Narrative Therapy Techniques Research Articles

A narrative inquiry of the life wisdom of female kinky in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT “BDSM” refers to various forms of sexuality that incorporate restraint, pressure, sensation, training, and elements of both erotic and non-erotic power exchange between the involved parties. BDSM’s ideas and development were not accepted by the majority and are often associated with mental illnesses. However, recent western research suggested that BDSM practices may benefit its practitioners. This study aimed to unearth the life wisdom of three female kinky in Hong Kong. It employed a narrative inquiry informed by narrative therapy techniques. Results concluded four themes based on the development of their life wisdom through engaging as a submissive in a D/s relationship. The four themes were: (1) enriching identity in BDSM relationships, (2) shaping a preferred locus of control, (3) gaining sexual autonomy through BDSM and (4) healing with BDSM interactions. This study provided insights, implementations, and suggestions for social work practice and research in BDSM contexts.

Spirituality in Narrative Therapy: A Review Study

This review study aims to examine narrative therapy’s perspective toward spirituality, the relationship between narrative therapy and spirituality, and the use of spirituality in narrative therapy techniques; the study also reveals what kinds of processes can be followed when working with spiritually or religious-oriented clients using a case example. Narrative therapy is a postmodern therapy approach that aims to understand individuals’ identities, personalities, lives, and relationships through the stories they create. This approach gives importance to understanding the meanings individuals ascribe to both their own life stories as well as their personal relationships. Spirituality plays an active role as a part of individuals’ stories by adding meaning and purpose to individuals’ lives and their relationships and for this reason has an important place in narrative therapy. Narrative therapy places emphasis on both understanding the meanings individuals ascribe to their stories as well as re-authoring these stories in a functional way using certain techniques. Spirituality plays a role as an important resource in re-authoring the individual’s story through narrative therapy’s techniques. By emphasizing the role of spirituality in narrative therapy, this study will both contribute to the literature on narrative therapy as well as provide a perspective on how spirituality can be used in this approach.

“I never thought I would be an international speaker … but I am”: an interpretive qualitative analysis of experiences of a project-based advocacy intervention

ABSTRACT Acquired brain injuries (ABI) result in changes to physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and economic domains, which alter an individual’s sense of self and identity. Interactions with healthcare providers may further contribute to conceptualization of self after ABI. Cognitive rehabilitation is intended to address cognitive-communication impairments, as well as psychological changes to the sense of self and identity that follow ABI. The present investigation examined a project-based intervention, focused on advocacy. Participants developed a presentation for healthcare providers regarding consequences of ABI, strategies and supports necessary to successfully overcome daily challenges, and insights into the lived experience. Ten individuals with chronic ABI participated in one of three roles (presenter, video contributor, or content developer). Written interviews allowed participants to generate and refine their responses. Interpretive Description qualitative analyses was used to examine interviews. Iterative analysis identified five themes across all participant roles: renewed sense of self, positive impact on providers to care of future individuals with brain injuries, rewarding and humbling, being heard, and alternate personal narratives and identities. The remaining theme applied only to presenters, improved clarity and conciseness. Group, project-based interventions have the potential to positively influence sense of self in combination with narrative therapy techniques in the chronic phase of recovery.

‘No one’s gonna tell your story better than you are’: The use of a narrative therapy approach informed by the Tree of Life with children and young people subject to sexual exploitation

Child sexual exploitation ‘is a form ofchild sexual abuse where an individual or group… manipulate… a child or young person under the age of18 into sexual activity … in exchange for something the victim needs or wants’ (Department for Education, 2017, p.5).High numbers of cases of child sexual exploitation persists as a growing concern regionally and nationally in England and continues to provide systemic challenges when aiming to effectively reduce risk and harm in at-risk children and young people.At present, ‘best practice fit’ routine interventions are used with children and young people subject to or at risk of sexual exploitation and although these can be effective at reducing harm in the short-term, few interventions have been developed which begin to promote long-term and sustainable positive change in the lives of children and young people (Countryma,n-Roswurm & DiLollo, 2017).Here we outline the use of narrative therapy techniques with children and young people subject to sexual exploitation, in particular the Tree of Life Approa,ch (Ncube, 2006). The provision of a case example on the feasibility and acceptability of this narrative technique is discussed.Keywords:Child sexual exploitation; narrative therapy; Tree of Life.

