2007).This offers a different position to the problem and
as a result a difficult problem can change its meanings, inviting a transformation of
the supervisee or the client from being passive (victim) to active (agent) so that the
narrative can expand (Lee & Littlejohns, 2007).
Below is an excerpt of an externalising conversation with a supervisee who
was concerned that the family was not open to her professional help in addressing
violence in the home. I mapped out the familys naming of the problem, effects
of the problem, evaluate the effects of the problem (whether it is helpful or not
helpful) and justify the evaluation of the effects of the problem (why it is not okay
to have the problem and the hopes for ones life aside from the problem):
Sharon (supervisor): Sounds like the family is resistant to the idea of naming the
problem as violence, would you say so? What would they be more open to name the
problem as? (Checking on familys naming of the problem)
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Sharon: After it was named as Temper, what did the family talk about in terms
of what Temper did to them? (Mapping the effects of the problem)
Anna: They (parents) were scared and their way of dealing with it is to avoid
and submit to Temper.
Sharon: What is the effect of Temper on her? (Mapping the effects of problem
on daughter as it has a different effect)
Anna: Daughter would see that she is always scolding her parents and the parents
will minimize contact with her.
Sharon: So the feelings of being scared and avoiding is more with parents, how
about the daughter? (Mapping the effects of problem on daughter)
Anna: She feels sad and undervalued.
Sharon: Do they want these effects or not? (Evaluating the effects of the problem:
inviting a person to take a position to the problem)
Anna: No, they dont want but they think they can manage on their own.
Sharon: What are their ideas on managing Temper so that it does not come
uninvited again? (Justifying the evaluation of the effects of the problem: beginning
to speak of hopes, intentions and resources)
Anna: Walk away, getting involved in work and arranging for day care.
Sharon: What do you think they value that may be different from what Temper
wants for them? (Justifying the evaluation of the effects of the problem: beginning
to speak of values, beliefs, principles and purposes)
Anna: Peace and being able to get along with one another.
The externalising conversation shows that Anna was able to reconsider the
importance of listening to her clients naming of the problem, to recognize her
clients efforts to deal with the problem and to articulate her clients hopes. This
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way of working helps the supervisee not to experience self-blame or even other-
blame, rather to focus on the clients hopes and to invite changes from within as well
as generate creative solutions to address the problem (Freeman, Epston & Lobovits,
1997). This externalizing conversation also shows the importance of mutual influence
between parents and children not just in terms of the problem but also of joint
hopes. Hence, externalizing not only regards the person is not the problem, the
problem is the problem but that the solution is relational too (White, 1988/ 89;
Denborough, 2008).
When supervisees expressed intense feelings such as frustration, desperation,
hopelessness, or doubt, it is easy to label one another as being resistant.
Externalising conversations helps to reduce the effects of labeling, pathologising
and diagnosing. It reduces blame and guilt yet creates room for a persons self-
agency and responsibility to take action against the problem. When the problem is
seen as an independent entity, a person might respond to it in a more creative and
productive way since the problem is not seen as an identity or truth of a person
(Morgan, 2000).
It is important to note that externalization is more an attitude and orientation
in conversations, not simply a technique or skill (Morgan, 2000, pg. 17). It is more
a way of looking at problems that invites changes in perspectives of the issues and
differences in speaking with people that separates problems from people. If used as
a technique, it might make people feel like you are minimizing their problems. It
is important to listen to the supervisees story and their experience of the Problem
(their relationship to the situation with their client), and not impose what I think I
know.
Externalising conversations could lead into re-authoring conversations as it allows
one to explore what these feelings speak of that is important to the person: the
hopes/ commitments/ beliefs that are absent but implicit in the problem stories.
Re-authoring:
Co-authoring multistoried lives and preferred identities
Stories are critical in the narrative ways of working. Stories consist of events
linked in sequence across time according to a plot (Morgan, 2000; White, 2007). The
re-authoring conversation map consists of the landscape of action questions and
the landscape of identity of the preferred story (Bruner, 1986, Epston & White,
1990, White 1995). Supervisees have many stories about their lives and relationships,
all occurring simultaneously. There will be some stories that are more dominant than
others, depending on the meaning that is ascribed by the supervisees. The supervisor
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looks out for any unique outcome or moment that that might differ from the
problematic dominant story-line. The re-authoring conversation can zigzag between
landscape of action questions and landscape of identity questions (Russell &
Carey, 2004) to develop an alternative story-line. We assume that the supervisees
actions and identity stretches from distant history to future so we ask questions
about identity and actions taken around the context of time (see diagram below).
