Helping People Beyond the Preferred Self: Concrete strategies to develop a more intense, sustainable, and flourishing self

Narrative therapy, developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1990s, has provided the world with many ways to help people overcome problems and navigate their lives according to deeply felt values. The therapeutic work ultimately culminates with people being more connected to their preferred self, in ways recognized and witnessed by others, and able to move forward in their lives in accordance with meaningful purposes and dreams. What else can we do? The advent of revolutionary findings in positive psychology, mindfulness, and neurobiology have shed new light on possibilities of flourishing, and ways of expanding this preferred self beyond individualistic understandings making it more sustainable. In this presentation, Marie-Nathalie will detail several practices that will add three other levels of work after a preferred self is identified and thickened. She will show videotapes of clinical applications of this work that results in people being fueled by their values in small and big ways, and beyond the classic definition of a preferred self.

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Learning objectives

• Understand how the concept of self is bound by individualistic notions
• Explore recent findings on well-being and connections to greater than self experiences
• Learn concrete clinical ways to intensify, expand and sustain people’s preferred selves
• Develop a richer repertoire of clinical questions to help people flourish in everyday life

We are delighted to sponsor this workshop with Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin. Watch here how she incorporates affect and emotion in narrative therapy.

Marie-Nathalie is featured in our new online course, New Horizons in Narrative Therapy, Affect & the Body as well as a contributor to the course currently in development, Contemporary Narrative Therapy. In addition, she is a prolific writer.

BOOKS and CHAPTERS

• Beaudoin, M.-N. And Monk, G. (In press). Narrative practices and emotions: 40+ ways to support the emergence of flourishing identities. WW. Norton.
• Beaudoin, M.-N. & Maki, K.  (2020).  Mindfulness in a busy world: Lowering barriers for adults and youth to cultivate focus, emotional peace, and gratefulness.  Rowman & Littlefield. NY
• Beaudoin, M.-N. & Duvall, J. (2017).  Collaborative therapy and neurobiology: Evolving practices in action. Routledge, Taylor & Francis, NY
• Beaudoin, M.N. & Moureaux-Nery, F. (2015).  Les mille et une compétences en chaque enfant:  Prévenir et résoudre les difficultes sociales et émotionnelles a l’aide des découvertes en neurosciences. L’Harmattan, Paris, France.
• Beaudoin, M.-N. (2014). Boosting ALL children’s social and emotional brain power: Life transforming activities.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Publications.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (2013).  Cómo hacer de cada niño un millonario en habilidades.  Madrid, Spain: EOS Instituto de Orientation de Psicologica Asociados and in Mexico: Editiones Zeus.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (2010).  The SKiLL-ionaire in every child:  Boosting children’s socio-emotional skills using the latest in brain research.  San Francisco: Goshawk Publications.

ARTICLES

• Beaudoin, M.N. (2022 in press). Revisiting agency and choice in the face of trauma: A narrative therapy map.  Journal of Systemic Therapies, 41(4), 67-87.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (2020). Affective double listening: 16 dimensions to explore affect, emotions and embodiment in narrative therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapie,39 (1), 1-28.
• Beaudoin, M.N. & MacLennan, R. (2020).  Mindfulness and embodiment in family therapy: Overview, nuances, and clinical applications in poststructural practices.  Family Process, dot:10.1111/famp.12624.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (July, 2019).  Intensifying the preferred self: Neurobiology, mindfulness, and embodiment practices that make a difference. The international journal of narrative therapy and community work, 2, 1-10.
• Beaudoin, M.N (Fall, 2018).  Thinkitis vs Mindfulness.  Family Therapy Magazine, AAMFT, Sept-October, 36-40.
• Beaudoin, M.N., Tan, A., Gannon, C., Moersch, M. (2018). A comparative study of the effects of 6,12, and 16 weeks of narrative therapy on social and emotional skills: An empirical analysis of 722 children’s problem solving accounts.  Journal of Systemic Therapie,36 (4), 57-73.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (2016). Broadening the scope of collaborative therapies: Embodied practices arising from neurobiology, neurocardiology and neurogastroenterology, Journal of Systemic Therapie, 34(4), 1-12.
• Beaudoin, M.N, Moersch, M., & Schnare, B.  (2016).  The effectiveness of narrative therapy with social and emotional skills development: An empirical study of 835 children’s stories. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 35(3), 42-60.
• Beaudoin, M.-N. (2015).  Flourishing with Positive  Emotions: Increasing clients’ repertoire of Problem Counter-State.  Journal of Systemic Therapies. 34(3), 1-13.
• Beaudoin, M.-N. (Jan, 2014).  Can new discoveries in brain research help us better prevent bullying?  Patio: Revista Pedagogica, 68, 10-13.
• Beaudoin, M.N. & Zimmerman, J. (2011).  Narrative therapy and interpersonal neurobiology: Revisiting classic practices, developing new emphases.  Journal of Systemic Therapies, 30(1), 1-13.
• Beaudoin, M.-N. (2008).  Therapeutic Movement and Stuckness in Family Therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 27(2), 58-73.
• Beaudoin, M.N. (2005).  Agency and choice in the face of trauma: A narrative therapy map.  Journal of Systemic Therapies, 24(4), 32-50.