Comments on: Narrative Therapy – Writing Your Way to Wellness

By: Forward Therapy

Forward Therapy — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:47:59 +0000

It is important to make the distinction that the ‘Narrative’ in Narrative Therapy (as described by Michael White et al) does not refer to writing or scripting a narrative of one’s life story (although this may be part of therapeutic collaboration). It refers to the ’story’ as being the primary building block or unit of people’s experience. People who consult with narrative therapists are not expected or required to write their life stories. The brevity of this article may have given this impression.

However the therapist and the person consulting the therapist may decide together that writing will be one aspect of the process. It would really depend on the the specific and particular preferences of the person consulting the therapist. Some people might prefer to use drawing or painting, placing an advertisement, holding a party, cooking a cake, writing songs, building a tree-house, going for walks, or just having conversations as activities to relate or explore untold or forgotten stories.

Similarly, as narrative practices are generally collaborative in nature, a therapist will not ‘decide’ goals for the person consulting with them. Destinations or goals may be an aspect of the work together and if they are they will generally be discussed in collaboration. Narrative practitioners do not generally centre themselves as the experts in the therapeutic relationship. The therapist does not generally determine what is ‘positive’ or ‘optimistic’ about a story, but asks the person who is consulting them to make these evaluations.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:46:32 +0000

I love to write so I can see how this could be beneficial for some people as they go through the therapy process. There is a great deal to be said for writing down your feelings and how easy this can be to really let it all out and get to the bottom of what is bugging you.

By: runninfast

runninfast — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:32:19 +0000

I think that you pose a valid point. But I do, however, think that a good therapist would recognize this in a patient from a very early stage and would not push this on someone who is not a willing participant.

By: sandy

sandy — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:31:03 +0000

The concept of narrative therapy appeals to me but I think that it could be a real turn off to others. There are so many who just feel the need to get it all out without feeling the pressure of feeling like they are back in school with a writing assignment.

By: ashley

ashley — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:06:00 +0000

Hopefully the good counselors out there understand that this is a risk they may face and are trained to be aware of this when this is happening. I can’t imagine someone making it all the way in to a counsleing session and then finding the need to make everything up, unless he is a compulsive liar. I think that narrative therapy could be very useful and might even play well in adolescent therapy sessions when they are sometimes so reluctant to talk anyway.

By: amyhop

amyhop — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:35:28 +0000

That would only make sense. I am not a therapist but have been in therapy myself once before for a depressive episode that I experienced. I did not have the opportunity to use something like narrative therapy throughout my treatment process but find that this helps me a great deal in my personal life. My therapist and I, however, did work together to create some goals and we worked very hard to get me to the point where I could meet and achieve these on my own and without that feeling of being overwhelmed that so often comes in those who are depressed.

By: maddie

maddie — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:41:43 +0000

So there are no goals for wellness before beginning the road of therapy, but I would assume that there are indeed goals that you wish for the person to achieve while working with his or her therapist?

By: Daria K

Daria K — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:27:32 +0000

Thank you for sharing your view of narrative therapy… It is not an easy task to choose what is important to present to the reader in a short article. I would add that in narrative therapy as created by Michael White et al. the non-pathologising attitude of the practitioner is of paramount importance (for example, instead of “patient” or even “client” the expression “the person who consults us” or “the person in the centre” is used); there is no goal of therapy such as “wellness” defined beforehand (therapy is constructed as more like a journey, a road which is visible only till the next hill…); and narrative therapy encompasses not only work with the written word, but the variety of dimensions and factors of oral performance, including such as context and audience. Not an isolated person, but an interpretive community is put in the centre.

By: gamecock96

gamecock96 — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:37:02 +0000

There are so many people who find it easier to write their feelings, emotions, and experiences versus sharing those aloud verbally with others. Think of it as therapeutic journaling if you will.

By: Cynthia V

Cynthia V — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:27:55 +0000

Interesting concept but I am not really sure how narrating one’s life story can help with their issues. Would this be the equivalent of doing personal talk therapy?