Women's Psychological Experiences in a Narrative Therapy‐Based Group: An Analysis of Participants' Writings and Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to explore women's experiences in a narrative therapy‐based group conducted to help participants re‐author their stories. Seven women who were either patients or individuals enrolled in Transition Support for Employment at a psychiatric clinic participated in the meetings, one every fortnight. Each session explored a theme based on narrative therapy techniques such as externalization. The participants wrote their reflections during each session, and completed the Beck Depression Inventory‐Second Edition (BDI‐II) during the initial and final sessions. An affinity diagram was developed to classify their written reflections into 22 lower categories (e.g., new understanding of self, forward‐looking‐understanding of life) and 4 upper categories (“Insight,” “Sharing with others,” “Changes with understanding of lives,” “Higher motivation”). The relationship among five lower categories comprising “Insight” was explored, and it became apparent that clarification of participants' own thoughts about social problems functioned as a mediator promoting the process. The largest portion of depressed feelings emerged during the initial session, and four participants had lower scores for BDI‐II items such as self‐criticism in the final session. The results suggest that the group's purpose was realized. However, future studies should examine participants' feelings more closely, especially during the initial session.

인터넷 및 스마트폰 과의존 초등학생의 자아존중감 향상에 초점을 둔 이야기치료 집단상담 프로그램의 효과 및 변화과정 연구

Objective: The purpose of this study was to verify the effectiveness and the change process of a narrative therapy group counseling program, targeting elementary students with Internet or smartphone overdependency through enhancing self-esteem. The program was based on the White(2010)’s narrative therapy process as well as the previous programs focused on the intervention of Internet and smartphone overdependency. Method: The program was implemented to the sample of 12 4th grade boys and girls in D elementary school in Seoul area, who met the criteria of “risk” or “attention-required” group. Qualitative as well as quantitative methods were used to verify the effectiveness and the change process. Results: This program had an effect on enhancing self-esteem but had no significant effect on decreasing overdependency. From the qualitative data, we found out the narrative techniques made the change as the narrative therapy theory suggested. Conclusion: We conclude that narrative therapy techniques are appropriate for enhancing the self-esteem. However, we suggest that, for the elementary age group, more practice based activities are need to lead their enhanced self-esteem into the actual behavior change of media overdependency.

Enhancing Transformation: The Value of Applying Narrative Therapy Techniques When Engaging in Critical Reflection

Transformative learning (TL) is a powerful approach to education. Instead of promoting the efficient encoding and recall of information, TL has students identify, and consider, the assumptions they hold about their discipline and the wider world. Although disorientating dilemmas are the hallmark of TL, personal change cannot happen without subsequent critical reflection. For this reason, critical reflection represents the central mechanism of transformation. The current article identifies synergies between TL and narrative therapy (NT) valuable for the enhancement of critical reflection. In particular, the advantages of NT techniques such as externalisation, outsider witness, and identifying the absent but implicit within a story are discussed. By integrating NT practices within critical reflection it is hoped that a greater degree of transformation will result for students.

The Development and Implementation of a Multi-Couple Therapy Model with Torture Survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In this article, we present development and feasibility of implementation of a multi-couple group for use with torture-surviving couples. The model was developed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a community that experienced widespread torture during the wars from 1998 to 2004. The Torture-Surviving Couple Group model is a short-term intervention designed to use few human resources to address relational difficulties resulting from exposure to traumatic stressors. The model was guided by critical and feminist epistemologies and employed an ecological lens to incorporate neurobiology and attachment processes along with narrative therapy techniques. An existing multi-couple group model for addressing violence (Stith, Rosen, McCollum, & Thomsen, ), and a stage model for healing trauma (Herman, ) also informed the structural development of the Torture-Surviving Couple Group model. Couple groups were conducted using a 10-session program with 13 couples who met weekly. Session themes were incorporated into four phases emphasizing: (a) preparation; (b) safety and stabilization; (c) processing the relationship effects of trauma and grief; and (d) reintegration and rebuilding couple and family life. Couples reported and showed remarkable progress in their relationships after participating in the groups. Clinical and research implications and discussed along with the feasibility of developing and testing the model in a post-conflict low income setting.

