Foundations and Key Concepts: Archived Reflections

Lesson 1: What is narrative therapy?

Have you reviewed our first lesson here? We begin by briefly describing narrative therapy and what makes this approach distinct from other approaches. We honor the legacy of Michael White (Australia) and David Epston (New Zealand) the founders of Narrative therapy with special added remembrances to Michael who died in April, 2008. Michael’s close colleagues – Maggie Carey, Rob Hall & Shona Russell – reflect on  the practices that make up the narrative approach, and their Read More

1b) How is narrative therapy distinct from other models?

Lesson 1b) Distinctions from other approaches

Narrative therapy often highlights distinctions from other models of psychotherapy. For those of you new (or relatively new) to narrative therapy: What stands out to you as apparent differences? What peaks your curiosity? Do you have questions for folks with experience practicing in these ways? For more experienced narrative practitioners: if you have practiced in other ways, what is your first hand experience with what might make narrative therapy distinct from other approaches to psychotherapy, Read More

Lesson 1b) What are some of the questions we ask?

(Before responding, please listen to the brief radio interview with Jill Freedman in the aftermath of the tragic Sandyhook School shooting in Connecticut in December, 2012.  

Lesson 1b) Radical listening- Kaethe Weingarten

(Before responding to this question, please be sure to read the brief 1999 interview with Kaethe Weingarten conducted by Vicki Dickerson that gives an excellent brief overview of the history of narrative therapy, and of the distinctions from other models of family therapy. Click here to review the interview.) After reading this article, what contribution does this interview offer to your understandings of narrative therapy? What stands out to you about the history of narrative Read More

Lesson 1) Applications in everyday practice

As you read through the abundance of materials in the first section, “What is narrative therapy?”, can you help us ground the concepts here in your every day practice? – Is there a story that come to mind from your own work context that can help make these ideas come alive? – Can you briefly describe your work context? – How have you understood a key narrative concept in this particular context? – When did Read More

Radical listening: An interview with Kaethe Weingarten

(reprinted from Inside Stories) Here’s a Vicki Dickerson conducted in 1999 with Dr. Kaethe Weingarten about her work as a postmodern narrative family therapist. Dr. Weingarten is a clinical psychologist, peace psychologist, family therapist, as well as an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). She has been up to a lot since our interview, and her most recent work focuses on “reasonable hope, Read More