Tips for Practitioners

Peggy Sax

For those of us who have been practicing in these ways for some time:

– What would you want to tell someone who is just beginning to study narrative ideas and practices?
– Can you put into words what kind of difference these ways of working make to your practice? What about telling a story or two?
– Do any cautions come to mind?

Jo Viljoen

For me it is to understand that Narrative approaches is not just an approach, it is a world view, a way of being, a life philosophy… not a tool box.

To never forget that the person is not the problem, the problem is the problem.

To take context into consideration. To take the politics and meaning making of the problem into consideration, to expose its lifestyle, regimes, rules and regulations in the person’s life. To always remain curious, never certain and encourage the client to remember their own local knowledges. The client is after all the expert of their own lives.

To keep reading, exploring, conversing and connecting with others who speak narrative languages.

Don Mcgillivray

Narrative practices is like learning a second language. At first you feel shy, awkward, uncomfortable and so want to return to the known and familiar. Don’t! Keep trying, be curious, and patience with yourself. As Michael and many others who have been using narrative practices for some time share practice, practice, practice! Allow yourself to slow down the conversation embrace the exchange of energy and put worry about finding a solution somewhere that it doesn’t crept back into the room to disturb those very interesting and “just” different conversations. Ask if what you are talking about is useful if not go on to something that is useful! Allow yourself to “drink in ” the essence of the moment and enjoy!

Yishai Shalif

hello, I agree with Jo, it is a world view about the world.
Don’t get caught by the practice. Many people say that in the begining it is dificult to keep all the maps in ones head. So just keep in mind you are looking as David Epston says not for the ordinary but for the extraordinary, or as I put it (influenced by Jewish tradition) i’m looking for the spark in each person.
This focus positiones you vis-a-vee the person you are working with in a unique position that can co-create new stories about their life.
Yishai

Peggy Sax

Hey Yishai, Don & Jo,

GREAT tips. Thank you so much!

I will always remember something Peter, my first clinical supervisor, said to me. It seemed like he knew how to deal with EVERYTHING. I asked him, “Peter, how do you know so much?” He paused, and then replied, “The only difference between me and you is that I’ve been doing it longer.”

Keep those tips coming…

Anyone out there reading these tips who is newer to narrative practice? What is it like to hear these tips?

peggy