이야기치료 기법을 활용한 자기서사 탐색과 치료 -우울증 진단을 받은 중년여성을 사례로-

이야기치료 기법을 활용한 자기서사 탐색과 치료 -우울증 진단을 받은 중년여성을 사례로-

이야기치료 기법을 활용한 마음상처 치유 어플리케이션 개발 및 효과분석

이야기치료 기법을 활용한 마음상처 치유 어플리케이션 개발 및 효과분석

The Intersection of Social Media Sites and Narrative Therapy in Treating Substance Use in Urban African American Adolescents

Social media has become prominent in the lives of many adolescents. This article addresses the intersection of social media sites and narrative therapy in treating substance use in urban African American adolescents. Risk factors of substance use in urban African American adolescents will be discussed, along with highlighting the importance of addressing issues around race, gender, and class in therapy, through a sociocultural lens. A case vignette is presented to demonstrate how narrative therapy techniques can be used to address therapy goals, specifically utilizing Facebook as an intervention tool to make progress in treatment.

Narrative Therapy Integration Within Substance Abuse Groups

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing have gained increasing importance within the literature body as approaches to utilize when working with the substance abuse population. Despite a strong focus within the research on these approaches, however, substance abuse and substance abuse-related behaviors continue to have a detrimental effect on the community. As research demonstrates the potential efficacy of narrative therapy in various areas, evaluation of its application in substance abuse services is important. Integration of two narrative therapy techniques with potential integration into group therapy is introduced with the rationale, assumptions, and objectives of the approach. In addition, adaptations and limitations are discussed.

My Story: The Use of Narrative Therapy in Individual and Group Counseling

Clients reach an impasse in therapy sessions when they experience difficulty expressing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Counselors using narrative therapy assist clients in finding an alternate solution by externalizing oppressive experiences. This facilitates a revised narration of their maladaptive perspective, which they have internalized. Using narrative therapy, a counselor works with clients to externalize their oppressive experiences and help them rewrite their life story removed from their problem-saturated perspective. Clients’ exploration of their life story in individual and group therapy can be enhanced using narrative therapy techniques in conjunction with creative art and writing techniques. Several techniques described in this article give examples of how to use narrative therapy in conjunction with creative techniques to increase clients’ exploration.

Using narrative therapy in an educational parenting group

Narrative therapy techniques have been used extensively in family therapy, individual therapy, and social work. Surprisingly, these techniques have seen limited application to therapeutic and support groups and almost no application to education groups. This paper reports on the use of narrative therapy with an education group, specifically a parent-education group. The central question addressed was: How do results compare with those of traditional parent-education groups? Case examples were reviewed to see if using narrative therapy was beneficial to parents. Written feedback was used to compare groups which did not use narrative therapy to groups which used narrative therapy. The review indicated that the narrative groups reported learning more specific ‘helpful’ skills (especially the skill of ‘listening’) compared to the non-narrative groups.

Counselling Support for People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Use of Narrative Therapy

This article uses a descriptive case study design to examine the potential of narrative therapy as a direct intervention for adults with moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities, autism and/or severe communication limitations. Archival clinical data on four individuals who received a form of social constructionist narrative therapy are examined for goal attainment. The data were analysed qualitatively with specific input from individuals, their families and carers. Findings indicate improvements in quality of life through reductions in situational and environmental anxieties, and in coping with grief and loss. The results suggest that narrative therapy techniques can be beneficial in assisting individuals with severe intellectual disability to achieve meaningful and persistent improvements in their life.

