Using Narrative Therapy for Children - Essay Example

NAME : XXXXXXXXXX TUTOR : XXXXXXXXXX TITLE : XXXXXXXXXXX COURSE : XXXXXXXXXX INSTITUTION : XXXXXXXXXX @2010 Narrative therapy with Children Introduction Narrative therapy is a powerful medical-based model informed by postmodernism, which is a rational movement developed in various disciplines that discards modernist notion of objectivity. Counselors and psychotherapist have stressed on narratives conceptualizations of problems and change in the past two decades. Narrative therapy embraces the idea that knowledge is constitutive and language-based and it centers upon narrative and the situated concept is the therapy (Guterman, & Rudes 2005). Narrative plays an essential role both in daily social talk and within the school curriculum since children who have a problem with their language will have difficulty in tying to understand the language of narratives or stories while language can be used to mould events into narratives of hopes. Narrative therapy was introduced by Michael White together with his workmates and it views client’s problem as central stories or restraining narratives that are affected by ones culture. We recount each event that has happened to us everyday and also we are in a position to construct and understand imaginary stories. The term narrative entails listening to and telling or retelling stories about individuals and the problems in their lives (White 2006). Narrative therapy holds that our personalities are molded by the accounts of our lives which are found in our stories or narratives. Therapists are interested in offering assistance to clients so that they can fully describe their affluence stories and trajectories, the means of living and possibilities associated with them (White 2006). At the same time, therapists are also interested in co-investigating problem’s several influences, including the individual herself and their main relationships.  By emphasizing on problems’ impacts on individuals live instead of problems as part of the individual, distance is created. Through externalization of a problem, it becomes easier to inspect and evaluate the problems’ influences. Externalizing words separates children from their problems which permits a lighthearted approach what is usually termed as a serious business. An externalizing conversation involves separating the problem from the person and it reduces the pressure of blame and defensiveness. When individuals reflect upon and connect with their values, commitments, intentions and hope, it is possible to externalize their problems. Once morals and hopes have been located in certain life events, they are an aid to re-story an individual’s experience and evidently stand as an act of conflict with problems.  Moreover, re-authoring discussion about values and re-remembering discussion about vital and prominent individuals are powerful ways for people to recuperate their lives from problems (White 2002). Narrative discussions help individuals to elucidate for themselves an alternate direction in life to that of the problem, which comprises an individual’s morals, hopes, and life commitments. In narrative therapy, an individual’s beliefs, knowledge, morals, and understanding in the end help him/her reclaim his/her life from problem (Freedman & Combs 1996). As an investigative reporter, the narrative therapist has various means for asking question and discussions during an individual’s effort to recover their lives from a problem. These questions can determine how exactly the problem has managed to control that individual’s life. Although it’s hard to believe that discussions can mould new realities, the fact is they do.  The links and the meaning we create with our children help the healing development to flourish other than withering and to be forgotten. Although some young individuals together with their families, may not have the knowledge whether a particular problem is in their life. Even though the way they live depends within their choice (Etchison and Kleist 2000). When adults and children work together and actively play as mutual friends, this motivates children to bring their resources to face problems and make their own distinctive contributions to family therapy. A playful approach in narrative therapy directs the child’s focus away from the problem and into the child-problem association in a manner that is meaningful and captivating for adults, and not unexciting to children. Narrative therapy normally involves five stages, however, these stages are meant to serve generally as guide since difference are common. Since each client is unique, these stages do not account for degrees that are unique to each other. The counselor asks questions that help people externalize a problem and then systematically investigate it. The stages involve defining the problem; mapping the influence of the problem; evaluating and justifying the effects of the problem; identifying unique outcomes; and re-storying (Freeman, Epston and Lobovits 1997) Defining the problem: the mental health therapist try to get a description of the problem from the client point of view. It is however important to identify the words that most closely approximates the client’s experience of the problem. Doing this allows the clients to obtain a close experience of the problem and this serves to help their descriptions. The first step in the process of externalizing the problem involves naming the problem. Naming the problem generates a linguistic separation between the problem and the client. It is important for the name to be linked to the words used by the client. At times, it may be difficult to define the problem in the first stage due to various reasons. It is therefore advisable to move to the next stage (White & Morgan 2006). Mapping the influences of the problem: this is a questioning process designed to assist the clients name and increase the experience of the