What is Narrative Therapy? An Easy to Read Introduction

by Alice Morgan

an easy-to-read introduction to narrative therapy - a post modern approach to working with individuals.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Counselling, Mental Health, Narrative, Grad School, Social Work

136 pages

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This quick book illustrates the precepts, theory, and technique of narrative therapy, written by Alice Morgan, one of the early pioneers and forerunners of this model. I read it as a supplement to a course for continuing education credits. To me, narrative therapy is indistinguishable from good therapy, it doesn't have much unique to call its own. While narrative theorists and therapists would have a field day from my saying so, or would think I failed to grasp the nuances and basic tenets and precepts that make it different, I will continue to feel very much at home withe psychoanalytic psychodynamic movement. That to me feels like it gets at the heart of healing and transformation and the authentic self. Everything else feels somewhat simplistic and watered down to me. However, what is most poignant about Narrative therapy, is that it is about the stories we tell about our identities, our lives, our circumstances - and the premise is that we can re-author anew, forge a new relationship, an alternative story to our identities. And that there is healing and hope in the creation of something new. I am no stranger to storytelling, and neither are any of us. I think that premise is something we can all get behind - the importance of our stories and telling them in a way that makes us free to be our more authentic selves. Right on!

[Ozan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bir giriş kitabı için tatmin edici olduğu söylenebilir.

Narrative terapi son zamanlarda ilgilenmeye başladığım bir psikoterapi yöntemi.
Eğer kısaca özetleyecek olursam: Narrative terapi, her birimizin kendimize anlattığımız ve kahramanı olarak rol aldığımız hikayelerin/bir hikayenin bulunduğunu söylüyor. O ya da şu değil ancak "bu" hikayenin hayatımızda baskın olmasının çeşitli nedenleri var ve hayatımıza göz attığımızda aslında farklı noktaları göz önüne alarak (bunlar yine bizim hayatımızdan parçalar) farklı hikayeler oluşturabilme potansiyeline sahibiz. Narrative terapi baskın hikaye bize zarar vermeye başladığında bu baskın hikayeyi alternatif bir hikayeyle değiştirmemizin olumlu bir etkiye sahip olacağını söylüyor. Bu düşünceyi ve mantığı haklı bulduğumu, bunun bir fark yaratabileceğine inandığımı söyleyebilirim.

[Catherine Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easy to read. It's highly practical: it provides lots of example questions and comments that counselors can use when using a narrative therapy approach. Personally, I'm a student in mental health counseling. I believe that helping clients identify the narratives that implicitly affect their lives allows them to consider which parts of their narrative are more or less helpful in the present day. As a novice counselor, however, I've been trying to figure out how to do this during sessions. This book briefly describes the aims of narrative therapy and then provides practical advice for how to do these things during sessions. Very useful!

[Rose Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for one to gain clarity on Narrative therapy. I read it in a weekend meaning if one sat down and read all day, it could be completed. There were some over-explained areas, but overall I got the point, which was the goal.

[John Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent intro and primer for the practical elements of Narrative Therapy. One should definitely refer back to Michael White's and David Epston's earlier works to get a grasp on the philosophical background, but this is definitely a faster way to get at the meat and bones of it.

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*
Solid introduction on the basics of narrative therapy. Just wish the writing wasn’t so dry. It definitely felt like the author’s own voice was instead replaced by a more sterile narration. Still, a good starting point for any other counselor(s) in training!

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

For BCSSW course SCWK8877: Narrative Therapy.

[Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

approachable :-)

[Amanda Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi first theory book. This is wild and I love it and can’t wait to use it! What!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good idea, well delivered. Not really worth 4 stars due to minor errors that should have been picked up by an editor, and the fact that this introduction was really not very good to read towards the end, but gave it 4 anyway because the idea is so positive, and resonates so deeply with me, I couldn't resist.

Non-empirical works like this sometimes leave me feeling cynical and jaded, but I am empathetic enough to recognise that this method is potentially a brilliant tool with which to support people re-authoring narratives which embody and create problems for them. Some of it is simple enough: looking more deeply into the details of exceptions to the problem narrative. However, I expect a lot more further training will be required for any therapist wanting to hold the position this therapy promotes, that stories of strengths, brought to the fore, can effectively marginalise 'the problem', separating it out from the person, and allowing them room to explore different roles which feed into alternate positive identities.

This book often focuses on therapy with children, often for quite innocuous complaints like tantrums or bad dreams, but the modality is flexible enough to be relevant for serious ailments such as anxiety-depression or schizophrenia.

