December 7th, 2011 |
Trauma symptoms are often experienced and viewed as invasive and malevolent. Helplessness, hopelessness, confusion and a condemnation of self for their existence also appear thematic. The initial layer of trauma treatment is frequently the unraveling of self-loathing for the expression of symptoms themselves; survivor and therapist collude in their endorsement of them as being inherently destructive and are to be eradicated. A divergent perspective could be that symptoms are an expression of health versus illness. Viewing... Read More
September 21st, 2011 |
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Narrative psychotherapy is commonly used to aid people with difficult life transitions, trauma and other psychological issues. A recent study, conducted by Jonathan M. Adler of the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, examined how mental health and agency, a term used to describe the ability to act and think independently, are affected by narrative identity through psychotherapy. As individuals experience change, their narratives shift and subsequently, their sense of agency and coherence to the world around them develop and influence their mental... Read More
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February 2nd, 2010 |
** The following article is a continuation from last month’s GoodTherapy.org submission, “The Use of Scaffolding Map in Narrative Therapy” **
In my second meeting with Peter, we met alone for the majority of the time because his father was involved with taking care of the other children in the family. Peter was immediately talkative and engaged in our conversation. I “checked in” with him regarding how he has been feeling... Read More
January 4th, 2010 |
Michael White (2000) describes the "absent but implicit" as "associated with the idea that in order to express one's experience of life, one must distinguish this experience from what it is not." Thus, White proposes that our descriptions of our lived experience are always relational rather than direct representations. If a therapist engages in an act of "double listening," they can discern and explore significant meaning in what is implied or left unspoken.
New Year's resolutions can be expressions of hope. They convey a commitment to a change... Read More
December 22nd, 2009 |
Recently in my private practice I had the pleasure of meeting with an 11 year old boy named Peter. His father referred him to me because Peter was showing signs of “melancholy”, anger, and seemed to be lacking in his ability to experience happiness and/or high levels of positive emotion.
Peter’s father had already shared with me that their entire family had been exposed to extreme domestic violence in the home for a number of years. The offender... Read More
December 2nd, 2009 |
The practices of Narrative Therapy often challenge simple explanations of objective truth. Our lives are seen as multi-storied, rich with details and diverse experiences. In narrative therapy, we seek the neglected aspects of our stories that have been given less power and visibility. In my work with couples, externalization allows for the excavation of affirmative stories that are hidden beneath problems such as blame, conflict and disconnection.
On arriving in therapy, couples often see problems as part of their relational identities. These problems have frequently been internalized, embedded... Read More
November 12th, 2009 |
What’s your “Holiday Story”? For some, it may be about connecting with friends and family, eating hearty meals and treats, singing songs, or getting in touch with one’s spirituality. For others, it may be laced with groans and moans, trepidation, loneliness, frustration, angst, and bouts of depression and anxiety. Often both “stories” can somehow co-exist.
I used to spend quite... Read More
October 8th, 2007 |
Helen Keller has said that “the only way to get to the other side is to go through the door.” This is certainly true in the work of transforming grief into healing and growth. This process involves allowing ourselves to feel the intense emotions of grief – sadness, anger, despair and other difficult emotions, as well as tapping into our internal strengths and external sources of support and ultimately finding new ways to stay connected to our departed loved ones.
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