The Power of Personal Narrative A Look at

The Power of Personal Narrative: A Look at Narrative Psychology and Narrative Therapy Benjamin J. Peavey 4/21/14

Narrative in Therapy = Powerful Change

Writing Your Own Book �Each of us has a story to tell. Ups, downs, and inbetweens. �Each of our story’s is unique and special. �Our personal story impacts how we see and act in the world.

A Growing Area of Research � Narrative funs its course through many allied discliplines. Psychology is but one of them. � Narrative can be utilized in a multitude of settings including: 1. Individual/Group Therapy 2. Education 3. Anthropology 4. Sociology

What is Narrative Psychology? �Focus on how humans deal with experience by constructing stories and hearing the stories of others(Bruner, 1986). �Our lives are filled with meaning(s) and stories. �Stays away from logic or ideas of scientific methodry in understanding people.

What is Narrative Therapy? � Developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1970 s and 1980 s. � A Narrative Therapist is a collaborator with the client to help them develop richer narratives. � “The Person is not the Problem, The Problem is the Problem” � Process of meaning making.

Narrative Exposure Therapy in Trauma Treatment �In a 2010 research article by Martina Rur et al Narrative Exposure Therapy was shown to be effective in as little as 8 sessions. �Subjects were 26 refugee children (7 to 16 years old) who experienced trauma through organized violence. �Clinically significant reduction of PTSD symptoms in treatment group were present at 12 -month follow up.

Personal Narratives of Criminal Offendors � Offenders’ Crime Narratives as Revealed by the Narrative Roles Questionnaire by Donna Youngs and David V. Canter takes reveals insight into how criminals see themselves during the offending action and possible treatment objectives (Youngs & Canter, 2013) � Responses to this 33 -item Narrative roles questionnare assigns individuals into one of 4 categories dependent on response. 1. The Proffesional 2. The Victim 3. The Hero 4. The Revenger

Narrative Therapy Treating Children with Autism � Pilot study examining possible Narrative therapy treaments to combat the emotional and behavioral problems experienced by the child with Autism (Cashin, A, Browne, G, Bradbury, J & Mulder, AM, 2013. ) � Individuals received 5 treaments over a 10 week period to: examine and edit the stories the personal tells themselves about the world, promote social adaptation, work on specific life problems. � The study used the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were the Kessler-10 Scale of Psychological Distress (K-10), the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and a stress biomarker, the salivary cortisol to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) ratio. � Significant improvement in psychological distress identified through the K-10 was demonstrated. Significant improvement was identified on the Emotional Symptoms Scale of the SDQ. The cortisol: DHEA ratio was responsive and a power analysis indicated that further study is indicated with a larger sample. � Promising conclusions but more study is needed.

Implications of Narrative Approaches �We are what we tell ourselves we are. If change can be made in an individual’s personal story than change can be made in that person’s life. �Usable with many ages (children or adults), individual or group therapy, and works well with many pathologies (PTSD, Autism). �It is human nature to craft stories about ourselves and the world around us. This technique taps into that truth.

Possible Narrative Therapy Interventions � Give the problem a name. Instead of stating “my addiction fuels my loneliness” state “Mary has been making me feel so lonely lately”. This externalizes the problem and removes it from the client’s personal identity. � Create a document of: 1. 2. 3. An experience A time frame of your life (ex: your teenage years) Your life story � Both the act of creating and the sharing/analyzing with therapist has therapeutic value.

Narrative in The Sandman Graphic Novel Series � The Sandman (aka Morpheus) is the eternal anthropomorphic manifestation of dreams, nightmares, stories, and myth. � Morpheus’s personal story caused his death. � Spoiler Alert! His personal story states that he is a man of his word. Deals and pacts that he makes must be fulfilled. - His son, Orpheus (of Greek myth), is left immortal after journeying to the underworld to save his wife. In exchange for use of his son’s abilities as an oracle Morpheus agrees to kill Orpheus. - This decision allows The Furies to kill Morpheus because universal law states that those who kill their own blood must themselves be put to death.