problem’s consequences, which help to further externalize the problem. During the process, therapists ask how the problem has affected the client’s life, relationships, work and daily functioning. They can use a question like, “How is the problem impacting on your image?” By identifying the various ways that the problem has impacted on their lives across different areas, clients are persuaded to see themselves as separate from the problem. Mapping influences also helps to improve the sense of agency for the customer in distinguishing opportunities for identifying distinctive outcomes later during the medical process. After the client has mapped several influences, therapists go back to these influences later and inquire about unique outcomes (Roth & Epston 1996). Evaluating and justifying the effects of the problem: This stage involves calling clients to think about their own position in relation to the problem, right or wrong, beneficial or unbeneficial, in an attempt to describe for the first time a clear assessment of the problem. This method of questioning can be novel and unanticipated for clients since frequently other people like family members, acquaintances, and teachers, already hold positions concerning the problem. If the client assesses the problem as negative, the therapist seeks to find a justification through a series of questions.  For instance, the therapist can ask client to express how the negative impacts of the problem are in conflict with their goals and objectives in life. It might be necessary to reassess whether the problem is really a problem for the client if a client does not assess the impacts of the problem as negative. In some cases, it might be useful to go back to previous stages and re-define the problem or map its influences (Brown 1996). Identifying unique outcomes: A unique outcome is any idea, conduct, feeling, or events that are contrary to the dominant story. These unique outcomes might have been identified in the previous stages in some cases. Therapists use questions to assist clients to identify unique outcomes. They can make use of questions like, “What did you do to solve the problem in this situation?” In addition, the influences recognized in the mapping process can be used later as a foundation for identifying unique outcomes. For instance, if an influence connected to worry about financial problems was reported by a client, the therapist might ask a cycle of questions to identify unique outcomes associated with the worry in this area (Payne 2004). Re-storying:  This is a process designed to assist clients to attribute meaning to their unique outcomes that have been identified. It also helps clients to develop a sense of empowerment, self-efficacy and hope. Re-storying also include the therapist asking the client questions like, “What traits does a person need to deal with this problem?” Narrative therapy has helped in the forming ability a logical strategy that ensures protection from the caregiver in the narratives of neglected children. Children exposed to interruption and family violence typically create an incoherent, chaotic life narrative. Their stories mostly reflect frightening scenarios of violence and death without a lasting solution. A coherent narrative reveals the child’s ability to make sense of life experiences (Etchison and Kleist 2000). In contrast, the stories of firmly attached children appear to depict a fairytale pattern in which the parent and the child protagonists struggle discover a lasting answer, and there after, live cheerfully ever after. Stories that are used to store and remember life experiences are called narrative memory. Children are able to learn cultural responsibilities and opportunity by listening to stories told by parents. Moreover, parents also use narratives to communicate an understanding of the child’s views, beliefs, feelings, memories (Monk, Winslade, Crocket & Epston 1996). Words used by the parent to communicate an understanding of the child’s point of view and emotional state. The child establishes the meaning of perceptions, such as love, liberty, truth, and differentiating between good and evil through the words they share with their parents. A common view is shared and internalized as the child develops the capacity to use words, share in thoughts and feelings with their parents. As the child grows, he/she achieve the ability to examine present behavior, outlook and plan for change in the future as a result of vocally interacting with others (Roth & Epston 1996). However, when this process does not occur, behavior is typically normal, impulsive, or learned through simulation and experience. Some victims of childhood mistreatment survive by avoiding considering a violent parents thoughts and consequently avoid thinking about the parents wish to harm them. This defensive interference of the child’s capacity to decode mental states in themselves and others leave them reacting to an imprecise impression of the thoughts and emotions of others. The theory of externalization has helped children view themselves as separate from their own problems and as a result they are emphasized to see that they are not the problem and the problem as the problem (White 1997). Comparing Narrative therapy with Traditional therapy Traditional therapists frequently absolutely reduce the extent of what can be discussed about in therapy by emphasizing on specific content that interest them. However, they do this with good intentions rather than maliciously; they simply follow the traditional wisdom that counselors are experts on the roots of and solutions to client’s problems. Traditional therapists can unintentionally impose their preferred opinions of reality upon their clients in the name of empirical science. This can have adverse side effects on the client. Traditional therapist also adopts a confrontational, expert posture when dealing with their client making it impossible for them