Narratively oriented therapists take the position that our lives are shaped by stories. We never see the world as it is, we always see through a narrative ‘lens’, we give value to certain aspects of experience and neglect other aspects, we are constantly interpreting what is happening in, to and around us. It is through the stories we have about ourselves, others and life in general that we make sense of things and navigate our way in the world. And how we see the world clearly shapes how we act in the world.
People usually come to therapy when in the grip of a ‘problem-saturated’ story about themselves or some aspect of their lives. Working collaboratively, the therapist and client engage in a process of ‘unpacking’ this story and then ‘reauthoring’ – that is, returning to or arriving at preferred stories, noticing neglected but helpful aspects of experience, and developing more encouraging ‘identity conclusions’. Of course, these must be credible and sustainable narratives that translate into preferred actions and ways of being. Narrative practitioners believe that individuals and their stories are significantly shaped by the culture or cultures in which they live. Our ideas about - and experience of - love, gender, success, decency, family, work, health, normality, in fact every aspect of our lives, are shaped by ‘discourses’ derived from culture.
A Narrative Therapist would therefore be very curious about what informs your thinking – and in what ways that thinking is and isn’t helpful. Particular attention is
given to language for, as Heidegger said, ‘all description is interpretation’. Language doesn’t simply reflect reality, it creates it, and it is the conduit of culture.
In this workshop, we will explore the storied-nature of our lives – and of course our clients’ lives; how these stories are formed, how identity is storied, the role of culture, the politics of social life, the practice of deconstruction and re-authoring, the use of relational language, and related topics. Exercises in dyads, appropriate journal articles and other handouts, together with ample presenter-attendee dialogue, will support your learning.