In collaboration with friends, David is currently constructing a new series of online courses to demonstrate and explore Contemporary Narrative Therapy – an emergent approach distinguishable from Classical Narrative Therapy (1985-2008). The first course in this series brings online a pedagogy David has engaged with over the last 15 years in traditional live workshop formats with two inter-woven themes: 1) what is a good question and what does such a question do? and 2) what is a good story and how does it ‘counter’ a problematic story? These two matters lie at the very heart of the artistry of this approach to Narrative Therapy practice.
David Epston Resources
Co-founders Michael White and David Epston, first introduced Narrative Therapy to counseling in 1990 with the book, Narrative means to therapeutic ends. Since then, David (DE) has co- authored and authored 100s of publications and presented 100s of international workshops. The following slider brings together a range of DE resources from: our DE: Improvisation, Innovations & Collaborations Hot Topic Page, The Narrative Approaches website and Facebook page, The DE Youtube Playlist, The Journal of Narrative Family Therapy and Apprenticeship in the Art of Narrative Practice. Please watch the slides and then click on an image when you wish to explore more.
Counterstorying, Wonderfulness Enquiries & Witnessing Practices
Two Interviews with David Epston
The first course in this series brings online a pedagogy David has engaged with over the last 15 years in traditional live workshop formats with two inter-woven themes: 1) what is a good question and what does such a question do? and 2) what is a good story and how does it ‘counter’ a problematic story? Role play interviews with students/colleagues are designed to highlight these matters and usually last for 30 to 40 minutes. Transcripts will also be provided. After each interview, Kay Ingamells offers her commentary; then Larry Zucker and marcela polanco join David and Kay for further conversation to highlight these two matters as lying at the very heart of the artistry of Narrative Therapy practice. Relevant papers and essays will be distributed throughout.
David Epston Interview with 16-year-old Joel
Here we will meet with Joel, who is 16 and has met with his counsellor 8 times. Joel has very irregular school attendance and when he does, he has panic attacks. His family migrated from South Africa when he was 12. His father has a long history of drug addiction and violence against Joel’s mother as well as Joel. Joel also has assaulted his mother. His parents are considering divorce. Prospects for his future appear very bleak save his aspiration to become a veterinarian.
David Epston Interview with 10-year-old Danny
Danny is a precocious 10 year old who has refused to attend school for some time. He and his mother/family have met 25 times with his counsellor. This is a very explicit example of counter-storying ‘spider bravery’ in contradiction of his ‘school phobia’. We will meet Veronica, his mother and Danny.
David Epston Interview with 17-year-old Riri
Riri is a 17 young Maori woman who was taken in to custody of Youth Justice for the reason of her homelessness and gang violence. Rather unusually she is invited to live with the family of her ‘best friend’ Bella along with Michelle’s(Bella’s mother) seven other children. In this interview, her identity as a ‘bad girl’ is contradicted by the redefinition of her as a ‘good girl’.
Course now under construction
Watch this site for further developments.