to successfully change the client’s perceptions of reality. A Traditional therapist may become especially fixed on specific theoretical programmed content. The therapist can thus be certain of the empiricism of his/her theoretical frame that it becomes absolute and unavailable for dialogue. Therefore, it is possible for the therapist to attribute resistance to the client and not to the theoretical frame if the client finds his/her ideas to be out of place. If this occurs, it can contribute to a reduced capacity to experience the client’s genuine difference and sense of detachment with the therapist (Guterman, & Rudes 2005). Traditional therapists are trained to think of themselves as objective and comprehensive experts in human behavior. Basically, they are trained that certain kinds of clients lack training in specific skills and hence, their job is to empathically and effectively provide them with these particular tools. Often, this entails training clients on how to be properly assertive, listen empathically and communicate effectively. Though this educational method has helped many clients to deal with their problems, it can have unwanted side effects in some situations. For example, it can make clients to turn to outside experts when problems arise in the future or even to doubt their own unique solutions and perspectives. Therefore, the traditional therapists’ assumptions about a therapist’s objectivity and client’s lack of skill can unintentionally advantage the therapist whereas it limits the client ability to influence the shape of therapy. Traditional therapies tend to presume fixed dichotomies between therapist and client whereas benefiting the therapist’s position in these dualities. A therapist may unintentionally discredit the client’s perception if he/she believes that he/she is inherently more objective than the client (Morgan 2000). Narrative therapy assumes that no single individual, including the therapist, has omniscience. This means that no one can structure an absolute and thorough view of reality or of the problem the client bring to therapy. Therefore, each individual included in the problem setting is perceived as having a legitimate yet limited perceptual explanation for what the problem is and the steps to be taken. The initial focus of a narrative therapist is hence to strive to grasp the local meanings and understandings of each person involved by creating a mutual, relaxed and safe conversational atmosphere (Monk, Winslade, Crocket & Epston 1996). Psychological therapists think of children as being sternly controlled by internally developed character deficit, whereas narrative therapists tend to perceive children’s behavior in a more socio-cultural, mutual and contextual terms. Narrative therapists stress that individuals make sense of experiences they bring to therapy mainly by perceiving them through cultural and social lenses, rather than through hereditary, biological or psychological factors (White 2007).  Conclusion Narrative therapy aims at being respectful, non-blaming approach to counseling which considers individuals as the experts in their own lives. It views problems as separate from people and hence assumes that people have experience, beliefs, ethics, commitments and abilities that can help to transforms their relationship with problems in their lives.  Narrative therapy normally involves five stages: defining the problem; mapping the influence of the problem; evaluating and justifying the effects of the problem; identifying unique outcomes; and re-storying. However, these stages are meant to serve generally as guide since differences are meant to occur. Narrative therapy emerge as the best method for working with children with problems since it tend to perceive children’s behavior in a more socio-cultural, mutual and contextual terms.               References Etchison, M., & Kleist, D.M. (2000). Review of Narrative Therapy: Research and Review, Family Journal 8(1) 61-67.   Freedman, J., & Combs G. (1996). Narrative therapy: The social construction of preferred realities. New York: Norton.  Freeman J., Epston D., and Lobovits D. (1997). Playful approaches to serious problems: Narrative therapy with children and their families. New York: Norton. Guterman, J.T., & Rudes, J. (2005). A narrative approach to strategic eclecticism. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 27, 1-12.   Monk, G., Winslade, J., Crocket, K., & Epston, D. (1996). Narrative therapy in practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass  Morgan, A. (2000). "What is narrative therapy? An easy-to-read introduction". Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publication Payne, Martin. (2006). "Narrative Therapy: An Introduction for Counselors". (London: Sage   Publ Brown, D. (1996). Counseling victims of violence who develop post traumatic stress disorder Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 30, 218-224icatins, 2000).  Roth, S. & Epston, D. (1996). Developing externalizing conversations: An exercise. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 15(1), 5-12.  White, M. (1997). Narratives of therapists’ lives. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.   White, M. (2000). Reflections on narrative practice: Essays and interviews. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publication  White, M. & Morgan A. (2006). "Narrative therapy with children and their families".] Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.    White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice. New York: Norton  White, V.E. (2002). Developing counseling objectives and empowering clients: A strength-based intervention. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 24, 270-279  White, M. (2006). Narrative practice with families with children: Externalizing conversations revisited. Narrative therapy with children and their families (pp. 1-56). Dulwich Centre Publications.     Read More