Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy TENTH EDITION Gerald Corey Cengage Learning

Postmodern Approaches Chapter 13 Postmodern Approaches

Social Constructionism The client, not the therapist, is the expert Dialogue is used to elicit perspective, resources, and unique client experiences Questions empower clients to speak and to express their diverse positions The therapist supplies optimism and the process Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (1 )

Social Constructionism Therapy Goals Generate new meaning in the lives of clients Co-develop, with clients, solutions that are unique to the situation Enhance awareness of the impact of various aspects of the dominant culture on the individual Help people develop alternative ways of being, acting, knowing, and living Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (2)

Social Constructionism: Key Concepts Postmodernists assume there are multiple truths Reality is subjective and is based on the use of language Postmodernists strive for a collaborative and consultative stance Postmodern thought has an impact on the development of many theories Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (3)

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (slide 1 of 2) Therapy grounded on a positive orientation—people are healthy and competent SFBT shares similarities with positive psychology Past is downplayed, while present and future are highlighted Therapy is concerned with looking for what is working Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (4)

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (slide 2 of 2) Therapists assist clients in finding exceptions to their problems There is a shift from “problem-orientation” to “solution-focus” Emphasis is on constructing solutions rather than problem solving Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (5)

Basic Assumptions of SFBT (slide 1 of 2) The problem itself may not be relevant to finding effective solutions People can create their own solutions Small changes lead to large changes Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (6)

Basic Assumptions of SFBT (slide 2 of 2) The client is the expert on his or her own life The best therapy involves a collaborative partnership A therapist’s “not knowing” affords the client an opportunity to construct a solution Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (7)

Questions in SFBT (slide 1 of 2) Skillful questions allow people to utilize their resources Asking “how questions” that imply change can be useful Effective questions focus attention on solutions Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (8)

Questions in SFBT (slide 2 of 2) Questions can get clients to notice when things were better Useful questions assist people in paying attention to what they are doing and can open up possibilities for them to do something different Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (9)

Types of Relationships in SFBT Customer-type relationship: Client and therapist jointly identify a problem and a solution to work toward Complainant relationship: A client describes a problem, but is not able or willing to take an active role in constructing a solution Visitors: Clients come to therapy because someone else thinks they have a problem Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (10)

Techniques Used in SFBT (slide 1 of 3) Pre-therapy change: Therapists ask, “What have you done since you made the appointment that has made a difference in your problem?” Formula first session task: Homework a therapist gives clients between their first and second sessions that offers hope that change is inevitable Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (11)

Techniques Used in SFBT (slide 2 of 3) Exception questions: Therapists direct clients to times in their lives when the problem did not exist Miracle question: Therapists ask, “If a miracle happened and the problem you have was solved while you were asleep, what would be different in your life?” Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (12)

Techniques Used in SFBT (slide 3 of 3) Scaling questions: Therapists ask, “On a scale of zero to 10, where are you with respect to __________?” Therapist feedback to clients: Therapists take a short break during each session to write a summary for clients Terminating: Termination begins at the first session Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (13)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 1 of 2) Group is focused on solutions and the members’ ability to find solutions in their own lives Leader shifts focus from the problem by providing members the opportunity to view themselves as resourceful and competent Group members provide a supportive audience to observe one another being confident and competent Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (14)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 2 of 2) Group members can offer input and point out exceptions to problematic situations in each others’ lives Questioning is used to facilitate client’s establishing goals early in the group process Goals for therapy are small, realistic, and achievable Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (15)

Narrative Therapy Therapists: Listen to clients with an open mind Encourage clients to share their stories Listen to a problem-saturated story of a client without getting stuck Demonstrate respectful curiosity and persistence Believe the person is not the problem, but the problem is the problem Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (16)

The Therapeutic Process in Narrative Therapy (slide 1 of 2) Collaborate with the client in identifying (naming) the problem Separate the person from his or her problem Investigate how the problem has been disrupting or dominating the person Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (17)

The Therapeutic Process in Narrative Therapy (slide 2 of 2) Search for exceptions to the problem Ask clients to speculate about what kind of future they could expect from the competent person that is emerging Create an audience to support the new story Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (18)

Functions of the Narrative Therapist (slide 1 of 2) To become active facilitators To demonstrate care, interest, respectful curiosity, openness, empathy, contact, and fascination To believe in the client’s abilities, talents, and positive intentions Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (19)

Functions of the Narrative Therapist (slide 2 of 2) To adopt a not-knowing position that allows being guided by the client’s story To help clients construct a preferred story line To create a collaborative relationship—with the client being the senior partner Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (20)

Questions in Narrative Therapy Used to generate experience rather than to gather information Always asked from a position of respect, curiosity, and openness, and from a not-knowing stance Are used to assist clients in exploring dimensions of their life situations Can lead to taking apart problem-saturated stories Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (21)

Externalization Externalization is a process of separating the person from identifying with the problem Externalizing conversations help people To free themselves from being identified with the problem To identify times when they have dealt successfully with the problem Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (22)

Deconstruction and Creating Alternative Stories Problem-saturated stories are deconstructed before new stories are co-created The assumption is that people can continually and actively re-author their lives Unique possibility questions enable clients to focus on their future An appreciative audience helps new stories to take root Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (23)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 1 of 2) Narrative therapy has been used for group work in school settings Group work provides an appreciative audience with which a client can discuss the new developments of his or her life New identities can be rehearsed in the group setting Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (24)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 2 of 2) Wide range of uses for group-based narrative therapy in schools including: Anger management Grief counseling Academic management An adventure-based program Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (25)

Strengths from a Diversity Perspective Social constructionism is congruent with the philosophy of multiculturalism Clients are encouraged to explore how their realities are being constructed out of cultural discourse and the consequences that follow from such constructions Narrative therapy is grounded in a sociocultural context Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (26)

Limitations from a Diversity Perspective Adopting a “not knowing” stance may lead clients from some cultures to lose confidence in the therapist Postmodern-oriented therapists must convey to clients that they have expertise in the therapeutic process but clients are the experts in knowing what they want in life Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (27)

Contributions of the Postmodern Approaches (slide 1 of 2) Due to the optimistic orientation of these approaches, clients can make significant progress in building more satisfying lives in a short time The postmodern approaches remind us that people cannot be reduced to a specific problem Practitioners adopt a nonpathologizing stance Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (28)

Contributions of the Postmodern Approaches (slide 2 of 2) A major strength of SFBT and narrative therapy is the use of questioning, the centerpiece of both approaches Brief therapy has been shown to be effective for a wide range of clinical problems Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (29)

Limitations of the Postmodern Approaches (slide 1 of 2) Therapists must be skilled in implementing brief interventions Therapists may employ techniques in a mechanistic fashion Reliance on techniques may detract from building a therapeutic relationship Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (30)

Limitations of the Postmodern Approaches (slide 2 of 2) Narrative therapists must be careful to approach client’s stories without imposing a preconceived notion of the client’s experiences For some clients, the therapist’s “not knowing stance” may compromise their confidence in the therapist as an expert More empirical research is needed Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 13 (31)