Using Photographs in Narrative Therapy to Externalize the Problem: A Substance Abuse Case

Using a substance abuse case in a hospital in Hong Kong, this article discusses the potential of using photographs to externalize the problem in Narrative Therapy (NT). One of the key principles underlying NT techniques is externalizing. According to White, externalizing can be understood in terms of scaffolding, which begins with low-level distancing tasks, such as naming and characterizing the problem, and builds to high-level distancing tasks that have clients making plans to act upon the newly understood concepts they have formed. The clinical account recorded the utterances in the consultation process and plot changes throughout the consultation. The key observations were that: (i) the proportion of higher-level distancing utterances increased with the progression of the consultation, in line with the intended process of NT; (ii) among the client's utterances reflecting distancing tasks, most of them were associated with the photographs selected by the client; (iii) the consultation dialogues intende...

A controlled trial of early interventions to promote maternal adjustment and development in infants born with severe congenital heart disease

Abstract Background Congenital heart disease can have a negative impact on both infant development and maternal adjustment. This study considered the impact of a new programme of early psychosocial interventions on such outcomes, following the birth of a child with severe congenital heart disease. Methods Seventy infants and their mothers were assigned to an intervention or control group based on order of presentation to the unit. Interventions aimed at bolstering mother-infant transactions, through psychoeducation, parent skills training and narrative therapy techniques were implemented. Results Clinically and statistically significant gains were observed at 6-month follow-up on the mental (but not the psychomotor) scale of the Bayleys-II. Positive gains were also manifested on feeding practices, maternal anxiety, worry and appraisal of their situation. Conclusions A programme of generalizable psychosocial interventions is shown to have a positive impact on the infant with severe congenital heart disease and the mother.

Telling Tales to End Wails: Narrative Therapy Techniques and Rehabilitation Counselling

AbstractTherapeutic intervention usually begins with a detailed description of the presenting problem and its antecedent history. Through the process of communicating their problem the client presents a story, potentially laden with their experiences, attitudes, beliefs and understandings. The topic and manner in which a story is relayed provides direct and indirect sources of information that help the therapist to both understand the client's problem and formulate goals and approaches to therapy. Rather than simply using the client's story as a guide to understanding and treatment, narrative therapy focuses on the client's story or ‘narrative’ as a medium through which change can be effected. During the process of narrative therapy the client is encouraged to deconstruct and critically appraise their story in the search for new meanings (White & Epston, 1990). The client is encouraged to retell their story with new language and new insights. Thus, the implementation of narrative therapy may be construed as a natural extension of taking the client's problem history, where the story told serves as the content foundation for the therapeutic process. The purpose of the present article is to provide a brief overview of narrative therapy techniques and their application in counselling.

Ambiguous Loss and the Family Grieving Process

Ambiguous losses are physical or psychological experiences of families that are not as concrete or identifiable as traditional losses such as death. Ambiguous loss could include anything from miscarriage to losing one's spouse to Alzheimer's disease while he or she is still living. Ambiguous loss may include not knowing whether or not a loved one is living or dead, such as cases of child abduction or military personnel who are missing in action. Ambiguous loss is inherently characterized by lack of closure or clear understanding. This article defines types of ambiguous losses and details some of their characteristics. A model for counseling families who are experiencing ambiguous loss is described. Specifically, the model combines family stress theory with narrative therapy techniques to help families define their losses, assess their resources, and develop meaningful narratives about the loss.

Experiencing Multiconsciousness

Our work as feminist family therapists has been strongly influenced by Harris' (1991) ideas related to multiple consciousness. In attempting to help clients see the complexity of their identity and their relationships, we have integrated a model using feminist ideas and themes, the metaphor of “parts” (Schwartz, 1992), and Narrative therapy techniques (White & Epston, 1990). In this model, the therapist's goals are to help clients examine the societal and familial influences on the different “parts” of their identities, to empower clients to reconstruct and expand their identities, and to encourage them to develop a strong sense of who they are and who they want to be in relation to others. Case examples with individuals and a couple are provided to illustrate the model.