Re-authoring conversation:
Zig-zag between landscape of identity and landscape of action
across time (White, 2007)
LANDSCAPE OF IDENTITY
Whats possible to know but yet realized Principles
Dream/ hopes
Commitments
Values
Purposes
Intentions
LANDSCAPE OF ACTIONS Whats Important
Known and familiar
Distant Recent
Present Future
History History
Sharon (supervisor): So during the festive period, what enables the parents to
see their kids? (exploring landscape of actions)
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Nat (supervisee): During the festive period, they want the kids back and we
encourage parents to bring their kids out too. Sometimes when the kids are in the
Home, it gives the parents to work on their issues and they feel like they want the
kids now...
Sharon: When you hear the stories that it helps both parent and kids, how does
that influence your work with them? (exploring landscape of actions)
Nat: Work more closely with the families, to encourage them to come forward
and sometimes I will scold them to visit or call their kids. We tell them staying in
the Home is not the best.
Sharon: What informs you that staying in the childrens home is not the best?
(exploring landscape of identity)
Nat: It is not the childs home, it is a community setting. All the kids want to
go home. They feel that they are punished for something they did not do. All their
physical needs are met but they miss the bond with parents.
Sharon: What do you think staying in the home does to family bonds? (exploring
landscape of action)
Nat: It reminds me of a boy who keeps asking to go home. He yearns to go home.
Sharon: When you hear him, what does that do to your belief that the home is
the best and your actions that you take with the family? (exploring landscape of
identity)
Nat: It makes me want to work more with mom.
Sharon: What do you think helped to grow that knowledge and desire to have
her children be with her? (exploring landscape of action: thickening clients unique
outcome)
Nat: She has a stable job and relationship with her partner. Things are looking
up for her and she is more positive. Most of the time she vents to me about her
frustration and she trusts me enough to tell me what is going on. She is also more
forthcoming and she is trying to bring kids out.
There are many stories that are not easily accessible and visible until the
supervisor intentionally explores the alternative stories with supervisees and their
clients. Nat initially had talked about the difficulties in getting the parents to take
their children back for home leave. It was useful to make visible the intentions of
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her actions and explore the values that guided her responses in dealing with the
difficulties working in the system. The re-authoring process also helped to link the
supervisees unique outcome (workers action and commitment to ensure children
return for home leave) to the clients unique outcome (success in getting child back
home for home leave). These sort of explorations in relation to therapeutic actions
and the workers commitments can contribute significantly to ones work and life.
It can also open spaces of connection and re-connection to preferred stories and
identity. Hence, there is a mutual influence in re-authoring stories of peoples lives
(Russell & Carey, 2004). This process of co-authoring can counter the isolating and
separating effects of problems on people.
An important to note as we co-author the unique outcome, is that it has to
have significance and meaning to the supervisee. It is dependent on the supervisors
evaluation that a certain event is a unique outcome. It would be helpful to check-in
with the supervisor if an event surprised/ stood out to them. We can invite them to
consider what is important in an event rather than be over-enthusiastic and point out
the positives in a unique outcome. This helps the supervisor to remain decentered.
Re-membering:
Populating the preferred stories
Re-membering1 conversations play an important part of the re-authoring process.
It rests on the idea that a persons life is a club with members (White, 1997; Morgan,
2000). This re-membering conversation helps me to keep noticing the influence of
people in the lives of the supervisees skills, knowledges and indentity. This allows
the supervisees to consider the significant relationships of their lives that could
add to the supervisees identity and alternative story. The beliefs, commitments,
preferences and ways of living in a supervisee do not occur in a vacuum, it has been
shaped by a persons history and relationships with others and with the world. As
the values/ beliefs/ hopes are more richly described and honored, people are more
joined in their efforts to deal with the problem. People feel less alone if they know
a choice is backed by a community, rather than on their own. It helps people feel
supported and appreciated during times of difficult work.
Some possible questions in re-membering practices are (Russell & Carey, 2004):
Who might not be surprised that you are speaking in such a way about what is
important to you? (naming a significant figure)
1 The term re-membering was coined by Barbara Myerhoff (1982). It was introduced into the therapy world by Michael White (1997).
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What is it about you that they have witnessed and how does this show them
this value/ belief/ commitment is important to you? (persons identity through
figures eyes)
What do you imagine it might mean to them to notice it? (persons contribution
to figures life)
How do you think it may contribute to their life? (implications for figures
identity)
Sharon (supervisor): How does working with the different parties in the system
help you or not with your work? (landscape of action)
Nat (supervisee): I work closely with them and we put forth our recommendation...
