Narrative Therapy

I didn't get to use Narrative therapy as much as I would have liked in my placement. Part of the reason is that I didn't understand it well enough.

But now that I am getting a better sense of it, every client issue I revisit fits within the Narrative framework SO EASILY. I think Narrative may just be the most efficient in reaching those goals and making long-term goals.

Okay FactCheck: Lopes (2014) measured the two and found that Narrative is as effective as CBT.

I find CBT to be too labour intensive. Narrative may not even feel like serious work to clients.

I used some Narrative elements with my 79 year old client who thought he had Aspergers - but was never diagnosed. He was there, but was not motivated to make change. The way I understood it, after 80 years of living a certain way, there's immense comfort in who you are, even if it makes your everyday absolutely suck (yes, clinical terminology!). Through our Narrative conversations we started to break through to some of those belief patterns. I was so happy when in the beginning of the session once he went from saying that nothing at all brought him pleasure, to - by the end of the session - listing all the things that brought him pleasure :).

Aside: He was one of my favourite clients. So incredibly intelligent! A lot of our session time was spent on talking about the world, politics, Trump and life in general.

When ending therapy, one of my clients told me that he has been using his newly developed insights about himself and others to help friends and coworkers with their issues. He said he now wants to help other people live better lives.

And I thought: Woah! Did that really happen! Is MY client going to teach the skills learned in here to others? Will this start a teensy tiny domino effect, because​ fuck! that would be amazing!!!

That was the biggest "success". I've had another client tell me he has been fighting less with his wife since he started coming, and the insights have been helping to reduce their fights.

I guess I'm doing *something* right.

Then there are others... Expressions of sadness that it's ending to appreciation, heartfelt messages, hugs.

I hope I really did make somewhat of a difference. 💓💓

How ironic to have clients tell you that they are doing better, and have been finding their therapy successful, when you, yourself just spent the previous evening crying to your husband about how difficult life feels.