Week 9: Solution Focused Therapy & Narrative Therapy Flashcards
(15 cards)
What informs the Narrative Therapy model?
Existentialism, human experience and life meaning is subjective and can be questioned
Symbolic interactionism, rejects rigid systems and encourages people to ID uniqueness
Multiculturalism, distinct experiences across people and societies
Postmodernism, TOP-DOWN, stories are interpreted by dominant ideologies and power
Social constructivism, BOTTOM-UP, focus on how individuals construct their social reality
Also high informed by and associate with the brief therapy model (AKA Solution Focused)
What clients is Narrative Therapy most effective with? Least effective with?
Most effective with diverse populations and settings (historically oppressed: women, LGBTQ, POC, etc)
Not suitable for people struggling with meeting basic needs, safety, shelter, physical health, crisis…
What are some general assumptions about Narrative Therapy?
ASSUMES people want to change, are suggestible & capable of developing existing resources
ASSUMES all personal experience is inherently ambiguous and can be rearranged & shaped
REJECTS labeling clients or pathologizing
In NT, problems are viewed as resulting from…
Patterns of behavior that has been reinforced
Rigid beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes
There is no “correct” way to view any problem or solution
Name the 4 stages of intervention in Narrative Therapy
1) Normalizing and Strengthening
2) Reflecting (Deconstructing)
3) Enhancing Changes (reauthoring or reconstructing)
4) Celebrating and Connecting
Identify the FIRST stage of intervention in NT and briefly discuss it
1) Normalizing and Strengthening
Similar to solution-focused therapy here
Externalizing the problem → the client is not the problem, the PROBLEM is the problem
Identify the SECOND stage of intervention in NT and briefly discuss it
2) Reflecting (Deconstructing)
Consider cultural and political beliefs here // Challenge assumptions
Identify the THIRD stage of intervention in NT and briefly discuss it
3) Enhancing Changes (reauthoring or reconstructing)
Watching a video or a movie of someone that had a similar experience and came out positively
Journaling exercises, writing a letter to someone significant in their life…
Goal: to give voice to the person’s narrative or life story, but re-author it to feel empowered
Identify the FOURTH stage of intervention in NT and briefly discuss it
4) Celebrating & Connecting
SW supports the client in creating a plan on how to create a plan to sustain their new narrative
Retracing back to all of the steps that were taken during the development
EX: reviewing journal entries, reviewing therapy notes from treatment, audio, etc…
Identify how to best celebrate the milestone
EX: ceremony attended by loved ones, the client plans a trip, etc…
What is the difference between Narrative Therapy and traditional therapeutic approaches?
Practitioner takes a backseat from being an “expert” → takes on a “collaborator” role
Unlike many other approaches, Narrative Therapy does not aim to label or diagnose
What are 3 main client relationships in the solution-focused model?
1) customer, volunteer that wants to change their life
2) complainant, initially open but want something outside to change, not them (blame others)
3) visitor, mandated to visit and involuntary participant whose main goal is to end services
What are the tenets of Solution Focused Therapy AKA the 5 Phases of Helping?
1) Engagement
2) Assessment
3) Goal Setting
4) Intervention
5) Termination
Discuss the function of each phase of help in Solution Focused Therapy AKA Brief Therapy Model
ENGAGEMENT
The “joining” collaborative neutral stage of rapport, avoid clinical terms; NORMALIZE
ASSESSMENT
Determine the client’s relationship to the helping process and ID strengths // Inquiry about pre-treatment changes with the goal of initiating a “snowball effect”
GOAL SETTING
Achievable in a SHORT time, use expectancy language, “When you are sober…”
INTERVENTION
ID exceptional times the clients solved a similar problem, or wasn’t a problem (blueprint) // The “first formula task” = asking clients to recall times when symptoms were lessened
TERMINATION
Short term, termination is expected from the start, safety planning is common // What needs to happen so you don’t need to come back to see me? What will be different when our work is successful?
With all the changes you’re making, what would you update me on in 6mo. if I saw you?
Identify the different intervention question styles and provide an example of each
SCALING // Solicit client willingness and confidence in moving towards a solution
On a scale of 1-10 how do you feel? Wow, a 5! What did you do to go from a 4 to a 5?
COPING // Credits client efforts and highlights or reinforces their strengths/resources
How did you manage that? What gave you the strength? How did you come up with that?
MIRACLE // Draws client attention to what would be different once a desired outcome is met
While you’re asleep, a miracle happens, and your problem is gone, what is the first sign of it?
GOAL SETTING // Keeps it short term, clear, and manageable
What will be different when you achieve this goal? How will you know you achieved it?
EXCEPTION // Identify moments where the problem did not exist, or was not as severe
When the problem is not a problem, what is different? What has helped so far?
Discuss the pros and cons of Narrative Therapy & Solution Focused Brief Therapy?
SOLUTION FOCUSED-BRIEF THERAPY
Strengths: Compatible with NASW values, a unique approach that does not pathologize the client, respects worldviews
Weaknesses: The assumption that a client has the necessary tools or resources to fix their own problems // Too much emphasis on behaviors & perceptions rather than feelings // Feminist theorists have critiqued it for not being as inclusive apparently
NARRATIVE THERAPY
Strengths: Compatible with NASW values, similar to brief therapy model
Weaknesses: Lacks structure, subjectivity and interpretation. Not suitable for people struggling with meeting basic needs, safety, shelter, physical health, crisis…