Sometimes the decision is no home leave.
Sharon: How does that affect your work with the family and children? (landscape
of action)
Nat: The kids yearn to go home. I cannot say the officer said they cannot go but
I tell them to wait a few months.
Sharon: What do you do when you are in a tight spot? (landscape of action)
Nat: Advocate and explore options.
Sharon: How do you feel about being the advocate and the voice of the kids to
the external agency? How does it fit with you? (landscape of identity)
Nat: Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.
Sharon: What do you try to get them (external agency) to consider for the
children, put them in the shoes of the children? (landscape of action)
Nat: I will tell them about the childrens progress.
Sharon: If you look at your abilities, what do you think you have to make this
happen? Are you persuasive? You mention sincerity. Anything else that helps with
advocating for the kids? (landscape of identity)
Nat: Honesty. Not making promises before I check with the relevant agencies.
Sharon: When you practice honesty, how does that help them to work with you
and your work with them? (landscape of action)
Nat: The kids can trust you, as you are dependable and reliable.
Sharon: These unique abilities that you have, being honest, sincere,
realistic, have they always been there or when you work in this agency? (landscape
of identity across time)
Nat: Dont know; guess they have always been there.
Sharon: Would your family and friends not be surprised? (naming a significant
figure)
Nat: They will not be surprised.
Sharon: So there are situations outside of work where you practice this. What
would the other workers comment about how you work? (persons identity through
figures eyes)
Nat: I am very kiasu (afraid to loose out). I finish my work on time.
Sharon: What do you do that helps to stay on top of things and not have back log?
(landscape of action)
Nat: I dont have work pending and I try to stay focused. I am not saying that
most of the time I keep to the timeline, sometimes I do not. I also write down what
I need to do.
Sharon: Have you share these ideas with your colleague? What do they think
about your ideas and actions? (persons contribution to figures life/ implications for
figures life)
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Nat: They think that maybe they should also stay back (laughs).
This conversation brings forth and thickens stories of Nats preferred role and
practice in her agency as well as the stories of her professional identity. Even though
Nats work can be challenging working in a system, enquiring about her practice in
action (e.g. honesty, sincere and realistic) helped moved the conversation to re-
member alternative stories, beyond solving problems for her clients, to people who
might affirm and support her values and actions. Articulating a new story helps Nat
strengthen her efforts in living out her self-identity and it offers new possibilities
for relationships with her clients and colleagues in the future (Freedman & Combs,
1996).
Outsider Witness:
An audience for the preferred stories
Outsider witness provides a context for rich story development, for telling
and performance of preferred stories. It also enables these preferred stories
to be authenticated by an audience and a persons preferred identity claims are
acknowledged. A supervisees identity is formed in relationships with others and it is
a multi-voiced sense of identity. When there is effort to author alternative stories
about their work and identity, the witnesses can provide a powerful acknowledgement
and authentication for the steps taken, skills and knowledges, intentions and hopes,
and links between lives of all around shared themes (Russell & Carey, 2004).
In the supervision context, the outsider witnesses are usually the reflecting staff
team or even the supervisor himself/ herself. As outsider witnesses, it is important
to listen carefully, take great care in locating our words in their own experiences,
not to advise or interpret as a fellow professional. It also does not help to compare
reflections and get carried away in telling own story. Some questions for the outsider
witness to consider when listening to the supervisory conversation are as follows
(Narrative Therapy Partnership, 2006):
The expression
As you listened to the supervisory conversation, what did you hear that stood
out for you, or that struck a chord with you, or that you were drawn to?
What were the particular words or expressions that caught your attention?
The image
What did the story suggest to you about what might be important to the
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Resonance
You have spoken about what stood out for you in hearing the supervisory
conversation. What is it about your own life/ work that has you being drawn to
these expressions?
Transport
Where do you think this conversation has taken you?
What might be more possible as a result of hearing the supervisees story?
What aspects of the supervisee would you like to stay with you?
After the outsider witness had a re-telling of the supervisees telling, the
supervisor could ask the supervisee the following questions so that the preferred
stories of identity and actions are further strengthened:
Conclusion
The stories at the beginning of supervision conversation with our supervisees of
their work and their clients experience of therapy may be true but it is not complete
(Adichie, 2009). I believe that our responsibility in supervision is to find gaps in the
story presented by the supervisee so that we can continue to build an alternative
story that honors and affirms their identity and work.
