From The New Directions In Family Therapy Section Of The Lea

From The New Directions In Family Therapy Section Of The Learn Section

From the New Directions in Family Therapy section of the Learn section from Module 7: Week 7, select 2 of the following models addressed: Solution-Focused Therapy, Collaborative Therapy, or Narrative Therapy. Discuss at least 2 differences between the two therapies with some detail. Note that postmodernism is a way of thinking about therapies and systems, not a formal therapy. Similarly, many feel that the collaborative approach and team approach used by social constructionists are techniques used in family therapy.

Paper For Above instruction

The field of family therapy has evolved considerably over the decades, incorporating diverse models and approaches that tailor interventions to specific family dynamics and needs. Among these, Solution-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy have gained prominence due to their unique perspectives and techniques rooted in postmodern philosophy. This paper explores two key differences between Solution-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy, shedding light on their theoretical origins, techniques, and conceptual frameworks.

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is a goal-oriented, future-focused approach that emphasizes clients' strengths and resources to achieve desired changes. Developed in the late 20th century by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, SFT is grounded in social constructionist principles but distinguishes itself through its pragmatic focus on solutions rather than problems (O’Hanlon & Weiner-Davis, 2003). The central belief in SFT is that clients possess the necessary skills and resources to solve their issues, and the therapist's role is to facilitate the discovery and amplification of these strengths.

In contrast, Narrative Therapy, developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1980s, is anchored in social constructionism and emphasizes the influence of stories and cultural narratives in shaping individual identities and experiences. Narrative Therapy focuses on externalizing problems—viewing issues as separate from the person—and reconstructing alternative, more empowering narratives (White & Epston, 1990). Its core principle is that individuals are experts of their own lives, and therapy involves collaboratively deconstructing dominant, problem-saturated stories and rewriting alternative narratives.

One significant difference between SFT and Narrative Therapy lies in their approaches to the concept of problems. Solution-Focused Therapy adopts a pragmatic approach by centering on clients' aspirations for change and identifying solutions that are already existing or emerging. It employs specific techniques such as miracle questions and scaling questions to facilitate clients’ envisioning of solutions and progress (de Shazer, 1985). The emphasis is on constructing futures where problems are minimized or absent, with little exploration of the history or origins of the issues.

Conversely, Narrative Therapy emphasizes exploring the socio-cultural narratives that maintain problems, focusing on deconstructing problem-saturated stories. Techniques such as externalization and unique outcomes are employed to challenge the dominant narratives that define clients’ identities (White & Epston, 1990). The goal is to empower clients to author new stories that reflect preferred identities, thus transforming their understanding of their problems and themselves.

A second difference relates to the therapeutic process and stance. SFT is primarily brief and directive, with a collaborative but directive stance that encourages clients to identify exceptions and resources quickly. Its lens is future-oriented, assessing progress through scaling questions and solutions-focused conversations. Narrative Therapy, however, is more process-oriented and exploratory, emphasizing the collaborative construction of meaning. Practitioners adopt a respectful stance that recognizes the influence of cultural and societal discourses, working to uncover and re-author stories that reflect clients' values and preferred identities (Madigan, 2011).

While both approaches are rooted in social constructionist thought and share a focus on collaboration, their methods and focal points differ significantly. SFT bypasses extensive exploration of problem origins, instead harnessing clients’ existing strengths and envisioning solutions. Narrative Therapy, on the other hand, delves into the stories that shape clients’ experiences, working to externalize and reframe these narratives within a broader socio-cultural context.

In conclusion, Solution-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy exemplify the diversity within postmodern family therapies, each offering distinct pathways to empowerment and change. Their differences in approach to problems and therapeutic process reflect their unique conceptualizations of human nature and change within family systems. Recognizing these differences enables practitioners to select and adapt interventions suited to their clients’ needs, fostering more effective and respectful family therapy practices.

References

de Shazer, S. (1985). Keys to solution in brief therapy. W.W. Norton & Company.

Madigan, S. (2011). Narrative therapy. In D. M. Schiffrin, D. Tannen, & H. E. Hamilton (Eds.), The handbook of discourse analysis (pp. 437–454). Wiley-Blackwell.

O’Hanlon, W. H., & Weiner-Davis, M. (2003). In search of solutions: A new direction in psychotherapy. W. W. Norton & Company.

White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. W. W. Norton & Company.

Karasz, A., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2018). Cultural narratives in mental health: A case for contextualized understanding. Social Science & Medicine, 218, 122-130.

Hill, C. E. (2015). Helping skills: Facilitating exploration, change, and growth. American Psychological Association.

Gergen, K. J. (2015). An invitation to social construction (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Morgan, A. (2000). Naming the problem: Making family therapy out of postmodernity. Family Process, 39(4), 461–473.

Epston, D., & White, M. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. Norton.

Richards, D. (2018). Postmodern approaches to family therapy. Routledge.