I especially like the idea of 'therapeutic documentation', and the assemblage of a narrative of the 'problem' through the records relevant to treatment.

Will definitely be looking into Narrative Therapy more.

[Robert Munson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when the title is accurate. It is an easy to read introduction to narrative therapy. Equally important, it explained how this form of therapy works and why it is worth being familiar with the principles.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great brief introduction, including visualizations to aid the clinician in understanding the theory as well as many great questions to help get you started in session.

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

so very helpful in understanding the basics of Narrative Therapy.

[Μ C · Rating 5 out of 5]

a narrative approach is so much needed in therapy

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great intro to Narrative Therapy. It’s well written, rich in content, but not overwhelming. There are a lot of lists, which is helpful for me. Worth every penny!

[Alireza Farahani · Rating 3 out of 5]

این‌گونه می‌نویسم که روایت درمانی، رویکردی پسامدرن است که توسط مایکل وایت و دیوید اپستون در دهه‌های 1980 و 1990 پایه‌گذاری شد و به افراد کمک می‌کند تا زندگی خود را از طریق بازسازی داستان‌هایشان بازتعریف کنند.

این کتاب، ساختاری منعطف دارد که به خوانندگان اجازه می‌دهد به‌ صورت گزینشی با مفاهیم آن آشنا شوند. هدف اصلی آن معرفی روایت‌درمانی به‌ عنوان رویکردی غیرسرزنشگر و محترمانه است که افراد را به‌ عنوان کارشناسان زندگی خودشان می‌بیند.

مورگان این کتاب را با زبانی ساده و بدون اصطلاحات پیچیده نوشته تا برای درمانگران، مددکاران، و فعالان اجتماعی که می‌خواهند از این روش در کار خود استفاده کنند، قابل دسترس باشد.

باید نوشت برخلاف مدل‌های سنتی روان‌درمانی که مشکلات را به‌ عنوان نقص‌های درونی افراد تلقی می‌کنند، این رویکرد مشکلات را به‌ صورت موجودیت‌های خارجی می‌بیند که تحت تأثیر روایت‌های فرهنگی، اجتماعی و تاریخی شکل گرفته‌اند.

درمانگر و مراجع در این روش به‌ صورت مشارکتی کار می‌کنند، و درمانگر با پرسش‌های کنجکاوانه به کشف داستان‌های جایگزین کمک می‌کند که به جای آسیب‌زدن، توانمندساز هستند.

کتاب در دو بخش اصلی سازمان‌دهی شده است:

بخش اول: مفاهیم و روش‌های اصلی(فصل‌های 1 تا 9): این بخش به توضیح مفاهیم بنیادی مانند درک زندگی از طریق داستان‌ها، خارجی‌سازی مشکلات، ردیابی تاریخچه مشکلات، تحلیل زمینه‌های اجتماعی، شناسایی نتایج منحصربه‌فرد، و توسعه روایت‌های جایگزین می‌پردازد.

بخش دوم: کاربردهای پیشرفته (فصل‌های 10 تا 15): این بخش به تکنیک‌های خلاقانه مانند مکالمات بازسازی عضویت، نگارش نامه‌های درمانی، آیین‌های نمادین، گروه‌های حمایتی (لیگ‌ها)، روش‌های شاهد خارجی، و تیم‌های بازتاب‌دهنده اختصاص دارد.

نویسنده، روایت‌درمانی را به‌ عنوان یک مداخله مبتنی بر شواهد معرفی می‌کند که ریشه در مفروضات پساساختارگرایانه دارد، اما برای ارزیابی‌های تجربی و آزمایشگاهی انعطاف‌پذیر است.

این رویکرد فرض می‌کند که زندگی انسان‌ها چندداستانی و روایتی است: افراد از طریق روایت‌هایی که رویدادها را به هم پیوند می‌دهند، معنا می‌سازند، اما «توصیف‌های نازک» (داستان‌های ساده و مشکل‌محور) می‌توانند غالب شوند و به ناتوانی منجر شوند.

مکانیسم اصلی این روش، «بازنویسی داستان» است که در آن درمانگر با خارجی‌سازی و عینی کردن مشکلات، یعنی دیدن آن‌ها به‌ عنوان موجودیت‌های جدا از فرد، تأثیر آن‌ها را کاهش می‌دهد و «نتایج منحصربه‌فرد» (استثناهایی بر داستان مشکل) را برجسته می‌کند تا روایت‌های مثبت‌تری شکل گیرند.

