This is a classic narrative therapy technique in which, instead of locating the problem inside the boy, you place the problem outside the boy and stand at his shoulder, allied with him in his struggle against it. When Norman acted in those negative ways, for instance, I encouraged his teacher to say to him, “I see that your bad mood has a grip on you today.” Or to say, when he was having a great day, “How did you keep your bad mood from ruining your day at school today? You must have tricked it. How did you do that?”