Although the article highlights the different maps of narrative ideas in a particular
order, this by no means, indicates it has to be followed in that order. In fact, one
can use the maps at different points in the supervisory conversation or use them in
a creative way with supervisees, as long as it fits with the supervisees hopes for the
supervision session.
By joining and listening very carefully and respectfully, we could invite the
supervisee on a journey of discovering alternative stories that undermine the
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Narrative therapy with children and their families. Adelaide, South Australia: Dulwich Centre
Publications.
Fredman, G. (2014). Weaving net-works of hope with families, practitioners and communities:
Inspirations from systemic and narrative approaches. The International Journal of Narrative
Therapy and Community Work. 1: 34-44.
Lee, L. & Littlejohns, S. (2007). Deconstructing Agnes- externalization in systemic supervision.
Journal of Family Therapy. 29: pp.238-248.
Morgan, A. (2000). What is Narrative Therapy? An easy-to-read introduction. Adelaide,
Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Myerhoff, B. (1982). Life history among the elderly: Performance, visibility, and re-membering.
In J. Ruby (Ed.), A crack in the mirror: Reflective perspectives in anthropology (pp.99-
117). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
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Narrative Therapy Partnership (Adelaide, South Australia 2006): Shona Russell, Carolyn Markey,
Sue Mann, Maggie Carey and Alice Morgan. Dulwich Centre Level One Intensive, Feb 2010.
Russell, S. & Carey, M. (2004). Narrative Therapy: Responding to your questions. Adelaide,
South Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M (1995). Re-Authoring Lives: Interviews and essays. Adelaide, South Australia: Dulwich
Centre Publications.
White, M. (1997). Narratives of Therapists Lives. Adelaide, South Australia: Dulwich Centre
Publications.
White, M. (1988/89). The Externalising of the Problem and the Re-Authoring of Lives and
Relationships, Dulwich Centre Newsletter, summer: pp.5-28.
White, M. (2006). Narrative practice with families and children: Externalising conversations
revisited. In M. White & A. Morgan (Eds.), Narrative therapy with children and their families
(pp.1-56). Adelaide, South Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications.
White, M (2007). Maps of narrative practice. New York: W.W. Norton
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Chapter 1 2
Evaluation and
Research of Narrative
Practices by K Shantasaravanan & Mohamed Fareez
N
arrative approaches have frequently been criticised for having little empirical
research as compared to more rigorous evidence based approaches such as
cognitive behaviour therapy and motivational interviewing (Kelley, 2011). Etchison
and Kleist (2000) conducted a research in the effectiveness of narrative therapy and
discussed that the efficacy of narrative approaches with families may be deemed
as uncertain given the small number of clinical studies that have been conducted.
However, they had highlighted how narrative approaches to therapy have useful
applications when working with a variety of family therapy issues.
The case study approach has been predominantly utilised in various evaluative
studies of narrative practices (McLuckie, 2005; Hannen & Woods, 2012; Kim, Prouty &
Roberson, 2012; Garte-Wolf (2011). A multiple case analysis by Robertson, Venter &
Botha (2005) on the life narratives of persons who identified themselves as depressed
found that participants had described their realities with negative language. This
suggests possible effectiveness for narrative approaches which focus on finding
alternative stories to describe these experiences.
Hannen & Woods evaluative case study with a young person who was self-harming
had utilised various instruments to evaluate pre-test and post-test outcomes for
a six session intervention of narrative therapy. Data gathered through instruments
such as the Resiliency scales for children and adolescents (Prince-embury, 2006),
parental reports, narrative assessment interviews (NAI, Hardkte and Angus, ) showed
significant improvement in emotional well-being, This is with the exception of the
Beck Youth Inventories Second Edition (BYI II) which reflected a slight deterioration
in depression, self-concept and anger.
Two studies that used experimental-like methodologies (Vromans, and Schweitzer,
2009; Rabiee, Zadeh, & Bahrami, 2008), had also reflected positive outcomes for
Narrative therapy. Vromans and Schweitzer (2009) conducted a single group pre and
post-test design (and at 3 months follow up) on a 47 adults with a major depressive
disorder, using the Becks Depression Inventory. Findings reflected clinically significant
improvements in depressive symptoms, which were maintained in the three months
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Narrative Therapy and Community Work in Singapore
of follow-up.
Rabiee et al (2008) employed a quasi-experimental design on the effects of
narrative couple therapy, with a treatment and comparison group of 15 participants
each. The Blooms family functioning questionnaire was administered on both
groups before and after nine sessions of narrative couple therapy. Findings from
the comparison studies reflected an improved family functions for couples who
received intervention as compared to those who did not. Therapy had influenced all
dimensions in the instrument, except for enmeshment and religious commitment.
