Narrative, My Favorite Approach

Narrative Approach

    My favorite approach is Narrative therapy. I love to hear other people's stories because you know they are talking from their heart. When you hear their story, even if things are negative or messed up, you are still getting to know that person and their feelings. How a person responds to the world around them is very interesting to me. I'm a people person. That is why I want to do counseling. I want to help those that somehow can't see anything positive in their lives. I want to help them re-write their story.

   Michael White, (1949-2008), was the cofounder of this therapy along with David Epston. It was their friendship and bonding of ideas between these men that evolved into Narrative therapy. They were both family counselers that would meet after all day sessions with families and ask each other " what are you doing differently?" They were both avid readers so they would also ask each other, "what book are you reading?" Their stimulating challenges due to their different ideas would inspire each other. They offered each other intellecutal discussions and a powerful bond. Neither Michael or David would claim ownership of the narrative approach. They decided that their ideas would blend into this new and unique-type therapy. They were only interested in offering their ideas to a world that was looking for new ways of therapy that worked. Both these men were also involved in the feminist issues at that time. These men shared political philosophies and set out together on what became a most remarkable journey. They were quoted as saying,“One of the aspects associated with this work that is of central importance to us is the spirit of adventure. We aim to preserve this spirit, and know that if we accomplish this our work will continue to evolve in ways that are enriching to our lives, and to the lives of those persons who seek our help”, 

Family Systems Therapy

 

• FST is a combination of a variety of approaches and theories
• The theories and approaches focus on relational problems within the family
• Who;
• Alfred Adler (1870 - 1937)
• First therapist to use the family therapy
• Founded the Alderian therapy
• Later used family as a tool
• Used Alderian therapy as a family therapy tool
• Murray Bowen (1913 - 1990)
• Worked with schizophrenic individuals in families
• Believed that families could be understood better if you studied families from a three generation perspective
• Virginia Satir (1916 - 1988)
• Developed conjoint family therapy
• Intergenerational model that focuses on emotional experiences and communication
• Carl Whitaker
• Creator of symbolic - experimental family therapy
• Helped families open channels of interaction
• Helped clients develope individual autonomy
• Saw therapist as a coach and participant
• Shares with family creativity
• Applied pressure to clients to promote change
• Salvador Minuchin
• Developed structural therapy
• Worked with deliquent boys living in poverty
• Believes changes in the family needs to be worked out before addressing individual problems
• Taught clients to set boundaries
• Jay Haley (1923 - 2007)
• Founded the Washington School of Strategic Family Therapy
• Worked along side Salvador Minuchin for a brief time
• Blended concepts of hierarchy, strategic interventions and power
• Cloe Madanes
• Contributed to the development of brief, solution-oriented therapy
• Worked with Haley to reframe family directives
• Focused on solving problems in the present
• Treated problems as "real" and not a symptom for deeper problems
• Goals of Approach
• Help family members become aware of problems where the present solutions aren't working
• Help client by realizing his strengths and weaknesses
• Key Concepts
• Look for problems that have been passed down from generation to generation
• Relay the fact that the present is more important than the past
• Power coalition
• family oriented dynamics
• functional versus dysfunctional interaction patterns

• Techniques
• Change-talk with emphasis on clients lives when the problem did not exist
• Creative questioning
• The Miracle question
• Scaling Questions
• Help client discover cluse to compatence
• Assist client to find others that will support their change and new story
• Links;
• www.genopro.com/genogram/family-systems-theory

Postmodern Approaches

Postmodern Approaches

• Postmodern approaches believe in concentrating on the strengths of the client
• Do not like diagnosing
• Concentrate on creating solutions for the present and future
• 
  
• Who;
• Insoo Kim Berg (1935 - 2007
•  -co-developer of the solution-focused approach
• 
  
• Steve Shazer (1940 - 2005)
• Another contributor and pioneer of the solution-focused brief therapy
• Director of Research at the Brief Family Therapy Center
• 
  
• Michael White (1949 - 2008)
• Along with David Epston developed Narrative therapy
• Worked with families and communities
• Attracted international interest
• Founded the idea that the client needs to tell their story
• 
  
• David Epston
• Worked along side Michael White to develope Narrative therapy
• Has written several books
• Works with people that have eating disorders




• Goals of Approach
• Help client figure out how to handle concerns
• Establish clear, specific, realistic and concrete goals
• Establish observable goals that increase positive change
• Help client create a grounded self identity
• Help them become more competant relying on their own resources to solve problems
• Help client view their life as positive versus problem ridden
• 
  
• Key Concepts
• Sessions are brief
• Addresses the present and future
• Relays the idea the person is not the problem
• The problem is the problem
• Uses collaborative dialogue
• Therapist and client co-create solutions
• Help client to tell that story with emphasis on the positive
• Techniques
• Take client back to a time when the problem was not there
• The Miracle question
• Scaling questions
• Narrative therapy
• Help client find an others that will support their new story and changes
• 
  
• Links;
• plato.stanford.edu/entries/postmodernism/

Feminist Therapy

Feminist Therapy

• Who:
• This type of therapy does not give credit to one single person. There are several. The doctors that are recognized are:
• Jean Baker Miller, MD.
• Wrote several books dealing with the Feminist theory
• Wrote "The Healing Connection
• "How Women Form Relationships In Therapy"
• "Growth Connection"
• Carolyn Zerbe Enns, PhD
• has put a lot of time, concentration and work in the Feminist theories
• Had huge impact on Feminist theory
• Oliva M Espin, PhD
• One of the first to work with the Feminist theory concerning Women of culture and different back grounds
• Did extensive teaching, research and training on these issues
• Laura S. Brown, PhD
• Wrote several books
• Recognized for starting the Feminist Therapy Institute
• Supports the advanced practice of feminist therapy

                                                                       

• Goals of Approach:
• To help clients with acknowledging and using their own power
• To free theirselves from the thinking that there are limitations to what they can or cannot do because of their gender
• To rise up against policies that discriminate or oppress certain genders or cultures
• .
• Key Concepts
• Therapists have a commitment to uphold social change
• Hear what women have to say
• Find ways to ensure Women are valued and experiences are respected
• Focus on strengths and pyschological distress
• Oppression of any kind is recognized

             

• Techniques
• Gender - role analysis and intervention
• Power analysis along with intervention
• Journal writing
• Assertiveness training
• Reframing
• Relabeling
• Cognitive restructuring
• Group work
• Social action
• Challenge and test beliefs
• Role playing
• Bibliotherapy
• Links:
• www.jbmti.org/
• people.cornellcollege.edu/cenns