Narrative in The Sandman Graphic Novel Series (continued) � In a rare example of a transgender character in comic books, Wanda was featured in The Sandman. She dies heroically saving a friend during a natural disaster. � At the funeral, her friend Barbie meets Wanda’s family. They still call her Alvin (her birthname). � Each tells themselves a story about Wanda’s passing that helps them resolve their inner conflict with her trans identity and her death. � For example Wanda’s mother says: “The hurricane…it was God’s judgment on a city of sinners. ” Then later: “This town’s going to remember Alvin as the God-fearing child he should have been”.

Bay Area Narrative Therapists � Terry La. Frazia, LCSW � Will Sherwin, MFT 4000 Broadway, Suite 4, Oakland, CA 347. 693. 1379 terrylafrazia@gmail. com terrylafrazialcsw. com Social communication phone coaching Social. Communication. Alliance. org wwsherwin@gmail. com � Natasha Shapiro, LCSW � Zemeira Singer, MFT 5767 Broadway, Suite 101, Oakland, CA 94618 510 -612 -3800 shapiro. natasha@gmail. com In Berkeley, Oakland Albany 510 -463 -4809 www. new-narratives. com newnarrativescounseling@gmai l. com

Narrative Therapy International Resource � Courses accredited to The Institute of Narrative Therapy are designed to uniform standards, levels, entry requirements and qualifying criteria. This offers students a known national standard of training and assures employing agencies and prospective clients that they will receive therapy from workers trained to an accredited level of skill and knowledge in an approach that is evidencebased. � Check out www. theinstituteofnarrativetherapy. com

Books for Professionals �Narrative Therapy (Theories of Psychotherapy) by Steven Madigan �Maps of Narrative Practice by Michael White �Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends by Michael White and David Epston �Playful Approaches to Serious Problems: Narrative Therapy with Children and their Families by David Epston, Jennifer Freeman and Dean Lebovitz

Books for Patients �Retelling the Stories of Our Lives: Everyday Narrative Therapy to Draw Inspiration and Transform Experience by David Denborough �Narrative Reflections: How Witnessing Their Stories Changes Our Lives by Lucy S. Raizman and Bea Hollander-Goldfein.

Movies on Narrative �Mortified Nation (now on Netflix) is a documentary about an event (Mortified) that takes place all over the US. Participants get up on stage and read to an audience from their childhood diaries/journals. Results are hilarious and profound. Highly recommended. �There will be a live performance of Mortified in San Francisco Friday, May 9 th.

Example of Narrative in the Novel Wicked � Wicked by Gregory Maguire is a retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz story. � In the Wizard of Oz the Wicked Witch of the West is evil, despised and feared. � In the book Wicked she is a radical freedom fighter facing off against a tyrant wishing to cow the masses and exterminate Animals (animals that can talk and have personalities just like human, example is the Cowardly Lion). � A classic story can be flipped on its head by a change in narrative. � Both of these realities could be true simultaneously to the Wizard and the Witch given their own personal narrative.

Examples of Narrative Therapy Techniques http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=EIa. MI 4 b. Vt. LA Trauma and Narrative Therapy by Michael White Part One http: //vimeo. com/34671797 Part Two http: //vimeo. com/36569211

References � Onyut L. P. , Neuner F. , Schaeur E. , Ertl V. , Odenwald M. , Schaur M, Elbert T. (2005). Narrative Exposure Therapy as a treatment for child war survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: Two case reports and a pilot study in an African refugee settlement. BMC Psychiatry, 5: 7. � Youngs D. , Canter D. (2012). Offenders’ Crime Narratives as Revealed by the Narrative Roles Questionnaire. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 57 (3). 289 -311. � Cashin, A, Browne, G, Bradbury, J & Mulder, AM (2013). The effectiveness of narrative therapy with young people with autism. Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nursing. 26(1). 32 -41. � The Sandman Graphic Novel (Vertigo Comics). Issues #32 -37, #57 - 69.

Any Questions? �Feel free to contact me at bjpeavey@ gmail. com �Thank you for reading!