(OConnor, Meakes, Pickering, & Schuman, 1997) used an ethnographic design
directed by the question, What is the familys experience of narrative therapy?.
The authors concluded that the practice of narrative therapy provides an excellent
context for the ideas and practices that empower personal agency in family members.
In the context of community work, a qualitative report (Berthold, 2006) was
conducted to evaluate the Back from the Edge project, a collaboration between
Dulwich Centre and Relationships Australia Northern Territory. This project began
in response to the high rates of suicides (and attempted suicides) made by young
people from the Gunyangara and Yirrkala communities, using narrative ideas in
community consultations, trainings, gatherings and collective documentation. The
report, which collated feedback from community members who participated in the
project, found that the project was effective in increasing confidence and self-
esteem of community members in response to suicide. The report described the
narrative approach as one that was respectful to the community, and engaging in its
practices of collaborating with community leaders. Although there was a perceived
dramatic drop in a number of suicides in the community, the study stated that it
would not be feasible to measure whether this change was solely due to the project
Although most studies yielded strong evidence on the effectiveness of narrative
interventions, one limitation is the lack of studies utilising comparison groups who
received a different mode of intervention. Hence, one may wonder whether Narrative
interventions are able to hold up with other forms of intervention and therapy
modalities. At the same time, it can be argued that the process of manualising
and structuring of narrative interventions are not practices analogous to narrative
ideas which focus on being decentred and experience-near when responding to the
different perspectives and standpoints of the people who consult us. White & Epston
(1990) have consistently held that narrative ideas represent an overall approach that
embraces a particular worldview based on poststructuralist and social constructionist
principles about our sense of reality, as well as concern over the social and political
implications of such a worldview. The use of modernist empirical measures to
make the analysis of effectiveness more scientific may also be anathema to the
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Narrative Therapy and Community Work in Singapore
References
Berthold, S. (2006). Back from the Edge: Project Evaluation. Relationships Australia Norther
Territory. Retrieved from http://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/back-from-the-edge-evaluation.
pdf 7 July 2015.
Etchison, M. & Kleist, D. (2000). Review of narrative therapy: Research and utility. The Family
Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families. Vol.8, No.1, 61-66.
Garte-Wolf, S. I. (2011) Narrative Therapy Group Work for Chemically Dependent Clients with
HIV/AIDS, Social Work With Groups, 34:3-4, 330-338,
Hannen, E, & Woods, K. (2012) Narrative therapy with an adolescent who self-cuts: a case
example. In Educational psychology in practice. Vol. 28, no 2, June 2012, 187 214.
Kelley, P. (2011). Narrative theory and social work treatment. In Turner, F. J. ed. Social Work
Treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. Fifth Edition. New York: Oxford University
Press.
McLuckie, A. (2005). Narrative Family Therapy for Paediatric Obsessive and Compulsive disorder
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12:1, 65-85
Ngazimbi ,E. E., Lambie, G W. & Shillingford, M. A (2008) The Use of Narrative Therapy with
Clients Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 3:2, 157-174,
OConnor, T., Davis, A., Meakes, E., Pickering, M., & Schuman, M. (2004). Narrative therapy
using a reflecting team: An ethnographic study of therapists experiences. Contemporary Family
Therapy. 26(1), 23-39.
Rabiee, S., Zadeh, M. F., & Bahrami, F. (2008). The effect of narrative couple therapy on
couples family functioning in Isfahan. Journal of Family Research, 4(2), 179191.
Robertson, A., Venter, C., & Botha, K. (2005). Narratives of depression. South African Journal
of Psychology, 35, 331345.
Vromans, L. & Schweitzer, R. (2009) Narrative therapy for adults with major depressive disorder:
Improved symptom and interpersonal outcomes. In Psychology Research, January 2011: 21 (1):
4-15
Narrative approaches, which originate
from the ideas of Michael White and David Epston,
seek to uncover and highlight preferred storylines
that describe a wealth of hidden skills,
abilities and knowledges.
Re-experiencing the Rojak Narrative Therapy
and Community Work in Singapore
serves as an introductory publication for
Social Service Practitioners seeking to integrate Narrative
ideas into their work. The Rojak,
a salad dish that is analogous to Singapores
multi-ethnic community, presents an apt metaphor of
how Narrative therapy is already being incorporated
or mixed into casework, counseling, group work,
family therapy, and community work.
Contributors to this publication include
professionals from the fields of Social Work,
Counseling and Family Therapy.