تکنیک‌های علمی کلیدی عبارت‌اند از:
* مکالمات خارجی‌سازی: نام‌گذاری و شخصیت‌بخشی به مشکل برای کاهش سرزنش، سپس ردیابی تاریخچه و تأثیرات آن در زندگی.
* تجزیه و تحلیل زمینه‌ها: بررسی مشکلات در بسترهای اجتماعی-فرهنگی، مانند هنجارهای جنسیتی یا فشارهای اقتصادی، برای آشکار کردن پویایی‌های قدرت.
* پررنگ کردن داستان‌های جایگزین: گسترش نتایج منحصربه‌فرد با پرسش‌هایی مانند «آن اقدام چه مهارت‌هایی را نشان داد؟»
* تکنیک‌های خلاقانه: نامه‌های درمانی برای تقویت روایت‌های جدید، آیین‌های نمادین برای نشانه‌گذاری تغییرات، گروه‌های حمایتی، و استفاده از شاهدان خارجی برای تأیید هویت‌های مثبت.

مورگان درمان را به‌ عنوان نوعی داستان‌سرایی مشترک می‌بیند که در آن زندگی‌ها به‌ صورت متن‌های چندداستانی قابل بازنویسی هستند. با الهام از نظریه روایت‌درمانی، تجربه انسانی را مجموعه‌ای از طرح‌ها، رویدادها و مضامین می‌داند که در آن «داستان‌های غالب» (اغلب مشکل‌محور) می‌توانند داستان‌های غنی‌تر را تحت‌الشعاع قرار دهند.

نویسنده از استعاره‌هایی مانند داستان‌ها به‌ عنوان «جاده‌هایی» با مسیرهای منشعب یا مشکلات به‌ عنوان «مهاجمان» استفاده می‌کند تا مفاهیم را زنده کند. هم‌چنین نویسنده‌ داستان‌ها را ابزاری برای همدلی و توانمندی می‌بیند.

[Chrisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great explanation of narrative therapy, with specific interventions, how they can be utilized in practice, and why they're useful. Because this book is now 20 years old, I had a number of questions or reflections on how things may be different due to changes in the way we communicate as a society (social media, text messaging, etc), but the explanation of motivation for interventions helped with some easy adaptation to current communication trends.

[Fernanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great start to understand how narrative therapy works. It is very brief but full of key terms/understandings and with many examples of how those things work in practice. It can be quite repetitive sometimes and it could use some editing - some chapters could be longer, some shorter, not all chapters have summary, etc. Overall, a good start.

[Olivia Carletti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated its simplicity, especially compared to Maps of Narrative Therapy by Michael white which spoke of the same content but I found to be more confusing in its explanations. I appreciated Alice’s inclusion of examples of creative ways she had applied the theory as well as its lists of potential questions to ask in sessions.

[Autumn Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an academic book but really accessible and easy to read. I felt that it didn't overcomplicate any of the terms or processes it was describing. It was very well laid out.

The only reason I gave it 3 stars is because its not really my type of book that I normally read and it didn't go into very much depth but it is an introductory guide.

[KJ Wiseheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good place to begin if you are new to the ideas of Narrative Therapy. I really appreciated the clear and concise explanation of the foundations of NT. It was a very good preparation for entering further studies in this field.

[Dawn DiMaria]

I feel like it's meh. I'm interested in narrative therapy but I don't know if this was the particular book for me to read.

Honestly, I also couldn't get over some of the font being comic sans either. That may be nitpicking and seem insignificant, but still. Not a very professional font.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

it’s an accessible basic underrated of narrative therapy. includes interventions, steps, examples, dialogues and case studies. it provides specific instructions and even questions you can use. it wasn’t what i was personally looking for, however.

[Taylor McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I was looking for! I've been wanting to incorporate more narrative therapy in my work and this book gave very simple and specific ways in which to do that as well as giving a basic understanding of narrative therapy.

[Keesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the basis and process of narrative therapy. I enjoyed this book much more than the White and Epston book on narrative therapy and found it much more useful for understanding what narrative therapy is and how to use it.

[Jordyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate some of the techniques and exercises suggested; however, the book overall was a little boring and simplistic.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple to digest, engaging and instructive.

[Ray Eary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book to all my students to read when they are looking for a personal theory.

[Cliff]

great introductory to a theory... useful in simplifying the concepts to their base for the uninitiated

[Suzanne Ngatai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good access point to good narrative therapy practice