Running Head: COUNSELLING MODALITIES 2
Narrative Therapy
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
Narrative Therapy .......................................................................................................... 3
Main Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 3
Narrative therapy is Respectful .............................................................................. 3
Narrative Therapy is Non-blaming ........................................................................ 4
Narrative Therapy views the Client as the Expert ................................................. 4
Key Concepts ............................................................................................................. 4
Reality is Socially Constructed .............................................................................. 5
Reality is Influenced by and Communicated through Language, .......................... 5
There is no “Objective Reality” or “Absolute Truth” ............................................ 5
Therapeutic Techniques ............................................................................................. 5
Telling One’s Story ................................................................................................ 6
Externalizing the Problem...................................................................................... 6
Mapping the Issue .................................................................................................. 6
Identifying Unique Outcomes ................................................................................ 7
Deconstructing the story & Identifying alternative narratives ............................... 7
Therapeutic Goals ...................................................................................................... 7
Narrative Therapy in a Multicultural Context ............................................................... 8
South African Context ............................................................................................... 8
Personal Reflection on Narrative Therapy ..................................................................... 8
, COUNSELLING MODALITIES 2 2
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 12
Works Cited ................................................................................................................. 13
Introduction
“The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem”
Cognitive behavioural approaches seek to assess and treat identified symptoms and
concerns in a verifiable manner, using precise assessment techniques, and a range of
therapeutic-based sessions (Corey, 2009). A key strategy used in these approaches to
counselling is to restructure and modify unhelpful thoughts or beliefs. However, a new
generation, the ‘third wave’ of cognitive behaviour therapies, has been developed. These
include acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion focused therapy and dialectical
behaviour therapy (Naidu & Ramlall, Talk Therapy Toolkit, 2016). These new approaches
focus less on restructuring beliefs and more on encouraging the clients not to be judgemental
about their cognitions and feelings, accepting them as beliefs rather than facts about
themselves. Theorists such as Jerome Bruner suggested that storytelling was an important
method people use to communicate and understand their experiences and their world. Taking
this notion one step further, Michael White and David Epston applied narrative informed
discussions to their work with families, becoming key developers of Narrative therapy during
the 1980s (Johnson, Reaching Out, 2006).
The theory builds on the idea that people live their lives according to narratives that
they construct about who they are, what their lives are and can be. These stories act as a lens
that filters out new and different stories which don't fit the main story. Narrative Therapy uses
the stories people create about themselves and their lives to re-shape new lenses which will
create pathways and opportunity for new stories, new experiences and new futures (Johnson,
Narrative Therapy
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
Narrative Therapy .......................................................................................................... 3
Main Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 3
Narrative therapy is Respectful .............................................................................. 3
Narrative Therapy is Non-blaming ........................................................................ 4
Narrative Therapy views the Client as the Expert ................................................. 4
Key Concepts ............................................................................................................. 4
Reality is Socially Constructed .............................................................................. 5
Reality is Influenced by and Communicated through Language, .......................... 5
There is no “Objective Reality” or “Absolute Truth” ............................................ 5
Therapeutic Techniques ............................................................................................. 5
Telling One’s Story ................................................................................................ 6
Externalizing the Problem...................................................................................... 6
Mapping the Issue .................................................................................................. 6
Identifying Unique Outcomes ................................................................................ 7
Deconstructing the story & Identifying alternative narratives ............................... 7
Therapeutic Goals ...................................................................................................... 7
Narrative Therapy in a Multicultural Context ............................................................... 8
South African Context ............................................................................................... 8
Personal Reflection on Narrative Therapy ..................................................................... 8
, COUNSELLING MODALITIES 2 2
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 12
Works Cited ................................................................................................................. 13
Introduction
“The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem”
Cognitive behavioural approaches seek to assess and treat identified symptoms and
concerns in a verifiable manner, using precise assessment techniques, and a range of
therapeutic-based sessions (Corey, 2009). A key strategy used in these approaches to
counselling is to restructure and modify unhelpful thoughts or beliefs. However, a new
generation, the ‘third wave’ of cognitive behaviour therapies, has been developed. These
include acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion focused therapy and dialectical
behaviour therapy (Naidu & Ramlall, Talk Therapy Toolkit, 2016). These new approaches
focus less on restructuring beliefs and more on encouraging the clients not to be judgemental
about their cognitions and feelings, accepting them as beliefs rather than facts about
themselves. Theorists such as Jerome Bruner suggested that storytelling was an important
method people use to communicate and understand their experiences and their world. Taking
this notion one step further, Michael White and David Epston applied narrative informed
discussions to their work with families, becoming key developers of Narrative therapy during
the 1980s (Johnson, Reaching Out, 2006).
The theory builds on the idea that people live their lives according to narratives that
they construct about who they are, what their lives are and can be. These stories act as a lens
that filters out new and different stories which don't fit the main story. Narrative Therapy uses
the stories people create about themselves and their lives to re-shape new lenses which will
create pathways and opportunity for new stories, new experiences and new futures (Johnson,
