A short introduction to narrative therapy
Narrative Therapy is non-blaming, respectful and sees people as experts in their own lives. A narrative therapy conversation is influential in working with the person to move away from the often repeated list of difficulties and concerns to consider other ways of viewing what’s happening in their lives.
Bringing descriptions to the fore
In narrative therapy we ask a person how descriptions of them effect their lives and whether those effects fit in with what is important to them. The conversation is externalised, this means the description is separate from the person. So questions might be “How does ADHD work in your life? ”; “How would you describe this ADHD? ”; “Do you have a name for this ADHD? ”; “Are there times when ADHD isn’t around? ”. These conversations create a space between a person and a description so that the person can consider their relationship with that description rather than become that description- a change from being anxious to anxiety being around in your life.
Narrative therapy conversations work to build rich descriptions of the particular details of each person’s experience. It makes no assumptions about what particular descriptions mean. The only way you can know what grief is like for one person is to ask them about it, but it is to ask in a way that gives them more knowledge and expertise in living their life in a way that fits in with their commitments and principles.
We’re not just one story
Narrative Therapy stands against a totalising story that can take over the way a person is viewed and the way a person sees themselves. Totalising stories can become the only conversation that surrounds a person especially when that story presents the person as a problem. Narrative therapy sees lives as multi storied and talks with people about these other stories in their lives, their preferred stories, the history of these stories, the people who would know about these different stories that have been hidden by the totalising stories.
A key principle of narrative therapy is curiosity, asking questions to which we genuinely don’t know the answer. The direction of the conversation is unknown, it is led by the person not by the therapist and the therapist is checking out how the conversation is going for them and whether there is a different question that might be helpful.
Do you work in this way? Would you be interested and linking up with other EPs who do? Would you be interested in finding out more about narrative therapy? Please do comment below.
I am interested in working more with NTherapy. I’ve done some training – Level 1 and 2.
Would like to link up with others.
I am really interested in this way of working. Unfortunately due to time commitments I haven’t been able to further my own training/education in narrative therapy, but I try to read as much as possible and practice some of the approaches in my own work. I’d really appreciate further opportunities to learn and reflect.
I use NT approaches a lot in my work and I find externalising conversations can be incredibly meaningful. I also like to use narrative based letters with the children and young people I work with. I would love to do further training and I would also really appreciate linking with others to see how they use NT.
There is an excellent free online course provided by the Dulwich Centre which I would highly recommend
https://dulwichcentre.com.au/courses/what-is-narrative-practice-a-free-course/
There are also articles / papers that can be downloaded from the Dulwich Centre website
Firstly
There are two workshops that the Institute of Narrative therapy is organising. In particular the first one, I’m sure ,you’ll find very interesting
Welcome to a 1-day workshop, What’s the problem? Playful and creative conversations with children, youngsters and adults with Sabine Vermeire, Willem Beckers, Kris Decraemer, and Mieke Faes from Interactie-Academie, Antwerp, Belgium.
Witnessing resistance to “trauma” and interpersonal & political violence; a social justice approach – a workshop with Vikki Reynolds
For details click on http://www.theint.co.uk/workshops.html or go to the website theint.co.uk
Secondly people have mentioned an interest in joining up with others. If I was to think about a narrative therapy day for EPs to network would you be interested and if so where would be good to hold it?
need some research support – or at least some anecdotal case studies
Nottinghamshire EPS are hosting a narrative approaches in professional practice in October 2018 in Nottingham. We will be joined by Charmian and Hugh Fox from the Institute of Narrative Therapy as keynote speakers. Our best hope is that professionals will get a chance to meet others using a narrative approach, share best practice and casework examples and enjoy a day out in Nottingham!
Visit http://www.em-edsupport.org.uk/Event/67831 for full details and to book a place.
Hi Orlaith! Be sure to add your event to our events calendar! – https://edpsy.org.uk/events/add/
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